#and I’m not going to give this an organizational tag so hopefully it becomes a distant memory

[apple-grass-and-smiles]

I love my job roughly 75% of the time. But sometimes it involves chasing down a teen to pay his $200 phone bill that you foolishly helped him open while going through the stages of grief knowing you’re going to have to figure out that payment yourself because you were naïve and trusted him

[wakaoujisenhime]

Hello! Can I ask headcanons about being Inarizaki manager?

A/N: Hi there and of course you can! You’re my first Haikyuu anon so I hope this lived up to your expectations! I also gave your request a little backstory so you’ll hopefully enjoy this! (´･ᴗ･ ` )

Tags: Inarizaki x reader ✅  SFW ✅  friendship ✅  fluff ✅

━━━━☆ ━━━━☆ ━━━━☆

bearing the title of Inarizaki’s manager was no easy task, in fact, it was pretty tiring and demanded a lot from the person who owned it

or at least that’s what a lot of the failed applicants claimed

it was no secret that the volleyball team organized a test period that lasted a week for each participant and rumor has it that no one has ever made it past day three

there were a lot of people from your class mostly girls that had tried their luck and were overly-confident that they’d be chosen, but right after being failed they never mentioned the volleyball club again

you on the other hand were genuinely interested in the manager position and after contemplating whether or not to apply, with the amount of support you got from your family, friends and teachers you finally found the courage to write your name on the waiting list

unfortunately for your nerves the applicants before you failed way too quickly and before you knew it, your turn had come

a young friendly-looking man with dark and spikey hair came to your classroom on a Monday morning to tell you all the details concerning the club activity later this afternoon

you listened to him attentively, trying to memorize every single detail he told you, but he must’ve noticed how nervous you were because he suddenly stopped mid-sentence

“I’m sorry, you must surely think I’m super rude for not introducing myself first before I bombarded you with all those information. My name’s Akagi and I’m Inarizaki’s libero, it’s a pleasure to meet you!”

now that you were more relaxed the two of you wrapped your chat up and bid each other goodbye before you returned to your classroom and waited for your first class to start

.

all those rumors about the team giving off an entirely different aura than anyone else in school was truly no exaggeration

the moment you entered the gym the prevalent tension alone was enough to make you rethink your plans, but before you could do anything a gentle voice spoke out to you

“Are you this week’s manager candidate?”

when you turned around to see who had asked you that question, you saw a tall young man with a darker skin tone smile down at you

you affirmed his question, introducing yourself with the same nervous tone from before, and fortunately, he as well showed you an equal amount of sympathy as Akagi

“I know that it must be quite overwhelming, but you really shouldn’t worry too much about it. You know I’m actually not supposed to give you any tips, but...out of everyone who walked in here you look the most promising so...just be yourself!”

and with that, the two of you walked towards the rest of his teammates so that you could finally introduce yourself to them

truth be told you expected some kind of long interrogation process and nosy questions, but they paid you good to no attention and just introduced themselves briefly

when they went back to practice their moves the captain stayed behind and asked you some general questions such as how much experience you have with volleyball and if you’re busy during the weekends

after everyone went to go and change, you stayed behind to help some of the substitute players out with cleaning the gym floors and dirty balls when Kita joined you with the cleanup

he must’ve noticed your surprised face since after just a short while he spoke up

“Please pay me no mind, I do these things quite often, so this won’t be the last time my actions will surprise you.”

“Do you do these things out of...obligation?”

the other club members were quite surprised by your sudden question, but it made the light-grey haired young man crack a smile as he told you that he was simply used to doing things the right and proper way

his remark seemed of low importance at that time, but his reasoning still stuck with you, and unbeknownst to you it helped you out quite a bit

.

the second day passed similar to the first one, but with the only exception that you were allowed to help out with the warming-up exercises

while everyone stretched you were finally able to get a better look at the members and you even took some notes on which exercise they did, which position they played in most frequently, and how they behaved towards their teammates

you used the moment they benched you to go over everything you learned today and needless to say there were a few very noticeable personalities that might need more time to befriend than Aran or Akagi

the first two that stood out were the Miya twins

everyone in school knew them for their constant fights amongst each other, but seeing them play and fight up close was an entirely different experience

they randomly screamed at each other when some tactic didn’t work out how they’d imagined it, but all things considered, they made a great and powerful duo

it also didn’t take you long to tell them apart look wise as well as characterwise which facilitated your notes about them

Suna was the third person you’d have to look out for and pay very close attention to

judging from his playstyle he was quite the troublesome opponent

according to some of the players who sat close to you, he was able to manipulate the blockers to jump right where he wanted them to and some of that manipulation skills even stayed with him beyond the game and made out a big part of his personality

but on a more positive note, he also had a more fun side to him

he noticed surprisingly quick if someone wasn’t in a good mood and depending on how long he’d known them he was also able to cheer them up, but this special service heavily relied on his current mood

as for the rest of the members, they seemed friendly enough and as time passed you were confident that they’d accept you in their circle of friends

.

