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#but I'm not about to redo them at this point
windfighter · 4 months
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The origins of Windfighter
Taking a break from torturing Kouji to revisit an old AU :3
Enjoy Yamato possible lying for his children!
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”Why do you call yourself Windfighter?”
Yamato blinked. Looked up from the newspaper and looked at his kids. Both stared at him, Tim leaned forwards and Maria nonchalantly leaned against the back of the chair.
”Did I forgot to log out somewhere?” Yamato asked.
”Yeah”, Tim answered.
He was almost vibrating. Yamato wondered what he was expecting from the answer. He grinned.
”Are you suuuure you want to know?”
”Yamato”, Sora warned from the kitchen. ”Dear.”
”Couldn’t care less”, Maria answered.
But Yamato could tell she was curious as well. Tim almost bounced on the chair.
”Well”, Yamato answered.
Closed the newspaper and leaned back on the chair. Looked at the ceiling.
”It’s from a long time ago. I was just a few years older than you are now.”
He had been fourteen, close to fifteen. The best years of his youth. He moved the newspaper so it was aligned with the edge of the table, could feel Sora’s eyes burn his neck.
”Your uncle and I was on our way home, me from bandpractice and he from skateboarding, when we were stopped.”
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”I’ve been looking for you.”
Whoever, or whatever it was, stared at Takeru and Yamato stepped between them, arm out to shield Takeru, looked at the person. They had long, tousled hair, dirt, leaves and sticks stuck in it. A colourful mask in the shape of a bird covered their face, wings made of feathers along their arms. Yamato wondered if they were real, if this was a digimon. They were floating in the air, a cloud gathered at their feet.
”Give me your powers”, they said.
Takeru grabbed Yamato’s guitar, pulled at it.
”Yamato, run away.”
Yamato planted his feet firmer on the ground. He had gotten better, less desperate to protect Takeru, more trusting. Knew that Takeru could take care of himself. But he couldn’t leave, couldn’t step out of the way. He needed to protect Takeru from whatever this lunatic was.
”Yamato!” Takeru repeated.
The creature’s eyes narrowed. It had to be a digimon. Humans didn’t float.
”I’m not letting you hurt Takeru!”
The creature lifted its wings, lifted further into the air. Yamato should have felt scared, felt fear drip along his back, but he didn’t. The sky rumbled, thunder roared above them from what had just been a clear sky.
”Then go down with him.”
The creature’s wings started glowing, a bright green that cut through the air, made Yamato’s eyes ache. He lifted a hand above his eyes, felt someone tug on his jacket.
”Razor winds!”
The wings cut through the air, the light thrown off of them. Towards Yamato and Takeru. Yamato reached behind himself to make sure Takeru was safe, Takeru pulled at Yamato to get him out of the way. But Yamato planted his feet even firmer, leaned forwards, towards the attack. It would hurt, he didn’t know how much, but at least Takeru would be fine, able to run away.
Then it hit. The air was knocked out of him, light spread around him. Pulsated. But it didn’t hurt. The creature stared, its wings started glowing again. Yamato lifted a hand, stared at the light pulsating around it. It felt like an autumn breeze, moved with his body.
”Razor winds!”
Another attack. Yamato closed his eyes, felt the breeze around him grow stronger. Explore every inch of his body.
”Razor winds!”
It wouldn’t hurt him. Yamato let his arms fall to his sides, took a breath. The breeze rushed into his lungs and he didn’t need to breathe any longer. Wind filled him up, blew around him, made him glow. He was full of energy, was about to explode.
”Sailor evolution!”
His clothes disappeared, his guitarr. Replaced by leathery armor in a soft green, almost white, color. Arrows at his hip and two small wings on his back.
”Windfighter.”
He felt dizzy, the world returning to him, but different. Everything had a whitegreen tint it hadn’t had before.
”My turn”, he said.
Grinned. Lifted a hand, drew circles towards the sky. Wind gathered, blew faster and faster. Held back by only his will.
”Tornado!”
He threw the winds towards the creature, watched as it was engulfed, thrown into the air and disappeared into the sky. Then the winds disappeared. Yamato took a stumbling step, seconds from keeling over. But Takeru’s hand was on his chest, supported him.
”Well then”, Takeru said, voice trembled, ”welcome to the family.”
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Maria and Tim both stared at Yamato. He grinned.
”You’re lying”, Maria said.
”Maybe I am”, Yamato answered.
Tim stood up, bounced.
”Is it true, is it? Are you a magical knight?”
Yamato laughed, grabbed the newspaper and opened it again.
”Maybe I am”, he said. ”Or maybe I just had a period where I was really into bows when I was a kid.”
”That’s so lame”, Maria said. ”You’re cringe.”
”Of course I am – I’m a parent.”
Maria shook her head, stood up.
”Come on, Tim, let’s stop wasting time here.”
Tim hesitated, less inclined to disbelieve the stories Yamato told them. But after a while he turned around, followed Maria back towards the living room. Yamato wondered what exactly they were doing out there. Sora put a hand on his shoulder, squeezed it hard enough to leave bruises.
”I know”, Yamato answered. ”I won’t tell the Oracle if you won’t.”
”I’m sure he already knows”, Sora answered. ”We weren’t allowed to tell anyone.”
Yamato knew. He let out a sigh, put the paper down again.
”Sometimes I wonder about that time. What would have happened if it hadn’t been a warrior of wind who was after Takeru?”
”Yamato?”
Yamato looked at his hands. He couldn’t feel the power of the wind any longer, it had long since faded, even if it hadn’t completely left him yet.
”Would I have been someone else, gotten another element? Or would the attack have killed me?”
Sora smiled, wrapped her arms around him.
”We were stupid back then, weren’t we?”
”I’m not sure I would have done it differently today”, Yamato laughed.
Intertwined his fingers with Sora’s, leaned his head back against her.
”I knew they wouldn’t believe it”, he said. ”Not until it’s their time, and they would have found out by then anyway.”
”...but why do you go by Windfighter?”
Yamato laughed, let go of Sora and grabbed the paper. Opened it to a page he hadn’t read yet.
”Do you know how hard it is to come up with new and unique internet aliases? Windfighter works perfectly most of the time.”
”Fine”, Sora said. Kissed his cheek. ”Just remember to log out next time.”
Yamato’s heart skipped a beat. He dropped the paper, stood up. Let out a loud ’shit’ before he darted towards the livingroom. That’s what they were doing out there.
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entomolog-t · 5 months
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Ayo~ Red and Brick for both Sal and Mark on the color OC ask post? Loving them :D
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"What don't you like?"
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Screaming.
