#Took me 5 minutes to find the post button

[heartdevices]

Okay see y’all in a year again :)

[lyvhie]

hi omg read the jeno one I requested ATE DOWNNNNNN…… so for nowwwww maybe thinking jeno (sorry I love him…) x shy!reader who doesent really like the idea of jeno seeing her naked cause reader is SCAREDDDD… so he just praises her throughout the whole thing… LOVE UR WORKS they’re so good 💖

-🦋🦋🦋🦋

touch it | ljn

jeno x fem!reader (18+ mdni)

summary: jeno never intended to invest so much time and effort just to have sex with you.

a/n: my sweet 🦋 anon... i'm sorry it took me so long to post this. as soon as i saw it i started writing but it wasn't coming out like i think it should and i didn't want to give you something bad 😞 please forgive me 🙏 i hope you like this one too, it ended up being longer than i was planning. love u, please don't give up on me!

cw: smut, shy/inexperienced!reader, jeno big dick agenda, very slightly bulge kink, fingering, oral (m), unprotected penetrative sex (bcs i forgot to write the condom part sorryyy 🫣), praising, pet names.

jeno never considered himself a patient person. he always got what he wanted when he wanted. and that's why you were driving him crazy.

at first, he enjoyed toying with you, finding it effortless to get under your skin. it was just a game to him, a way to pass the time by teasing and taunting. he loved pushing your buttons with even the slightest action, knowing how easily you would react.

he wasn't entirely sure why you acted the way you did around him. was it shyness or fear of people in general? perhaps a combination of both. regardless, he found your reactions incredibly endearing. whenever he looked at you, he couldn't help but smile at the way you fidgeted and stumbled over your words.

it was cute. he just knew he had to fuck you. he made it his personal goal.

he was aware that winning you over wouldn't be easy, and that he'd have to gain your trust and go through the whole song and dance. but he saw it as a thrilling challenge, and he was determined to make you his.

he surprisingly found it easy to become your friend. given your lonely nature, he didn't need to put in much effort. you didn't appear to have many friends, which made it simple for him to step in and fill that role.

what began as innocent gestures, like whispering sweet nothings in your ear or tenderly tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, quickly escalated into more intimate encounters.

his “accidental” touches or the casual placing of his hand on your thigh, how he enjoyed wrapping his arms around you from behind, his chest pressed against your back as his hands gently roamed your sides. he did all of this to get rise out of you, to see you get all flustered and embarrassed and it worked perfectly.

he knew that simply being a good friend wouldn't be enough to take you to bed with your legs all open for him, so he doubled down on his efforts. he had to be the best friend you ever had.

he became the person you could count on for anything — if something was troubling you, he'd be there to listen and provide comfort. you wanted a plushie from your favorite show? no problem, he would make sure to get it for you. feeling lonely and in need of companionship? all you had to do was call him, and he'd be right there for you.

all of it was part of his grand scheme to lower your defenses and draw you closer to him. and it worked little by little.

when you confessed that you had never kissed anyone before, his response was instant: "that's what friends are for." he gauged your reaction, noticing the way you nibbled on your lip and fidgeted with the hem of your skirt, all little habits that he had noticed in you a long time ago.

his words were merely to test the waters, to see how you would respond to his subtle advances. he was overjoyed when you finally agreed to his suggestion, after taking some time to consider (a good 5 minutes). he couldn't help but feel proud that he was the one who would get to kiss your innocent lips, a thought that thrilled him. this small victory fueled his confidence in the belief that winning you over wouldn't be hard.

it was fun to him, teaching you how to kiss for the first time and seeing your reaction to his touch. the moment he reached out to touch your face, you quickly recoiled, as if you had been burned. it just fueled his desire to go further and explore this nervous, inexperienced side of you.

"relax, baby," he spoke softly, your favorite term of endearment rolling off his tongue effortlessly. he gently took your hand in his, soothingly rubbing his thumbs over your skin in a reassuring manner. it was his way of calming you down, a small gesture that never failed to affect you.

as you tried to follow his words and relax, he cupped your face between his hands and leaned in closer. with a soothing tone, he instructed you to close your eyes. he was so close that you unconsciously held your breath, which made him chuckle. his breath ghosted over your skin as he spoke, his proximity to you causing your heart to flutter in your chest.

as his lips finally touched yours, a soft gasp escaped you and you nearly jolted. he started with just a gentle peck, giving you a chance to adjust to the sensation. your heart pounded wildly in your chest, the rapid rhythm so intense that you feared it might burst out of your chest at any moment. you were almost certain he could hear it, the sound of your heartbeats echoing in your ears and filling the silence between you.

his soft voice gently commanded, "open your mouth slightly, sweetheart," and you obeyed eagerly, parting your lips. a small hum escaped you as you felt the warm, wet touch of his tongue slipping into your mouth. the sudden sensation sent chills down your spine, surprising you in the most pleasurable way.

as you started moving your tongue against his, following the rhythm he set, he was the one who couldn't help but let out a pleased hum. his hand moved from your face to your hair, fingers gently grasping the locks and pulling you closer to him.

the feeling of your mouth against his, your inexperienced but eager tongue trying to keep up with his, was beyond what he imagined. the taste of you, so sweet and untainted, drove him to become more demanding, rougher, and you didn't seem to mind, responding to his intensity with a sense of abandon.

he carefully maneuvered you onto your back on the couch, crawling over you and bringing his body on top of yours. his hands began to explore your form, tracing every contour until they reached your thighs and gently caressed the soft skin. with a sly smile, he squeezed the supple flesh, grateful that you were wearing a skirt, making his plans even simpler.

tou were so absorbed in the way his mouth captured yours that it took awhile for you to notice his hand roaming further up your skirt. the feeling of his fingers slowly tracing your inner thigh sent shivers up your spine, igniting sparks of pleasure that made you almost gasp into his mouth.

you managed to pull away from the kiss, panting for air, and stopped his hand before it went any higher. "w-wait, jeno," you gasped, your voice breathless and filled with hesitation.

jeno's breath was shallow, his mouth moving to your neck as he inhaled your scent and began to place soft, gentle kisses there, making you left a soft sigh. he hummed against your skin, his voice still unsteady as he responded to you. "what is it, baby?" he murmured against your skin, his warm breath teasing your sensitive flesh.

“i-i don't—” your words were interrupted by a gasp as he sucked on your neck, his lips creating a pleasant suction that made your head spin. but as he continued to nibble and kiss your skin, you softly pleaded, "j-jeno, stop.”

jeno grudgingly pulled away from your neck, his eyes a mix of desire and annoyance as he looked at you. but you were too flustered to notice his expression, hastily hiding your face in your hands, unable to meet his gaze. your embarrassment was palpable, and the moment was suspended in a brief silence.

before he could utter another word, you hastily scrambled out from under him, mumbling a clumsy excuse before hastily retreating to your room. he sat there on the couch, a little bewildered, as he watched you disappear. the sound of your door closing echoed in the silence that followed, leaving him alone with his frustrated thoughts.

he ran his hand through his hair. of course he wouldn't get in your panties so quickly. he got a little carried away by the moment and forgot that he needed to take things very slowly with you.

he had assumed you would lock yourself in your room for a while longer, probably consumed by a million thoughts and doubts that he was all too familiar with at this point.

after a while, he stood up from the couch and approached your door, knocking softly on the wood. "i'll be waiting," he called out softly, and that was all he said.

he was already starting to turn away, but the sound of the door opening caught his attention. you emerged from behind the opening, looking at him timidly, and he was taken aback by your whispered request.

"can we... keep practicing? j-just the kissing…" you spoke in a small voice, your words barely audible but filled with trepidation and desire. he froze for a moment, surprised by the unexpected request, before a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

“you don't have to ask twice, sweetheart.”

in the days that followed, a new routine was established between you and him. every time you found yourselves together, whether at his place or yours, the hours would pass in a haze of lip and tongue, mouths moving against each other in a frenzy. by the end of each session, your lips would be swollen and sensitive to the touch, a reminder of the time spent indulging in such an activity.

but what truly fueled jeno's frustration was the fact that your interactions always seemed to stop at the same point. no matter how much he touched and caressed you, nothing ever went further than a few brief moments of physical contact.

he felt an intense sense of desperation growing within him, the unfulfilled desire weighing heavily on his mind. he longed to take things further, to explore more of you, but somehow he always found himself stuck in this endless cycle of heated yet ultimately unsatisfying make-out sessions.

he was already mentally bracing himself for the challenges ahead, but then you caught him off guard once more.

sitting on his lap, your tongues intertwined in a hungry dance, you suddenly did something unexpected. you began to subtly grind against his thigh, your movements and moans so natural it was as if you weren't fully aware of what you were doing.

the sensations were immediate, and he felt a twitch in his pants. the feeling of you riding his leg set his body trembling with desire. a low groan escaped him, his kiss growing more fierce as he tried to keep himself together in the face of your unintentional provocation. he could feel his arousal growing with each passing moment, and the thought of having you so close yet so out of reach was driving him insane.

jeno's grip on your waist became a little tighter as he pulled you down, pressing you against him more firmly. the thin fabric of your shorts did little to disguise the wetness building between your thighs, leaving a noticeable dampness on his pants.

your moans grew a little louder as you lost yourself in the sensations, and jeno reluctantly broke the kiss to look at you. he clutched your waist, stopping your movements and holding you firmly in place, drawing a whine from you.

your words escaped your lips involuntarily, a soft plea for more. "jeno, please," you murmured, desperation tinging your voice. he chuckled softly at the sound of your plea, his smirk growing wider. “please what, baby?" he whispered, his lips brushing gently against yours, barely making contact, teasing you with the lightest touch.

his question hung in the air, unanswered, leaving you floundering to articulate your desires. you felt a mixture of shyness and embarrassment, unable to vocalize what you truly wanted. so, your response was a soft whine as you hid your face in the crook of his neck. his chest vibrated with a low chuckle, his amusement evident at your inability to express yourself clearly.

“you want some relief here, sweetie?” his hand slid between your legs, his middle finger pressing against your clothed cunt, making you gasp at the sudden contact.

this time, you made no attempt to stop him, instead nodding silently in agreement. you buried yourself deeper into the safety of his neck, feeling embarrassment and need. you knew deep down that you were desperate for some form of release, and the realization only flustered you.

jeno, on the other hand, was practically bursting with excitement and joy, mentally launching fireworks and wanting to dance a victory lap around the house. he was finally close to getting the hardest fuck of his life — not exactly in the good way.

his voice was a soft whisper in your ear as he nibbled gently on your earlobe, sending shivers down your spine. "we should do something about it, shouldn't we, pretty girl?" he murmured, his nose nuzzling tenderly against your ear. "will you let me help you again?" he asked, his breath warm against your skin.

your response was immediate, a desperate plea for his touch. "yes, please," you managed to stutter out, your voice tinged with a hint of need.

even though he just wanted to empty his balls, he knew he had to make you experience some of the sensations and induce you to want more.

jeno leaned against the bedhead, preparing himself for what was to come. his one hand began to trace gentle circles on your thigh, while the other continued to soothe you with soft caresses on your back. "okay, baby," he assured you. "just relax and let me take care of you, alright?”

jeno had become skillful in taking care of you, and his request for you to relax was met with an immediate submission from you. he wasted no time moving your pajamas shorts out of the way, efficiently tugging the fabric to the side.

due to your current position, where you were on his lap, with your chest pressed against his and your face still buried in his neck, jeno had limited visibility of you. he could feel your body against his, but he couldn't see much more than that. despite being mildly frustrated by the lack of visual access, he knew you wouldn't pull away anytime soon, even if he asked. you seemed too focused on hiding your flustered face against his skin.

even so, he could feel how soaked your panties were and that was enough for him right now. once again, jeno wasted no time in his actions, pulling your panties to the side with decisive motion. his digits pressed gently against your sensitive flesh, eliciting sigh from you. his fingers parted your folds, gently exploring your wetness with delicate movements. he took his time, savoring the moment, your soft sounds and how you were already squirming with just a few touches.

you gasped as he slipped a finger inside you. he started pumping slowly, he could feel how tight you were and he couldn't help but feel his cock stir inside his pants, his mind swirling with thoughts of what it would be like to be inside you.

"how does it feels, baby?" he coos, adding another finger to stretch you just enough, feeling how you clenched around his digits and moaned timidly into his neck. “g-good… very good,” was all you could mutter, your breath hitching as you felt him scissor and curl.

jeno hummed, a contented sound escaping him, as he used his free hand to gently push away the strands of hair that hung over your neck. he pressed his lips against your skin, gently kissing and nibbling at the sensitive flesh, feeling a shiver run through you.

jeno's fingers began to search inside you, seeking out the spot that would make you melt. when you trembled and a loud moan escaped you, his smirk widened. "found it," he chuckled, continuing to target that sweet spot with deliberate precision.

he added pressure with his palm against your clit, rubbing it softly but firmly enough to ignite intense sensations. he knew exactly how sensitive you were, and even this gentle touch was more than enough to leave you moaning and trembling.

jeno nuzzled your ear, his breath warm against your skin as he spoke soft words to you. "you sound so pretty, baby," he murmured, his hand never ceasing its movement as he felt your body clenching around him. "i know you're close already," he continued, increasing the speed of his movements. "just let it go, don't hold it back, okay?" he coaxed.

you didn't even realize how close you were, the sensations stirring in your body completely unexpected. there was a strange feeling in your stomach, your toes curling as you clung to him tighter. then, his words struck you like a command, and suddenly, a wave of pleasure washed over you. the new sensation was overwhelming, almost transporting you to another realm.

jeno absolutely loved the way you mewled his name in the midst of your climax. he relished in the sweet sounds you made, eagerly anticipating the chance to hear more and feel more of you. his desire was palpable as he continued to watch you come undone in his arms.

with your body quivering from the aftermath of your climax, you leaned against him, allowing your weight to fully rest on him. the tingles that coursed through you seemed to reach every inch of your skin, leaving you breathless. you panted slightly as you felt your body slowly returning to a state of stability.

jeno slowly withdrew his fingers, wiping them clean on your shorts. with a gentle tug, he drew your face away from his neck, allowing him to finally get a proper look at you.

your mind was still hazy from the intensity of your climax, and you barely registered his actions until you saw the smug expression on his face. the realization that you looked so utterly wrecked just from a little fingering made jeno silently contemplate how you would look when he pushed you further than just his fingers.

you were on the verge of speaking when he silenced you with a kiss, a kiss that you gladly returned. the touch of his hands slipping under your shirt sent a shiver down your spine, his fingers gently caressing your bare skin. you felt his touch drifting over the clasps of your bra, his movements deliberate and suggestive.

despite being consumed by the myriad of sensations he was evoking in you, you couldn't help but notice the way his hand tugged at the hem of your shirt, clearly signaling his intention to remove it. but as he began to lift the fabric, you instinctively halted his movements by placing your hands over his, preventing him from proceeding further. you pulled away from the kiss, gazing into his eyes a hint of hesitation.

“n-not yet, jeno,” you managed to stutter out, biting your lower lip as you averted your gaze from him. the thought of revealing yourself even partially in front of him sent a wave of fear and nervousness coursing through you. despite the intimate moment you had just shared, the idea of baring your body to him, even further, felt overwhelmingly nerve-wracking.

frustration and disappointment etched itself across jeno's features as he suppressed the urge to curse aloud. instead, he released a soft, frustrated breath, his forehead coming to rest against yours. he had been eagerly anticipating a night of finally fucking you senseless until you can't even remember your name, and your hesitation dampened that hope once again.

your soft-spoken words brought him back from his momentary disappointment. "but i..." you began, your voice tinged with coynes and a hint of determination. "i want to make you feel good too," you confessed, your eyes drifting down to his lap, where you couldn't help but notice the evidence of his arousal. there was curiosity and desire in your tone as you confessed your wish to return the favor. “j-just tell me what to do…”

a spark of something akin to admiration and appreciation flared up in jeno's eyes as he processed your words. out of all the things you had ever said, these words felt like music to his ears. a hopeful glimmer of satisfaction shone through, a realization that the night might not be a complete wash after all.

jeno chuckled affectionately, his voice carrying a hint of genuine appreciation as he spoke. "that's so nice of you, sweetie,” he murmured, gifting you a gentle peck on the lips which prompted a smile to bloom on your face. following his instructions, you carefully repositioned yourself, assuming a kneeling position between his legs, your eyes looking up at him expectantly.

a glimmer of greed flickered through Jeno's eyes as he took in the sight of you looking up at him. his hand cupped your face, his touch soft as he traced his fingers along your cheek. a subtle smile played at his lips as he issued a command, his voice dripping with desire. “you can start by taking off my clothes,” he murmured, his eyes locked on yours, hungry and full of heat.

you followed his directions without hesitation, slowly unbuttoning his pants and gently pulling them down, the sound of the fabric rubbing against his skin filling the room. as the fabric pooled around his ankle, your eyes couldn't help but drift towards his impressive package, your breath catching in your throat at the sight.

you saw a darker spot on the fabric of his boxes, damp with pre-cum, you wasted no time in removing the remaining piece, freeing his aching cock that stood proudly in front of your eyes, eliciting a soft sigh of relief from him.

you continued to stare at his dick, blinking a few times as you processed the sight. he was big. too big.

jeno chuckled heartily at the sight of your eyes widening in surprised awe, his ego swelling with a touch of cocky confidence. he knew exactly what was running through your mind. "don't be shy, pretty girl," he teased, a sly smile playing on his lips. "you can touch it." he leaned back, resting his weight on his hands as he waited for you to make a move.

as calm and collected as he appeared to be, jeno was practically craving your touch. his muscles tensed under your gaze, and there was a hint of desperation in his eyes as he longed for your caress. however, he was determined to maintain a facade of coolness, masking his inner pleading with subtle smirks and sultry words.

as your delicate hands finally encircled him, a soft sigh escaped jeno's lips, his eyes closing for a moment as he savored the sensation. jis breath hitched, his teeth gently sinking into his lower lip in response to the pleasure coursung through him. his dark gaze was fixed on you, watching intently as you explored him with a look of curiosity and wonder in your eyes.

you started to stroke his cock slowly, the pre-cum acting enough as a lubricant, facilitating your movements. “just like that, sweetheart,” he said in low groans, his breath heavy.

yes, this. more. fast. please. he closed his eyes tight to savor the sensation. each sweet, slow movement of your hand pushed him closer to relief. and then... a new sensation joined the others. a delicate, refreshing affection, at the tip of his cock. almost like a breeze. you were licking it. rolling that pink, shy and naughty tongue around the head of his erection. kissing and tasting lightly. the feeling was intense. sublime. insufficient.

it took him by surprise how you effortlessly seemed to know what to do, and he found himself thoroughly enjoying it. his hands threaded through your hair, his fingers delving into the soft strands as he lavished his touch upon your head. in that moment, he found himself unable to hold back his words. his voice came out in a rough whisper, "put it all in your mouth.”

for a brief moment, a flicker of worry crossed jeno’s expression. he feared that his request might have intimidated you, that you may stand up from your position on the ground and refuse to continue. he was on the verge of pleading with you, nearly uttering a desperate “please,” but before he could voice his concern, you unexpectedly acquiesced to his command, enveloping the head of his cock in your wet, ecstatic heat.

you began hesitantly. which was understandable, since this was your first time. but you didn't need much skill. he throbbed with desire while you showed great enthusiasm, even though you had no experience. there was little you could have done — except bite him, perhaps — that wouldn't have been delicious.

you were more than good. it was fantastic. he found himself rocking his pelvis, trying to go deeper each time your sweet, juicy mouth descended on him.

a ragged moan escaped his lips as he spoke, his grip on your hair growing tighter as he moved his hips in a quicker, more insistent rhythm. “you are doing so well, baby. so, so, well,” his words came out in a deep, raspy tone.

the mounting tension between you had taken its toll on jeno, and he was acutely aware of the pleasure that had been denied to him for a considerable amount of time. it was a struggle to maintain control, and he found himself teetering on the edge of climax.

as you continued your ministrations, he swallowed hard, the air around him seemingly growing thinner. his body trembled under your touch, his breath escaping in ragged gasps as he felt his climax building up, on the verge of tipping into pure ecstasy.

and, before he could even warn you, he came in your mouth, holding your head in place, forcing you to take his entire load. he didn’t mean to do that, but it felt so good he didn’t want you to pull away at the best part.

as you pulled away, gasping for breath, jeno's grip on your hair loosened, his hands gently releasing their hold on you. his own chest heaved with effort, his breathing ragged and labored from the intense encounter. he gazed at you with eyes heavy with desire, drinking in the sight of your disheveled appearance and the thin line of his cum that traced the corner of your mouth. in that moment, his expression was one of pure contentment and satisfaction.

a ghost of a smirk played at the corners of jeno's lips, his voice lacking any trace of remorse. "i'm sorry, i should have warned you, baby," he said, his words carrying a hint of satisfaction rather than regret.

you glanced up at him, offering a timid smile as you assured him, "i-it's okay, it wasn't that bad,” he watched as you ran your tongue over your lips, innocently cleaning the remnants of his essence.

god, he thought, you're so sexy.

from that point forward, not only had making out become a regular occurrence, but oral sex had become something you enthusiastically welcomed. jeno couldn't help but notice the change in you, how earnestly you seemed to embrace the act of pleasing him. it looked like you derived a sense of satisfaction from bringing him to such levels of ecstasy.

even though jeno was completely happy with the addition of a new activity to the menu, it still wasn't enough. don’t get him wrong, he loved getting a blowjob whenever either of you were in the mood, but what he really needed was to actual fuck you.

he found himself perplexed by your reluctance to take the next step. while he was fully aware of your penchant for shyness, he couldn't help but wonder why you hadn't given in yet.

considering the things you had already engaged in, he assumed that your comfort level would have already reached a point where you would be receptive to more.

the mounting impatience and desire finally got the better of him, and he decided that it was time to address the issue directly. he took a deep breath and gathered his thoughts before addressing you with a blunt question.