..

the rest of the week passed by in a flash and before you knew it the last day of your “manager exam” had arrived

you were nervous as well as quite afraid that you might not have provided them with the service they needed or wished for, but the confident grins on Aran’s and Akagi’s faces managed to reassure your beating heart

everyone waited for Kita to arrive and with each passing minute you felt like you would pass out

and after what felt like an eternity he finally entered the gym with a black duffle bag and headed straight toward you

he handed you the bag without saying anything, it was after you had taken the small bundle into your hands that he spoke up, a small smile spreading across his facial features

“We’ve tested you throughout this entire week and I’m pretty sure not every single task we entrusted you with was pleasant, but you still held out and did everything the right and proper way...thank you and with this, I’d like to welcome you as Inarizaki’s first and official manager.“

it took you a short while to comprehend just what had happened and while you were still looking at the captain like a lost lamb the rest of the members surrounded and congratulated you

the person who brought you back from your daydream was Atsumu, who tightly wrapped his arms around you in a congratulatory hug

you were quite surprised since up until now he was rather well-behaved and didn’t concern himself so much with you except the usual ‘thank yous’, ‘hellos’ and ‘good evenings’ a club member would give his piers

your bewilderment must’ve been quite evident since someone pulled the blond giant away from you with a sigh

and that someone was no other than his twin brother Osamu who whispered a small apology to you and began to lecture him

“What’s it to ya ‘Samu? Ain’t it ‘bout time we dropped that whole act?”

before they could confuse you more than you already were, Ren placed his big hand on your shoulder giving you a somewhat awkward smile that was meant to console you

Hitoshi joined you two and explained how the team always had to show each candidate the cold shoulder in order to make sure that all applicants were aware of the fact that being the VBC’s manager didn’t mean partying around and chatting up a storm with the members

I see was all you could answer to that rather absurd rule they had come up with

.

..

your first day as the official manager didn’t vary that much from what you had seen during your test week, but at least now you were properly talking with all of the members

needless to say, you also became this day’s conversation topic number one

wherever you walked people would whisper amongst each other how you were the chosen one despite so many applicants

some of your classmates though had the audacity to doubt that you had won the guys over in a legitimate way and made no effort to hide their baseless accusations by speaking unnaturally loud when they were near you

it did bother you a little, but you decided to ignore their envious attempts to get you mad, sad, or whatever their goal was and dedicate yourself to getting to know your club members better...

.

the first few weeks you spent on getting to know the members’ skills as well as their personalities better than what you had seen already in the past week

and before you knew it, you had become not only an essential and precious part of the team but also an irreplaceable friend and companion to each of them

you made sure to help the two captains out as much as you could, but you didn’t only do it out of obligation but because you felt bad for leaving these two - especially Kita - alone with all important tasks

oddly enough a powerful team like theirs didn’t have an advisor so most organizational tasks fell on their shoulders

Kita as dutiful and thorough as he was always tackled the tasks the moment they were given to him so neither Aran nor you ever had the chance to volunteer as helpers

one day though you accepted the assignments before him and distributed them amongst the three of you as equally as you could, whereas you took on a slightly bigger portion since you were their manager

you also made sure that Kita didn’t stay behind until all the streetlights turned on and so it became a tradition for you to join him and Aran on their way back home

during those walks, you got extremely close with them and since they often discussed training and club-related matters, you were also able to learn additional things as well as plan the players’ training regimen for the following days

when you weren’t by their side, you either warmed the bench alongside the other substitute players or tried to help Hitoshi tame the two brothers  

you were aware of their regular disputes and had already witnessed one yourself, but back then the team had helped resolve it so you weren’t needed

and now that they had finally found a manager, they reverted back to their habitual behavior: ignore and enjoy their dispute, film it or just look for Kita to resolve the issue

you on the other hand took it upon yourself to play the mediator and started by stopping Suna from recording or taking a photo of them

needless to say, he wasn’t very happy when you confiscated his phone, but after you explained to him that you were simply worried that as heated as the siblings were they’d one day drag him into their fight, he proposed you a deal

“Let me take at least five photos and two videos before I help with calming them down.“

your eyes narrowed as you took on a very confident pose which made it pretty obvious that you weren’t going to back down from his attempt to bargain with you

“Two photos and one video.“

“Make it three.”