This is probably the biggest piece I've ever done and it's from an ask I've been chipping away at for months.
When inspiration strikes it strikes hard.
A background??? LIGHTIING??? Who even am I?
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sergle · 6 months
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I think my favorite thing about doing ginger red hair instead of cherry red hair is: lying to people about it
#I love the cherry red / wine red and I'll probably go back at some point bc it's my Origin.#but for now.#I don't actively lie to people but bc it's a Natural and Plausible hair color#and I'm already pale and I dye my eyebrows to match my hair. ppl figure it's natural#and it has come up MULTIPLE TIMES. and I've recently been rolling with it instead of correcting ppl. bc who cares?#recent examples that come to mind (but I did correct them in this one) my surgeon assuming it was natural#and using my genetics as a natural redhead as a baseline to tell me about what I can expect from my future scarring#and then again later with the anesthesia. they were going to dose me differently#the anesthesiologist glanced at me when I came into the OR and was getting the stuff ready on his cart#and when he heard me talking to my doc and re-telling him that oh the hair isn't natural#he was behind the curtain like FUCK#taking shit off his cart and quietly redoing his setup#that's how I learned that redheads need higher doses of anesthesia than other ppl.#they also need more of the topical stuff like lidocaine. apparently they metabolize it faster(?)#ANYWAY he was going to up my dose thinking I needed it lol#so i almost got way more sedatives and pain meds than i needed bc of my hair dye LMAOOO#other more Normal Life examples was a country dude in full hunting gear holding a door open for me someplace#and I said thank you and he lifted his hat up to point at his (natural) red hair and said ''twins!''#this one sticks with me because that was such a cute thing to do. what the hell#and at snakefest I was talking to some people at their food truck. there was an older guy who trapped me into a convo for like 30mins#he was Very Nice. and they were going to some type of irish festival next and said I should go too bc I'll be right at home#flat out just was like. this bitch looks irish#and I don't know why all of this is so funny to me. it has no reason to be.
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I can hardly pull myself together enough to sit down and draw recently, which isn't new but I always feel bad about, so in the meantime I offer: pieces from a shelved project I still want to bring to life someday
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paladincecil · 6 months
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Pacifica added to my Ghostpia perler collection!
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stillfruit · 3 months
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the most difficult part about group projects is not doing everything yourself
#to be serious i obviously want to respect everyone's time and efforts but sometimes it's genuinely very difficult to find a balance between#evreyone contributing in ways they would prefer and the output being good. what do you do when someone is bad at something yet enthusiastic#if this was baking a cake or something else i wouldn't give a shit but this is university and we have constructed but objective guidelines#clearly this is only a problem if you're a bad person like me who prioritizes results over how people feel in situations where we're graded#i am as polite as possible but how do i gently say let me do everything over for you#what makes this even more difficult is my own inability to start things early so this problem is double my fault - at the point#where i would have my thing done others have completed their work already before so i'm always overstepping#even if i'm ready before the deadline as well. the others are just faster overall#i'm fully aware how arrogant and insufferable i am and this is btw i know the people working with me are extremely talented in their ways#and carry skills i don't have etc etc but fuck some of the things i have to redo are sooooo simple and this way of working#is extremely inefficient because on top of doing my own work i have to look over the work of others and i know that's because i want#to do so and it's not their fault but at the same time they all did say they're aiming for the highest grade so what gives#i'm actually the worst person to have as a group work member </3 genuinely horrible. i've decided for now just let what is there slide and#emphasize giving credit about all the work the people have done rightly to them and then just quietly fix it later for the final submission#shit talking
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opha · 9 months
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i'm almost never current on my dash so i don't know if this is widely known yet, but as far as the unity thing goes, they're most likely not going to exist as a company long enough for the new policy shit to come into effect
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this-is-a-url · 2 years
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Not to shit on a professional who know more than me, but I did the fucking therapy thing today and this asshole??? When were were doing a safety plan thingy they mentioned something at the end about smth extra being added on as a suicide/self harm prevention thing. They then said, and I shit you not, "but that's not something we really have to worry about for you." And just??? Skipped that whole part????
Okay it's been quite a while since I've done anything of the sort (which I'm proud of btw), but it is a VERY important detail here that I was wearing a tank top. My shit may be a little faded, but it's still clear as fucking day. Too damn symmetrical and neat to be animal scratches or anything to so I'm just left like ??????
#Ngl if I wasn't so exhausted I would just ??? redo them#I know I'm going of the rails here but lkke the fucking shambles that made me in because like???? are those lesser#are this less valid??#idfk but they only even fucking both to ask me about my mental health once in a blue moon#and they had a supervisor up their ass this time so that's the only reason anything was done#The first fucking thirty minutes were of me bullshiting my way through a conversation about my journaling#(smth I don't do and they've never suggested to me) to make them fucking look good on their call!!!#FUCK#As soon as the zoom ended they were back to their bullshit and complaining about the client that made the supervisor supervise them!!!#AND LIKE THE SESSION BEFORE WAS THEM BITCHING ABOUT HOW THEY THOUGHT CONSERVATIVE PEOPLE#SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO FUCKING BREED OR W/E AND CUTTING ME OFF WHEN I TRIED TO TALK#AND BEFORE THAT IT WAS FUCKING CAMPER HOUSES???? OR SMTH????#I honestly intentionally zoned out for most of it-#BUT I DON'T FUCKING CARE!!!!! I FEEL LIKE THIS FUCKING PERSON'S THERAPIST INSTEAD OF THE OTHER WAY AROUND!!!!!!!!!#but MY POINT-#Their fucking LACK of comment fucking made me wanna do them all over again????#I know this is emotional and all over the place but I wanna FORCE them to acknowledge my struggles#I don't wanna go home and feel like shit and wanna self harm and think about all the productive things I could have been doing in that time#*BIG SIGH*#Okay FUCK that's a rant over with‚‚‚ probably#probs gonna regress later#tw suicide mention#tw self harm mention#tw self harm#self harm tw#tw vent#vent tw
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thebibliosphere · 2 months
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Hello, I apologize if this is something you've already talked about or you've answered this question before or don't want to speak more on it but I saw that ask you responded to the other day that your 'mast cells burnt down your gi track' and I wanted to ask what the name of that condition is called? Several years ago I randomly lost 45 pounds and couldn't explain it. And while I already had gi issues before, after it happened I started developing new ones that got worse with time to the point that now I am physically unable to work. There are a lot of other factors with my situation that could be to blame but I've gotten an absurd amount of various tests with no answers to show for it. And now I'm wondering if maybe whatever happened to you has happened to me.