“baby, why don't you just let me fuck you?”

jeno caught you off guard, interrupting your casual routine as you were making your way to bed and using a towel to dry your hair. you momentarily froze, the towel suspended in mid-air as you turned to face him with widened eyes. “w-what? jeno…!” you stuttered as you hastily grabbed the towel, clutching it against your face in an attempt to conceal your flustered expression.

he couldn't help but roll his eyes, at your reaction, with a smirk on his lips and a chuckle in his voice, he reached out and pulled you closer to him, his arms encircling your waist and drawing you into his embrace. he settled his chin on your belly, gazing up at you with a curious expression and added with nonchalant tone, "i’m just curious, you know.”

with a single movement, jeno reached up and took the towel from your hands, tugging it away from your face to reveal your expression. his eyes scanned your face, taking in the adorable sight of you all bashful and shy.

"i-i..." your voice trailed off, your nervousness clearly evident. jeno's eyes remain fixed on you, waiting patiently for you to continue. sensing your hesitance, he encouraged you gently, his voice soft and soothing. "mmm, i'm listening," he urged, silently coaxing you to continue.

you averted his gaze, your voice barely above a whisper as you finally confessed. "i-it's just...you'll see me naked and all...," you admitted, the thought alone making your heart race with anxiety.

jeno's eyes widened momentarily as he processed your words, his expression alternating between disbelief and shock.

that was the reason? no fucking way.

"are you serious?" he asked, his voice filled with a touch of incredulity. you responded with an eager nod, still not looking at him, "i-i can't do that, you'll see everything!" your voice trembled slightly, the thought of being fully exposed in front of him clearly terrifying to you.

jeno couldn't believe what he was hearing. it seemed almost unbelievable that the reason you were hesitant to take the next step was solely because of the thought of being completely naked in front of him.

his facial expression softened as he tried to understand your perspective better. "baby, it's me, you know," he said, his voice gentle and reassuring. he reached out to cup your face, his touch tender. "you don't have to be embarrassed with me," he continued, his eyes searching yours.

"i...i know that," you stammered, feeling your heart fluttering in your chest at his touch and the soothing sound of his voice. despite knowing that he was someone you trusted deeply, the thought of being completely nude in front of him still felt overwhelming.

you tried to articulate your feelings, your words coming out in a shaky whisper. "but... it's just... i'm worried i won't look good enough for you," you confessed coyly.

great. you were insecure. he forgot that.

“that's just so stupid," he muttered, pulling you onto the bed with him and positioning you straddling his lap. his fingers gently cradled your chin, tilting your face up to meet his gaze. "you know i love every single part of you, right?" he repeated, his tone tender and sincere. "even those i'm yet dying to see," he added with a smirk, his eyes roaming over your body, taking in every contour. "you are just perfect.”

your eyes widened slightly at his words, his unwavering confidence in your beauty causing a flutter in your chest. insecurity still lingered, but the way he spoke with such certainty made your doubts waver.

your hands unconsciously found their way to his chest, fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt as your breath hitched. "you...you really think that?" you asked, your voice barely above a whisper as your lips form a small pout.

jeno chuckled softly, his hands moving from your face to your hips, their grip firm but gentle as they held you in place on his lap. "i don't just think it, i know it," he replied, his eyes scanning your face as his thumbs began to trace soothing circles on your hipbones.

his voice dropped lower as his eyes held your gaze, “your body is incredible," he repeated, "i love every inch of it." his expression softened, and he leaned in closer, his breath warm against your skin. "and i would love even more if you just let me see more of you. you have nothing to be shy about, baby. let me show you just how much i appreciate every part of you.”

your heart skipped a beat, his words igniting a flutter of anticipation within you. despite your lingering insecurities, you couldn't deny the way his words made your stomach churn with excitement and nervousness, he sounded so inviting.

after a few moments of contemplation, your voice trembled as you finally gave in, your eyes meeting his.

"o-okay," you whispered, the word barely audible, as if spoken more to yourself than to him. taking a deep breath, you made the decision, your heart racing in your chest. “i-it's fine.”

as soon as the words left your mouth, granting him permission, Jeno's lips were on yours in a heartbeat, the kiss passionate and feverish. his hands didn't waste any time either, slipping under the fabric of your shirt to caress the soft skin of your back.

“that's it, sweetie,” he said against your lips. “i promise it will be worth it,” he pulled you closer, the intensity of his embrace and the hungry way his tongue sought yours sending waves of pleasure coursing through you.

jeno's impatient hands were soon tugging at the hem of your shirt, his movements eager and insistent as he lifted it over your head, revealing your bare upper body, clad only in a bra. his breath caught in his throat as he took in the sight of your exposed skin, his eyes roaming over you, appreciating every inch. his hands continued to caress your skin, the feeling of flesh on flesh sending shivers down your spine.

his touch was gentle and deliberate, his fingers tracing soft lines along your collarbones, your arms, down your sides. he leaned forward, his lips pressing kisses along your neck and collarbones, nipping and nibbling at the sensitive skin there. "you are so beautiful, baby," he murmured against your skin. "i've been wanting to do this for so long.”

he continued to kiss and nibble at your neck and collarbones, his movements soft but insistent. as he trailed a path of kisses down your chest, his fingers traced the lace of your bra, tracing the edge of the fabric with the tip of his fingers.

his lips moved lower, his kisses growing more frantic as they reached your chest, his tongue tracing the contour of your cleavage as his hands continued to roam your body. his fingers trailed a path down your back to the clasp of your bra, his knuckles brushing against your skin as he fumbled to undo it.

jeno's fingers worked quickly to undo the clasp of your bra, his touch both impatient and skillful as he finally managed to free you from the confines of the undergarment. he pulled it away, revealing your bare chest to him, your tits jiggling slightly.

“fuck,” he exhaled a shaky breath, his eyes taking in the sight of your exposed flesh. "you're more beautiful than i ever imagined," he murmured, his voice filled with desire and awe.

as jeno continued to gaze at you, you couldn't help but feel a wave of shyness wash over you. your arms instinctively moved to cover your chest, attempting to shield yourself from his unabashed staring. embarrassed, you muttered, "s-stop looking at me like that.”

he reached out and gently pulled your arms away from your chest, exposing your bare skin again. “don’t be embarrassed,” he said, his voice soft and soothing. “you’re gorgeous. i could look at you all day.”

He leaned down, his hands trailing a path across your chest, his fingertips gently caressing your boobs. his touch was feather-light, almost reverent as he explored the contour of your flesh. he took his time, seemingly wanting to savor every moment of this encounter.

slowly, he lowered his head, his hand reaching out to cup one, his thumb brushed over your nipple, his fingers closing around your breast, squeezing gently as he drew your nipple into his mouth, sucking softly. he hummed contentedly, lost in the sensation, his lips working slowly, savoringly.

a soft gasp escaped your lips as jeno's tongue worked its magic, sending shivers down your spine. your body writhed beneath him, your fingers tangling in his locks, tugging at them softly.

feeling your body respond to his touch, he took the opportunity to lay you down on your back, gently coaxing you into the plush pillows. he never stopped his ministrations, he caught your nipple between his teeth, giving it a light bite and then sucking, his hands roaming over your body with a possessive touch, as if marking you as his own.

“god, you're so perfect," he whispered, he moved to your other tit, giving it the same attention. "don't hide yourself from me again.”

jeno's hands slid to the waistband of your shorts, his touch burning against your skin. he pulled them down, along with your panties, as you lifted your hips up to help him guide them down your thighs and off your body.

when you were finally bare before him, he couldn't help but take a moment from sucking your boobs to admire the sight of you laid out beneath him, open and vulnerable.

“look at how hot my pretty girl is,” he bite his lower lip, leaning closer to capture your lips in a rough kiss, his fingers making their way to between your thighs. he knew he needed to prepare you for the main event, to make sure you were ready for what he was dying to give you.

you were so sensitive that it was easy to get reactions from you, he didn't even need to finger you that much to make you come a few times, that, along a few praises on your ear while hitting your sweet spots, were enough to have you squirming under him.

jeno's breath was warm against your ear as he spoke, his words sending delightful shivers down your spine. "okay, sweetie," he whispered, his lips still pressed against the sensitive skin of your neck. "you're doing so well."

he could feel your quick breath and the sweat beginning to form on your forehead. his wrists were growing tired from his efforts, but he wasn't backing down. "i'll make you feel even better," he promised, his voice low and seductive.

he shifted his body, his hands working quickly to remove his clothes, discarding them carelessly on the floor beside the bed.

your eyes drank in the sight of jeno's body, taking in his toned muscles and the way his body glowed in the faint light of the room. your gaze fell on his cock standing proud and ready, and a wave of heat washed over you, making you instinctively press your legs together. he was so hot. it was unfair how good he looked.

“like what you see, pretty?” he asked with a smug smile. you weren't brave enough to say the words out loud, but you wanted him to know that you appreciated him too, so you only nodded fiercely, making him laugh and lean over you to press his lips against yours in a gentle kiss while positioning himself between your legs, his erection rubbing against your thigh.

jeno broke the kiss to look into your eyes, his gaze intense and serious. he gently cradled your chin in his hand as he spoke, his voice filled with concern and desire. "just listen to me for a moment, okay?" he said softly. "i need you to promise me that if it becomes too much, if it hurts in any way, you'll tell me to stop. can you do that for me, baby?”

his words hung in the air for a moment, the implications clear. you knew why he was saying that. the size of his cock was undoubtedly intimidating, and it was natural to feel a pang of fear. but your desire for him overpowered any reservations you might have had.

with a nod, you responded. "yes, jeno, i can," you gave him a small smile, "i’ll tell you if it's too much.” he studied your face for a moment, making sure you were sincere and not just saying it to please him. he could see the want in your eyes. the way you nodded your head and answered him firmly gave him the reassurance he needed.

“that’s my good girl,” he kissed your cheek, straightening his back and wrapping his hand around his cock, stroking it a few times before pressing it against your entrance, teasing you lightly by rubbing the tip up and down.

then, he slowly pushed his lenght inside you, as he advanced, you gasped and clutched the sheets, small whimpers of pain escaping your lips. you were lucky you were wet enough to ease the pain, his dick slid into you with ease, he really prepared you well.

jeno's expression mirrored pleasure, his eyes closing in ecstasy as he threw his head back and let out a silent moan. it was as if he had been waiting for this moment for an eternity, and the feeling of you enveloping him was like entering a state of nirvana.

he paused for a moment, his body trembling with pleasure and exertion, as he looked at you. he was breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling as he tried to regain control of his breathing.

"are you doing okay, baby?" he asked, his voice hoarse and low, he wasn't even half way and you seemed to be struggling already.

he looked at your face, taking in the expression of pain and pleasure mingled on your features as your eyebrows furrowed and your eyes welled up with tears. despite the discomfort you were feeling, you reassured him. “y-yes, keep going," you managed to say through trembling lips, your voice shaky but determined. "i can take it, i promise.”

jeno couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for finding you so incredibly hot even in that moment. he leaned in closer, pressing his face against your neck, and sought out your hands, intertwining his fingers with yours. it was an attempt to provide some distraction from the pain, and his words were a soothing whisper against your skin.

"that's it, sweetheart," he murmured, his voice low and comforting. "you're doing so well. just a little more,” he continued to move his hips, causing you to gasp once more, and he couldn't help but moan at the feeling of you squeezing him. his grip on your hands tightened as he fought to maintain control of his own desire to simply fuck you hard.

and when he was finally fully inside you, a wave of relief washed over you, releasing a soft sigh from your lips, you never felt so full before.

he soon let go of your hand to straighten his back again, you were speared open by his cock and when he pressed the palm of his hand on your belly and you felt the bulge he made there, it was too much. neither of you were expecting you to cum right now, your voice crying out his name as your entire body tremble.

“fuck, baby, already?” he asked under his breath, a smile on his lips. again, that was so hot of you. he can't believe he made you come like that.

and that was enough for him. he pulled his hips back slowly, his cock almost all the way out, a brief moment of relief when your insides were empty again, which didn't take long when he pushed back into you hardly, his tip hitting your cervix, making you both moan loudly. you didn't even had time to recover from the most intense orgasm of your whole life.

“fuck,” he said almost breathless. “feel that, pretty girl?” his grip on your hips tightened enough to feel painful and leave bruises. “feel how deep i am?”

the room was filled with sounds of skin against skin as he increased his pace, thrusting even harder while voicing out a few praises to you, saying how well you take him, how good your pussy feel, how he wanted to fill you up with his cum.

he nipped and nibbled at the sensitive flesh, leaving behind a trail of kisses and light love bites as he continued to move in and out of you. your name spilled from his lips like a prayer, a plea, a mantra.

you had intended to speak, to ask him to slow down, but before you could utter a word, jeno sealed your lips with his own, effectively silencing your pleas. his kiss consumed you, capturing all your moans and protests.

he picked up the pace, his movements growing more urgent, more desperate as he feel himself getting closer to his climax. jeno's voice was a low, seductive whisper, his breath hot against your neck. "gonna fill you up, pretty," he murmured, his teeth sinking into your flesh. "you're gonna take every single drop," he whispered fiercely, nibbling at your neck once more as he continued to move, his thrusts growing more insistent.

his hand went to your clit, wanting to make you cum once again, this time right with him. he was close to his limit and he knew he was overstimulating you, then it wouldn't be so difficult. within moments, jeno felt his body become tense and his thrusts more erratic, his movements stuttering even more as he felt you tighten around him.

it didn't take long for you both to cum and you feet him fill you with his hot seed, both moaning loudly. jeno gave a few more thrusts to make sure you were going to take everything he had to give you before pulling out of you.

jeno's body collapsed onto yours, both of you panting and struggling to catch your breath in the aftermath of your climax. the room was filled exclusively with the sounds of your labored breathing.

you could feel the hotness of his skin against yours, his heartbeat racing against your chest as he tried to regain some control over his own breathing. his weight pressed you into the mattress, his body limp and sated.

he buried his face against your shoulder, his breath warm against your neck. his grip on you loosened, his arms coming to rest by your sides as he lay on top of you, completely spent.

after a few moments of comfortable silence, jeno rolled off you and settled onto his back beside you. he broke the silence, his voice gentle, "how are you feeling, baby?" he asked, turning his head to look at you. he noticed the tired yet content smile on your face.

“blissful,” you answered with a light giggle, making him smile back at you.

good. he was going to focus on that now instead of thinking about how stupid he was for cumming inside you on the first fuck and how this could be a big problem in the future.

[weird-is-life]

rockstar!peter finding readers ig and following her or smth

Hiii, lovely🥰ty for this cute request, I'm sorry it took so long, sorry this is not very good lmao. Warnings: mentions of alcohol, Peter is a hopeless (and dramatic) romantic, swear words, fluff, (0.8k)

Peter doesn't even remember the last time he had a real, serious crush on somebody. Like rockstars probably shouldn't even have crushes like that. His band mates would joke that it's very unrockstar-like.

But.....

Peter is and always has been a hopeless romantic. Even before the band's fame had started to rise. So it's safe to say that Peter is down bad.

When you don't text him after one day and then two days and then three days, Peter goes insane.

He ends up thinking that you either read his letter and ignored it or that you threw the paper away. In his hopeful spirits, he chooses to believe in the latter option.

And that's how he somehow ends up scrolling through the endless hashtag of the concert. He hopes that you or at least one of your friends tagged a photo or a video or something so he can somehow text you.

After what feels like endless search Peter almost gives up. He searches all the possible hashtags of the event, and doesn't find anything.

He gets close to just throwing his phone across the room, and leaving it there when he finally finds you.

It's you. But the photo isn't under any hashtags. The venue where the concert was held reblogged your friends post, and that's how Peter found it.

It's a photo of you and your two friends smiling big in front of the main stage. You look as pretty as Peter remembers, but something else catches his attention.

You are wearing the shirt. His shirt! And somehow Peter's stomach does some things that he didn't even think were possible. Butterflies only get worse as he looks at the picture again.

To Peter's insane luck your friend did tag you in the photo, but..... You have a private profile.

"Shit," Peter groans loudly. He doubts you will accept his request if you have indeed ignored the paper.

He contemplates whether he should just move on or whether he should click the request button.

Peter doesn't get the choice to decide as he accidentally clicks on the request button with a part of his hand. "Fuck, fuck, fuck," he quickly locks the phone, and throws it away from him.

"She's gonna block me," Peter murmurs to himself, and runs his hands through his hair in frustration. Peter puts his face in his palms in despair, praying that the earth would just swallow him.

Peter doesn't know how long he stays in that position until a loud sound of a new notification bolts him upright.

He reaches for his phone with a slightly shaky hands. He manages to unlock his phone on like a fourth try after saying to himself, " fucking hell, Peter. Get it together."

The notification indeed came from you. You accepted his request along with a text.

The text says, "Did you give me a fake number?" You ask with an attached picture of the paper he gave you.

Peter's heart literally stops. He feels like such an idiot, like the biggest idiot that has ever walked this Earth actually.

No, he didn't give you a fake number. And no you didn't ignore his letter. And no you didn't throw the paper away.

Peter just doesn't seem to know his own phone number. Stupid stupid stupid. I guess, Peter in such a hurry to write that letter for you wrote one number from his phone number wrong.

Peter doesn't think he has ever written a text as quickly as he has now. He types an apology along with the correct phone number, and hopes you will forgive him and his poor memory.

He notices that you open his text, but you don't respond. He waits for your response for like 5 minutes (loosing his shit may I add), already thinking that you are gonna ghost him.

But of course, you aren't. You thought that Peter, a huge upcoming rockstar, gave you a fake number just to mess with you.

So when you finally tried sending him a message, and it didn't send through, you were gutted to say the least. You drank your silly little crush away with your two best friends and a bottle of wine.

Already thinking of how much a fool you've been for thinking that he'd actually give his number to you.

So to say the least you definitely didn't expect a follow request from him the morning after.

Still slightly hungover from the wine, you accept the request and send him the texts.

When he responds with an apology, and allegedly the right phone number you are a bit hesitant to message him again.

After thinking it through quickly, you message him," Is this really Peter this time?"

He responds almost immediately with a photo of him having a big smile on his face. More than beyond happy that you aren't ghosting him.

And safe to say that your friends are even more happy once they wake up and hear it. Celebratory wine being opened once again.

And so are you. You are very excited to get to know Peter. And for him to get to know you.

[shuttershocky]

I will preface this by saying I don't believe in ghosts, but...

1) One time in highschool when there was a class event involving sleeping overnight in the gym, I spent one evening talking to a friend while walking around the school field in the dark. However, after some time, they stopped replying, and I realized I had wandered off alone.

I returned to the gym, saw them sleeping there, and asked why they ditched me. They claimed they were inside the gym the whole time.

I had no idea who I was talking to in the dark.

2) I actually posted this story on Tumblr before.

In 2016 we reached our lunchbreak ("lunchbreak" but at like 3PM lol) at work, but the elevators going down were taking way too long to arrive.

Getting impatient, I told my friends/coworkers I was taking the stairs down. A few floors down, I heard their voices above me and realized they followed after me, but they all quieted down after a few minutes of walking.

When I reached the bottom, my coworkers were all there ahead of me, asking me where I had been. They told me they walked down the entire staircase but never saw me. I called bullshit and said they all probably took an elevator down, but they all insisted they didn't.

I checked my phone's clock, and it was 10 whole minutes later than I should have arrived at the bottom of the staircase. I have no idea where that time went.

3) You know what was one of the wildest parts of Catholic school? Bravery tests.

My elementary school would have outings like normal schools do, but one part of the 3 day outings would always involve the teachers making some bravery test they'd challenge the kids to do. They wouldn't be necessary for your grade or anything, they just thought it would be fun.

The problem is, these tests mattered more to the kids than their actual grades. Being graded a dumbass in Math? That was nothing. Being graded a baby? That was the end of you.

Looking back, some of these were really dumb, like one of the security guards was made to put on a gorilla suit and wander the school at night while you were tasked with retrieving stuff the teachers left inside. They wouldn't make the guard chase you or anything, they just wanted you to experience shuffling around in the dark and encountering a gorilla.

Anyway, one year, the bravery test was going through a dimly lit garden full of statues on stands / pedestals, memorizing a written piece a teacher left at the end, and then coming back and reciting it. Many kids were freaked out by all the statues of angels and saints in the dark, especially when stories of statues of Mary or Jesus walking around on their own or crying blood were common ghost stories for kids.

So there I was, in the dark, a little freaked out but not visibly freaking out or I would be bullied even harder than I already was in Grade 5, when i noticed one statue waved. It wasn't a scary moment or anything, just a "hi" wave, which looked so obvious I realized some teacher meant to jumpscare you with that and that kind of broke the tension.

I still failed the bravery test because I never found that notebook in the dark, but yknow, at least I didn't cry or anything.

The next day though, I went back to that garden in the daytime to see which empty pedestal the teacher stood on to jumpscare the kids and found that none of them were empty.

Bonus Round: When Finding Nemo came out, McDonalds made Finding Nemo toys for their Happy Meals. Dory would do her whale call, and Nemo kind of just laughed like a kid. Unfortunately, my little sisters bringing the toys into the bathtubs broke the speakers inside, so one time late at night, Nemo began laughing on his own with no button press, and Dory began a garbled whale call after him. Every 5 or so minutes they would just do that. It creeped my mom out enough that she picked up the toys and tossed them out of the house at 3 AM. They were absolutely just broken toys, but she wasn't taking any chances.

[always-and-forever-daydreaming]

A helping hand

warnings : (my writing probably, haha) none? just fluff and some good old hand kink, mention of blood Honestly, I have no idea how to write, but hands of this man have been haunting me for long enough to make me post this.Also, English is not my first language, so if you find any mistake, please, correct me. Enjoy, fellow Mikaelson whores! <3 Also the most amazing @archangelslollipop made this edit you see above, thank you, bestie. She also made me post this.