“Denied. You either settle for two photos and one video or nothing at all...take it or leave it Suna.”

as much as he wanted to protest, your smug grin made him yield in the end

next up were the taller and more intimidating-looking players who’d usually stand by and laugh or sigh

“Are you really ok with the whole school making fun of our club and treating it like some kind of fighting club just because of these two dunces?”

they were quite surprised at your sudden question but weren’t as taken aback as you when they immediately headed for the gym doors to shoo away all onlookers        

as for the troublesome siblings you usually stood between them the moment you sensed that they were about to fight

they’d still try to somehow either pinch the other or slap his backside and you at first tolerated it, but after a while, it just got too distracting and annoying so you straight out took hold of each of their hands and wordlessly glared at them

that method started a new trend and now their teammates constantly teased them for being your children and how funny it was to look at their embarrassed faces while you on the other hand showed no reaction whatsoever

you didn’t expect that sort of outcome, but as long as it stopped their fighting it was worth it

.

as their manager, you were also put in charge of organizing training matches as well as signing them up for tournaments and nationals (with the help of the coaches and captains of course)

your first training match was quite exciting and you were surprised at the number of people that came to see it

the guys were almost always in their top form when they played so you rarely had to worry about their health condition and that took quite the weight from your shoulders

even if someone showed the slightest symptoms of a cold or anything of that sorts, Kita and you would instantly be there and get the player to go home and rest

you knew that some of them hated being sick since it meant that they’d miss out on practice and saw it as some kind of betrayal towards the team

Atsumu was one of these types of people and he was the heaviest case out of all of them

so you made sure to drop by the twins’ house after club activities ended and cheer him up, by changing the cloth on his forehead, cutting some apples for him, or just being there to keep him company

after that Osamu would always insist on bringing you home since the sun had already set

the two of you would always talk about the most random things, but sometimes your conversations got quite serious and personal

in fact, you were the first person he shared his future plans with, saying that he could trust you with keeping it a secret

as for the nationals...

your first one was very overwhelming

the gym was so enormous that it outshined any other gym you had visited with them

it was no secret that the entire ambiance intimidated you and the moment you saw their personal cheering squad you couldn’t help but freeze-up

you had heard that their cheering squad was like no other and that it even rivaled that of many other powerhouse schools, but much like other rumors you had dismissed it

...until now

“Impressive isn’t it?” Ren asked to which you just nodded

but you noticed quickly just how much of an effect their audience had during the match

their steady and powerful rhythms managed to not only motive your team but also discompose your opponents

what surprised you the most was how the older gentlemen in the crowd didn’t hold back on their snide remarks when someone made a mistake or didn’t play seriously

after each match, all of you had come up with small rituals you’d do

depending on the outcome of the game you’d either throw a small party to commemorate their victory or try to cheer them up with a motivational speech followed by a  movie night

all in all, you truly came to love volleyball, as well as your team and each of its members, and they did too

they were truly happy to have won such a dependable and caring manager like yourself

the entire team always made sure to celebrate your birthday and go all out on your presents as well as on the party they’d organize for you

all of them always made sure to return your kindness with double the effort and love you had given them

you were sick?

no problem, every day two members would visit you and take turns in taking care of your needs until you were healthy

you were sad?

they’d buy you your favorite snacks, cook you your favorite meal, rent your favorite movie and then knock on your front door, demanding to be let in

...and so on

they had become something like your second family and you didn’t even dare imagine a scenario where you didn’t apply for the position of the manager

the same goes for them, they had given up the hope to find someone who manages their team, but the moment you had entered the gym they almost instantly knew that you’d be the one to take them to victory

and they were right...

[palais-soleil-blog]

Problems You May Encounter Your First Week of Studying Abroad (Part 1):

AKA everything that went wrong for me

Studying abroad in Europe for a semester? Congratulations!! It will (hopefully) be one of the best experiences of your life! Ngl, that first week(s) is going to kick. your. ass. I SHOULD KNOW. So I wrote out LITERALLY everything that went wrong for me in hopes that you won’t make the same mistakes I did.

1. Your original packing plan is JUST NOT WORKING OUT OKAY

holy shit was this a problem for me. My initial packing plan was a massive checked duffel bag, a large-ish carry-on suitcase, and my backpack. That plan died quickly. ADAPT. Whether this means taking out some clothes and paring down the essentials even more, or you bite the bullet and fucking buy a bigger suitcase (aka me). Also, high-key recommend packing sooner than 2 nights before you need to leave; that way, if you do need to buy a bigger suitcase, you have the time to get a good and inexpensive one you like. 

2. Your checked luggage is more expensive than planned.

This one was all my fault and could have easily been fixed by me checking the airline’s checked bag rates for INTERNATIONAL flights instead of DOMESTIC. In my defense, I was in distress because suddenly 1/4 of my clothes weren’t going to make it to Paris (see above problem). So either check the right fucking website initially (recommended), or swallow down the “holy-crap-this-is-expensive” vomit at the airport, pay for it, and learn from your mistakes. Or my mistakes. Either one.