Oh, bestie, you're all good; all I do is bitch on this app about having mast cell dysfunction.
There are a handful of different mast cell disorders, but my condition is known as Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, or MCAS for short. If you want to know what a mast cell is and how it operates in the immune system, I'd recommend checking out The Mast Cell Disease Society:
They're currently redoing their content, but there's still a wealth of information on there.
You can also search my blog for #MCAS and find a handful of posts where I break it down in detail, along with the current flaws in testing for mast cell patients.
The reason I lost a lot of weight was because my mast cells made my GI tract so inflamed that I couldn't digest anything I was eating. It was going in through my mouth, causing excruciating pain and giving me no nutritional value whatsoever.
Histamine type 2 blockers, such as famotidine/pepcid used to treat acid reflux, can help with GI inflammation from mast cell dysfunction (the GI tract is lined with histamine receptors), but I needed extra support, which I finally got late last year when my GI doctor realized after a biopsy that I was being undermedicated and needed more help managing my MCAS.
If you want to ask more specific questions, I'm happy to try to answer them, but I'd suggest reading through the above link first to see if any of it resonates with you.
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newobsessionweekly · 2 months
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You will always be my Boot
Main masterlist | The rookie masterlist
Tim Bradford x FBI!FormerRookie!reader Fandom: The Rookie
Summary: You are a former FBI agent and come back to your roots after many years. Little did you know Tim waited for you all these years.
A/N: This is my first Tim Bradford one ever and I know I need some improvement in this police area. I'm thinking about making a part two of this. Anyways, let me know what you think. Have a wonderful day, bubs! Lots of love.
Requested: Yes Words: 2.5k Requests for Tim Bradford are open! GIF not mine, credits to the owner.
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The flight was exhausting and the shitty bed from that cheap motel was even worse. They'd think an FBI agent would afford a five star hotel and a warm meal, instead of that reheated noodles you had last night, but LA is expensive as shit. One thing you didn't miss about this city were those self-centred Hollywood "stars" and the exorbitant prices.
You watched the time over and over again, shaking your foot nervously. You are ready to go, but you just can't gather the courage to face those police officers again. The bathroom light is dim and you put the blame on that for your horrendous bun, not because you lost practice. You redo the bun one more time and watch yourself in the mirror. LAPD uniform hugs your curves so perfectly and the overloaded belt accentuates your waist. You allow yourself to wear a small smile today, for the sake of old times.
The tranquility of the morning was shattered by the unmistakable sound of gunshots ringing out in the distance. Instantly alert, with your heart pounding in your chest as adrenaline surged through your veins, you grabbed your service weapon and badge, slipping them into your waistband as you hurried out the door and into the cool morning air.
As you made your way down the narrow staircase of the motel, the sounds of the gunshots grew louder, sending a chill down your spine. Stepping out onto the sidewalk, you quickly assessed the situation—a group of armed men engaged in a shootout with one another only a few blocks away. Confusion made its way to your mind; why would some people from the same gang fire at each other?
As you analyse their tattoos, some have it on their neck, some on their wrist, it snapped. You recognise those tattoos from your FBI files that lay on your motel bed, two different markings, two different gangs. Dangerous ones, wanted ones.
Without a second thought, you sprang into action, ducking behind parked cars and storefronts, you closed in on the scene, your heart pounding in your chest as you prepared to confront them. There's no time to wait for backup. And who'd you call anyway?
With a burst of adrenaline, you emerged from cover and sprinted towards the gunmen, your weapon drawn and ready. The element of surprise worked in your favor as you caught them off guard, their attention momentarily diverted as they turned to face you.
"Drop your weapons! FBI!" you shouted, your voice ringing out clear and commanding above the chaos of the shootout.
For a moment, there was hesitation in their eyes, uncertainty flickering across their faces as they weighed their options. But then, with a defiant snarl, they raised their guns once more, their fingers tightening on the triggers.
Time seemed to slow as the standoff unfolded, each moment stretched to its breaking point as you and the felons locked eyes, the tension thick in the air. And then, with a burst of gunfire, the situation erupted into chaos once more.
Bullets flew past you in a deadly dance as you returned fire, each shot ringing out like a thunderclap in the stillness of the morning. You managed to hit two of them, one in the shoulder, that dropped the gun and grabbed their wound in shock and the other one in the thigh, forcing them to fall into the ground. You didn't had enough handcuffs to secure them all, so it was your priority to stop them from running away until the officers arrived.
It's crazy to see how four rival gang members united to get rid of you when seconds before were about to blow their heads off.
"I said, drop your weapons, now!" you demanded to the masked one still standing, gunshots finally stopping. You didn't see any response or will to do so and that made you place aim for their legs as well, forcing them to collapse. "Hands behind your back, intertwine your fingers."
Before handcuffing them, you pulled up your phone and searched for that one number.
"Sergeant Grey" the voice on the other side responded.
"Agent Y/L/N, FBI. I have in custody two of Crenshaw and two of Tongan. I need backup and R/A. Crenshaw bulevard with W 66th Street." you informed Sergeant Grey.
"Copy that."
Not long after you made the call, three cars and an ambulance pulled up to the address you gave. The look on the officers faces when they saw you holding one handcuffed suspect and three injured on the street, was as satisfying as catching those. Adrenaline still coursing through your veins, you couldn't help but feel a sense of pride wash over you.
"Y/L/N, FBI." you presented yourself to the officers, you showed your badge and shake their hands, each wearing a mortified expression after they heard your name. "After they're checked, let's get going. I'm late for my first day." you demanded and the six officers nodded as an understanding.
You could tell by the look on their faces, some of them are rookies. You can't forget those eyes, you had the exact same expression when you were a rookie and as Tim as your T.O. didn't help much.
"Agent Y/L/N." a serious tone came from just as a serious man. Sergeant Grey standing tall and imposing in the booking room as you walked the men to one of the benches and let another officer take care of him. As you approached the man, a big and friendly smile appeared on his face "It's so good to have you back."
"Good to be back, sir." you accepted his handshake with that small smile from the morning that you promised yourself you'd be wearing all day.
Your name was on everyone's lips as you walked through the station besides Grey.
It had been years since you last walked these familiar corridors, but as you made your way toward the meeting room, a sense of nostalgia washed over you.
"Is that Y/N?" one officer whispered to another, having the impression you didn't hear them.
"Yeah. Still hot. Heard she's working with FBI now." that remark made you turn your head in their direction, locking your eyes with one of them as he swallowed the lump in his throat and returning to his seat.