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

You were reading a book when Elijah stormed into the room. Well, this was his study after all. You immediately closed it and put your full attention onto him. You never seen him like this. He was pacing back and forth, his chest heavily raising and falling. You were actually scared.

What could have happened to leave this normally very calm man looking like this?

He finally stopped, looking outside through the window, as he ran his fingers through his hair with a heavy sigh. You noticed his jacket was missing, his tie wasn't straight and his shirt had few buttons undone.

Then your eyes landed on his hands.

His rolled up sleeves exposed his arms. You swallowed the lump in your throat. His arms and hands were always your weakness. You just couldn't stop looking at them for some reason. Well, for a very obvious reason, really. And the longer your eyes lingered on them, the more heat started spreading through your body. Your imagination was already running wild. You could almost feel those hands touching your body, fingers trailing down your throat and then closing around it. Not enough to kill you, of course, but enough to make you hot and bothered.

You closed your eyes and exhaled trying to clear your head.

"I think I should leave..." you mumbled and stood up from you seat.

"No!" Elijah exclaimed loudly.

You froze in your actions and looked at him in disbelief. You never heard him raise his voice like that, let alone while he was speaking with you.

"I apologize for my outburst,"he said as he looked at the ground, his voice much quieter, "Please, stay right where you are, if you do not need to go, that is."

You were eyeing him for a while. Why did he want you here? It's not like you could do much to help. Not that he would tell you what was going on, anyway.

But at the state that he was in, you didn't dare to ask.

"Alright."

You sat back on the chair.

He let out a loud breath and started pacing around the room again. That went for about 5 more minutes, his pace was still the same if not quicker, so you took all the courage that you could muster and tried to intervene.

"Elijah?"

It seemed as he was waiting for that, because he started to passionately elaborate what happened with anger in his voice.

"Nothing is going according to plan. Nothing. And now they -"

He stopped and let out a breath, his shoulders shaking, knuckles whitening as he clutched a corner of his working desk.

You gulped.

Those goddamn hands are going to be the end of you.

"Those pathetic existences think that they could lay a finger on you."

That brought you back out of your dirty imagination rather quickly. This whole ordeal was about you?

"You mean the De Martel siblings?"you asked as you watched him pour a glass of bourbon.

The Mikaelsons really have a bottle of an expensive alcohol in every room in their house. And boy, does the house have a lot of rooms.

"Yes. I should have ended the both of them centuries ago. Aurora is a complete lunatic and that narcissistic waste of space..."

He shook his head and downed the golden liquid in his glass with one gulp.

"But why?"

He turned to face you and narrowed his eyes.

"Pardon?"

You stood up and made one step towards him.

"Why me? Why Are they threatening to hurt me?"

He put his glass down and his mahagony eyes locked with yours.

"Because you're important to me."

Your breath hitches, your heart stops.

"To all of us," he adds quickly and turns away from you again.

Disappointment fills your entire body. How could you even for a second think that you mean something more to him? You should be grateful that the siblings care for you as a good friend. They're like your family, you basically live at their mansion now and you love all of them.

But with Elijah...

You just couldn't help but want something more. He was the definition of perfect in your head. How completely selfish and pathetic of you.

"And Tristan had the audacity to take your beautiful name into his disgusting mouth. I am going to destroy him."

You shivered at his cold tone. Suddenly, there was a loud shattering sound. Your head snapped in his direction and you saw that he broke the glass while he was holding it. You closed the distance between the two of you and carefully grabbed his hand by his wrist. 

"Oh my god, Elijah," you whispered as you were looking at his palm that was full of shards of glass, blood trickling from the cuts.

"It's nothing, please, don't hurt yourself."

His voice was smooth, like velvet caressing your brain.

You quietly laughed and answered : "It's not nothing. You're literally bleeding and you're worried about me getting hurt?"

He chuckled in response.

"You know that my wounds heal much faster than yours."

You rolled your eyes.

"Yes, but not when you have glass still inside them. Let me get those out for you. Do you have a tweezers by any chance?"

He used his other hand to open one drawer and handed them to you. It scared you how organized he was.

You hopped on his desk and took his hand on your lap. The lamp was shining its light right where you needed it, so you could see even the little pieces glittering in it. You carefully took them out, one by one. Comfortable silence surrounded. You were trying not to focus on the fact that you were holding the hands that didn't let you sleep for the last week. Well, maybe even longer than that.

"I think there's none left," you said as you were turning his hand to see if you missed some.

"Thank you, my dear. I appreciate your help."

His voice was warm again, and you could almost feel his chest vibrating, that's how close you two were.

You just smiled and kept staring at your almost locked hands.

"Forgive me, it seems some of my blood got on your hands."

He handed you his hankerchief. You took it with your free hand. You didn't want to let go.

"Y/n?"

You looked up at him. Fuck it. You might not get any other chance to do this. And you only live once, and god knows for how long when De Martels are trying to get you and you're just a human.

"Has anyone ever told you that you have very good looking hands?"

You were shocked that you actually said it out loud. Elijah was taken aback too. To say the least. His eyes widened and his lips parted.

That's it. He's gonna call you a creep, kick you out of their house. This is the end of your fairytale.

"No, I believe noone has ever told me that," he smiled at you.

Your heart fluttered in your chest, you smiled back at him and brushed you thumb over the back of his hand. He closed his eyes and leaned closer to you. One hand staying on your lap, the other finding yours that was resting by your side, clutching the piece of cloth he gave you. You felt your fingers interlock and you closed your eyes too. You couldn’t believe that this was happening.

„Has anyone ever told you that you’re the most beautiful being inside and out that they have ever come across during a millenium?“ he whispered to your ear.

Goosebumps appeared on your skin. You didn’t dare to open your eyes. You felt like you’re in a dream and if you open them, it will all go away. Your heart was singing his song.

„No, I believe noone has ever told me that,“ you repeat his words, smile plastered on your face.

And than it happened. You smelled his cologne more intensely than ever before, that scent that was driving you crazy and brought peace to your soul at once. Your heart sank when he took his hand out of yours on your lap, but only for a second, until you felt it brush your cheek gently, almost carefully, like you were going to fade away in a second.

His warmth welcomed you as he leaned closer and closer. And then your lips touched. It was like fireworks went off in your brain. After a moment, he pulled away and your foreheads were touching.

It was almost an innocent kiss, a quick peck. But it said everything you both needed in that moment.

You burried your face into the crook of his neck and put your hands around it. His fingers played with the loose locks of your hair. You were in a blissfully unknown state.

„These hands won’t let them come near you. They won’t have a chance to even touch a hair on your precious head,“ he mumbled as he kissed the top of it.

You giggled.

„But I wouldn’t mind if they would touch me in the meantime,“your voice was muffled by his neck.

He took you by your shoulders and gently pulled you away from him, so he could see your face.

„Oh, is that so?“

He smiled, his eyes twinkled and he kissed you again. For much longer this time.

Much, much longer.

[burntheedges-updates]

over again, epilogue: together

Joel Miller x f!reader | 18+ minors DNI | word count: 6.4k

summary: you fell in love with Joel Miller in Austin, Texas, in 2001, but you thought you lost him and your whole family in 2003 when the world turned upside down. now it's 2024, and you find the surprise of your life waiting for you in Jackson, Wyoming. or, five times you and Joel fell deeper in love, on both sides of the apocalypse (and one time you did something about it) chapter tags/warnings: fluff, flirting, banter, light angst, kissing, pet names (darlin’, baby, honey, pretty girl), Joel calls reader a good girl, neck grabbing (no breath play), light manhandling, grinding, oral (f receiving), oral (m receiving), deepthroating, light choking, p in v sex (no condom this time, but use a condom, y’all), creampie, praise kink, light anal play, face sitting, if I missed anything please let me know! a/n: I cannot believe this is the last part (this is the +1 - the time they did something about it). I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know what you think!

series main post | series playlist | ao3 ch 1 | ch 2 | ch 3 | ch 4 | ch 5

This is my updates-only blog! Follow me at @burntheedges

Epilogue: Together

Austin, December 2002

Almost two years in, and sometimes you couldn’t believe how happy you were with Joel. Almost two and a half, really, if you counted the 6 months you spent getting to know each other but holding yourselves back. 

You had a memorable second Christmas together – you stayed with the Millers for your entire holiday break from teaching, only running next door to your house to get random things you needed as they came up. Sarah, then 13, had been excited about it for weeks, though her excitement hadn’t died down after Christmas itself. You weren’t sure why, but she was still practically bouncing off the walls of the Miller household. Joel easily agreed to let her go to a New Year’s sleepover to burn off some of her energy.

A couple of days before New Year’s Eve you came back from a grocery run to an empty house. You knew Tommy had driven Sarah to the mall, but Joel should’ve been there somewhere. You called for him and heard a thump from the backyard, so you set down your bags and wandered out to see what he was up to. You found him up on a ladder, hammer in hand, string lights trailing over his shoulder and already secured in other places on the tall fence around the backyard.

“What’s all this?” you asked, coming to stand beside the ladder to steady it. It had rained earlier, but now it was just foggy and a little chilly. For Texas, anyway. You shivered.

Joel grunted, voice muffled by the nail he was holding with his lips. “I wanted to do something nice for Sarah for New Year’s.”

“Isn’t she going to that sleepover?”

“Yeah, but she’ll be back the next day. Thought we could celebrate it together.” You rested your hand on his ankle and smiled up at him. He was such a good dad, always thinking of little details like this that would brighten her day.

“Need any help?”

“No, I’m ‘bout done. Hey, could you go make us some coffee? Maybe we can sit out here for a bit when I’m done, think about what else we could do to decorate.”

“Sure, baby.” You squeezed his ankle and headed off to do just that.

It took you about 20 minutes to put away the groceries and make some coffee the way you both liked it. By the time you wandered back outside, Joel had finished the lights and put away the ladder. The string lights were glowing softly all around the back yard. You smiled a little, noticing that he’d also put down a large blanket in the middle of the yard and set up the boombox nearby. 

“¡Que Bonito!” was playing quietly, but Joel was nowhere to be seen. 

“Joel? You out here?” 

You whirled to your left, careful with the coffee, as he cleared his throat from behind you, near the door to the house. Somehow he’d managed to sneak in and change without you noticing. He was wearing a black button up and nicer jeans than he had been 20 minutes ago. 

Before you could ask what was going on, he walked towards you and took the coffees from you, setting them carefully on the low table the boom box was sitting on. “Come here, darlin’.” He guided you into a slow dance, starting to sway back and forth.

“What’s the occasion?”

He hummed, pulling you closer. “Just dance with me, pretty girl.” 

You realized he wasn’t going to tell you, at least not yet, so you relaxed into it. You rested your face on his chest as he rested his cheek on top of your head.

You swayed gently together, and the soft glow of the new string lights made everything feel soft and romantic. You sighed and let yourself sink into him. 

When the song ended you felt Joel tense a little. You tried to raise your head, but he suddenly relaxed and tucked your head back to his chest with his left hand. You realized the next track was “Amazed,” and you started to smile.

Sure enough, Joel ducked his head and put his lips right to your ear as he started to sing along softly with the song. You closed your eyes and let his deep voice wash over you.

I don't know how you do what you do I'm so in love with you It just keeps gettin' better I wanna spend the rest of my life With you by my side Forever and ever Every little thing that you do Baby I'm amazed by you

He sang through the first chorus, but then trailed off. He slowly stopped swaying you back and forth. You raised your head, and he let you this time. His eyes caught yours as he stepped back from you, your brow furrowed in confusion as he took a deep breath.

And then he dropped to one knee. 

Your hands flew up to cover your mouth, eyes wide, as Joel reached into his pocket and revealed a small black box. Your whole body was tingling and you sucked in a sharp breath.

He said your name softly as he opened the box, not breaking eye contact once.

“I was planning to wait until New Year’s Eve, bring you out here at midnight and ask you to spend the rest of your life with me. But when you came home earlier, you looked so goddamn beautiful and so right, here in our home. I couldn’t wait any longer. 

“Darlin’, I started falling in love with you standing in my driveway, watching you smile at me and our daughter over those bushes. I didn’t let myself admit it right away, but that’s the truth of it. And then I spent months falling deeper and deeper, sitting with you on your back porch, ‘n every new thing I learned about you just pulled me in more. But I was stuck in my own fear until that day you watched over our girl and took such good care of her and told me you loved her. And I knew it then. I knew you were the one for me, the one for us, and I needed to stop being so afraid to let you in.”

You realized you’d started crying and you wiped away your tears, a huge smile taking over your face. Joel watched you intently and visibly powered through it instead of reaching out to you.

“Every moment with you blows me away, baby. I didn’t think I would ever be this happy. I want to spend the rest of my life making you smile just like that, hearing about your day, watching you be a mom to our little girl, holding you when you need comfort, marveling at how smart you are. I want to bump shoulders in the kitchen as we do dishes together and catch you as you stumble when you’re too tired after a night of dancing to make it up the stairs. I want to dance with you every day, even when we’re old and our backs hurt with every step. I want to watch you watch our daughter grow up. I want to see you every morning when I wake up and I want your cold feet to snuggle under mine in bed. I want to spend every night in bed with you, touching you and kissing you and making you come so hard your legs shake.” He grins and winks at you, and you laugh. You can’t help it.

“I love you so much, darlin’. I want to take the long way with you. I want you here, with us, together, for the rest of our days. Will you marry me?” 

You flung yourself at him before he even finished the question, and he caught you around the waist, laughing and keeping the both of you from toppling over. 

“Yes! I love you so much, Joel Miller. Yes, I’ll marry you. I want all of that too. I want it so bad, baby.” He grinned at you, and you saw he’d teared up a bit too. You were both a mess, teary and smiling, as he slipped the ring onto your finger.

You both looked at it for a moment, stunned, before he took your hand and raised it to his lips, kissing the back of your fingers with his eyes closed. He whispered, “I never saw you coming, darlin’, you took my breath away from the first moment.” He opened his eyes and when he met your gaze he smiled, slow. “Come here, pretty girl.” He pulled you in by your hand and drew you into a deep, slow kiss that stole your breath. With his left hand at your back he lowered you onto the blanket he’d put out, nestled under the trees. 

Joel hovered over you, pressing small kisses all over your face and trailing down your neck. You threaded your fingers through his hair and sighed. 

“Let me make you feel good, baby.” He moved to take off your clothes at the same time your hands moved to his buttons. After a bit of laughter and fumbling, both of you were stripped bare, right there in the yard, hidden by the trees. He looked down at you from where he hovered above you on all fours, cock already hard and hanging heavy between his legs. 

“Look at you, beautiful. Laid out for me all perfect, wearing nothing but my ring.” He dipped down to pull your nipple into his mouth, and you moaned. “That’s right baby, let me hear you.” He reached over and turned up the volume on the boombox slightly. 

You moved your left hand to cup his face, and he immediately turned into it to kiss where your ring sat on your finger. “What do you want, pretty girl?”

You reached down and held his cock lightly in your right hand. You wanted what you knew would drive him over the edge – what always made him lose control. “I want you to fuck my face, baby.”

He groaned, dropping his head to your chest. “Fuck.”

“I want you to come up here and feed me your cock. Come on, cowboy.” You moved your hands to his hips and urged him forward. 

“Baby, I want–“ he started to protest.

You pulled his head up so he had to meet your gaze. “Fuck. My. Mouth.” You could see him shudder, his eyes blown wide as his mouth dropped open. He scrambled to do as you asked. 

His big thighs came up to surround you, sturdy on either side of your head. You hummed, pleased. He leaned forward to find the right angle and you stuck out your tongue to meet the tip of his cock as it lowered towards your face. He groaned loudly. His hips moved closer, suddenly, like it was out of his control. You opened your mouth and extended your tongue, flat. 

Joel was breathing fast, but he lowered his hips perfectly so that the head of his cock landed right on your tongue. You realized he must have been watching and tilted your head back to look. You met his gaze, upside down, his head hanging between his shoulders. He looked completely undone and you’d barely touched him. You smiled as he slowly sank the head of his cock into your wide open mouth. 

He groaned as he pushed inside, not too far yet. He knew you loved this, and he fucking loved it too, but he was always a little afraid of hurting you at first. Always cautious. You positioned your mouth and throat so that he could push father, but he pulled back out and you hummed. You reached up and lightly slapped his ass cheek before grabbing his hips to urge him forward. 

“Ok, baby, ok. I just don’t want to choke you.” He breathed out a laugh, sounding completely wrecked. You pinched his ass. “Ok, I know, I don’t want to choke you too much.” This time he sank down further and you tried to open your throat to welcome him in. You swirled your tongue over his shaft as the tip of his cock kissed the back of your throat. 

“Fuck, fuck, fuck baby that feels so fucking good. Fuck.” He pulled back out and, a bit faster, thrust back inside. You hummed and squeezed your thighs together at the feeling. You were already getting wet.

Slowly, steadily, he started to actually fuck into your mouth. You encouraged him with your hands on his ass and your moans every time he went a little bit farther, a little bit deeper. You could hear him, cursing and murmuring quietly about how good it was, but the blood started to rush in your ears as he settled into it. 

You pressed your tongue to the tip of his cock the next time he pulled out and then sucked, hard, on his next thrust. His hips jumped forward and his cock sank slightly farther into your throat. You choked, just a little, and immediately held onto his ass to keep him from pulling out. “Oh baby, your mouth is fucking perfect,” he growled, accepting that you wanted him right there, down your throat, not moving until you let him. “You want to choke on it that bad? You got it, pretty girl.”

He started thrusting a little deeper, pushing the head of his cock into your throat every time. You moaned, encouraging him, and realized tears were streaming down your face. You clenched your thighs together, pussy dripping wet, overcome by the sound and the feeling of him starting to use your throat. 

On his next thrust you slipped a finger in between his ass cheeks and his hips stuttered forward, almost sinking his entire cock into your mouth. Joel cried out as you choked and your throat tightened around him, before pulling out suddenly and yanking you up the blanket towards him. 

“Holy fucking shit, baby, what did I do to deserve you? Such a good fucking girl for me. You take my cock so fucking well.” He wiped the tears from your eyes and leaned down to lick across your lips before kissing you deeply, tasting himself and groaning loudly. “I need to be inside you, pretty girl.”

“You were, baby.” Your voice was husky, throat a little raw, and he shuddered at the sound. 

“Let me fuck this pretty pussy, baby, I want to make you feel good.” He lifted your knees to your chest, opening you up to him. “I need to put my cock inside this perfect little hole. Fill it up.”

“I do feel good, Joel.” You smiled, dreamily, watching him look at your pussy and lick his lips. 

“I can see that, honey.” You were sure the look on your face was totally blissed out. It’s how you felt. “I want you to feel even better.” As he said it his fingers moved from your legs to your pussy and he moaned. “You’re so fucking wet, is this just from sucking my cock?” You nodded. “Such a good fucking girl for me. Getting so wet just from having my cock in your mouth. Like I already filled you up and you’re dripping, leaking everywhere. So needy, baby.”

“I love your cock, Joel. Love the way it tastes. Love choking on it.” You reached for him, but he leaned down before you could pull him towards you and licked your pussy, tongue flat, from your hole to your clit. You whined and fisted your hands in the blanket. 

“You taste good too, baby. So fucking good.” He lowered his head again and slipped his tongue inside of you, holding you open with his hands behind your thighs. You squirmed, trying to thrust your hips towards his mouth. He twisted his tongue, closed his mouth over your hole, and sucked lightly. You moaned. 

He pulled his face away, gasping. “I need to be inside you, baby.”

You nodded, pulling him towards you. His eyes were dark and his gaze burned into you, making your breath stutter.

“I’m going to fuck your so good, honey. ‘M going to fill this tight little hole, stuff it full of my cock, stretch you open and make it mine.” He leaned down and kissed you as the tip of his cock nestled at your entrance, your legs still wide open for him.

“It’s already yours, Joel. I’m all yours.”

“That’s right, baby. For the rest of our lives.” With that, he pushed forward and sank his cock inside you, slowly, inch by inch. You threw your head back and whined as his hips met yours. You felt stretched full, a perfect fit. He stopped there and watched you for a moment before leaning down and kissing you, so softly and gently it made your breath catch. 

He moved his lips to your ear and whispered, softly, “I am going to ruin this pretty pussy, baby.”

You moaned, clenching down on his cock and twisting your fingers through his hair. “Please, Joel. Do it.”

He moved his face back above yours, giving you a cocky half smile. He pulled out slowly, met your eyes, and then slammed back into you. You could feel your chest heaving as he set a wild pace, strokes fast and deep. You thrust your hips to meet his, panting. He moved his left hand to where it belonged, holding the back of your neck in a strong grip as he held himself up on his elbows.

Joel leaned down slowly towards you, the move totally at odds with the devastating pace he was setting with his cock. You could feel his breath on your lips. He slipped his tongue towards you and brushed it lightly along your bottom lip, teasing you, holding your neck in place when you tried to surge forward to meet him. The soft pressure combined with the feeling of his cock hitting you just right inside made you whine and close your eyes. 

“That’s it, baby. You’re always such a good girl, fucking taking what I give you like you were made to do it.” He leaned to the right and nipped lightly at your jaw. You tried to tilt your head to give him more room but his grip on your neck held you in place, right where he wanted you. He shifted his weight to his left elbow, picking up his right hand and grasping your hip to encourage you as you met his thrusts. He scraped his teeth down your neck.

“Being with you feels like a miracle, baby. It’s so fucking good every time. A man could lose himself in this pussy.” His hips stuttered. “Wish I could stay right here inside you all damn day.”