3. YOUR CHECKED LUGGAGE GETS LOST

First things first: take a second at baggage claim to be pissed and frustrated and terrified. Then take a deep breath and go find an airline clerk who can help you and be nice to them. They did NOT personally chuck your bag out the plane as it was taking off. They will help you! Make sure you have your checked bag receipts with you, a description of the bag (hopefully you put a bright-ass luggage tag or ribbon on it), an ADDRESS it can be sent to, and a number they can call. For me, the address was my study abroad office and their phone number. My office did all the communicating with the airline, tracking it down and making sure it got to me. In the end, it took almost 5 days for me to receive the bag that contained literally all my clothes

Which brings me to my next point! Make sure your carry-on has AT LEAST 1 change of clothes, some underwear and socks, a pair of pajamas, travel-size toiletries of important things (like contact solution), and warm weather gear if necessary. Personally, I wish I had brought 2 shirts and one more pair of jeans. But I also went 5 days without clothes - most people get their bags within 24-72 hours (HA). 

4. The drive to your study abroad office/home makes you nauseous and you don’t get to see any sites!

@me lol. First tip: don’t sit backwards in the vehicle if you have the option not to. Second, take some pepto-bismol or Tums or drink a sprite/ginger ale as soon as you can! Hopefully all your medications were in your carry on. I ended up with my eyes closed and head down for most of the ride, and I was pissed because I missed my first views of Paris! In the end, it didn’t matter. Walking Paris is a lot nicer than driving through it, and honestly I was so overwhelmed I don’t think seeing anything would have helped my inner navigator. 

5. You can’t get into your apartment

You made it. You got out of the car with all your luggage, you have your keys, you made it up the stairs/elevator if you’re lucky. Now you’re at your front door and it. just. won’t. open. F*** this. First things first, take some deep breaths. Next, check your paperwork and make sure you are on the right floor and in front of the right apartment. For me, this meant checking that the doormat in the picture I was given matched that of the door in front of me. Now, be patient. Start with the deadbolt. In Paris, you’ll turn it at least 2 times, sometimes 2.5. Next, try the handle lock. Again, 2.5 turns and pull the door towards you a little bit to help it not stick. Doesn’t open? Check to see what’s going on. Does it seem to want to open by the handle, but not near the deadbolt? You may have accidentally locked the deadbolt. So turn the key the other way in the deadbolt, then try the bottom lock again. Still not opening? Turn the bottom lock the other way and see if that helps. KEEP TRYING. If you’re in front of the right door and just keep experimenting, it will open eventually. Also, I don’t know if it’s true for all doors in Paris, but mine unlocks with clockwise turns and lock with counterclockwise turns. 

6. Your apartment is not what you were expecting

HOLY CRAP was this an issue for me. I had watched so many videos on Parisian studios/apartments, I thought I knew what was coming. The kitchen would be tiny, I wouldn’t have a dryer, I’d have minimal space in general. That was find. I was NOT expecting:

-the toilet to be separated from the sink and shower/tub by an entire room

-no drawers for clothes - all open shelving

-no oven, only a microwave

-weird pillows/comforters

So what do you do when nothing is how you like it? First you let yourself cry a bit (see the next item on this list) and call your mom if you can. Then you take a deep breath (are you seeing a theme yet?) and Figure Shit Out. How can you fix things and make them better? 

-the toilet to be separated from the sink and shower/tub by an entire room: I bought a bottle of hand sanitizer to keep in the bathroom for emergencies, like if my roommate is using the shower. Otherwise, I just avoid touching door handles to go to the sink.

-no drawers for clothes - all open shelving: My issue with this? My panties and bras don’t need to be on display for everyone who comes over, spilling everywhere. Buy some baskets. There’s a discount store on rue de Rivoli called Tati that sells pretty inexpensive baskets and other organizational stuff. Get what you need and know that you can trash it or leave it for the next person. Display your prettiest stuff, like scarves or sweaters, on the more public shelves. 

-no oven, only a microwave: I’m still figuring out how to deal with this. My main thing is toast. My roommate and I are not sure how to make toast without an oven or toaster. But otherwise, we have a pretty fancy microwave that we are working out how to use, and I’m going to get really good at pan frying things! (or just make a lot of pasta. Probably just make a lot of pasta). 

-weird pillows/comforters - Buy another pillow. Monoprix had them for like 8 euros I think? And I had packed a pillow case from home. You can also buy another blanket, but I brought a blanket and top sheet from home. They will keep you warm, even if they aren’t a down duvet with pleating or whatever. 

Have a problem and not sure how to fix it? Call your mom. Talk to your housing director. They probably have extra hangers, or can hook you up with that missing shower curtain. 