Inside, the meeting room was filled with the buzz of conversation as officers gathered for the morning briefing. All eyes turned to you as you entered, whispers and murmurs following in your wake. You could feel the weight of their scrutiny, their curiosity palpable in the air as they watched the former FBI agent return to their ranks.
"Good morning everyone. Sorry I'm late, had to take care of something so early this morning because someone doesn't sleep." he glanced at you and the murmur stopped when the eyes landed on you standing in the doorframe. "Take a sit." you nodded and sat down in the first row.
"Is that Y/N?" Lucy whispered to Nolan and Jackson. It was impossible to shake the feeling of being under a microscope, every move you made scrutinized by your colleagues.
"Hell, yeah, she is!" Jackson laid his eyes on you and gave you an appreciation smile.
As the sergeant launched into the details of the day's assignments and priorities, you found it difficult to concentrate, the weight of everyone's eyes on you making it hard to focus. But you pushed through, determined to prove yourself in your new role as a police officer.
"Today we made serious progress towards the gangs that won't let Los Angeles sleep in peace. Agent Y/L/N, first thing in the morning had in custody four men, almost as important as the gang leaders." your mind zoned out, you already knew that story. But what you didn't know and what's really eating you inside is that specific blond man.
In the corner of the room, Talia and Angela exchanged knowing glances, their whispers barely audible over the sergeant's voice.
"Can you believe she's back?" Angela muttered.
"I heard she was with the FBI," Talia replied, her voice tinged with curiosity. "Wonder what brought her back here."
"From an FBI agent to an officer? Seems like a joke to me..." Lopez paused as she looked at Tim for a moment. "Maybe something bad happened. Maybe she did something bad." the excitement of her voice was unquestionable.
Meanwhile, Tim Bradford watched from his seat at the front of the room, his expression unreadable as he observed the scene unfolding before him. Memories of your time together as rookie and training officer flashed through his mind, the bond you had shared still lingering despite the years apart.
"I heard she was the best rookie this station ever had. And it was his rookie, can you believe that!" Angela's mind was focused on one subject and one only. She is more than convinced that something has happened between you and Tim.
"Almost 100 on every exam and she was the only person this grumpy smiled to!" Talia added, making Tim shift uncomfortable in his seat, his eyes not letting the sight of you even for a second.
"That's not true. And I'm not grumpy, I do smile..." Tim responded to their feminine gossip, something he's not doing too often. He still thinks it's a waste of time this kind of conversation and one's personal life is no one's business, but maybe, maybe he wants to know more about you. "Sometimes"
He was wondering as well what could've possibly had happened to make you come back to LA, knowing very well how much you hated the city and how much you suffered the moment you stepped on that plane.
Tim's heart was below the sea's surface, buried inside the burning hell somewhere since the moment he caught a glimpse of your siluete walking around these hallways again. His hands were sweating and the lump in his throat could swallow him.
But you were nowhere far away from that feeling either. All the feelings from back then were coming alive faster than the light-speed and the memories of the time you were his rookie, the looks, the touches, the sweetness of his words alongside the glances from your colleagues made your eyes fill with bittersweet tears. You had to raise your head a little and blink as fast as you could to make those tears disappear and take a few deep breaths to calm down. You have to put this feelings aside. Now.
As the meeting drew to a close, Sergeant Gray turned his attention to you, his gaze lingering for a moment before moving on to the next item on the agenda.
"You're dismissed and be safe out there!" Gray closed the meeting and everyone rushed to start the day.
You waited for everyone to clear the room, mostly because you hate crowded places and people jostling around. You kept your head low, already full of everyone staring. When the room cleared just enough, you wanted to make your way to Sergeant Gray's office when a big, warm hand landed on your shoulder, freezing you on spot.
Some time ago, you knew by heart every single trace and curve of that hand, and now your mind doesn't disappoint you remembering it all with just a blink. His breath winding down your spine as minty as always.
You hated him. You hated yourself. Damn, you hate everyone and everything this moment.
"Y/N." his voice was as overwhelming as always and it made your feet weak. It made you weak and it hit you hard right into your bones. You didn't think twice and as you raised your chin up high and faked a confident expression, you turned to your heels to face him. Once and for all. "I can't believe you're back."
"Tim" you nodded, greeting him with a smile. This time a genuine one, wider and more powerful than the one you had forced yourself to wear all day. Not a forced one, but one that you found you couldn't hide. "It's been a while." you cleared your throat and searched his eyes.
They were staring right into your soul with the same spark and love you've missed so much. It seems like you've never changed, seems like everything is just the way it was. Like he was your TO, teaching you, teasing you, caring for you, having your back and you were his rookie, learning from him, turning into the best version of him, making him proud.
The air between you crackled with unspoken tension as you struggled to find the right words to say. The spark that had once ignited between you still burned bright, despite the years and distance that had separated you.
"How are you? How's Isabel?"
"Uh-Yeah..." he paused for a moment, the light in his eyes fading. "We separated a few months ago."
Tim wished this words would hurt more admitting them in front of you, would hurt just as much as he hurt you. But it didn't. That wound is almost healed, making room for another one to open.
"Oh, Tim. I'm so sorry" you were sincere, though not with all your heart. You knew it must've hurt like hell having in mind how much Tim loved his wife. But at some point he loved you too. Maybe not as much as her, maybe more, maybe less.
"But I'm fine, yeah. It's past now." he cracked a smile, resting his arm on the table as close to your thigh as you could feel its warmth. "What about you? Making an entrance for sure. Catching those guys from Crenshaw and Tongan, impressive. I taught you well." oh, he knows what he's doing and watching your shield breaking before his eyes, he's delighted.
"Oh, don't be so cocky—"
"Why are you here? Why now?" he asked. You rested your hand on your belt and raised an eyebrow as a response to his questions.
"You know I can't tell you." he sighed at your words, realising just now maybe the things are not how they were. You are not as open to him or talkative as before. You are not in love with him as you were before. But he's not done trying yet.
"Dinner tonight?" Tim was bold for sure and his question took you by surprise. You weighed the answer, but before you could say yes, he continued "I can't lose the chance again. I can't lose you again, Boot."
"Okay, yes!" you pushed your finger into his chest "Stop making those puppy eyes, you know I can't resist." he laughed and before you can walk away, he grabbed your waist and kissed your forehead gently. His lips lingering on your skin few more seconds, memorising your sweet scent, trying to remember it, like if he could ever forget.
"It's good to have you back, Boot!"
"Stop calling me 'Boot'!" you fought back, annoyed, but he enjoyed every moment. He missed you like hell and now all of this is hitting him hard in the face like a... boot. "I'm not your Boot" you persisted.