You felt tears forming at the corners of your eyes as he kept his steady pace, fucking into you, holding your body where he wanted it. “Joel, please.” You couldn't help but beg him even though you didn’t know what you were begging for. You scratched your nails down his back, feeling his muscles moving beautifully under his skin.

“Shhh, let me give it to you. Just take it, honey. That’s it. Be my good girl.” You held your breath as he whispered in your ear, as his right hand moved to your clit. He began to dance his fingers over it in time with his thrusts and you suddenly felt your orgasm, which had been building steadily, coming for you like a meteor. 

“Joel!”

As you cried out his name, you felt yourself clench around his cock, coming so hard you swore you heard ringing in your ears. He moaned your name, low and guttural, and sank his teeth into your shoulder. His hips stuttered and his fingers pinched lightly at your clit as both of you flew over the edge. His orgasm stirred yours higher and your hands went lax. You saw stars dancing in your vision as he ground his cock into you, almost smothering you with his weight.

His hips stilled, but neither of you moved. You both sucked in deep breaths and tried to slow your racing hearts. You could feel his in his chest, beating strong and fast. 

Slowly, Joel lifted his head to meet your gaze. You realized with sudden alarm that he was crying.

“Baby, what–”

He cut you off with a kiss, so soft and gentle it soothed you. He whispered your name.

“How did I get so lucky as to find you, honey?” He spoke right into your mouth, seeming unable to move back, unable to stop kissing you. “I’ve never been so happy. Never knew it could be like this.”

You mustered the strength to move your arms, slipping them around his waist. “I’m the lucky one, Joel. I’ve never been loved this good. No one’s ever come close. I didn’t even realize what I was missing before you.”

He hummed, kissing along your jaw softly. “Maybe we’re both lucky. Sure do fit together like this is how it’s meant to be.” He ground his hips into yours a bit, emphasizing his point. You laughed.

“Well, you know how much I love your cock.”

He smiled, but hid it in your neck, licking and kissing his way down and back up. “Just my cock? I see how it is.” He kissed your ear before biting down on it lightly.

You laughed again, and considered continuing the joke, but you couldn’t. Not that day. You moved your hands up to take his face gently between them, bringing his gaze to meet yours.

“I love you, Joel Miller, every part of you, with all of my heart. I can’t wait to marry you. Every part of me belongs to you and our family. I never want to be without you ever again.” He looked stunned and then he smiled so wide you couldn’t help but return it. 

“We’re getting married.” He looked elated as he said it, like he’d forgotten and only just remembered. You grinned.

“Yeah, cowboy, we are. You even swept me off my feet.” You kicked at his ankles a bit, reminding him. He laughed.

Slowly, he reached down to pull out of you, humming as he felt his cum spill out of you with his cock. He fingered you lightly, pushing it around and making a mess. You raised your eyebrows at him and he grinned ruefully. “Ok, ok.”

He moved to the side and laid down, pulling you in so your head was resting on his chest and your leg was thrown over his. He tugged the part of the blanket you weren’t lying on over the two of you, holding you tight against him. You knew you’d want to go inside and clean up soon — you’d started to notice again how chilly it was — but for now you relaxed into his embrace. You were both quiet, reveling in the moment.

“I feel like you should have something, too,” you mused.

“What do you mean?” Joel picked up your left hand from where it rested on his chest and toyed with your ring before kissing your fingers. “I’ll get my own ring real soon.”

“I just want to get you something. Like, an engagement watch or belt buckle or something.” 

Joel burst into laughter, eyes crinkling. “A belt buckle? Baby, I don’t think that’s a thing.” 

You narrowed your eyes at him and tried not to laugh. “Well, we’ll just have to make it a thing, won’t we?” He laughed so hard he almost bounced you off his chest and onto the blanket. You grinned, making a mental note to enlist Sarah’s help to definitely get him an engagement belt buckle – the cheesiest one you could find, and soon. 

…

Later, when Tommy and Sarah got home, they found you dancing in the kitchen to the mix CD Joel and Sarah had made you the Christmas before, laughing and singing along to “Forever and Ever, Amen” as you made dinner. Sarah immediately gasped and zeroed in on the ring on your finger before you could even say anything. She screamed and jumped across the room to hug you both.

“Finally! I thought you were never going to do it.” She pinched her dad in the side and he squirmed away.

“Hey! I told you I was planning on New Year’s, you little meddler.” He was smiling wide as he teased her.

“Is this what you’ve been so excited about?” you wonder aloud. 

Sarah nodded at you, bouncing on her toes. “We bought the ring a month ago! Do you like it?”

“I love it, sweetheart, thank you. It’s beautiful.” She beamed at you and hugged you again. You laughed, holding on tight. Tommy came in and squished all four of you together in a hug. 

“Welcome to the family, sunshine!” He pulled you away from Joel and started dancing you around the room as Sarah and Joel laughed. “You’re stuck with us now.”

You grinned as he spun you around, catching Joel’s eye. “Stuck, huh? But there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

...

Jackson, Early Fall 2024

After that night you and Joel can be found together more often than not.

You don’t move in together, not yet – you want Ellie to be comfortable, and that’s more important than anything else. 

But you spend a lot of nights in each other's beds.

At first it surprises you, how quickly the two of you fall together again. But it shouldn’t, really. Just like you told Joel, the core of who you are is still the same, and who you are together was always something special. Something that had burrowed so deep inside of you, had become so much a part of you, that you’d mourned a part of yourself when it was lost. You’d assumed it was gone for good, right up until the moment Joel Miller touched you again. 

You have some difficult conversations, difficult in the sense that it’s hard for the both of you to talk about some parts of your past. But just like Before, Joel is there to catch you when you stumble over your words, there to hold you when the memories are too strong. You do the same for him.

And when Tommy and Maria’s baby is born in early summer, you’re there for each other for the hard moments and memories that come along with all of the good ones. (Ellie takes to her baby cousin Isabela and the joy of being the big cousin with wonder and enthusiasm – they’re like two peas in a pod of chaos. You still wish Sarah was there every day, but seeing them together heals you a bit, too.) 

Later in the summer, once he can come up for air after the baby is born, Tommy shows the three of you the lake near Jackson. Joel takes the opportunity to teach Ellie to swim, which results in a couple of hilarious afternoons with both Joel and Tommy ending up soaking wet when they don’t mean to be. You laugh at them from the grass nearby (or sometimes from the lake, with Ellie).

In early fall, on what seems like one of the last warm days of the year, the five of you go out to the lake. Maria leaves Isabela with her closest friend, taking advantage of the summer weather while you still have it. (You were surprised Maria wanted to come, since no one wanted to bring the baby outside the walls of Jackson, but she just shrugged and said she was getting stir crazy and wanted to spend the afternoon with family, that it would only be a couple of hours, anyway. Her smile was a little too knowing, a little suspicious. You’d narrowed your eyes, sure something was up, but couldn’t figure out what.) It’s a day off from work and school and Ellie bounces along beside you, excited to be out exploring. She’s adjusting well, but still needs to get away sometimes. 

You and Joel are walking slowly around the edge of the lake as Ellie and Tommy invent some sort of splashing game with extremely complex rules (that mostly result in Tommy getting soaked and Ellie grinning like a little demon the whole time). Maria just watches and laughs at their antics from her comfortable spot on a blanket next to the lake. Whatever the game is, they’re clearly having fun, and you leave them to it. 

Joel takes your right hand in his left, intertwining your fingers and squeezing, and says, “I still can’t really believe it, that we get to have all of this again.”

“I know what you mean. It’s starting to make the 20 years in between feel like a dream, which seems impossible.” He nods, agreeing. “I don’t think either of us will ever be unaffected,” you share a glance and the knowledge that both of you still have nightmares and rough days, “but it seems too good to be true.”

He pulls your hand up to his lips, kissing the back of it softly. “You know, Ellie pointed something out to me the other day.”

You turn to look at him when he doesn’t say anything more. “Oh?” You elbow him a little to urge him on. He smiles, one corner of his mouth lifting.

“We were talking about Before, and she pointed out that technically, we’ve been engaged for almost 22 years now. You know, we never officially called it off or anything.” 

You stumble a little and laugh, wondering where he’s going with this. “I mean, technically, she’s right.”

Joel grins at your reply and pulls you to stop, turning you to face him by grabbing your other hand. “And technically,” he winks, “that’s probably long enough for an engagement. We could probably, well. We could get married, um. If we wanted.” He looks a little shy, somehow, even after everything you’ve been through. 

Your breath catches in your throat. And for some reason the question that comes out is, “do people still do that?” 

He laughs, crinkling his nose at your question. “Yeah, I asked Tommy. Sounds like at least around here, people still do that.” Of course they do, you realize it as he says it – Tommy and Maria are married, after all. 

“I…” you trail off, words leaving you, overcome by a possibility that you hadn't once stopped to consider. He sees how surprised you are and tries to talk you through it.

“You know, there’s not one particular way, sounds like people just do whatever seems right to them, with a few witnesses or sometimes a party at the Bison or something. Something they like.” 

Your brain is coming back online and with it the force of your desire to be married to this man. It emerges from somewhere deep within you, pushed down and ignored for so many years because of how much it hurt to think about. You never stopped wanting it, not really, you only stopped being able to have it. It was out of reach for so long that it didn’t occur to you that you could have it now, even with Joel right in front of you, miraculously alive. You start to smile and he straightens up, smiling back and looking relieved.

“It’s just too bad we don’t have any kind of rings, you know?” He continues. You clear your throat, suddenly awkward, and he narrows his eyes at you. He knows you far too well. “What?”

“Well,” you start, “maybe we do have some rings.”

“Rings?” Joel’s eyes go wide as he emphasizes the end of the word, clearly incredulous both at their possible existence and at the idea that there might somehow be more than one ring available to you.

“I might have held something back, from the shoebox.” His mouth drops open and he pulls you closer. “I held onto mine, somehow, never lost it. I didn’t wear it of course, but I kept it close and never had it stolen.” He’s shaking his head in disbelief, looking down at your hands that are still clutched in his own like he might find it there on your finger, somehow unnoticed until now. “And then when I went back to the house, I found them. In your sock drawer.” He squeezes your hands so hard and looks so shocked you worry he might fall over.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” It’s a fair question.

“Well, at first it was like the rest of the shoebox – I was just waiting for a good time to tell you about it, and I did as soon as I could. But the rings…” You sighed. “I was trying not to push, you know? You said slow, and I agreed.”

“But we left slow behind months ago, darlin’.” He tugs you in closer, letting go of your hands to move his around your waist. You slide yours up his chest to his shoulders. 

“I know, but well, two reasons. One, it honestly hadn’t seemed possible in so long that I sort of… assumed people didn’t get married anymore. And two, well. It seemed kind of fast, to just bring it up right away. Hey, thanks for the mind-blowing orgasms, did you still want your wedding ring? Then I just made it more difficult by waiting and got all in my head about it.” He laughed and pulled your face into his chest, kissing along your hairline. 

“You could’ve said that. The orgasm thing. We have been engaged for 22 years, after all.” You can feel him laughing as he says it and for a second you marvel at the idea that it’s something you can both joke about. “Let me help get you out of your head, baby. We can work it out together.” He pulls back and to your surprise, for the second time in your life, Joel drops to one knee in front of you. His hands go to your hips and yours to his arms. He holds you up as your knees suddenly feel weak.

“I can’t beat that first proposal, I don’t think, especially not with our family right over there. So I’ll just say that I love you, darlin’, and I never stopped. I can’t believe I get another chance at spending the rest of my life with you. I’m not letting it pass me by. We were made for each other, after all.” You smile, and feel tears slip down your cheeks, just like last time. He squeezes your hips. “I know it won’t be easy all the time, but I’d rather handle the hard things together than apart. Even when the hard things come from us.” 

His eyes are looking a little teary, too, and he says your name softly. “It turns out we really did take the long way ‘round, but I’d like to go the rest of the way with you by my side, however long it turns out to be. Will you marry me, darlin’?”

You say yes, of course. You say yes, and fall into his arms again, just like last time. Joel draws you into a kiss, both of you on your knees, and then laughs when you slide your hand into his back pocket and squeeze. 

“We’re too old for me to take you right here on the ground like last time, baby, and we’ve got an audience anyway.” You look up to see Tommy, Maria and Ellie are all watching you, grinning. When you make eye contact with them they start cheering. It’s ridiculous and it makes you tear up again. Joel leans forward to whisper in your ear as they come running towards you, “I promise, honey, I’ll give it to you so good when we get home that you won’t be able to walk tomorrow.” You shiver. 

You rise, just as Ellie arrives and throws herself at you both, getting you all wet with lake water. She smiles at you both and starts to poke at Joel as Tommy walks up behind her. 

“Well, what am I supposed to do, sunshine, welcome you to the family a second time? It don’t make any sense.” He grins at you, and pulls you into a hug. Maria is right behind him with another, and you realize that all three of them must have known what Joel was going to ask you today. 

Ellie looks up from where she’s teasing Joel mercilessly for being such a romantic. “Hey, why does he call you sunshine, anyway?”

Joel and Tommy start laughing, and you roll your eyes. “Come on, I’ll tell you the story on the way back.” 

“Aw come on, it’s not a long story,” Tommy grins as he needles you. He looks at Ellie. “We were at some bar and this guy wouldn’t leave her alone, got so far as putting his hand up her shirt. After she’d already pushed him away a couple times. She was dancing, we were over by the bar.”

Joel chimes in, “She took care of him, though. Didn’t need any help.” He’s grinning.

Tommy nods. “Yeah, it was beautiful. She grabbed him by the shoulders, shouted, ‘watch where you put your hands if you want to keep ‘em, fucker’ and kneed him straight in the di– erm, junk.” Tommy corrects himself, glancing at Joel. Ellie rolls her eyes.

“You can say dick. I’m not a fucking child.” Ellie crosses her arms and frowns at Tommy. Joel sighs, long-suffering, but you know he’s hiding a laugh. 

“Anyway,” Tommy shrugs, “the fucker folded in half right there on the dance floor, just fell right over and groaned. Everyone around them turned and laughed at him.” Tommy pretends to wipe a tear away from his eye. “He had to army crawl off the dance floor and creep his way outside. Truly, one of the most beautiful sights I ever saw.”

“Ok that is like, fucking awesome obviously, but it doesn’t explain the nickname.” Ellie raises her eyebrow at Tommy.

Joel and Tommy start snickering again. The absolute dorks.

“Sure, yeah, but you know,” Tommy snorts and says gleefully, “she got him where the sun don’t shine.” He and Joel laugh again, louder this time, leaning into each other. This time you roll your eyes, even as Ellie laughs, too. Tommy’s still just as pleased with himself for coming up with that nickname, more than 20 years later. He’s got the same look on his face as he did outside of the bar, crowing about the way you took the guy down. 

You and Ellie and Maria leave them there, leaning against each other and laughing, as you walk arm in arm back to where you left the horses. 

...

a/n: that’s it, y’all. Thank you for reading!! Every single one of your comments has meant so much to me. Please let me know what you think of the ending?

I bet I’ll add some drabbles showing some of this stuff that didn’t fit in the story. To answer your probable questions:

Yes, you get married. (Your rings don’t actually fit anymore, but neither of you care. You have them, that’s enough. And later you pass them on to Ellie.)

Yes, you do show Jackson how it’s done, dancing at the bar. You even bring out the mix CD. 

I handwaved the cure and resulting issues here but just know that however it went, they took care of it. 

You and Joel do talk about Tess and Michelle and everything else that happened. You tell Ellie all about Sarah and the extended family she would have had in Texas. Talking about them hurts but seeing her wonder, hearing about her huge family, helps. 

You and Ellie talk about Michelle and she eventually opens up to you about her crush on Cat, bringing the two of you closer together. 

Joel still sings to you in the kitchen and dances with you in the backyard. 

You’re all happy, in the end. It’s hard, and sometimes it’s so hard you think it might not work out. But it always does, and you’re happy. Together. 

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[laxmiree]

[CN] MLQC’s Lucien - Rebirth Date - English Translation [1/3]

⚠️ SPOILER ALERT!! ⚠️

This post contains a detailed spoiler for a date that has not been released in EN yet! Feel free to notify me if there are any mistakes in the translation~

No Man's Land Solo SSR Event | Rebirth Date Part 1 (You're here) | Date Part 2 | Date Part 3 | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7

Blood and pus soak through the tattered sheets. Their entire body is rotting, leaving only a grotesque face that still faintly resembles a human being.

"You have already done very well."

Lucien's calm voice is particularly eerie amidst the wailing as he gently comforts the person and changes the bandages covering him.

The man's pleas and wails seem to be separated from him by some barrier. He just smiles and injects another dose of medication.

Translation under the cut!

—[Video]—

This guy somewhat sounds hotter when he says the most unhinged things help🤪 Also! 10/10 bgm choice lololol.

—[Part 1]—

MC: I've arrived at Basement Level 2.

In the darkness, the scent of decay spreads around. I struggle to carry the lantern down the stairs and cautiously press the black box in my hand.

It's as if there's an invisible flame in the air, making it hard for me to breathe. My skin also feels a faint burning pain.

??(Lucien): [talking through the transmitter] It took 36 minutes longer than expected. How is your physical condition now?

MC: A bit hot and stuffy... my whole body still feels a bit sore.

??(Lucien): Is the pain severe?

MC: It's okay. I can still bear it.

I enunciate each word slowly*. After a moment of silence, I hear the other person speak again.

??(Lucien): Then let's continue.

??(Lucien): In front of you is a corridor. The path should be relatively smooth.

??(Lucien): Follow the stairs to the left and try to see if you can open the third room. There should be a cabinet inside.

Per his instructions, I successfully feel my way to the room he mentioned and even luckily push the door open directly.

As I enter the room, I am greeted by a wave of dust that has been undisturbed for a long time. Torn and tattered papers lie scattered across the floor, their contents illegible.

I brush away the moldy air in front of me; the room is even larger than I imagined, and after feeling around for a long time, I finally see a huge cabinet.

The rusty cabinet door is already a bit twisted. When I finally pry it open, I find neatly stacked thick notebooks.

I curiously pull out a book. The pages are already yellowed, but the text remains clear.

MC: In 1973... the 19th experimental report on the 'Simulation of Radiation from the 1917 Comet'**...

MC: In 1995... the 42nd experimental report on the 'Evol Energy Core'...

Various complex numbers and figures are recorded sequentially according to time. I browse through them blankly, completely unable to understand what they mean.

??(Lucien): Is this lady encountering some trouble?

MC: Not really. However, this cabinet is more extensive than I imagined, and there is a lot of information inside.

MC: It feels like I can't take everything out at once.

??(Lucien): It's okay. Each booklet should have a numerical label. Let's start with the important ones first.

As he speaks, he reports a few numbers.

MC: ...1974, 1981, 1995... Alright, I've got them all.

MC: By the way, I just found many tables in the room I passed by.

MC: There are lots and lots of pressable and rotatable... buttons? There are also some mysterious shapes on the wall that I can't quite understand.

MC: Do you know what they are?

The person opposite the black box also seems stunned and falls silent.

??(Lucien): Is that table slightly curved, and are the structures on the wall mainly dot-shaped and block-shaped?

MC: That's right!

??(Lucien): [chuckles then sighs] I didn't expect... such things would still be left behind.

He seems to smile as he lets out a long sigh, with a particular indescribable itch to try.

??(Lucien): Today's gains have completely exceeded expectations. Thank you for your hard work. Let's get ready to return.

✂———————–

I walk alone through the ruins corroded by decay.

I thought I had long been accustomed to facing the scent of death, but when I see a familiar yet blurry figure in the desolation, my steps involuntarily quicken.

As the sharp alarm sounds, his figure becomes increasingly clear.

I stand still from a distance, looking back at that smile-filled gaze.

MC: [happily] Lucien, why are you here again! Didn't I tell you to wait for me in the safe house?

Lucien: I wanted to go for a walk, but as I walked farther, I felt a bit scared being alone. It would be more reassuring to have someone accompany me.

Lucien: I'm very happy to have waited for you.

I know this is just his excuse, but I am equally happy not to expose him.

I skillfully put on the isolation*** suit Lucien specially made for me not far away and walked up to him.

MC: A certain someone really pushes their luck, making one person do multiple tasks. Not only do I have to help with research, but I also have to run errands.

Lucien: They are indeed pushing their luck, so I suggest you ask for more compensation from him.

MC: [smiles softly] Then I will make him help me deal with all kinds of troubles.

Lucien: I think... he would be more than willing to do such things.

As we chat casually and leisurely, the safe house appears before us.

I habitually walk into the house, descend the stairs, pass through layers of iron doors, and remove my isolation suit in front of the last iron door.

As the door closes, a dazzling light suddenly pierces through the darkness.

I fall into a momentary daze, vaguely hearing distant and cold voices.

??(Not Lucien, distant voice from the past): "Increase the dosage... the data is showing significant fluctuations…"

A sense of phantom pain surges through my entire body as if a black tide is rolling in.

Lucien: MC.

Lucien's voice comes through the speaker.

Lucien: Our experiment No. 0625 is about to start. Are you ready?

I take a deep breath and lift my head with a determined gaze.

MC: I'm ready.

[T/N]

*: The phrase '一字一句地' (yī zì yī jù de) literally means 'word by word' or 'one word at a time, one sentence at a time.' This indicates that MC replies to Lucien's question about pain very carefully and deliberately, paying attention to each individual word. It implies that the pain feels severe to her, but because she doesn’t want Lucien to worry, she downplays it by telling him that she can still bear it. A brief silence follows as Lucien understands the implication of her careful answer. Perhaps he is sighing and calling her a little fool in his heart :'D

**: Not sure if it's the same comet since this one date is set in AU (it might just be a reference), but the x1917 Comet is the one that threatens to destroy the world at the end of S1 (and mid-S2) right at 19:17. This reminds me of a theory that the Queen acts as a magnet for the comet🤧. I think on this date, MC has a similar situation where she is having radiation that can bring death to others.