7. You have a panic attack in the middle of the day and can’t call your mom because #time change. 

This will only affect you if your flight gets in early like mine did. If you’re landing at like 4pm, your family should be awake by the time you get to your apartment. For me, I got to my apartment, freaked out, sat down on my bed to have a good hysterical crying session, and then 30 seconds later I heard my BRAND NEW ROOMMATE, whom I HAD NEVER MET BEFORE, trying to unlock the door. Talk about a bad first impression. I have never tried to clean up my face so fast. Meeting my roommate went fine, but I wish I had the time to cry it out. I think I would have been more willing to figure shit out. Instead, I took a 6 hour nap, woke up to eat dinner, and went back to bed. I was awake for a long time okay? But that’s the best advice I can give. Have your freak out, take a SHORT nap if necessary, eat a snack, and then figure shit out. Or play games on your phone until you CAN call your mom. Up to you. But you’ll scare her less if you can call her without crying. 

This has become a long-ass post, so please see part two for everything else that can go wrong during your first week!

[lolainblue]

Overtime -- A Jared Leto Oneshot

I know I have been heavy on the Shannon smut lately so I thought I would make it up to you Jared girls, especially you @msroxyblog and @nikkitasevoli and finally fill this suggestion I’ve had sitting in my ask box for ages. 

I don’t do oneshots often, but if anyone wants to be added to a taglist for future ones just let me know. 

t/w Smut. But I guess you already figured that out.

EDITED TO ADD: There’s now a part TWO!!

    “Mikaela, can you come in here please?”

   I sighed and pushed my seat away from the desk, rising to see what His Royal Highness wanted now. I had started working for Jared a month ago. It was only supposed to be a temporary position, assisting while memory cards and hard drives full of old pictures and other such things were cataloged, tagged and classified. Once I started and saw the state things were in I had suggested a better management system, maybe setting up a database so that we could easily sort and retrieve everything once it was cataloged. Jared had jumped at the idea and consequently had dumped what felt like every old file he and anyone who had ever worked for him had in my lap, extending the original job estimate by weeks. Initially, I was very excited about that too, Jared was interesting and charismatic, not to mention easy on the eyes, and like many women, I had nursed a crush on him for years. But as one late night wound into another I was starting to get a little tired of his demanding ways.

   Jared was in the living room when I found him, going through a box of what appeared to be old pictures that had just been sent over from God knows where. He looked up at me with a smile that said “You'll be working late again.” and held out a photo. “Do you think we could add physical media to the database too? Maybe with a reference to where they'll be stored?” He scratched his head. “Of course I guess that means we'll have to come up with a corresponding physical file system too.”

   “Sure, boss,” I told him, hoping it sounded a lot more sincere than I meant it. I was puzzled by his sudden obsession with efficiency. From what I had seen since coming to work for him, Jared had the personal organizational skills of a senile ferret. If he didn't have an army of assistants following him around I was certain he would lose track of his own appendages. He was an amazing man with lots of talents but that wasn't one of them. “I can start setting something up first thing tomorrow morning,” I added hopefully.

   Jared crinkled his nose and scratched his chin. “No, I think we should get something in place now. I have a few more boxes being sent over tomorrow and I would like somewhere for them to go.”

   Of course, you would, Jared I thought. I had been looking forward to going home and having a nice glass of wine in my PJs, relaxing from a day of having Jared looking over my shoulder and critiquing my work every ten minutes. He seemed to take some sort of perverse delight in constantly interrupting me. I was less than thrilled to be spending more time today being shadowed and second-guessed. “If you insist,” I said.

   “I do,” he replied, placing the photo back in the box before handing it to me. “You know you should really try to sound more enthusiastic, Mikaela. It shows a strong work ethic. Am I really that unpleasant to spend your evening with?”

   I gritted my teeth and watched the back of his head as he disappeared from the room. A few weeks ago my gaze would have been directed a few feet lower. But the longer I worked with him the more my fantasies turned from grabbing his ass to kicking it. Busy as he was he somehow never failed to find time in his day to micromanage mine, or single me out from his crowd of employees for extra duties. I knew he couldn't be that unhappy with my performance or he wouldn't be giving me so much additional work. But I was growing increasingly tired of his exacting behavior, his ocean blue eyes were becoming less and less distracting and the crush I had been nursing when I got here was fading. I liked Jared, in many ways I was in awe of him, but working for him was turning out to be a little less exciting than I had hoped.  

   I took the box back to my desk and started rifling through the contents. Jaime, the newest of his interns, the one who had started just before me, popped in.

   “Jared says you guys are working late again and he wants me to ask what you'd like me to pick up for dinner.”

   “The key to my cell?” I joked. Jaime laughed. She had noted herself yesterday how often Jared had been keeping me late. “I don't care.” I finally told her. “Just get whatever Jared wants.”

   “Sure thing,” she said, leaving as quickly as she had appeared.