"Oh, you'll always be my Boot!"
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dmitriene · 3 months
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THOUGHTS ABOUT SIMON GETTING HIS NIPPLES PIERCED BY YOU.
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cw: fluff, comfort, little suggestive possibly, piercing, mild description of blood, possible lack of dialogues, hints of strangers to lovers, simon is a tease, may be ooc simon, bit of tension. pairing: simon ghost riley x piercer fem reader
✎ 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵. 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴. 𝘢𝘰3. ˑ༄
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the tart aroma of wood and coffee, the crackle of disposable gloves, things that routine of work in a tattoo and piercing parlor brings with itself, a designated place with large, wide, blacked out windows, located along the street, in general view, but without too much influx of visitors.
quiet and calm routine, filled with warm conversations with colleagues and people leaving and coming, someone to do something new, someone to redo something old, everyone in one way or another gathers in this small, but warm and bright place.
at least that's how it was, until a figure appeared in the parlor, casting a wide shadow in the room and causing all conversations and movements to lead to the halt.
a broad body to match the tall stature, prominent muscles tight but not completely under a black clothes and a balaclava that causes both misunderstanding and slight fear, black fabric with a skull pattern revealing only the dark beads of the eyes, which seizing the room with quick glance before going to the reception.
he looks like one of those men who come to the salon for a tattoo session, something memorable for them, the names of comrades, important names and numbers associated with the army, exactly, guys resembling him often serve in the army, but if they are usually bright and cheerful youngsters, then this one is a breath of darkness so thick, that you can't see anything behind.
— “not my business anyway, he's here likely to have a tattoo, and he's already have one„ you're comforting yourself in your head, after all, you're doing piercings, and he's obviously come to get another tattoo, maybe dilute the already existing sleeve of skulls, or something on the other arm, definitely not for you, so you keep yourself busy cleaning your workplace, ignoring the literal storm behind your back.
— “i'm here for a piercing appointment, nipples, called abou' a week ago„
and that's the tipping point when you can't ignore the elephant in the room, you jerk your head just as he turns around and shamelessly looks at you, from head to toe and back in a burning path that makes you shiver, squinting his bottomless eyes until small wrinkles form, while your colleague behind the wooden counter points at you, letting him know that you are indeed his master for today, and he came for you.
— “simon„ he introduced himself with a hoarse chuckle when you addressed him with unexpected respect, «sir» you called him, asking him to lift his shirt to expose his chest, to which he complied without further words, flexing his biceps with next movements.
simon leans back on a leather, hydraulic chair, spreading his muscular legs, as he lift his shirt, exposing the pale skin with a scattering of scars of all kinds, a picture that confirms your suspicions that he belongs to the army, but you dare not mutter, nor ask a single question, on the contrary of how you usually do, only preparing the needle and silently stand in front of him.
he doesn't twitch or hiss when the needle first pierces the sensitive buds, causing them to harden visibly, pale pink in contrast to the fair skin that lets out small drops of blood that you gently wipe as you touch the fresh piercings, and he doesn't even raise an eyebrow, but stares intently at your downcasted eyes.
the metal jewelry gleams slightly under the white light, playing against the background of his skin in a mixed way, he looks even more intimidating with them, but also adding a touch of something hot to his look, seductive, thoughts that you quickly brush away with a nervous flick of your tongue over your slightly parched lips.
— “that's, umh.. that's all, we're finished„ you let him know, trying to control the frown of your eyebrows, the strange struggle with your own emotions as he hides the fresh piercing behind the black fabric of his tight shirt and stands up, giving you a gentle nod and a seemingly unleavened squint.
he pays in front of the same counter that you can watch from your workplace, taking out the pre-rolled cash and giving it to your colleague, before leaving as unexpectedly as he came.
that's when you remember that you didn't give him your contact number.
of course, if something really happens to his piercing in the future, he can find your contact details through the number of parlor himself, but your feet carry you to the exit faster than rational thoughts, the cardboard card is tightly clenched in your hand as you unlock the heavy door, and practically slam into his back.
simon is just in time lighting the tip of his cigarette with a lighter, pursing his pale, thin lips into a line, showing the lower part of his face with a balaclava raised to his nose, turning at you with raised eyebrows, hiding the lighter in his pocket and exhaling a puff of smoke, tilting his head to the side questioningly, until you hand him an embarrassedly crumpled business card.
— “my.. my number.. if something would happen to the piercings, or if you'll have questions, you know..„
you hurriedly explain, as if making excuses, denying the strange attraction that pulls you to this stranger, and his lips part in a wide grin, showing a row of his light teeth and fangs, before he reaches out his broad hand and with a fleeting brush of his fingers against yours, takes the business card, hoarsely, amusingly adding — “of course, don'' worry, lass, i'll call you if something, eh?„
after which, he walks away, showing you his broad, gradually disappearing back, leaving you on the threshold of parlor with a strange, unsettling sensation at the bottom of your chest.
but he'll call you, for sure, maybe he'll have to take them off when he gets back to base for a mission, ask if you can check if the piercings are closed up, maybe he'll even lose the jewelry, but his legs will definitely lead him back to you, or he'll dare to do something more risky with his body, just to feel your warm hands all over his body and even between his legs.
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holymusicalmothman · 9 months
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Sweet Nothings -- OPLA!Sanji x Reader
I've only seen the Live Action, so this is new for me. I started reading the manga a few hours ago and the anime is bookmarked on my Crunchyroll. But for now, I'm working with what I've got. So this is exclusively the Live Action. Best friends to Lovers Trope cause I wanted to. I'm not entirely happy with how this turned out so I might redo it at some point.
Also, shoutout to @avidanadvocacy who managed to like and reblog this within, like, five seconds of me posting it. They're probably the only reason I sat down and wrote this lol
Warnings: vague mentions of canon typical violence, reader is very cautious of showing the fact they're rather soft (not sure if that counts as a warning or makes sense, I'm tired lol)
No use of y/n, or those weird descriptor things, reader is gender neutral. Reader is however you imagine them
Word Count: 2.5k
Masterlist
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I spy with my little tired eye Tiny as a firefly A pebble that we picked up last July Down deep inside your pocket We almost forgot it Does it ever miss Wicklow sometimes?
You had known Sanji since you were young. You had both been around twelve at the time Zeff took you in, after you had been abandoned rather unceremoniously at the Baratie. You couldn’t remember much about the pirates who had left you behind, not that it mattered to you. You were thankful, even after all the years since, that Zeff had taken you in. You weren’t a skilled cook, but you were diligent and hard working, so you worked as a head waiter. 