***: '隔离服' in this context means 'isolation suit', which is different from the 'protective suit' that Lucien wears. It's related to her power, and she's deathly to others because she somehow absorbs the radiation and radiates it back to them. MC wears the suit to protect others from the radiation in her body.

—[Part 2]—

Today's experiment doesn't seem to yield any results.

I secretly observed his calm face and silently drew a conclusion in my mind.

Upon careful reflection, I realize that in the past six months, I have hardly ever seen any signs of frustration on Lucien's face, nor has he ever caused me as much pain as those madmen from the past.

Therefore, although I cannot fully trust researchers like him, I can still achieve long-term cooperation with him.

Lucien quickly organizes today's data and then opens another set of records and a map.

Lucien: Yesterday's radiation tide has intensified the radiation in Zone X. The personnel in these areas need to be relocated soon.

MC: [worriedly] ...The heavily contaminated radiation zone is getting larger and larger. Will the entire Zone X eventually be…

Lucien: There is such a trend, but the changes in the world always exceed our imagination.

Lucien: Many areas in Zone X are still only mildly contaminated, so there's no need to be too pessimistic yet.

Facing my worries, he gives a reassuring smile.

Lucien: However, time is indeed running a bit tight.

MC: [worriedly] Do you want to move to a safer place first?

Lucien: My research on the books and materials in this building is not yet finished, and the equipment and samples are also here.

MC: ...Are these things more important than human beings?

Lucien doesn't answer me. He just smiles, puts on the protective gear, and picks up the organized boxes.

Lucien: Let's go. Let's take a look at the city.

✂———————–

The city's ruins have been eroded by rain, snow, and frost, leaving only moss and weeds freely spreading throughout.

The world wears down this desolate land in different ways, but it has never listened to everyone's prayers and pleas.

Lucien and I skillfully turn into an alley, pass through an almost completely unshielded door, and see a weak middle-aged man inside the dilapidated house.

Lucien: [gently] How are you doing today?

Middle-aged man: ...Doctor, you're here... my whole body still hurts... but I feel much better…

Lucien: Don't worry, that's the normal effect of the medication. You'll feel more comfortable tomorrow.

As Lucien speaks, he injects medication into the middle-aged man's arm and hands him a packet of medicine.

Lucien: Just like I told you before, once a day.

Middle-aged Man: Alright... Thank you very much…

Lucien develops all those medications himself. I don't know how he manages to create these in such a ruined world, but he somehow does.

It's as enigmatic as 'radiation'.

No one knew what it was before; everyone only knew that approaching certain places would cause inexplicable pain and death.

Some called it a 'curse', some called it a 'colorless beast', and others said such places were 'God's slaughterhouse'.

Even though I had been with it for many years, no one ever told me what it really was.

I will always remember when I saw Lucien again after we had agreed to work together; he took out a notebook and started drawing for me.

=Flashback Start=

Lucien: It is called 'radiation.' It is the form of energy that moves as waves or subatomic particles, radiating outward in straight lines from the radiation source in all directions.

Lucien: Based on its energy level and ability to ionize substances, we generally classify it as 'ionizing radiation' and 'non-ionizing radiation.'

MC: ...I don't understand. Why does it make people die?

Lucien: You can temporarily imagine it as countless bullets, too small for you to see, being shot at you.

Lucien: They break everything inside your body, preventing your blood from regenerating and your heart from continuing to beat.

Lucien told me that this is 'knowledge'.

MC: If I still want to ask 'why', is that also an effect of 'radiation'?

His smile deepened, and in those deep, mysterious eyes, I seemed to see countless emotions that I couldn't understand.

Lucien: This is 'curiosity'.

Lucien: It has nothing to do with 'radiation'. It belongs only to you and is the first step towards the world and yourself.

=Flashback End=

✂———————–

After noting down some things, Lucien takes me to meet many people.

They are either weak or healthy; some undergo drastic changes overnight, while others are lucky enough to regain their vitality.

I never understood why there were still people in the contaminated areas. Despite fearing death, they still chose to set foot on this gloomy land.

Later, following Lucien, I gradually understood that there are always many people in this world.

There will always be those with nowhere to go, those who yearn for death, those at their wit's end, those longing to return to their hometown, and those who refuse to believe.

And Lucien… he records and treats each of them according to their situations. Seeing their admiring gazes, I silently avert my eyes.

✂———————–

Man: City Lord... I beg you... please kill... me…!

In the last visited hut, blood and pus soak through the tattered sheets. Their entire body is rotting, leaving only a grotesque face that still faintly resembles a human being.

People call such individuals 'living corpses'. They seem to be alive but are also dying.

Lucien: [gently] You have already done very well.

Lucien: We still have opportunities, and you will undoubtedly have many possibilities.

Lucien's calm voice is particularly eerie amidst the wailing as he gently comforts the person and changes the bandages covering him.

The clear liquid flows through the needle into the vein, while the glowing instrument continuously shines. Lucien observes and records simultaneously.

The man's pleas and wails seem to be separated from him by some barrier. He just smiles and injects another dose of medication.

Lucien: Only by living can you reach the future. Your life is still very important.

✂———————–

As we step out of the building amid the wailing, the gentle and brilliant light shines down as always, but I feel incredibly cold.

A little child runs over with a tattered book and stands beside Lucien.

Little Boy: Teacher, how should this character be pronounced?

Lucien: [chuckles gently] Let me take a look.

He squats down, looks at the spot the little boy is pointing to, and teaches him word by word.

Suddenly, the wailing behind us stops.

I instinctively turn my head, but the glaring sunlight blurs my vision.

Lucien: [murmurs quietly] Is the dosage still not right…

Faintly, Lucien's voice seems to come through.

When I turn to the side again, I see him with his hand on his chin, lost in thought, then he continues talking to the child.

I gaze at him deeply, feeling that sometimes this man has a kind of calmness that is terrifying.

✂———————–

On the way back, I remain silent. When death arrives, it always easily strips me of all words and emotions.

Lucien: MC, are you feeling sad?

Lucien's question shatters the silence. I ponder it for a long moment, then nod slowly.

Lucien: [sighs then speaks] Do you think death is the end?

I don't know why he would ask this. Looking at the blood-red dusk outside the window, many faces that I have only seen once and never again flash through my mind.

MC: When a person dies, they are just dead, and there is nothing left.

Next Part=> [Click Here]

[katrotica]

ok, seriously wtf?! Admittedly in my stumble thru "art nude" sites looking for hot girls I discovered a handful of girls I'd never seen before that totally surprised me because how could I not have kind of thing. But honestly, Mimi Desuka?! I'd never heard of her, and had never seen any pics of her anywhere ever. And that's just shocking to me because she is unquestionably one of the most beautiful humans I've ever seen. How is she not world-famous?! I find her bafflingly breathtaking. I'm obsessed. She's pure perfection. Her body is simply stunning in every way. Love the tats. Shout-out to that belly button omfgggg. But come on you guys... that face?!!?! I can't even. Honestly every feature on her beautiful face looks to be personally crafted by the hands of god. Just mesmerizing. Here are two facts to support how overwhelmed I am by Mimi's beauty. This poster, which honestly is super basic (why mess with perfection? Isolate the girl, make a background that presents her without distraction. Done.) took me longer to make than any other poster ever. It's a poster I could have finished in, like, 5 minutes. But I kept going into trances and being mesmerized and forgetting what I was doing. Also: this post. Same thing. When did I start writing this? How long has it been? Is it tomorrow? Is it unreasonable to take 5 minute breaks between sentences to look at the picture again? Oof. There will be more Mimi posters in the future when I've managed to collect all my feelings and be whole again. I also collected a bunch of pics that should never be turned into posters but should definitely be shared, and I will be doing that over on my main blog @kat-eleven. Wow.

[devilat-thedoor]

What is and What Should Never Be Ch. 5

A/N: Things are starting to heat up. With both of them???? I don’t know🤷🏽‍♀️ You’ll just have to read and find out… Some of you might recognize a bit of this from the teaser I posted a little while back. Hope you enjoy, babes. and, as always, sorry for the wait💖

Word Count: 10.1k

Warnings: 18+ Minors DNI. Smut(Fingering, Oral[both rec], Masturbation, Unprotected Sex, Choking, Hair Pulling, Mild Degradation, Borderline hate fucking tbh.), Toxic themes(Possessiveness, Fighting/Arguing[very mild], Jealousy), there’s a lil fluff for y’all too, don’t worry.

All my lonesome, I have been waiting for a girl like you, so wholesome. Someone I can’t ignore // I’ll find you over again…

A shiver swept through your body, forcing you awake. You weren’t cold, it was the complete opposite, actually. Jake’s arm was wrapped around you, holding you to his body as his snores bounced off the back of your neck, enveloping you in warmth. You wanted to roll over, to watch his face as he slept, but you knew he’d wake up the minute you moved and everything after that was unpredictable. Breathing slowly, you looked down at his hand that hung limply against your stomach and grazed your fingers oh-so-gently across his rough knuckles. His snores paused as his fingers twitched and you lifted your hand away, holding your breath to ensure he was still asleep.

“Don’t stop.” He mumbled, his lips against your shoulder, “Do it again…” Jake tapped his fingers on your tummy. You brought your hand back, tickling your fingertips over his hand, up to his wrist and then back down, ghosting over each of his fingers, one by one. He released a quiet hum before pressing a kiss to your neck, “Good morning…”

Even though he couldn’t see your face, you still bit your lips together to conceal a giddy smile, “Morning…D’you sleep okay?” You half turned to look at him, but his arm tightened around your rib cage to pull you closer, making it impossible to see his face.

“Mhmm.” He was nuzzling his nose into your hair, the sleep still weighing heavily on his voice, “You snore real loud.” He chuckled at the way you scoffed and immediately denied his claim, “Okay, you don’t snore, but-” He paused, not wanting to say what was about to come out of his mouth.

“But what?” You pressed harder when he didn’t answer, “Jake…But what?”

He shifted slightly and you could feel his morning erection pressing against you, “You- shit…” He tried to pull his hips away from you a bit, but you only pushed back into him with a smirk, “You make these sweet little whimpers while you're sleeping.” You could feel his chest vibrate with a groan as you added more pressure to his hard dick. He took his hand from around your abdomen to grasp your hip, “Peach…” It was a warning, grumbled in a deep rasp at the nape of your neck.

You finally managed to flip over in his hold, “What did I do?” You eyed him with an innocent gaze as you walked your fingers up his chest.

“You know exactly what you did.” He caught your wrist, halting your hand’s movement, “What did I tell you about playing dumb?”

“I don’t know, Jake…I guess I don’t remember.” You blinked at him, biting your lip as you tried to pull his fingers from your arm, “Maybe you should remind me.”

“You don’t remember?” He snatched your other wrist as you shook your head with a playful smirk. “I think you do, though, peach. You’re just being a smart ass…pressing my buttons all the time.” Jake pushed your hands above your head as he rolled on top of you. He used his knee to nudge your legs apart so he could fit between them, “Maybe I should press yours, hmm?” He pressed himself right against your covered cunt and chuckled at the gasp you let out. He watched your eyes flutter as he continued to grind into you.

Your hips moved on their own, lifting to meet his as he began trailing kisses over your jaw and down your throat. Despite the way your body was begging for him, your brain was telling you to stop. You attempted to wiggle your hands free, “Jake…we- I can’t.” His grip loosened in an instant and he lifted himself off of you. You sat up, hugging your arms around yourself, “I’m sorry, I want to. It’s just that-.” You shook your head, covering your face with your hands, “Sorry…”

He gently pulled your hands from your face, “Don’t apologize. I don’t wanna make you feel uncomfortable.” Once he could see your eyes, he retracted his hands back into his lap.

“No!” You reached out to grasp his fingers, intertwining them with your own, “You didn’t- I’m…not uncomfortable. There’s just-.” You took a breath as you looked away from him, “I think we have a lot to talk about before…before we go that far.” Your eyes stayed trained on the floor as your cheeks heated, “What you said to Josh…you made me feel really fucking shitty about myself.”

Jake released a heavy sigh, “I said I didn’t mean it.” He stated it plainly, a hint of defense in his tone, before taking his hand back and shuffling off of the bed.

“I know you said you didn’t mean it, but you still said it.” You rolled off the bed to follow him out of the room, “You made me feel disgusting and dirty. You embarrassed me, Jake. Do you-.”

“Then why are you here?” He turned around with a glare as you stepped out of his bedroom, “If I made you feel so fucking disgusting, why did you come here last night?”

You stared at him, a slight gape to your mouth at his anger, “Why are you getting mad at me?” You spoke quietly, afraid to sour his mood any further, “I came back because, despite it all, I still like you. I can’t fucking stay away from you…and after I talked to Sam, I guess I knew that you didn’t mean it, but-.” Taking a few steps towards him, you held your hands out with caution to gently place them on his chest, “What happens when I sleep with you and then I do something to piss you off? How do I know you’re not gonna announce to the world that I’ll just spread my legs for anyone who asks?”

His body went stiff when your hands landed on him, “I’m allowed to be upset when you fucking kiss my brother and lie about it, Y/N.” He took a deep breath but he allowed your palms to rest against him.

“I’m not saying that you can’t be upset, Jake.” Your own voice was growing defensive now, “But the way you handled the situation was fucking childish! It’s not like we’re together, I don’t belong to you.” You dropped your hands and went back to the bedroom to retrieve your phone with him hot on your trail, “You can’t dictate how I live when I’m not yours, Jake. Do you get that?”

He grabbed your waist just as you reached for your cell on his nightstand, “Do you want to be?” It came as a whisper and you turned to look at him, confusion evident on your face. His lip started to curl as you stared at him, “Do you wanna be mine, peach?” Jake was slowly pulling you in by your hips.

You didn’t fight him, just let him draw you into his hold, “Are you- Wait…”

“It’s a simple question, needs a simple answer.” His lips were so close to your own and he could feel your body beginning to melt into him at the proximity.

You swallowed the growing lump in your throat as you stared at his mouth, “It’s not that simple…Are you only asking that because you want to fuck me or because you want a say in everything I do?” Your eyes wandered up to his, awaiting an answer.

He ran his tongue along his perfect teeth, “What if I say both?” There was a short pause before his mouth stretched into a wicked grin, “I really wanna fuck you right now…” The admission sparked a flame in the pit of your stomach.

“Okay.” The word squeaked out of your throat, barely audible.

“Okay?” His hand slipped below the hem of your shirt, his calloused fingers ghosting up your spine, “Are you saying what I-.”

You were nodding your head quickly, “Right now...” Your hands went to his neck as you finally connected your lips. You couldn’t resist it anymore, your body was pleading with you to give in, to just let him have you.

Jake pulled your shirt over your head and dropped it on the floor. He licked his lips as he caught sight of your bare chest for the first time, “Fucking hell, peach.” He came at you fast, all but tackling you onto his bed as his mouth latched around your nipple.

Your breathing picked up as you yanked at his shirt. He broke contact long enough for you to remove the clothing before setting his attention on the other nipple, rolling his tongue over it. Your hands weaved through his chestnut locks as he blazed a trail of licks and kisses down your torso. His teeth nipped at your hip bone as he positioned himself on his chest between your legs. “Jake, please.” You whined as you tugged on his hair.

He placed a kiss to the front of your shorts before slipping his fingers in the waistband, “Should I take these off?” He dragged his tongue over the fabric, enjoying the way you writhed on the mattress, “You’re soaking right through… You want me to eat your pretty pussy, don’t you, peach?” His eyes were blanketed by his dark lashes as he gazed at you with his arrogant smirk.

You weren’t about to let him tease and get away with it. Propping yourself up on your elbows, you used your last shred of composure to cock an eyebrow at him, “I don’t know, Jake… Think you can eat it better than your brother?” You knew you’d gotten to him by the way he growled as he sat up and ripped the shorts down your legs.

“You’re gonna fucking regret that comment.” He dropped back to his chest, gripping your legs and immediately diving between your thighs. His tongue flattened to travel through your folds, his lips suctioning around your clit. You felt a laugh vibrate from his mouth as your back arched off the bed.

“Fuck- Don’t stop!” You yanked on his hair as you cried out.

Just as the demand left your lips, Jake detached himself with an evil grin, “I’m sorry? Did you say ‘stop?’” He brought his middle finger to your entrance, swirling it through your arousal and slowly pushing it in. He watched your face scrunch as he pushed deeper, curling his single digit just enough to elicit a mewl.

You needed more and he knew it, but he just kept thrusting his finger at an agonizing pace. You made the mistake of dropping your hand to draw circles over your clit and he pulled his hand from you to rise into a sitting position. “Jake-.” You sat up as well, but he cut you off.

“Oh, you don’t need me, then? Go ahead.” He nodded to your soaked core. You opened your mouth to argue but he held his finger up to silence you, “I don’t wanna hear a sound come out of that mouth unless you’re cumming on your own fingers. Show me.” He leaned back on his hands, waiting for you to touch yourself.

Shuffling backwards, you rested your back against the headboard, unable to keep your mouth shut, “Fine… I can do it better anyways.” You kept your eyes locked with his as you dragged your middle and ring fingers over your tongue, briefly sucking on them, before bringing them to your cunt. You started with slow swirls on your clit, making sure to give him a grand show, “Can you see how wet I am, Jakey?” You bit down on your lip, pushing your fingers through your entrance with a soft moan. Your free hand came up to squeeze your breast as you spread your legs further, speeding up the stroke of your digits, “Hmmm. Feels so fucking good, baby.”

Jake’s gaze traveled down to your hand, watching you fuck yourself, and he reached into his sweatpants to grasp his cock, “Slow down, peach.” He pulled his length out, pumping his fist around it. He glanced back up to catch the way your tongue darted out over your lip as you stared at his hand, “You want it, I know you do.” He was so cocky, you couldn’t stand it, but GOD, he looked so good stroking himself.

You did want it, but you refused to give him the satisfaction of being right. Keeping the same quick pace of your fingers, you used your other hand to work your clit, “Why would I want it when- shit. When I’m doing j-just fine by my-myself?” Your mouth dropped open with a drawn out breath, “You wouldn’t know what to do with me…” Your head fell back to the headboard as your eyes began to flutter.

“I’ll make you eat those fucking words, Y/N.” He threatened, his eyes growing darker by the second.

A devious chuckle escaped your mouth, “If you say so, Ja-.” Your words were cut short with a yelp as he grabbed your ankle and yanked you to lay flat.

“Always gotta have the last word…” He was hovering over you as his hand curled around your neck, “I think I like it better when you’re quiet.” He squeezed your throat, slowly applying more and more pressure to the sides. Your eyes widened for a moment and he almost pulled back, fearing that he’d gone too far, but your mouth began to lift into a challenging smirk. You reached for his cock, grasping it and running the tip through your folds. “You’re unbelievable…” He said it so quietly, like it was a thought that slipped out on its own.

You let your hand glide along his length and managed to squeak out through your tight throat, “Condom…”

“Yeah. Okay.” He scrambled off of you to open his nightstand, pulling the box of rubbers out. “Goddammit.” He tossed the box to the floor with an aggravated huff.

You sat up, crawling to sit behind him and peer over his shoulder, “What’s wrong?”

“Fucking box is empty. Go fucking figure.” He was mad.

You couldn’t deny your own disappointment, “Oh.” You watched his shoulders slump and wrapped your arms around him, placing your hands on his chest, “What if… I mean, you could just…pull out…if you still wanted to…” You placed a soft kiss to his neck before he turned his head to look at you.

“Are you sure?” He swiveled around to face you completely as he began pushing you to lay back again, climbing over your body, “I want to, peach… But if you feel pressured-.”

“Jake.” You cut him off, holding his face to make him look at you, “Just fuck me already.” His lips smashed against yours and you moved your hands to push his pants down further.

He broke away to look between your bodies and grasped his length, lining it up. You sucked in a sharp breath as he began pushing into you, causing him to still, “You okay? Do you want me to stop?” Jake cupped your cheek, concern lacing his voice at the way you clamped your eyes shut. He pushed a little more when you shook your head.

You released a breath as your body relaxed, “I’m okay… Just- bigger than I’ve had.” You rolled your eyes at his signature smirk, realizing that you’d just fed his ego. “Relax. Just because it’s big, doesn’t mean you know how to use it.”

“Yeah, we’ll see.” He pulled out and flipped you onto your stomach before burying himself back inside of you. His laugh echoed through the room at the moan you let out, “Sounds like I know what I’m doing…”

You twisted your head to look at him, “Fuck you, Jake. I was just happy to not have to look at your face anymore.”

“Can you just shut the fuck up for a minute?” He grabbed a handful of your hair, pressing your face into the mattress, and began snapping his hips. His free hand had a tight grasp on your hip as he fucked you. All your cries were muffled by the duvet beneath you until Jake pulled on your hair to lift your face, “Sorry, baby. I didn’t hear you.” His pace didn’t falter once as he released your hair to grab your wrists, holding them behind your back. Jake pulled your arms back, using the leverage to slam into you relentlessly.

“God, Jake- Don’t fucking stop!” You begged without a care of how desperate you sounded or how much he would taunt you about it later, “Fuck- Please, baby. You feel so….fucking good.” You bit down on the comforter, an attempt to mute the ear shattering wail erupting from your chest.

He let go of your wrists to lift you from the bed, holding you flat against his chest as he spoke into your ear, “Nuh uh, peachy. I wanna hear just how good I make you feel.” He used one hand to wrap around your throat again while the other went to your clit, swirling the swollen bud beneath his fingers, “Always have so much to say… Let’s fucking hear it.” He was gritting his teeth, keeping a loose grip on your neck.

You grasped at his arm, digging your nails into the skin, as a series of moans poured out of your mouth. Jake was hitting your g spot with every strong thrust, his breathing growing heavier. You squeezed your thighs together as a fire began to spread through your belly. “I’m gonna cum, baby. I- hmm.” Your head fell back to land on his shoulder as your legs started to tremble, “Jake, you- fuck… Please.”