   I was lost in spreadsheets for probably a few hours when Jared appeared at my desk, a bag of takeout in hand. “Hey Mak, do you have time to eat with me?” He smiled but didn't wait for an answer. “I'll go ahead and set things out. Join me on the patio.”

   I saved my work and closed the program. At least he had been buying me dinner when he kept me over, and I usually enjoyed our mealtime chats. They allowed me time to indulge my less professional fantasies while I memorized the articulate way he used his hands or the way his expression changed when he got onto a subject he was really excited about. He was hardly the worst client I had ever had. I knew the biggest part of the problem was with me. I had gone into freelance work because I valued my independence and I was starting to feel choked by all the attention. I just couldn't understand why, if he was so satisfied with my work, he felt it so necessary to constantly be checking up on it.

   As I made my way to the patio I noticed how quiet the house had become. It looked like it was just Jared and me that would sticking around tonight. That had only happened one other time and on that occasion, Jared had abruptly changed his mind and decided to send me home part of the way through dinner. I began to hope I might make it home to my pajamas and Moscato after all.

   It turned out Jared had ordered one of my favorite meals, sushi and soba noodles, the light spring breeze carrying the scent of rich broth and pickled ginger that caused my stomach to rumble and my mouth to water. My mood lifted a bit immediately and I couldn't hide my smile. Jared noticed and grinned back at me as I looked over the spread.

   “I see you approve. I thought I remembered you telling me how much you liked sushi when we had it once before. You said you preferred to enjoy yours with a bowl of soba noodles though,” he added with an air of pride at remembering that detail. “So how is the new system coming?”

   “I have something laid out that should be fairly simple to implement. Of course, if you want to go all out with a dedicated storage room we could set something up with RFID chips and readers and bins...” I knew Jared's weakness for technology. As soon as I mentioned it his eyes lit up like I'd brought him candy.

   “How about you put together a proposal for that and I'll have a look at it,” he said, trying to seem casual, but I could see the gears turning in his head. “It sounds like it might work for me.”

    It was a good thing I hadn't yet lined up any new contracts to follow this one. “Well. it would mean I would be extending my contract here even longer you realize.”

   “That would just be another plus,” he blurted out, then his expression immediately changed, becoming more guarded. “I mean, you're doing a good job here.”

   If I'm doing a good job here, Jared, how about you get off my back and let me do it? I held my tongue and smiled back at him as he pulled my chair out from the table. “Thank you. I really appreciate the opportunity.”

   Jared gave me a measuring look before frowning at me. “Am I keeping you from something tonight? Did you have a date or something?”

    Great, I had upset him. “No, I was just going to go home and relax. It's fine, really.”  

   “It's just that it seems you are less enthusiastic to be working with me than you were when you started. Have I done something?” He was making contrite puppy-dog eyes at me and I could feel that flame stirring up again. Stop it. Mikaela. It's Jared Leto. You know he's not interested in you, he's just trying to get more work out of you.

   “No, I'm sorry." I apologized. "I guess I'm just a little tired. I'm sure I'll be all smiles in the morning.”

   Jared cleared his throat. “I'll be looking forward to that,” he said, with only a hint of bashfulness.  “You. In the morning, I mean.”

   Wait, what did he just say? Was Jared flirting with me? Was that what all his weird behavior and extra assignments had been about? How dense had I been? I looked at him, still standing there with my chair back in his hand and a hopeful look on his face. I could feel my jaw hanging open as the pieces fell into place, and my stomach fluttered awake. Why on earth was he being so shy about it though? I decided it was time to force his hand.

   “Well if I'm going to be ready to implement this I don't really have time to chat over dinner. I'll just take mine at my desk,” I told him as I gathered my food. Jared stood mutely in place, watching me, seemingly unsure of how to stop me and maintain his casually detached appearance. Once I had everything in my arms I locked eyes with him, gave him my best sinewy pivot and turned around to head back inside. Jared swallowed hard and watched me carefully while I walked away with a little extra sway in my hips and about dozen backward glances. I felt something tingling and effervescent bubble up in me, like warm champagne. He was definitely interested.

   I sat my food down on the desk and let my hair loose, waiting to see if Jared would follow me in. Sure enough, like a lonely puppy, he was at my side in seconds, his own meal in hand.

   “You know if you can't even pause for conversation while you eat, maybe I'm working you a little too hard,” he pointed out, setting his own food on another desk.

   “Oh no, it's fine. I understand.” Yes, actually, I finally did understand. I fought to keep some kind of control. I just wanted to rush over there and tear his blue cotton shirt off, there was so much skin I wanted to run my tongue over, but I wanted him to make the first move. I turned my laptop around and bent forward to look at it, making sure Jared had a clear view of my ass in my silky, figure-hugging skirt. Damn, I was glad I had picked it out that morning. I knew how good I looked in it with my favorite black heels. I wondered if that was what had pushed him over the edge? “I've still got quite a bit of design work to do for the system, see?” I said, opening the program and inviting Jared to come stand next to me.