Having grown up around Sanji, you were used to his…antics. He was a flirt to each and every female customer, but whenever you asked, he would wave you off and laugh about it being how he simply ‘gets the customers to keep coming back.’ And you’d roll your eyes and continue on with your business. He had been your best friend for years. When you had initially met, you had simply clicked and that was that. Nothing to it. 
He would make you smile on your worst days and you’d do the same for him. Because that’s what friends do. Right?
The first moment you had doubted that his friendship was just that was the day he lent you his coat. 
You had just stopped in the kitchen to drop off orders and take a quick breather. The lunch rush at the Baratie was merciless on a good day.
The winds had shifted earlier in the day and despite the hustle and bustle of the restaurant, a chill passed through you and you shivered. 
Within moments, a navy blue suit jacket had been deposited around your shoulders.
You turned to see Sanji grinning at you.
“Wouldn’t do for our favorite waiter to catch cold now, would it?” He said before walking deeper into the kitchen. 
You smiled at his retreating form, then slipped your arms into the coat properly and rolled the sleeves so that you’d be able to work.
A bit of time had passed since then, and you stopped to survey the tables around the restaurant, putting your hands into the pockets of Sanji’s jacket.
Your fingers brushed against something and you pulled it out in confusion.
A pebble sat in the palm of your hand. Just as blue as the day you had initially found it two years back.
Zeff had sent you both for supplies and you had spotted it. It was a stunning cerulean blue and you had immediately thought of your best friend. He had told you of the All Blue, and ever since that moment you had associated the color with him. Not every shade of blue, of course, but only the ones that were the most beautiful. One’s that caught the eye and seemed to shimmer.
You had almost forgotten the tiny pebble. But this jacket…Sanji’s favorite. There would be no way he’d be unaware of it being in the pocket. 
You put the stone back. Your mind racing. 
They said the end is coming Everyone's up to something I find myself running home to your sweet nothings Outside, they're push and shoving You're in the kitchen humming All that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothing
The one thing you didn’t like about the Baratie was the fighting. You knew it was inevitable, especially with pirates. You were old enough now to look past it. It was a fact of life. Sometimes it was genuine fighting, other times customers simply got into little spats that were easier to ignore.
You sighed and wandered into the kitchen. Zeff had stepped out to smooth the wrinkles on whatever argument had broken out. To be entirely honest, the dinner shift had taken it out of you and you were exhausted. 
You plopped down in a chair off to the side with another heavy sigh and shut your eyes.
The clink of dishware being set before you and a chair scraping the ground next to you brought you to open your eyes again. 
A rice dish sat in front of you, a glass of water next to it. Sanji’s eyes watched you carefully.
“What is it?” You knew the Baratie menu inside and out, and this was definitely not on it.
A signature smile graced his face. “Seafood risotto. Nothing terribly fancy, just terribly good.” 
“Does Zeff know about this?” You asked, taking a bite. It was divine. 
Blue eyes twinkled. “What the old man doesn’t know won’t hurt him.” Sanji paused, smile fading and voice growing soft. “You seem tired, sweetheart.”
You tried to squash the flutter in your chest. It had been months since you found the pebble in Sanji’s coat, and you had found out that he always carried it. Your heart had run away with that information. And while the blond had called you by the same pet name for years, it felt different now that your affections towards your best friend had shifted. You kept the information to yourself, afraid of change. 
So instead you shrugged, continuing to eat. “I guess I’m a little tired? The dining room has kept me on my toes all day and I didn’t sleep very easy last night.”
Sanji’s brows furrow in concern at that. “Well, make sure you finish eating. And try and get some better sleep tonight. For me, yeah?”
You swallowed. He always looked at you so sweetly. Always treated you so differently than the girls he flirted with for good tips. Now he was giving you that small smile, blond hair in his face as always, but the softness in his eyes was unmistakable.
You nodded, “Of course, Sanji.” 
Your heart was doing somersaults. 
On the way home I wrote a poem You say, "What a mind" This happens all the time
Monkey D Luffy came barrelling into both your lives like a cannonball. One moment life was as it had been for years, the next finds both you and Sanji preparing to leave the Baratie and join the crew of the Going Merry
You weren’t sure why Luffy had insisted you come too. When you had asked him, he had only shrugged with a smile, saying that it had felt like the right thing to do.
So, you made yourself useful where you could. Whether it be helping Sanji, or any of the other Straw Hats. 
Luffy had soon after discovered that you enjoyed writing. 
It was the day before everything went wrong. 
You and Sanji had left the Baratie that afternoon, Zorro was on the road to recovery from his battle against Dracule Mihawk, and everything seemed fine .
A conversation of dreams had even arisen over a meal, and you had shyly mentioned how you enjoyed writing. Not that there was time for it while waiting tables. 
Sanji was surprised and intrigued to find a new side of you. You had never mentioned it to him. It was just a silly little hobby in your eyes and, in the life you led, you had always kept those simple things to yourself. Not even sharing them with your best friend. 
Luffy, however, had been delighted and immediately asked if you would document the voyage.
Granted, his wording had been more along the lines of “write down our adventures”, but same thing.
Later that night, Sanji had found you on the deck, a new journal in your hand. 
“A writer, eh?” He had that soft voice again. 
You nodded, refusing to look at him properly. “I want to be a famous poet someday.” You whispered, inwardly afraid of making such an admission.
The years on the Baratie had led you to shove all the soft spoken emotions deep down, gentleness was not a trait most pirates were fond of. But your new captain was the exact opposite, his kindness earning your trust instantly. You knew without a shadow of a doubt that you had found a new and true friend in Luffy. 
But you’d never replace Sanji.
Your heart seemed to clench and you opened your mouth to apologize for keeping it from him, but when you looked at him, your breath caught and your voice failed you.
The chef was always sweet on you, but he looked at you in that moment as if you had hung the stars. 
“What a mind.” He said quietly, as if he was simply in awe of you. 
Unbeknownst to you, Sanji had been looking at you like that for years. There was a reason he called you sweetheart, why you were always the first to try his new creations, why he treated you so differently than all the other girls. A reason why he was so sweet on you. 
Everyone could see it. Zorro knew. Nami knew. Usopp knew. Luffy knew. The young captain had made sure to bring you both from the Baratie. If it meant he had to separate the two of you, then Luffy would have never had Sanji come aboard as Chef. 
Even Zeff knew. Which was why he had let you both go.
However, you couldn’t see it.
But in that moment, with Sanji looking at you, you were ready to throw it all away. Willing to possibly ruin years of friendship if it just meant you could kiss him once.