“Told you I’d make you eat those fucking words…” He whispered menacingly while one arm hooked around your waist as he pushed you to bend. Once your chest was flat against the bed, he grabbed ahold of your hips and began yanking you back to meet his thrusts. The only thing heard over your howls was the sound of his skin slapping fiercely against your own. You were tightening around him and, within moments, he brought you to your climax. It rippled through you, rapid and white hot, blazing a trail through your limbs and winding around your lungs, making it impossible to draw a breath in. Jake watched the tremors rack your body and ran his hand over your spine in a gentle attempt to soothe you, “Take a breath, baby.” His voice was soft but he was still slamming into you, searching for his own release. When you finally managed to suck in a gasping breath, he pulled out and flipped you over in a blur. You watched through your lashes as he knelt over you, stroking his cock, while cursing under his breath. Placing your shaking hand on his thigh, you rubbed up and down the length of it, luring him closer to the edge until he eventually let it go. “Goddamn…” His cum shot out to paint your abdomen as he continued to slip his fist over himself before falling to the bed beside you.

It was silent for a few minutes, only the sounds of your separate breaths filling the void. You looked down at yourself before turning to Jake, “Can you get me a towel or something?”

He huffed out a short laugh, tucking his hands under his head, “You know where the bathroom is.” 

“I fucking hate you…” You muttered it under your breath before rolling off the bed. You snatched your phone from his nightstand before gathering your clothes.

“Hey.” Jake rolled onto his side, stopping you, “You never answered my question… Are you mine now?”

You turned around with a smirk, “I’ll give you an answer as soon as I get back from the bathroom.” You left his room and shuffled into the bathroom to clean yourself up. Once you were finished, you pulled your clothes on and cracked the door open to make sure he was still in bed. You tiptoed to the front door and slipped your shoes on before grabbing your keys from the small entry table and quietly sneaking out the door. His text came a lot quicker than you thought it would and you opened it after climbing into your car.

Jake 12:26pm: You fucking left?

Before you could type a response, he was sending another message.

Jake 12:28pm: Was that my answer?

You shook your head, laughing to yourself.

You 12:30pm: Not an answer. I have to go home and get ready for work.

Jake: 12:31pm: Come back after your shift.

You 12:31pm: You don’t own me, can’t tell me what to do. 😁🖕

You waited for a response, but it never came. Plugging the aux cord into your phone, you pressed shuffle on your favorites playlist and started the drive home, ready for a steaming shower.

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You stepped through the back door and wandered towards the front of the store. Josh was standing by the box of posters, watching a customer flip through the pages in the binder. You smiled, thinking back to the day you met him, the intoxicating grin he greeted you with. He turned around then, showcasing his gleaming set of teeth when he saw you, and offered a wave. You waved back before heading to the office to clock in. Nate was sitting at the desk, a palm over his forehead while he tapped his pencil with the other hand. You’d only worked with him a handful of times, but he was really a sweet kid, “Hey, you alright?” You dropped your bag to one of the chairs and leaned on the desk.

He looked up from the book in front of him and you could see the stress in his eyes, “I have an exam on Friday that I’m nowhere near ready for.” He tossed his pencil on the desk and sat back in the swivel chair with a sigh, “Josh told me try and get some studying in while it’s slow, but I don’t know where to begin.”

You walked around to his side to get a better look at the book, “Which class is it for?”

“History…” He sat up to grab his notebook and flip through the pages, “It’s open notes, but I feel like none of my notes are making sense and I- It’s worth a quarter of my grade, I have to do well.”

“Okay, relax, dude.” You picked up the book and looked over the pages it was opened to, “Is this it?” He gave a nod and you flipped through a few more pages, “Let me see your notes, hun.” Nate gave you the notebook and sat quietly as you thumbed through the scrambled writings, “Oh! I see where you’re getting confused… You’re mixing up the Aztecs and Incas.” You placed the books in front of him and again and began explaining his mix ups over the next several minutes, “...And Machu Picchu was in the Inca Empire.”

He took his time, listening to every bit of knowledge you gave him, and started a new page of notes, “How do you know all of this, Y/N? I forget the lesson ten minutes after I walk out of the classroom.”

You chuckled as you watched him, “I’ve always loved history. Especially ancient history… I was going for my Bachelor’s in Archeology and Anthropology.” A sadness swept through you at the memory of your time in college.

Nate was pulling you out of your thoughts in an instant, “Well thank god for your love because I was lost.” He continued to scribble more thoughts into the notebook and just as you were about to leave him to his studies, he stopped you with one more question, “Wait… Did the Aztecs do the calendar or was that the Incas?”

Shaking your head, you couldn’t help but smile, “Nate, the calendar was the Mayans.” You left him with that and walked out of the office.

Josh leaned against the counter, typing on his phone before shoving it into his pocket. “How’s it going?” He was unusually tense, his whole body ridgid except for his fingers, tapping madly on the countertop.

You knew what this was. He wanted to know if you talked to Jake yet, if he still had a chance… “Umm. Not bad, I guess.” You moved by him and started walking through the store, aware of the fact that he was following you, “Josh, just ask whatever it is you wanna ask. You’re making me anxious.” You whipped around to face him, throwing your hands in the air.

“Sorry. I didn’t- It’s not my place to ask, Y/N.” He wouldn’t look you in the eyes, just kept staring at the rack of CDs to his right. He could feel your gaze burning through his body and finally looked up at you, “Alright, I guess- Are you and Jake…good?” He asked like he didn’t really want to know the answer.

“Do you want a real answer? I don’t want you to hate me…” Now you couldn’t look at him, afraid that he wouldn’t like the answer at all. He nodded, mumbling a ‘yeah’ and you were fidgeting with your fingers, unsure of what to say.

He grabbed your hands, pulling them apart to stop your fidgeting, “You do this when you’re nervous…” He was holding your palms up as he stared at your fingers, “You have nothing to be nervous about, Y/N. I won’t hate you. Ever.” He lifted his eyes to yours, a kind smile on his lips, “Go ahead. Just put me out of my misery.” He joked with a playful shrug.

His smile was contagious, causing your own mouth to turn up, “I think we’re good. I stayed at his place last night.” You took your hands from him, clasping them behind your back as you began walking through the shelves again, “Sam told me a little about Ivy, not much, but enough to understand that Jake isn’t good with his feelings. So I went to his apartment and tried to ask him about her, about what she did to him… I just want to understand him better, yanno?” Josh was nodding as he listened to you, “He was drinking and he was so sad, didn’t wanna talk about her. He promised he’d tell me about her, just begged for it to not be last night and then asked me to stay… So I did.”

“Ivy is a hard subject for him. Uhh. What exactly did Sammy tell you?” He stopped and grabbed your arms to stop you too.

You shrugged as you looked at him, “Not much. Just that she left him really fucked up and he hasn’t been the same since. Doesn’t let himself get close to people anymore. He said it wasn’t his place to really give me the details.”

He chewed on his lip, clearly having an internal battle with himself. “Do me a favor?” He watched your eyes as you nodded your head, “Don’t push him to talk about it. Jake, I mean. He’ll tell you about her when he’s ready, but- When people start talking about her, he starts to regress.” He didn’t elaborate any further than that and before you could ask, the bell chimed with the presence of a customer, “Just- Give him the space to tell you when he’s really ready to, please.”

“Yeah…of course.” You spoke quietly, thrown off guard by the level of concern he had for his twin. “Umm. I’m gonna…go see if she needs help.” You gestured to the woman looking through the pop section before hurrying away.

The rest of the shift carried on without another mention of Jake. Josh had sent Nate home at 8pm, an hour before close, wanting to make sure he had the time to study without distraction. You wished him luck on his exam before he left and started your clean up duties, sweeping the floor and moving any discarded albums back to their rightful spots.

Nine o’clock came faster than you realized and Josh was stepping out of the office to lock the front door. “Sorry, I had to finalize the order and get it sent in. Anything else need done?”

“Nope. I think I handled everything, boss.” You had your hands on your hips, looking around the store for anything you may have missed.

He was surveying the space as well, nodding his head with an impressed expression, “Well fuck… We might just have to give you a key and make you a manager. You did better than me, Y/N.” He breathed out a laugh before turning to head back to the office, “You ready to get the hell out of her?”

You followed him, grabbing your bag from the chair you’d left it on earlier, “Definitely. I don't know what I’m gonna do with my day off tomorrow.”

“Come on, I’ll walk you out.” He placed his hand on the small of your back, the same way Jake does, as he led you through the hall and to the back door, “Maybe just spend it relaxing? You are working a double on Friday…” He pushed the door open, holding it for you to step outside.

“Shit… You’re right.” You slung your bag over your shoulder before turning to look at him, still planted in the doorframe, “Aren’t you leaving too?”

He flashed his bright grin, shaking his head, “I have some paperwork to get through before I head out, but hey…” He stuffed his hands into his pockets as he leaned on the door, “Any chance you still wanna come in early to help me out Friday?”

There was no way you could say no to that smile, “Yeah, I do, actually. What time should I be here?”

“Is nine okay?” He dropped his eyes, seemingly shy.

“I’ll be here.” You assured him, reaching out to grasp his bicep before stepping away to your car, “Goodnight, Josh.”

He waved, watching you pull the door open, “Get home safe…” His heart swelled at the smile you’d flashed him before sliding into your seat and starting the car.

You waited for him to retreat back into the building before pulling out of the parking spot and heading home. You’d barely made it through the door when your phone was ringing. Fuck… You swiped the button and held it to your ear as you looked around for any sign of Bellamy, “Jake… Hi…” The apartment was dark, signaling that she wasn’t home.

Are you still at the store? His tone was accusatory.

You rolled your eyes, “No, I just got home. Why?” You knew why he was asking.

I told you to come here after work. 

“Jake, I wanna shower and change my clothes.”

You could’ve done that here, Y/N. His aggravation was clear.

You pinched the bridge of your nose with a sigh, “Okay, maybe I just wanted time to myself?” Regret consumed you the minute the words left your mouth and you attempted to back track, “No. Okay, wait… I didn’t mean it like-.”

Fair enough. Enjoy your time, peach. Night.

The line went dead and you let out a groan of frustration. Opting to let him stew, you went to your room and plugged the phone into the charger before going for a shower. You took your time, hoping there’d be a text or missed call from him asking you to come over. You had every intention of going back to his place, you just wanted to shower and gather a few things before going over there. As you stalked back into your bedroom to find your phone void of any notifications, you were sure his original invite had been rescinded. Crawling into bed, you fought the urge to pick up the phone and call him, sure that you’d be met with his voicemail anyways, and just snuggled up to watch a movie by yourself.

Thursday came and went in a flash. You hadn’t heard a single thing from Jake and your stubborn ego refused to let you reach out first. If he was gonna pout and sulk, you would let him, but you knew that you would see him Friday. He was on the closing shift with you and Olivia, of course, and there wasn’t a chance you were going to let him ignore you. You had to admit, after the lines you’d crossed with him, would he still flirt with her and go out of his way to make you jealous? The possibility was intriguing, but you pushed it aside as you shut the light off, knowing you had to be up earlier than usual. After you set your alarm, you reached for the charger to plug the phone in. You stopped, bringing up his text thread and finally typed a simple message to make sure you were on his mind. You hit send with a smile before connecting the phone to your charger and forcing yourself to sleep.

You 10:58pm: See you tomorrow, baby. Miss you.

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“Already?” You grumbled to yourself at the sound of your alarm as you peeled your eyes open. Rolling over, you grabbed your phone from the nightstand, pulling the charging cord after silencing the noise. You stared at the time on the screen, contemplating an extra 15 minutes of sleep and entirely regretting your decision to go in early to help Josh put away the new inventory, when a text came through.

Josh 8:06am: Gonna stop and grab coffee on my way in. You want anything?

You smiled at the text as you typed a response.

You 8:08am: triple shot over ice with oat milk and cinnamon? extra vanilla syrup? you’re the best, boss!

Josh 8:09: Anything for you. See you soon, babe.

Babe? The term was weird coming from him, but you’d be lying if you said it didn’t fill you with butterflies. Getting up and going to work didn’t seem so bad anymore with the promise of caffeine and Josh’s bright, cheerful energy. Morning shifts were always delightful with him, whereas Jake hated opening and made sure everyone knew it.

Kicking the comforter from your body, you stretched your limbs and rolled out of bed with a groan. You trudged to the bathroom for a quick shower, brushing your teeth and detangling your hair, before heading back to your room to get dressed. Digging through your dresser, you searched for a pair of panties before deciding against them altogether. You slipped into a pair of leggings and pulled out a work t-shirt. Following the theme, you skipped a bra, knowing Jake would have something to say about it when he came in for the closing shift later. You made it out of the building and started your trek to the store in the warm, morning breeze. Spring was a lot different in San Francisco compared to Pennsylvania; It was always warm here, the late April/early May temperatures exceeding the mid 60s, whereas, back home, it didn’t get above 68 until well into June most years. You did miss the rain, though. Thunderstorms were always best in the spring back home. The fresh grown leaves, whipping wildly in the rapid winds and the bolts of lightning, illuminating the sky and touching the treetops while the heavy downpours threatened to flood the streets. You shook the homesick feeling from your body, knowing there was no way you’d ever go back, if you could help it.

You made it to work, calling Josh to see if he could let you in the front. You could see him clumsily flying out of the back to rush to the door. “Good morning, angel.” He held the door open and offered you the coffee he’d gotten you.

“First babe, now angel? What’s your agenda here, Josh?” You narrowed your eyes as you took a sip from the cup, “You trying to steal my heart? Because this is definitely the way to go…” You joked as you held up the coffee.

A blush started to spread over his face as he gave a shy smile, “Well, Jake has a nickname for you… I just figured I’d try a few out until I found one that felt right.” He started to walk back towards the hallway and you followed after locking the front door behind you, “If you don’t like it, I’ll just stick to your name.” He was hesitant in the way the words spilled from his mouth.

“No, I think I prefer a nickname. Just- Let me know when you find one that sticks. How much was my coffee, by the way?” You giggled quietly as you turned into the storage room to see an entire new mess of boxes, stacked and scattered on the floor, “Oh… I guess you really did need the help.”

Josh nodded his head as he maneuvered around the crowded floor, “Consider the coffee a thank you for offering to come in two hours early when you’re already pulling a double today.” He made it to the shelf and picked something up before turning back to you, “I bought a speaker so- Well, I know you like to listen to music while you work…and you can’t hear the music from the front all the way back here.” He dropped his eyes to the floor, rubbing the back of his neck, “I don’t know. You don’t have to use it, I just-.”

You smiled wide at his flustered stammering, “Oh, I am absolutely using it.” Placing your coffee on a shelf, you laid your bag by the door and went further into the room to take the speaker from Josh, “Do you have any preference?” You connected your phone and scrolled through your music app.

“Play whatever you want, sweetheart.” He laid a hand on your arm as he moved around you and went back towards the door, grabbing a box. “I’m gonna start restocking to clear some of these boxes out of the way. If you need me, just yell.” He slipped out of the room after you gave him a thumbs up.

Your thumb stopped scrolling to click shuffle on your oldies playlist, firing off with Crimson and Clover. Letting the music fill the room, you got to work, starting where you’d left off with the original backstock before tearing into the new inventory. You swirled throughout the room, quietly singing along to the songs that played as you began to fill the shelves. Josh would pop in every now and then to grab a few vinyls from the shelves or bring some back. There were a couple times that you would turn around to find him lingering in the doorway, just watching you move about the room. You caught him one time, his tongue between his teeth, watching the way your shirt rode up to reveal your tummy when you reached to put something on a top shelf.

After what felt like too long, cramped in the storage room, you were growing hot, the air stuffy. You rolled the short sleeves up to your shoulders and tied the front of the shirt into a crop to cool down a bit. It had been an hour since the store opened at 11 and you were almost completely finished, only three boxes left to be sorted and put away. Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison was playing when you stepped out of the room for a pee break. When you came out of the bathroom, you could hear Josh talking and walked to the end of the hallway to eavesdrop. You couldn’t see him, but his voice was coming from the front counter and you assumed he must’ve been talking to a customer. Just as you turned to head back to your task, you froze.

She’s fucking beautiful, man. Like a goddamn goddess or some shit. He released a sheepish chuckle. The other voice was too quiet, you couldn’t make out what the person was saying before Josh was talking again. Nah, I think Jake has her and I can’t take that away from him… He’s been letting his walls down, he seems genuinely happy for the first time since fucking Ivy. Y/N’s got some kind of effect on him, it’s wild. But if you saw her, got to know her, you’d get it, man.

A nauseating wave swept through your stomach at his words. You went back to the storage room, unable to listen anymore. You knew Josh liked you, but the fact that he was stepping back in favor of his twin’s happiness made your insides twist in an almost painful way. He was being so selfless and you couldn’t deny that it was drawing you to him, but you couldn’t hurt Jake…

You ripped open a box, ridding your mind of the trail it was headed down, and let the music invade your ears. Halfway through the second box, the music faded into the delicate piano notes of Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers. You jumped slightly, throwing your hand over your chest as Josh’s voice rang out from the doorway as he crooned the lyrics. You were surprised at how sweet and gentle his voice was. He was coming at you, his hand outstretched. You shook your head with a giggle, knowing what he was getting at, and turned back to the shelf. He grabbed your wrist, spinning you back to face him, “...I’ve hungered for your touch, a long, lonely time…” You didn’t have a chance to protest as he slid his palm against yours and flattened his free hand on the bare skin at the small of your back, “...And time goes by so slowly…” His soft, brown eyes were shining bright as he locked you into a slow dance while serenading you, “...And time can do so much…” You watched his smile grow as you sunk into his hold, allowing him to sway through the small room, “...Are you still mine?...” His voice lingered on the note effortlessly and you closed your eyes, dropping your head to rest on his shoulder.

You were well aware that it should’ve felt inappropriately intimate and there were probably a mountain of boundaries you were crossing…but the way his chest vibrated with every drawn out note and the feeling of his fingers on your skin turned you to putty and you wanted to stay right there, all day. As if on cue, just like the last time you were in this room with Josh…

“She has trouble answering that question…” There was Jake, leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest, “What the fuck is it with you two and this goddamn room?”

Josh broke away from you this time, his lips curled into a smile, “Relax, Jakey. We were just having a dance break. What are you doing here now, anyways?” He stepped toward his twin to exit the room.

Jake’s eyes raked over your body, his lip stuck between his teeth as they landed on your exposed belly. “I wanted to take peach out for lunch.” He followed his brother out to the front with you trailing behind, “But if you two were busy…” He sounded upset and your heart started to beat rapidly, fearing that you’d fucked up again.

“Jake, stop. It was innocent.” Josh was going into the office, “She’s been cooped up in the storage room all morning, I’m sure she’d love a lunch break. I’ll give her an hour, that’s it.” He gave a pointed look before shooing you both away and taking a seat at the desk.

Jake turned to you, his hands finding your waist as he pulled you against him, “You hungry?”

You glanced back to Josh, a part of you upset at how quickly he’d dismissed whatever was going on in the storage room to pawn you off to his twin. You put your attention back on Jake, lowering your tone to a whisper, “Starving, baby…” You hadn’t seen him since you left his apartment on Wednesday and the way your body was reacting to having him this close again could only be described as desperate.

He was pulling you towards the front door when you heard Josh call from the office, “One hour! If she’s not back, there’s gonna be consequences for both of you!”

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Jake took you straight to his apartment, his mouth on yours the second you made it over the threshold. You both absolutely starved for one another, hungrily grasping at each other as you stumbled your way to his room. The only thing you could focus on was the way his lips moved over your skin, leaving a wet trail in their wake. You grasped at his shirt, trying to pull him closer as he slowly walked you backwards. The back of your thighs hit the mattress and his lips found yours again, kissing you hard as he pushed you to lay on your back and crawled over you. “Why does your bed sit so high?” The question came as he broke away to yank your shirt over your head, exposing your bare breasts to the cool air in his room.

He hooked his fingers into the waistband of your leggings, peeling them down slowly. “No panties either?” He tsked, “And you went to work like this?” You bit your lip with a shrug, curious as to what he might do. Once he had you fully nude, he stepped back to gaze upon you. Your eyes flicked down, locking on the bulge in his jeans, his cock begging to be freed. Jake snapped his fingers, regaining your attention, “You really wanna know why my bed is this high, peach?”

You sat up on your elbows and cocked an eyebrow at him, giving him your brattiest attitude, “Why else would I have asked the fucking question, Jake?” His face dropped and you watched his eyes darken. The warning look he was giving you was enough to set your insides on fire, but you kept going, egging him on, “Are you just gonna stare at me or is there a point to this conversation?”

His lips twisted into a menacing smirk as he walked around to the other side of the bed. You were still laying across the mattress, only moving your head to follow his path. Jake stopped, standing behind you now as you looked up at him. Suddenly, his hands were gripping you under the arms, pulling you towards him until your shoulders were at the very edge of the bed and your head was hanging off the side, upside down. He chuckled as you let out a small gasp and stared up at him.

“Jake… What are you doing?” You watched him unbuckle his belt and pop the button on his jeans, abruptly aware of the position you were in. He pushed his pants down, kicking them to the side and revealing his hard cock. You licked your lips as he wrapped his hand around himself, giving a few pumps.

He brought his free hand up, fingers dancing along your jaw with a light touch, “Do you trust me?” Jake inched closer, the head of his length brushing against your parted lips. You mumbled a quiet ‘yeah’ and flicked your tongue out, tasting him. “I need to really hear you say it, peach.” His hand went to the back of your head, lifting it so you could meet his eyes, “Tell me you trust me, baby.”

“I do, Jake. I trust you.” A smile tugged at his lips at your admission.