   I didn't turn around, just kept my eyes forward and my bottom up. I heard Jared loudly clear his throat from right behind me, and then I felt him tentatively set his hand down on the small of my back before leaning forward to look at the screen. I sighed and shifted, trying to signal my approval at his touch. “Uhm, yeah,” he responded, his focus clearly elsewhere, “It does look there's quite a bit to go. Maybe it would be best if we left it until tomorrow.”

   I turned around quickly, not giving him a chance to back away. That immediately left our faces inches apart and his hand now found itself grazing the bottom of my thigh from where it peeked out under the shifting hem of my skirt. My heartbeat had grown to a thunder and I focused on his lips before responding. “If you think that's what's best. You're the boss after all.”

   Jared made a little noise in the back of his throat and slid his hand a little higher until it had disappeared completely under my skirt and he now had a firm grip on my thigh. I could feel my blood redirecting itself to the newly vital areas and my brain beginning to fog. Of course, I had wanted him, I wasn't blind, but until he touched me I hadn't realized just how much. When he took a step forward and his chest met mine, something dark and vaguely lupine inside me stretched its spine and opened its hungry feral eyes.

   “Mikaela... I know I'm the boss but....” His eyes were fixed on my mouth as well and his tongue made a hungry pass over his lower lip. He didn't move, however. Slowly my brain grasped what the problem was.

   “Oh, no, not like that,” I spluttered. “I know you would never insist or ask something like that.” Now that I understood his discomfort I thought it would help if I dipped my toe in the water first. I carefully reached my hand to his lips, the pads of my fingers gliding over the smooth, lush skin. My desires now clearer to him, Jared's shyness fell away and he crashed his mouth into mine, devouring me in an open-mouthed kiss that was more tongue than anything else. I shivered against him. He was perfect.

   Jared's hand moved up from my thigh, kneading its way over fevered skin as he pulled me closer and closer to him. My skirt rode higher as his hand advanced and I allowed my legs to fall apart so that he could better press himself against me. When his hips had fully nestled themselves forward and our heated cores brushed each other for the first time behind damp silk and straining denim he groaned into my mouth. The sound sent a new round of shivers down my spine.

   Not caring how quickly we were jumping into things, or even just what we were jumping into, I let my hunger guide me, grasping the sides of his worn button up and pulling it down his shoulders. He helped to shrug it loose and then pulled his t-shirt off as well. I melted at the sight of that sculpted chest, the one I'd seen probably hundreds of pictures of the last few weeks, now, here, mine, to do as I wished with it. While Jared's hands started at the buttons of my blouse I tore my mouth loose from his, running my tongue along his clavicle instead, letting it dip wetly into the hollow as I sucked his divine skin into my mouth. When Jared flung my shirt open and shoved my bra aside so that he could take one erect nipple in his mouth I heard a sound like a purr. It took me a moment to realize it was me.

   Jared pulled my shirt away and worked at the clasp of my bra while he teased and rolled my nipples with his clever tongue. I put my hands behind me and leaned back, my head dropping back as I arched myself in offering. I was absolutely intoxicated with his touch, the fingertip callouses of his otherwise soft hands catching against my skin as he explored every curve. I couldn't content myself with being a mere recipient for long, however, I had to get my hands back on him. Reaching between us I palmed the bulge in his jeans and was rewarded with a low moan. I re-balanced myself and added a second hand, searching for the feel of the smooth metal button of his jeans in order to free him. When I finally breached the denim confines and wrapped my hands around his stiffening cock he dropped his head against my chest, growling against my bare skin.

   Slowly I worked my hands up and down his impressive shaft, dragging my thumb through the overflowing fluid at its tip before carefully twisting my hand to glide back down the velvety length. Jared's hands gripped tightly at my hips, his breathing quickening in time with my strokes. When he was fully hard I gave him a soft push backward and leaned forward, sliding his jeans down his hips and grasping his base once again. Snaking my tongue across his still damp head earned me a rush of swear words and he knotted his fingers into my hair.

   Grabbing his thigh to brace myself I set a rhythm between my hand and head, sliding him ever deeper into the wet heat of my mouth. I could feel him twitching and thickening even further, could feel the tight way he held his hips as he fought to maintain control. I just hummed and swallowed him deeper, enjoying the effect I was having on him. He only let me continue for a few minutes though before he stepped back, pulling away.

   “Uhm, Mak...” his voice was heavy with want, sexier than anything I had ever heard come from him. “I need to go get something.”