'Cause they said the end is coming Everyone's up to something I find myself running home to your sweet nothings Outside, they're push and shoving You're in the kitchen humming All that you ever wanted from me was nothing
Nami’s betrayal had shocked you all to the core. You had only known her for such a short time, but it had still hurt.
Sanji was convinced that her alliance with Arlong wasn’t something she had chosen. Zorro seemed to only see it in black and white, positive that she had made her choice. 
Luffy simply wanted to hear the truth from Nami herself. And only then would he believe it. 
So the Going Merry was currently sailing for the Conomi Islands just to hear that truth. 
It was once again late at night, but sleep would not come. The day’s events play over and over in your mind, keeping you wide awake.
So you headed quietly to the kitchen only to find the light on and an equally awake Sanji sitting quietly with a cup of tea, humming to himself. 
You froze. You had almost kissed him the night before, fear holding you back. 
But he had already seen you. 
“Can’t sleep either, can you, sweetheart?” 
You gave up on resisting, going to sit beside him. 
Without speaking, he poured you a cup of tea, setting it before you.
“Chamomile. Should help.” Was all he said. 
The day had left you both content with each other’s silence as you sat next to each other, shoulders brushing lightly. Sanji eventually went back to humming. 
You couldn’t tell if it was the gentle movement of the ship as it sailed, the tea, or even Sanji himself humming softly next to you, but eventually your eyes shut.
Vaguely, you were aware of being carried and eventually set down gently in your hammock. 
Something brushed your forehead and you thought you heard Sanji’s voice before you drifted fully into sleep. You felt almost certain it was a kiss, but you were too deep in the fog of sleep to deem that true. It had most likely been your imagination.
“Sweet dreams, sweetheart.”
Industry disruptors and soul deconstructors And smooth-talking hucksters out glad-handing each other And the voices that implore, "You should be doing more" To you, I can admit that I'm just too soft for all of it
The fight against Arlong and his pirates had once again changed everything overnight. You wouldn’t lie, it was terrifying. But you had prevailed. The Straw Hats won in the end. Nami and her village were safe.
It had brought so many things to light for you. As soon as you had all reboarded the Going Merry, you dutifully recorded the events of the day, from the villagers of Coco Village to the fight at Arlong Park, you made your way to the kitchen, needing solace from your best friend. 
Your emotions had been bottled the whole day. Yes, fighting was inevitable. You were a pirate, it was simply a fact of life. But you still didn’t like it. 
“Sanji?” You called.
The kitchen was empty to your surprise, so you made your way to the deck, finding him by the tangerine trees.
He had the pebble in his hand as you walked up and your heart began to race. He slipped it back into his pocket as he noticed you and you pretended not to see.
Instead you wrapped your arms around his middle, and Sanji instantly returned your hug, holding you close.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” 
“I don’t know. I think…” you trailed off.
Sanji released you from the hug, but still kept you within his arms. “You know you can tell me anything, right?” 
You nodded. “I think…I’m too soft for all this sometimes.” You admitted slowly. “I mean, I can do it, don’t get me wrong. But, Sanji, today was terrifying. And the Grand Line is supposed to be worse.”
That twinkle and smile were back again. “You’re not too soft, sweetheart. You’re perfect. You were strong today, and I know you don’t like fighting. But you’re brave, and you protect those you care about. Being soft doesn’t make you weak.”
“But what if it does?” Your voice dropped to a whisper. “Because–”
You stopped, confessions halting on your lips.
“Because what, sweetheart? Stop hiding yourself, it’s just me.”
“That’s exactly why I’m hiding.”
He frowned in confusion, silently imploring you to continue.
“Because you make me feel soft. I kept my writing to myself because somehow it always ended up being about you. Whether it be the way you look at me or even the fact you kept that pebble.”
His eyebrows shot up in surprise. Apparently he had genuinely thought you hadn’t noticed.
“We’re supposed to be pirates, Sanji. There’s no softness allowed in this profession.”
He gently pulled you a little closer, warm breath now able to be felt on your face as he spoke, “I think we’ve already proven we’re a different sort of pirate than what’s expected, sweetheart.”
You were drowning in an ocean of greyish blue. The little nickname. That tiny sweet nothing. It wore down any and all of the final doubts and reserves in your mind and the two of you melted into each other. 
He held you tightly, arms around you as both your hands grabbed tightly to his shirt, the both of you lost in a kiss that seemed like forever. 
Eventually it ended, and he rested his forehead gently against yours.
“I’m in love with you, sweetheart.” He said gently. “How’s that for being soft, hmm?”
A small smile formed upon your face. The both of you had been oblivious to the other, yes. But at the same time, all of Sanji’s little sweet nothings over the years–both in words and actions–played quickly through your head. The past week had pulled everything straight to the surface. 
“I love you, too.”
All that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothings.
Not entirely happy with this but it's late. Let me know what you think. I'm still new to this fandom, and there's a lot of content that I've yet to learn about. But I'll get there.
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thelordfool · 4 months
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HELP ME PLEASE!!!!!
Long story short: I'm unemployed and will not, unlike what I originally thought, qualify for unemployment benefits.
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Please read the readmore for additional context on why I'm unemployed. This post is basically a continuation/update/redo of this post. I'm suffering a sickness with no medicine the past week, applied for almost 100 jobs the last two weeks, am disabled/queer/nonbinary/tired of ebegging. I'm also in the negatives in my bank account because my car payment came out, so I need to get that covered.
pp/vm/ca
$250/$1151.51
i need at least $511.51 of this by the first. please spread if you're financially unable to help, every person this reaches helps! here's the breakdown of the costs: $640 - car payment + late fees $380 - rent $131.51 - negative amount in bank currently
Oh hey thanks for stopping by to read this annoying tale of woe and being angry at capitalism. Prepare for wall of text.
I once had two jobs. The first job, at a chain restaurant, was a bit of a clique-y experience where I was working my damndest to be the best bartender they ever had. I still have all the cocktails memorized. However, I continually faced discrimination in the form of severe misgendering, no matter how often I corrected them. I was also set up for failure. Usually, when someone gets hired for a position, there's some amount of training to be done, no matter how experienced they are, right? I was going in nearly entirely inexperienced into the role. I knew how to make cocktails, sure, and was and still am very good with people and selling. But I was trained for two days. Two. Then, on my first night alone (a Friday), I was watched by one of the bigwigs at corporate who saw every little flub and failure. This caused a demotion-ish. I was demoted to barback but was allowed the same privileges. Until their next visit. That upset the hell out of me - I was well trained by that point and could do it all, with one hand tied behind my back. I digress. It was about 2 months following my demotion when i finally walked out. A new bartender had been hired and she thought I was being a total creep by looking at a ticket that had just come in. She stormed off to report me to the manager who, even after hearing my side where I had asked her if there was anything on the ticket that I could grab, said that I "needed to communicate better," and "you should be learning from her," and "you're a grown man, you should know better." I don't think I need to explain why that was so upsetting.