He crouched down, gently letting your head dangle again, and pressed his lips to yours. It was awkward being upside down, but your tongues licked against one another and the way he bit down on your bottom lip made you clench your thighs in need. “If it’s too much,” Jake grabbed your hand, nipping the tip of your index finger between his teeth, “tap my leg with these pretty little fingers, okay?”

You couldn’t contain the excitement coursing through you, “Okay.” The anticipation had your chest rising and falling rapidly.

“Open up for me.” He dropped your hand as he stood up, stroking himself again. You obeyed, holding your mouth open. He guided his tip past your lips and halted as his opposite hand flattened across your sternum, “Relax. You gotta slow your breathing, Y/N.” Squeezing your eyes shut, you tried to focus enough to gain a bit of composure. Once he was satisfied, he pushed himself a little further, gliding along your tongue. “Softer than the finest silk…” He drew out carefully and dove back in, muttering obscenities as you allowed your tongue to roll over his hot flesh. His palm lifted from your torso and you could feel his fingertips ghosting upwards, between your breasts, dipping into the hollow of your neck. Jake finally bottomed out, his cock nestled snug in your throat while his fingers continued their trail, stopping at your neck. He remained still, buried in your mouth, as his thumb stroked down the length of your esophagus. You fought the gag that threatened its way up, swallowing it back down. His hand curled around your throat as it fluttered around his dick, “I can feel myself right here, peach…” Jake added the smallest amount of pressure to your neck, “Remember what I said if it’s too much.” He pulled out almost fully, holding your face in both of his hands now, and drove his cock back into your mouth with force. He set a steady pace, completely enveloped in the wet warmth of your mouth. The blood was rushing to your head as your eyes rolled back and you hummed against him, letting your tongue vibrate over his length. He leaned over you, his hands moving to your tits to squeeze them. “You’re doing so fucking well…” A strangled grunt caught in his chest, “Swallowing my cock like a good little whore.” He punctuated the last word with a sharp thrust and the gag you’d been fighting had finally ripped free as your throat spasmed around his head. If you could see his face, you’d have caught the proud grin spreading over it as he repeated the action. Another hard snap of his hips, met with a gag and a cough that sent a gush of thick saliva through your lips, coating his dick and dripping down your face. The added spit allowed him to slip in and out of your mouth with ease. Your chest was heaving as you fought to catch your breath but Jake didn’t slow his rhythm. “Can’t make those bratty remarks while you’re choking on me, can you, peach?” His cocky attitude sent a flood of arousal to your core as you writhed on the bed, fists gripping at the duvet. Your vision was cloudy and you weren’t sure if it was from the blood pooling around your brain or the mixture of tears and spit in your eyes. Jake pushed himself the whole way in until the prickly shaved patch of hair met your chin, “Take it. Fucking gag on it.” He stayed in place, feeling your throat pulse around him with every gag. He was so close, his cock twitching against your tongue, but the throbbing in your head was too much to bear anymore. “God, you feel like fucking heav-.” His words were cut short by your hand shooting up and tapping against his thigh. He pulled himself from your mouth without hesitation and slid his hands under your shoulders, lifting you into a sitting position. Jake climbed onto the bed to sit beside you, rubbing his hand down your back as you coughed through gasping breaths. “You alright?” He asked once you were calmed down. You answered with a meek nod, wiping at your face with the backs of your hands. He pulled his t-shirt off, offering it to you to clean the rest of your face and you took it, swiping away the remnants of spit and tears. “You couldn’t hold on just a little longer?” He joked as his hand slid along your thigh, stopping just before his fingers could reach your cunt.

You responded with a laugh, “Oh gee, I’m sorry I didn’t just let myself pass out so you could finish in my throat, Jake. My bad.” You pushed his hand from your body and turned your back to him with a smirk, knowing your attitude would get under his skin. “Maybe you’d enjoy this more with Olivia… or what is it you call her?” You looked back at him over your shoulder, “Your gold star?”

He was clenching his jaw as you looked away from him again, “Cut the fucking brat act and c’mere.” His aggressive tone clashed with the gentle way his hand circled your wrist. You let him pull you towards him, “Liv is a solid bronze compared to you, peach.” You crawled into his lap, straddling him as he praised you, “You’re fucking golden…” His hand weaved into your hair, guiding your mouth onto his. The kiss deepened and you reached between your bodies, adjusting your position and grasping Jake’s cock to align it with your entrance. He disconnected from your lips, dropping his gaze to where you hovered over his length, and his cocky demeanor was back, “Y’gonna keep running that smart mouth or are you gonna be a good girl and fuck me?” You answered his inquiry by sinking onto him slowly, feeling him stretch your pussy. He sucked in a sharp breath when you were fully seated on him.

Giving yourself a moment to adjust to his thickness, you pushed his hair from his face with a sweet smile, “You love my smart mouth, baby…” You raised yourself up only to drop back down on his throbbing dick. He leaned back on his hands, watching you go to work on him. The way your tits bounced as you rode him and the noises your bodies made with every drop of your hips, he couldn’t get enough of it. He was in pure ecstasy, his head thrown back, jaw hanging open as he fought back the moans that wanted out. You moved faster, grabbing his shoulders and opting for a grinding motion, “Suddenly you don’t have much to say, Jakey…” You eyed him with a mischievous glint.

His head snapped up at your comment, “And suddenly, I’m sick of hearing you talk.” In a flash, he had you on your back. You hit the bed with a thud as a squeal rippled from your mouth. Jake hooked your right leg around his waist, holding it there while his right hand came up to your chin, fitting three of his fingers against your tongue. You couldn’t contain the whimpers and whines that bubbled out around his digits as he took control, driving you into the mattress with each powerful thrust. He let out a low laugh, “Yeah, you just keep making those sweet, pathetic sounds while you take my cock.” His fingers kept you mute of all words, not that you’d be able to form a coherent sentence anyway. You squeezed around him, causing his movements to stutter, and he pulled his hand from your mouth to support his weight as he leaned over you, fucking you deeper.

You pulled your left leg up, spreading wider for him, “F-fuck. Right there, baby.” His hand left your leg, traveling downward to grasp your hip. “Jake…” You gasped his name, your voice oozing with desperation. His eyes met yours, his brows drawn together in a questioning gaze. Your hands cupped his face, pulling him closer to you as you held eye contact, “Finish in me.” It was a demand, fueled by the pure, visceral need to have all of him to yourself.

Jake began to slow his hips, unsure if he’d heard you correctly, “Y/N…” He was taken completely by surprise.

You wrapped your legs around him, firm and reassuring, holding him tightly against you as you repeated yourself, “Finish in me so I can go back to work with the reminder of who owns me. Who owns my pussy…” It was your way of telling him that you were ready to be his, ready to give yourself to him completely. His lips were crashing into yours fervently as his hips started moving with more power.

He was breathing hard as he hovered over you, “God, You make the dirtiest words sound so fucking pretty.” Now he was really moving, deep grunts leaving his throat with each mind blowing stroke. “You gonna go back to work with no panties on? Just letting my cum leak down your thighs like a filthy slut?” His thumb found your clit, rolling over the sensitive bud with just enough pressure to push you to the edge. Your hands went to his back, nails dragging over his flesh as you clenched around him. “Shit, baby… Keep squeezing me like that and you’ll get exactly what you want.” Jake was gritting his teeth and you could tell he was fighting his climax off. His thumb moved quicker over your clit and you squeezed his cock again, “Let me fucking have it, peach. I know you’re right there, I want it.” He pulled his hips back, almost removing himself from your cunt, and slammed back in, surely hitting your cervix.

All the air left your lungs in a second as your eyes rolled back. You clawed at Jake’s skin, your mouth hanging open as your orgasm hit. The way your pussy fluttered around his length, soaking him, he couldn’t hold it together anymore. His head dropped to the crook of your neck as he came, his sticky release coating your walls. He was murmuring against your skin while your hands mindlessly rubbed down his back, easing him into a state of calm. A smile broke over your face but when you opened your mouth to speak, your phone began ringing on the bed beside you. You glanced at the screen and then the digital clock on Jake’s nightstand, a panic rising in your chest, “It’s Josh… My lunch break was over 15 minutes ago, get up, Jake.” He groaned, the sound muffled against your skin, but made no attempt to move. You pushed at his shoulders and wiggled beneath him, trying to buck his body off of your own, “Jake, I have to go, I can’t afford to lose my job.”

He let out a huff and rolled to the side, pulling his soft dick out of you and landing on his back, “You won’t lose your job unless I fire you.” You wasted no time, sliding off the bed and finding your clothes. Jake lifted up on his elbows to watch you pull your leggings on.

“Can you get dressed? I need you to drive me back.” You shook your t-shirt out and yanked it over your head, making sure the ‘Highway Tunes’ logo was situated perfectly over your left breast. You picked his jeans up and threw them at him, watching them land over his face, “Get the fuck up, Jake! If I have to walk, you’re gonna fucking regret it.” You stalked out of the room and put your shoes on, surprised to see him coming out only seconds later, pulling a fresh shirt on.

“You shouldn’t be so goddamn mean, I just gave you some high class dick, peach.” He picked his keys up and slipped into his boots before pulling the door open and ushering you out into the hallway to lock up. You scoffed as you started down the hall to the elevator. He jogged to catch up to you, pushing through the elevator doors the second they opened, “Lose the attitude or you won’t get it again until I see fit that you’ve earned it.” He had your back pressed against the cool metal wall, his leg putting pressure between your thighs.

You whimpered at the contact, slowly nodding your head, “Okay…” He released you and went to the opposite side of the elevator. You could feel the heat spreading over your cheeks at how easily he’d put you in your place. Looking up, you caught the smirk on his face as he stared at you, “What?” You bit out more aggressively than you meant.

“You’re mine now, peach…” It sounded like a threat but he was snaking his arms around your back to kiss you softly just as the doors opened up into the parking garage.

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🤍Taglist🤍

@jakekiszkasbuttsweat @ieatedasammy @twistedmelodies @dropdeadalyx31 @ageofbajabule @ohgodthefeeling-gvf @ignite-my-fire @becinabubblegvf @literal-dead-leaf @sanguinebats @myleftsock @laneygvf @writingcold @sinarainbows @lipstickitty @giraffehippy @jakesmustache @gracev0609 @gretavansara @profitofthedune @gvfmarge @brookekiszkaa @earthgrlsreasy @welllauragvf @takenbythemadness @swim2shore

[kierancaz]

The way I’m literally about to fight and bring the facts to this TikTok comment section because people can have their ships but also can y’all realize that certain characters have certain functions and they may not be big functions that’s ok. Cause like someone posted a video of Miles and Margo of their 30 second interaction with like pieces of the script layered over it and like yah you can see the vibe between these two but ALSO Margo has two functions 1) make Gwen jealous the way Hobie makes Miles jealous and 2) don’t hit the button on the machine and let Miles go back to his own dimension.

“I WANT THEM TO BE TOGETHER SO BAD !!!!” Why? Literally why? Margo has no character, has had a total of like 1 minutes screen time, and 1 scene with Miles.

People trying to use the spider-resonating as something to prove they should be together when that happens to everyone when they meet another spider-person?? Someone commented that in a book or smth it says Margo finds Miles cute which I think in her short screen time they get across really well.

But it just baffles me because like, Gwen and Miles are set up so perfectly. To me they’re on the list of ships I could never break for anyone else and that’s like two other ships. What is it that you see in Margo and Miles besides them idk looking cute together??

Scrolling through these comments is making me actually insane someone said that they were mad at Gwen for pulling Miles away like she owns him and said “and then you have ppl on tiktok acting like it wasn’t weird” ???? GIRL THEY ARE IN A RUSH TO GO MEET MIGUEL ?? GWEN IS CLEARLY STRESSING LIKE THIS WHOLE WALK ???

And then literally the creator of the og tiktok replied to them and said “the whole fandom likes to think Gwen owns Miles- I know the reason, but that’s for another discussion” and then when someone called them out for making everything about race they said they didn’t and that the person calling them out was making it about race like ?? You know don’t actually have to say the words “race” or “black” or “white” to make something about race? Your insinuation was clear as fucking day.

And also, because I did comment what I said earlier about Margo being to Gwen what Hobie is to Miles, someone replied saying that Hobie and Gwen see each other as friends and it’s obviously not the case with Margo and Miles and that they have a connection that will probably be explained in btsv.

I’m sorry. But I think you’re wrong. Hobie is super interesting and layered and I love him for that but he also serves two main functions (the creators just decided to give him much more depth with his five minutes of screen time, which I’m sure they would’ve done with Margo too if she had 5 minutes of screen time). Those functions are 1) make Miles jealous and 2) make the watch for Gwen so that when she gets booted back to her world by Miguel she can still travel dimensions.

Yes we know Hobie and Gwen see each other as friends but Miles does not. What Miles knows is that Gwen for the last however many months she has been in the spider society has been hanging out with some guy called Hobie that she thinks is super cool and he lets her crash in his dimension. What Miles knows is that Hobie is actually super cool and despite not wanting to like him because of Hobie’s relationship he does because he’s just that cool. He knows that Gwen took his shoes and left her sweater at his place and her toothbrush. He knows they’ve been on a couple dozen missions together. He knows that Hobie calls Gwen “Gwendy” and “my drummer” which while we may not have picked that up in a romantic context Miles in his little tiny jealous teen brain could have.

And also. When Miles hears any of that information is it very clear that he is NOT happy about it. It’s very obvious that he is jealous of Hobie. What Margo does is that same exact thing for Gwen but in a much shorter span of time and with much less build up because that’s all they really have to work with. And they get that Miles and Margo have chemistry across great.

But over all, there is no real reason to ship them. Because Margo has almost no character depth and almost no scenes and no real relationship with Miles in like any way. I’m not even sure you could call them acquaintances at this point. It feels like the only reason people ship them is because they’re two black characters.

Anyway thank you for coming to my ted talk ig.

[palepinkgoat]

First Line Analysis game!

I love this! I remember doing it a long time ago but I think that was before my newest fic. Thanks for the tags @wehangout and @energievie

RULES: post the first lines of your last 10 fics/chapters posted on AO3 (if you have less than 10 fics posted, post the first lines of all your fics) and try to draw some conclusions.

1. "Hold the fuck still." - The Ink is a Witness to This

2. Ian stands in his tiny kitchen, carefully unfolding the paper from his coat pocket. - Paragraphs

3. Ian was the one who said it first, back in the hotel room. - White Buttons

4. It’s a shitty apartment building. - Restoration

5. He smells the same.  - Proof

6. It’s too early to be awake, but he is. - Life, or Something

7. Mickey’s watching Ian fumble with the window, hitting the corners a little with his fist, trying to loosen the stubborn places where it’s stuck. - Minutes

8. Ian’s feet pressed fast on the pavement, anxious to hit the hospital door. - Find the Frank (Tag, You're It) this was a group fic, I only wrote the last chapter, which is where this line is from.

9. When Mickey first saw it, that age he can’t remember, it was hanging up in the cupboard with all The Shit in it. - The Vise

10. People should know how to do rock paper scissors, but it’s pretty weird how many people hesitate and have to start over.  - Rock Paper Scissors no one reads this as it's a Debbie pov lol

Interesting! I like how I got more concise as I grew as a fic writer! I like short openers in general, but I guess it took me a bit to get there. I don't think I used Find the Frank as an example last time as that fic was kind of tricky. Each writer had 24 hours to write a chapter based on the chapter before (like all in a chain) and by the time it got to me there were all these cliffhangers to deal with and I had to tie it up. It was a fun challenge but people don't usually like my chapter. Oh well! Overall I was reminded how I cranked them out in 2015-ish but I've slowed so much as I've gone along. After restoration became more popular over the years it's been daunting to write because I have imposter syndrome and don't want to let anyone downnnn. Also I have to write more of my newer fic. I have some done though!

I'm going to tag @celestialmickey @crossmydna and you!

[slytherinshua]

CHILL & FUZZY

genre. fluff. warnings. none. pairing. mk x reader. wc. 1k. a/n. cats + mk is always the best combo guys <//3

“It’s cold!” You whined, doing your best to match Minkyun’s speed-walking. You were falling behind quickly, both because of your short legs, and the fact that you were slowly freezing to death. Your boyfriend stopped and waited for you to catch up to him hearing your complaints.

“I told you to bring a coat.” He said, shaking his head and huffing out a breath. A thin foggy cloud of MK’s exhaled breath could be seen in the air from how cold it was and you shivered again.

“You texted me that after I was already at work! I thought you were going to pick me up in your car.” You defended with a gasp, still a little out of breath from running to catch up to him.

“I thought you liked walks. It’s not even that far.” He glanced at the GPS he was using to find your destination. Only 5 minutes left.

“Not when it’s this cold…”

Minkyun sighed and started to unzip his winter coat. You suddenly felt bad, as he would probably get cold without it, but he shushed you before you could protest. He slid it off his shoulders smoothly and wrapped it around you, holding it up while you slid your arms into the arm holes. It was a bit big on you, but it was incredibly warm since he had been wearing it all day.

He smiled widely at you, big dimples popping up on his cheeks as he zipped it up again, “Cute.” He kissed your red nose and took your hand to pull you along, eager to still get there on time.

It didn’t take too long until you both stood in front of a tall apartment building. You were eager to get inside to finally escape to chill, but MK was possibly even more eager. You could see it on his face— the way his eyes sparkled with excitement as he checked one final time for the door number.

“It’s 42a.” He mumbled, stepping into the elevator with you. You pressed the button 4 for the fourth floor and watched as the elevator doors slid shut.

“Want your coat back?” You offered, though you were still enjoying the warmth it brought you.

“No, I’m okay. Besides, I think you might look better in it than me.” He replied.

“It’s too big, though.” You held up your arms to showcase how big it truly was.

“That’s a feature.” Minkyun laughed as the elevator opened its doors with a ding. The hallway was long, and a new door was placed every few metres from each other. You quickly found 42a and softly knocked on the door. A middle-aged lady opened it soon after and welcomed you both inside.

“He should be in the spare room still. I didn’t have any toys for him unfortunately, but I gave him some old cardboard boxes to play in.” She explained as she led MK and you over to a small room.

The little guy was sleeping in one of the small boxes, curled up in a cute round ball, breathing softly. You pouted at the sight and crouched down to take a closer look at the sleeping kitty. Minkyun also sat down and started to gently pet the kitten with 2 fingers. The two were already acquainted. MK had visited for the first time last week and immediately fallen in love with the little ball of fur.

You remembered him coming home from work later than usual and explaining to you how he had found a post for a new kitten who had been found abandoned on the street. The lady who had taken him in couldn’t keep him. Naturally, as soon as MK took one look at the soft little black kitten, he was compelled to take him home. It was practically all he had been thinking about for the past week.

The cat already seemed comfortable with Minkyun, evident from the soft purring that you could hear after MK started petting him. He was so tiny all curled up, sleeping peacefully. You could definitely see why your boyfriend was so set on adopting him. It was impossible not to fall in love with him with just one look.

You didn’t spend too much longer in the apartment before you were coaxing the small feline into a cat carrier and heading out to walk back home. MK held the small pet carrier as carefully as possible and walked slower than on the way there to make sure not to jostle the little kitten. 

Once you were home and had discarded your coats and shoes, you settled on the floor of the bedroom to let out the new addition to the family. Your boyfriend wanted to start with just 1 room of the house for the little guy. The house would seem enormous compared to the tiny kitten, and just one room would be far less overwhelming for him.

He seemed timid and it took some coaxing from you and MK to get him to crawl out of the pet carrier. His nose was working like crazy, taking in all the new unfamiliar scents. He mewled, his small voice matching up to his body as he started to explore the room. 

Your eyes were firmly focused on the black furball making his way around the room slowly. The sight was adorable and your boyfriend cooed watching him explore. Once the room had been fully mapped out by the kitten, he made his way back to you two, and to your surprise, settled on your lap. You immediately smiled when you realized he was going to curl up on your leg to sleep.

“He’s so cute, baby.” You whispered to your boyfriend in awe, hesitantly petting the soft creature as he got comfortable in your lap.

“I know. That’s why I had to bring him home.” MK smiled widely, imprinting the image of the new kitten sleeping on you into his brain. It was a precious sight to behold, and MK’s heart felt all warm and fuzzy looking at it. 

And as he watched you smiled uncontrollably, looking at the kitten sleeping soundly in your lap, Minkyun was sure that bringing him home had been the right decision.

↳ onf taglist: @yeonjuns-redhair,, @edensgardenn

[autumnslance]

Tumblr Cosmetic Customization Tutorial

You there! New Tumblr User with a default icon and header, no description, no custom URL, and not wanting to be mistaken for a bot--you just want to maybe figure out this weird hellsite and follow some people without being blocked, right?

Maybe you've been around for a little while, or are returning from that other hellsite, and don't know what the heck folks mean by enabling the custom URL and why are so many blogs opening on the dash instead of in a new tab?!

Let's sort this mess out below the cut with a screencap-laden tutorial, starting on mobile app (since Most new blogs start there these days, and many people use mobile more, or exclusively) and then moving to web browser for some other features that aren't available in the app (as of 1/27/23 anyway).

This is just going to be about cosmetic customization and accessing the correct blog URL and archive; Tumblr's many other settings and features for how you want to see your Dashboard and how much Privacy control you decide on are for your exploration (or another day and another tutorial, this one's long enough).

The tutorial blog itself literally took me well under 5 minutes to set up, and Tumblr guided me to customizing immediately. Taking the screenshots added a few seconds to the time; it's taken longer to write the first part of this post out. If you didn't customize the blog right away, don't fret! You can always tap the little art palette and cogwheel icons at the top of your blog to sort it out.

Now go below the link to see written instructions with image examples, including a few more with my cat:

TO BEGIN: In the mobile app, I make a new blog. For me, it's a sideblog under my main and existing sides, but otherwise this is all the same info. The following process also isn't actually all that different in web browser.