   “Wait,” I told him with understanding, flipping back to my stomach so I could reach around to the back of the desk again. I fished my purse from the top drawer and dug for the little pouch of more personal items I kept there. I presented him with two brands of condoms. “Take your pick,” I said with a smile.

   Jared grabbed both the packets. “First, turn back over,” he said with a grumble, already grabbing my hips to guide me into the position he desired. Once I was bent forward over the desk I heard him suck the air between his teeth before sighing appreciatively. “Holy fuck, Mikaela. Do you know how many times I've watched you working and fantasized about having you just like this?”

   I reached forward and grabbed the back edge of the desk, bracing myself for whatever Jared had in mind. He let his hips come to rest against me. I could feel his arousal pushing into me as he guided his hands underneath my chest, pinching and rolling my pebbled nipples between those slightly rough fingers of his, waiting until I was panting and whimpering beneath him before drawing his hand around to my back. He dragged his short nails down the prone surface, and I found myself squeezing my thighs together, attempting to get a little relief for the throbbing between my legs. He followed the curves of my ass as he drew his hands even lower, grabbing the cool fabric of my skirt and bunching it up over those round globes rather than sliding it down my legs. I found myself smiling. It had been the skirt that pushed him over the edge.

   I felt him draw his fingertip down the crease of my ass, his finger suspended just above the void by the thin satin stretched over it, and down to the wet fabric covering my cleft. “Yes, Jared, please,” I implored, pushing my hips back in search of more friction. Even through the fabric, he found the hard pearl at my apex, circling it slowly while his other hand explored the turns of my thighs. The contact did nothing to lessen the ache in my core, it only provoked it further, leaving me moaning while my legs wobbled uncertainly on top of my heels, I had forgotten I even had them on, but when I went to kick them aside Jared stopped me.

   “Don't you dare,” he growled, pushing my leg back into place and moving his hands up to the sides of my panties. I bit my lip and lifted my hips a bit, expecting him to pull them down my legs but instead he grabbed the edges and gave them a good hard yank, splitting the fabric. I was surprised at the wanton moan that came from me as he pulled the ruined garment free.

   Quickly he returned to teasing me, tracing two fingers around my soaking sex as the fire inside it raged hotter and hotter. I pushed up on one arm so I could turn and see what he was doing but he flattened his hand between my shoulder blades, propelling me back onto the cool plastic surface of the desk. With a kick he pushed my legs apart before plunging his fingers deep into my aching channel, curling them as he stroked me and causing me to mewl in pleasure.

   “Oh yeah, Mak, I think you're ready for me,” he said before withdrawing his fingers. I heard the sound of a foil packet being torn into then felt his sheathed head as he slid it along my slit, bouncing it against my clit while I continued to mewl and whine. I wiggled my hips at him again, desperate for penetration, and when he finally began that long slow slide into my waiting depths I gripped the lip of the desk again and moaned.

   It may have been our first time but if I had been expecting anything slow or gentle or tentative from him... well it just wouldn't have been Jared. Once he was satisified I had adjusted to him he slammed into me, rolling his hips once he was flush against me before withdrawing with a deliberate slowness and then impaling me again. He made sure to angle himself carefully with each pass, targeting that tender bundle of nerves inside me until my legs were shaking from the onslaught. My blood had grown heavy, my nerves sizzling under his touch. His fingers were digging harshly into my hips and the sounds of his moans as he dragged his head over and over that most vulnerable part of my sex only pushed me that much closer to the explosive climax I knew had to be coming. Once my moans had grown frantic and my core had started to twitch around him he grabbed my hair, pulling it back and causing me to arch for him, taking him to the hilt. Driving into me with brutal abandon he pushed me over the edge, my pussy convulsing around him while my vision shattered and his name came from my lips in a hoarse shout. He spared me not a minute, his pace never faltering until his grip on my hip tightened so much I cried out, my renewed shouts mixing with his as he emptied himself into the sheath separating us. Spent and shaking he released me, his head coming to rest on my back. I waited for my heart to stop racing and my lust to release my brain enough to function before attempting to slide out from under him.

   Jared grabbed me by the waist, pulling me into the large armchair that sat in one corner of the shared office space. I laid my head on his chest while the sweat on our skin cooled and the euphoria lessened. With a reluctant sigh, he finally pulled away from me, grabbing his jeans off the floor and going to clean up. When he returned I replaced my blouse and was trying to tidy my hair up a bit.  He looked at my disheveled appearance and the ruined panties he has cast aside, a guilty look on his face.

   “You know, Mr. Leto,” I said playfully, rising to give him a kiss, “that was entirely inappropriate workplace behavior.”

   Jared kissed my nose and pulled my hair back from my face. “Well, maybe next time you'll be a little more enthusiastic when I ask you to put in some overtime.”

@fyeahproudglambert @lady-grinning-soul-k