Now, you can change your URL later on if you want; a lot of folks do over time. Just be aware: changing your URL breaks any and all previous links to your blog, including any posts others have reblogged under "Read More" cuts, with the same result as if the blog was deactivated; the URL no longer exists, so Tumblr doesn't count it as "there" anymore.

Now that's out of the way, once I make a blog it immediately takes me to the Customization screen:

I can--and should!--give my blog a name and a description. Doesn't have to be long or fancy, and can always be changed later with no risk to your links.

I can tap the "Background" and "Accent" buttons to change the default colors, too. Let's go for something easy on the eyes by tapping on the colored circles to find some default options, or the wheel to grab a random custom one. I'm going to go to purple and find a nice shade there.

Next I will tap on the little default icon to choose an avatar photo. I can choose not to show it on my blog, and if I do, whether I want it to be square or circle.

I can also tap to choose a header image if I like. I'm just grabbing some images from my phone. I did have to redo the avatar as it didn't want to stay after selecting a header pic for some reason.

And then I made a quick post and pinned it, to let folks know that I am human and what the purpose of this blog is (lurking for now? A main blog for following while sideblogs get the content? In this case, a tutorial).

OK, so my cat for an icon, my copy of the fanzine I worked on as a header, a quick title and description, and a short post. Even if I post nothing else to this blog (and if it were a main blog; sideblogs can't follow others, nor send asks or replies), people will be fairly certain I am not a bot, hooray! And if I want to change anything, I can tap on the icons at the top of the blog and get back to these customization screens.

I CAN STOP HERE IF I WANT TO

...BUT WHAT IF I, or buddies, try to open my blog in a browser and it opens a dash panel? What if I (or others) want to access my Archive? Unfortunately, I cannot find the correct option in the mobile app at this point, so onto a web browser we go (on my phone or my tablet, or my computer).

I am using a generic default web browser where I don't have many extensions/plugins/addons enabled (though apparently I did set dark mode). When I tap/hover over my icon, it still shows my color option and everything I selected in app setup.

Here is where I am going to direct you to the side bar and the "Edit Appearance" button so I can point out some Very Important Things, even if you don't customize anything else ever.

When I open my blog's appearance tab, right away it's going to tell me some interesting things I have circled and pointed at on the below screenshot:

In RED I have circled my blog's URL: www.tumblr.com/lynmarstesting. This is why a blog opens in a dash panel instead of going to an actual blog. This is the new Default URL, I cannot access an Archive or other blog features like this.

The ORANGE arrow points to the feature we want, right below the "Blog name" and URL: "Custom Theme". When I swipe this feature to active, it tells me my URL is updated.

When I go to my blog, the URL in my browser shows the proper https://lynmarstesting.tumblr.com link.

And the blog looks...well, bare bones and empty, but a proper weblog page. And I (and anyone else) have access to my Archive! When, y'know, I have enough posts to make that a thing on this blog.

Now, if I or anyone else opens the blog by clicking my username or icon, it'll open a dash panel...but also show my actual @ and my proper URL link, so they can go to the blog itself that way if they want. Everyone wins!

I CAN STOP HERE IF I WANT TO;

there's no need from this point to keep messing around in a browser, we've done everything to 1) make ourselves look human and 2) make our blog properly linkable/accessible.

BUT WHAT IF...??

Once again, the little art palette icon at the top is our clicky-buddy, boxed below in orange:

This opens an "Edit Theme" sidebar panel where one can customize the blog. Each theme has different options, and Tumblr's default theme is honestly really modular; change colors, fonts, have multiple columns, add some pages (I've a whole other tutorial on that), etc.

There's also an "Advanced" pane, where you can mess with some other settings (the little ? icon on each line tells you what it does) and, if you're knowledgeable--or just bold--this is where you can add some Custom CSS.

Say the Default Tumblr Official isn't doing it, though; at the top of the Edit Theme pane it tells you your current theme, and there's a handy "Browse Themes" link.

This opens a drop down with multiple sorting options. I don't want to spend money on a premium blog theme at the moment, and the others are a mix, so let's check out the Free Themes options.

There's a lot of options here! Some new ones, some are sponsored, lots of variety. Even the "Accessible" theme I mainly use is there, in its barren glory, compared to what you can see I've made of it on browser (see that previous tutorial I linked above):

Again: Different Themes have Different Levels of Customization.

Some will let you change every color, the fonts, the frames, and so on. Some let you add links everywhere. Some barely let you touch anything. You can tap "Use" at the top to preview, and the "Advanced" pane will let you preview random pretend posts if you don't have many/any of your own to see how they'd look. If you don't like how something's turning out, just click back on "Free Themes" and look for another one.

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND READABILITY!!

When people follow links to your blog--like a Read More cut--they will see the post on your blog's theme and in your blog's colors. Even on mobile app, especially if you override the default mobile theme, your color choices will have an impact! Aesthetic is all well and good, but frames, fonts, colors, and so on, should be legible and readable to most people, especially if you mean to share a lot of text posts.

Another thing to note: Your theme will NOT appear on mobile app. It defaults to a basic setup in the app, keeping maybe only your colors. Any custom links won't show, and cosmetic site options and access are limited in a lot of ways. The site is usable on a mobile web browser, and will have those features there. I get around the app's inability to show my theme's links by adding them all to my informative Pinned Posts on each blog, but that's me.

And there you have it! How to cosmetically customize a Tumblr, in mobile app and browser, to seem like a real person and access the correct URL and features of your blog. Whether you're new or been here awhile, hopefully this helps answer some really basic questions about how and why to do some of these things.

Have a final full-sized silly Chel pic to say goodbye.

[lauratheghost]

My trip to Montreal

& the Sleep Token show

(long post below)

The Trip:

I went with my sister, who did the driving. The drive there was awesome. We left at 5:30 a.m. and there was no traffic at all. The border took five minutes. We laughed at the "warning Canada ahead" sign (that was like five feet in front of the border 😂)

It was like an hour of driving through massive farms before we reached the city? Idk why but I didn't expect the farms.

Driving in Montreal was another story. It was terrifying 😭 I have car anxiety in general but it was so stressful. It made traffic in Boston not seem so bad. The way the lanes were marked was confusing to us, and some of the signs were also confusing. We hit a speed bump going crazy fast because we had no idea what the sign meant and the actual bump on the ground wasn't yellow (now it seems obvious though, ok 🤷🏼‍♀️😂) and the buses drive crazy fast and one cut us off and almost hit us.

Our phones didn't work as soon as we crossed the border. We tried to add a global package to our plans but it still didn't work. This was only a major problem because we needed GPS. If we missed a turn we would have to find a Harvey's or Starbucks or something to get their wifi and reroute. It took us a long time to get to Laval 😂

Once we got to the hotel we parked the car and didn't use it again until we left. But we took taxis and that was cool! I don't think I've ever taken a taxi before and the drivers were really nice.

We loved our hotel and we could see Place Bell from our window. The area was so nice, and very clean for a city. It feels like Laval is an up-and-coming city because of all the construction we saw, and our hotel was also new apparently.

Everything was so cheap? The lattes I bought were like $6 CAD so $4.40 USD. In my hometown, lattes are double that. All the food and snacks were such a good deal. I stopped obsessively checking my bank account after a while because everything seemed so inexpensive 😂 (Also, I'm a cheap person so this is saying something lol)

It was more of a culture shock than I expected. I knew it was going to be a lot of French but I guess I didn't grasp the reality of that until I was there. Thank God I took french in high school. I could not really hold a conversation, but I could read some signs and menus and kind've get the jist of what people were saying to me.

Everyone was so kind and helpful. We asked a lot of strangers questions and they were all very nice. I only had two small experiences with rude people (and I laughed about it)

Crosswalks were also a bit scary lol. It was weird that some cars still go when the crosswalk button goes off. In my area, all directions of traffic stop while people cross.

My hotel was 50 % people with Sleep Token shirts and 50 % hockey players 😂

We LOVE Tim Hortons 😍 Their iced mocha latte was amazing. I wish I had one in my town now.

Three days went by so fast! It felt like one day.

We went to Mount Royal Park, the Cosmodome, the Biosphere, and La Rhonde. I rode the ferris wheel even though I'm scared of heights. I think my heart stopped for a second but the view was beautiful. 😂🥰

Some random things we noticed- nobody really wears jeans or Crocs 🤷🏼‍♀️😂 everyone dresses a bit nicer. And we didn't see any cops besides event security the entire time we were there, which is unheard of in Massachusetts, I see cops drive by twenty times a day everyday probably. There were lilacs everywhere which I loved. So many people biked- it made me want to be more healthy and active. Public transport seemed very available and I'm jealous of that because public transport where I am is trash.

Can you drink in public? Idk, but we saw a guy drinking a twisted tea while casually crossing the road lol.

The Show:

People were lined up starting around 7 pm the night before 👀

At 5:30 a.m. there was maybe ten or fifteen people camped out with tents and everything. I applaud their dedication, but I could never 😭

I kept an eye on the line and once the merch stand opened I went over and bought a shirt beforehand. I got a t-shirt with the tour dates on it 🖤

The line system seemed really unorganized. Nobody knew what line went where. Besides that, getting inside was easy and I liked the venue.

Our seats had a good view, but we were so high up it made me a bit anxious. It was a little hard to see III because of the fog/lights, and Espera was kind've blocked by a light fixture, but I had a great view of IV and II which made me really happy 🥰

ESB's opening set: So, they are not exactly my cup of tea BUT I don't think they deserve the hate they've been getting. My only problem was that the singers scream sounded the same over and over. I wasn't sure if he was saying the same phrase or not, but it made every song sound the same. They did have some good moments though! There was a moment where he screamed lower/more gutteral and I liked that more. There was also a moment where the guitar and instruments sounded really cool but I can't explain it. I was glad to see they had a little mosh pit going too.

Sleep Token was amazing as expected. I'm forever in awe of how good Vessel sounds live. I was so happy I could see II good too, I loved watching his little dances and hand gestures. I saw III do his little swimming motion and he did get a pit! A pretty big one too from what I saw. I didn't expect them to hand out drumsticks and stuff so early, because they didn't play TMBTE or Euclid yet- but they were just doing that fake-out encore thing I guess. 😂

I love the diversity of the fans at their shows- all types of people and all ages and it's so nice to see 🖤 The guy sitting beside me did not look like someone I would expect to listen to Sleep Token, but he was singing every word and recording all the same parts of their songs as me 😂

After the show I got to meet @shatterthefragments !!! It was so great, and they made awesome ST keychains- I will treasure mine forever 🖤

I still haven't really processed any of this yet because after the show I was constantly busy- between packing up and doing the few last things we wanted to do in the city, and then driving five hours back home. There's videos and pictures from this weekend that I haven't even looked at yet. I will definitely post some videos or photos here soon though

Overall, I give this trip a 9/10

I'm so glad I impulsively bought tickets and got my passport renewed. It was so fun and it makes me wanna travel more in the future. 🖤

[acaplaya-musings]

Voiceplay Visuals: A Chance To Fly (Wicked Medley)

You'd be hard pressed to find a Voiceplay arrangement that took more time to create/finish than this one. This was Geoff's creation (he arranged it, came up with the video concept, co-directed it, and collaborated on lighting design), and he apparently worked on this for years. I don't know how long exactly, but I'm fairly certain he vaguely alluded to it in a live Q&A he did on his channel in 2020, when someone asked if Voiceplay was planning to do any Broadway stuff. And based on comments I've read on reaction videos, I believe he's worked on it since sometime in 2019 or so?

But anyway, as spectacular an arrangement as it is, I'm not here to talk about it! I'm here to talk about the video which accompanies it, which was released on the 26th of November, 2021, and features the awesome Emoni Wilkins (in the role of Galinda), and the wonderful Rachel Potter (in the role of Elphaba) (and yes, this is another rare six-vocalist video for Voiceplay, though this time it's 4 members + 2 guests, rather than 5 members + 1 guest). One of the comments says that this is apparently Rachel's 10th collaboration with Voiceplay, though I can only count 7 previous ones (or 8 if you count Just Sing (she was in that too right?)). But regardless, what a veteran!

Anyway, the medley itself clocks in at about 7 and a half minutes, so enough backstory - there's a lot to get through!

Group shot! Love the giant clock backdrop, very cool (and very accurate/appropriate of course)

(Note that I've never seen Wicked, not even a bootleg, but I've listened to the soundtrack a few times on the odd occasion, and I know how the story goes)

(Also this video really highlights the height difference between Layne and Eli, the tallest and shortest of the group, respectively. Apparently Eli isn't actually even that short - he's like 5"5/165cm (which is about how tall I am) - it's just that everyone else in the group is taller than him, whether by a little (like Cesar), or a lot (like Layne, who's 6"1/~183cm)

I adore Emoni and Rachel's makeup looks in this one. Shoutout to Rick Underwood for doing amazing things yet again!

(Also that's a super gorgeous necklace that Rachel is wearing and I want it)

Super massive shoutout and kudos to Geoff and Eli for the lighting on this one! This is top-tier stuff! And so much variety throughout the video in terms of colours and light levels!

Cute earrings, and also face jewels! (Those things can be an absolute pain in the backside, both in terms of applying and then getting them to stay there! I'm assuming Rick used some special skin-safe "glue" product to make them stay in place, and/or some setting spray afterwards?)

Get it, Rachel! 🙌👌

Geoff is handsome as ever, of course

Firstly, go off, Eli! And second of all, Rachel looks so freaking enamoured by Eli during this part, which obviously would be because he's filling the role of Fiyero, the love interest of Elphaba (whom she's acting/singing as here), but also it's just a little bit amusing too 😁

"Think of it as personality dialysis!"

Cesar being adorable 💜

Layne popped a bubble! (With matching "sound effect" of course) (Also I only just realised earlier while watching this that Layne is wearing a tie, just that it's mostly hidden/tucked in)

"And with an assist from me, to be who you'll be, instead of dreary who you were- well, are"

Nothing but respect for my Wonderful Wizard! (He did nothing wrong 😁😝)

I love him your honour

(Gonna do a Geoff Hair Study for this one too, but won't include it in this post, because frankly this post is long enough ^^;)

(Also just realised that Geoff is also wearing a tie that is mostly hidden, and wait hang on a minute, that means that his shirt is actually fully-buttoned-up? Gasp!)

I know I'm going quite heavy on screencaps (and we're only halfway through the video, heck), but I had to share these blink-and-you-miss-it shots of Cesar and Rachel 😄

Cesar: "KILL THE WITCH!"

Geoff (noted bass singer and sometimes sea witch): Uh oh 😬

(Joke stolen from a YouTube comment, but it was too good not to include)

"Because I knew you," (🥺🥺🥺)

The urge to take a million screencaps of the Defying Gravity section at the end is strong. It's so good on all levels!

The quality as an individual screencap is not the best, but still, I'm calling it another "Voiceplay money shot", and such a cool way to end the video!

As I am typing this, the trailer for the Wicked movie (or part 1 at least) has been out for a few days, but I'm yet to even watch it, and I probably won't see the movie, because honestly I don't see how they could make any of the musical numbers better than this. And this was just a medley! And acapella! Re the movie, I'm a little uncertain on how to feel about Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, and I'm definitely skeptical about Ariana Grande as Galinda. Rachel and Emoni killed it though, as did all of the guys of course! Well done Geoff, this was definitely worth the hard work and the long wait!

[esoxy]

So let's get into the nitty-gritty technical details behind my latest project, the National Blue Trail round-trip search application available here:

This project has been fun with me learning a lot about plenty of technologies, including QGis, PostGIS, pgRouting, GTFS files, OpenLayers, OpenTripPlanner and Vita.

So let's start!

In most of my previous GIS projects I have always used custom made tools written in ruby or Javascript and never really tried any of the "proper" GIS tools, so it was a good opportunity for me to learn a bit of QGIS. I hoped I could do most of the work there, but soon realized it's not fully up to the job, so I had to extend the bits to other tools at the end. For most purposes I used QGis to import data from various sources, and export the results to PostGIS, then do the calculations in PostGIS, re-import the results from there and save them into GeoJSON. For this workflow QGIS was pretty okay to use. I also managed to use it for some minor editing as well.

I did really hope I could avoid PostGIS, and do all of the calculation inside QGIS, but its routing engine is both slow, and simply not designed for multiple uses. For example after importing the map of Hungary and trying to find a single route between two points it took around 10-15 minutes just to build the routing map, then a couple seconds to calculate the actual route. There is no way to save the routing map (at least I didn't find any that did not involve coding in Python), so if you want to calculate the routes again you had to wait the 10-15 minute of tree building once more. Since I had to calculate around 20.000 of routes at least, I quickly realized this will simply never work out.

I did find the QNEAT3 plugin which did allow one to do a N-M search of routes between two set of points, but it was both too slow and very disk space intense. It also calculated many more routes than needed, as you couldn't add a filter. In the end it took 23 hours for it to calculate the routes AND it created a temporary file of more than 300Gb in the process. After realizing I made a mistake in the input files I quickly realized I won't wait this time again and started looking at PostGIS + pgRouting instead.

Before we move over to them two very important lessons I learned in QGIS:

There is no auto-save. If you forget to save and then 2 hours later QGIS crashes for no reason then you have to restart your work

Any layer that is in editing mode is not getting saved when you press the save button. So even if you don't forget to save by pressing CTRL/CMD+S every 5 seconds like every sane person who used Adobe products ever in their lifetimes does, you will still lose your work two hours later when QGIS finally crashes if you did not exit the editing mode for all of the layers

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So let's move on to PostGIS.

It's been a while since I last used PostGIS - it was around 11 years ago for a web based object tracking project - but it was fairly easy to get it going. Importing data from QGIS (more specifically pushing data from QGIS to PostGIS) was pretty convenient, so I could fill up the tables with the relevant points and lines quite easily. The only hard part was getting pgRouting working, mostly because there aren't any good tutorials on how to import OpenStreetMap data into it. I did find a blog post that used a freeware (not open source) tool to do this, and another project that seems dead (last update was 2 years ago) but at least it was open source, and actually worked well. You can find the scripts I used on the GitHub page's README.

Using pgRouting was okay - documentation is a bit hard to read as it's more of a specification, but I did find the relevant examples useful. It also supports both A* search (which is much quicker than plain Dijsktra on a 2D map) and searching between N*M points with a filter applied, so I hoped it will be quicker than QGIS, but I never expected how quick it was - it only took 5 seconds to calculate the same results it took QGIS 23 hours and 300GB of disk space! Next time I have a GIS project I'm fairly certain I will not shy away from using PostGIS for calculations.

There were a couple of hard parts though, most notably:

ST_Collect will nicely merge multiple lines into one single large line, but the direction of that line looked a bit random, so I had to add some extra code to fix it later.

ST_Split was similarly quite okay to use (although it took me a while to realize I needed to use ST_Snap with proper settings for it to work), but yet again the ordering of the segments were off a slight bit, but I was too lazy to fix it with code - I just updated the wrong values by hand.

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The next project I had never used in the past was OpenTripPlanner. I did have a public transport project a couple years ago but back then tools like this and the required public databases were very hard to come by, so I opted into using Google's APIs (with a hard limit to make sure this will never be more expensive than the free tier Google gives you each month), but I have again been blown away how good tooling has become since then. GTFS files are readily available for a lot of sources (although not all - MAV, the Hungarian Railways has it for example behind a registration paywall, and although English bus companies are required to publish this by law - and do it nicely, Scottish ones don't always do it, and even if they do finding them is not always easy. Looks to be something I should push within my party of choice as my foray into politics)

There are a couple of caveats with OpenTripPlanner, the main one being it does require a lot of RAM. Getting the Hungarian map, and the timetables from both Volánbusz (the state operated coach company) and BKK (the public transport company of Budapest) required around 13GB of RAM - and by default docker was only given 8, so it did crash at first with me not realizing why.

The interface of OpenTripPlanner is also a bit too simple, and it was fairly hard for me to stop it from giving me trips that only involve walking - I deliberately wanted it to only search between bus stops involving actual bus travel as the walking part I had already done using PostGIS. I did however check if I could have used OpenTripPlanner for that part as well, and while it did work somewhat it didn't really give optimal results for my use case, so I was relieved the time I spend in QGIS - PostGIS was not in vain.

The API of OpenTripPlanner was pretty neat though, it did mimic Google's route searching API as much as possible which I used in the past so parsing the results was quite easy.

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Once we had all of the data ready, the final bit was converting it to something I can use in JavaScript. For this I used my trusted scripting language I use for such occasion for almost 20 years now: ruby. The only interesting part here was the use of Encoded Polylines (which is Google's standard of sending LineString information over inside JSON files), but yet again I did find enough tools to handle this pretty obscure format.

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Final part was the display. While I usually used Leaflet in the past I really wanted to try OpenLayers, I had another project I had not yet finished where Leaflet was simply too slow for the data, and I had a very quick look at OpenLayers and saw it could display it with an acceptable performance, so I believed it might be a good opportunity for me to learn it. It was pretty okay, although I do believe transparent layers seem to be pretty slow under it without WebGL rendering, and I could not get WebGL working as it is still only available as a preview with no documentation (and the interface has changed completely in the last 2 months since I last looked at it). In any case OpenLayers was still a good choice - it had built in support for Encoded Polylines, GPX Export, Feature selection by hovering, and a nice styling API. It also required me to use Vita for building the application, which was a nice addition to my pretty lacking knowledge of JavaScript frameworks.

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All in all this was a fun project, I definitely learned a lot I can use in the future. Seeing how well OpenTripPlanner is, and not just for public transport but also walking and cycling, did give me a couple new ideas I could not envision in the past because I could only do it with Google's Routing API which would have been prohibitively expensive. Now I just need to start lobbying for the Bus Services Act 2017 or something similar to be implemented in Scotland as well