But I didn't report them, because I just wanted to be done with it. I was also working another bartending job, and everythign was literally perfect other than the hours, honestly. I loved the product the distillery made, I loved the people I worked with, and most of all: I had my own regulars. Last month, they hired a new hospitality director, who announced there would be some restructuring, including getting rid of servers while also making a full dinner menu to serve alongside drinks. I said nothing of it, despite my disagreements, and she assured us all that no one would lose their jobs, but just moved into different roles. We all kinda grumbled about it, and I told her that under no circumstances would I work back of house. Easy peasy. Till it wasn't, and I came home to a voicemail while on break with my partner that I'd been let go due to the restructuring. So much for no one losing their jobs, right? I hadn't been the only victim of this. I have my suspicions as to why the new hospitality director did these things, but I've no energy to throw around conspiracies. All I know is that I was shafted by both of these places and I'm tired of being broke. I'm applying, still going to fight, and... sigh.
tl;dr (why did you click the readmore?): i left a job due to discrimination and lost another due to company restructuring and i'm tired and sad and aaaaa.
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smusherina · 28 days
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bridges burnt - chapter 1 [epilogue series] (regina george x reader)
fandom: Mean Girls (all media)
pairing: Regina George x OFC/Reader
summary: When an invitation to Gretchen Wieners' wedding ended up in your mailbox, you'd been sure it was a mistake. Only, it read your name in neat, swoopy calligraphy. It was addressed to you. And Regina George, whom you hadn't spoken to in years.
additional clarification: This is set in the universe of yard work, a series of mine that can be found on my page! Reading this one might be a bit challenging without the context of the series :)
very necessary note: Okay, fuck, it was supposed to be a one shot. Then I got excited. So have another freakin' Regina George series. Set in the same universe as yard work! Reading that provides some essential context, but you do you! I don't think it's unreadable without it.
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You adjusted your tie for perhaps the millionth time. It was a silky blue, befitting your navy suit. You fiddled with your cufflinks, silver like all your accessories, then pulled out the baby blue handkerchief to wipe down your glasses, then folded it pack into your pocket, then bent to redo your laces, then-
"For fuck's sake, the ceremony hasn't even started yet!" Amanda nudged you violently.
"Ow!" You hissed, elbowing her back. She slapped your knee, hard.
"Get yourself together." She glowered, pointing a manicured finger at your nose. "It's worse enough I have to be here at all. You're not gonna ruin this for me."
"You're here for the open bar and free food. I paid for the flights, the room, the car." You bit back. "I'm allowed to be nervous."
"There's nervous, then there's this." Amanda looked you up and down pointedly, noting your bouncing knee.
You squeezed at said knee, trying to calm down. Like you'd been trying to do since hours ago. No results so far.
"Look, buddy, it's just a wedding. You don't even really know her. I get you... Have a history with the bride, or whatever, but it's gonna be so fine."
"It's not Gretchen I'm worried about." You mumbled.
"Whoever. It's gonna be fine." Amanda said, flippant as ever. How she was so carefree all the time was mind-boggling to you.
"This place is filled with people from high school. God." You looked around. "That guy over there, don't look, with the receding hairline- I said don't look!"
"Be more specific, every man here has a receding hairline. The demographic is excruciatingly pallid."
"Shut up, girl," You shook your head but couldn't help but laugh. It was mostly white people here. "The one with the wife that looks exactly like him, unbelievably blonde, kinda mousy," You waited for her eyes to latch onto the man you were talking about. "He used to buy weed from me, like, every week, and then went around spreading rumours about me."
"Ungrateful." Amanda scoffed. "And look at him, a wife, child, and probably a 401k. That's how it goes for boys like them."
"Yeah." You sighed. "How's the salon doing, by the way?"
"Thriving. Thanks to you. But I worked my ass off." You lifted your arms in surrender. She had worked hard to keep the place afloat for as long as she had, so even if you hadn't invested she would've found a way.
Amanda cast you a meaningful look. "You're doing better than ever, aren't you? Financially speaking. How's everything else?"
"Well, y'know..." You shrugged. "It's complicated." You looked down. Amanda patted your knee, a sympathetic smile on her face.
"You got a nice suit, though." She pointed out.
"Oh, for sure. Look at these, custom cufflinks." You showed off the silver bits. "Do you think these rings are too much?"
"Don't you usually have an ungodly amount of them on?"
"I usually just have these three." On your right pinky was your Engineer's Ring. On your left thumb was an embroidered steel band and on the pointer of that same hand a ring with a big emerald embedded in a bed of crystals.
"It's not too much." Amanda took your hand and inspected the rings. "More like sexy." She grinned at you, all sorts of innuendo right on display.
You scoffed and turned towards the altar. The pews were getting fuller by the minute. You were sitting far enough from the front to show you weren't important but not too far as to hint you didn't want to be there. You were on the bride's side, though it didn't matter much. You didn't know Gretchen any better than her husband-to-be.
Amanda had come with you for moral support. You'd been roommates in college and you hadn't been able to shake her off since. She'd grown on you, though you often acted more begrudged than you felt. She'd helped you out a lot over the years.
She'd been there when you couldn't leave the dorms, trapped in the vicious clutches of paranoia. She'd been there helping you get back on your feet when dad's businesses started going, one by one, each more explosive than the last. She was there when you moved back to that little town in Illinois, where Northshore still stood.
You liked to think you'd been equally as integral to her, but that was perhaps a reach. She was fiercely independent, resourceful, and charming enough to make friends with anyone. When the first chance to help her came, you didn't hesitate to take it. She'd opened up her salon right after graduation, staying in New York while you moved back home, and had been doing well until now. Unexpected costs and a wicked plumbing bill had landed her in some hot water.
For the small price of one favour and eternal bragging rights, you'd shoved your newly acquired wealth at her. Dragging her to Vermont in October to attend Gretchen's wedding was you cashing in on that favour.
Eventually, the proceedings began. The groom and his men walked in with little fanfare, mild music playing as they went. Most faces you did not recognize, but there was one back of the head that seemed eerily familiar.
The groom, a classically handsome man, a boring prince type, went to stand at the altar. He had an expectant glimmer in his eye. At least Gretchen's taste in men had improved. Then again, anything beat the scrubs she'd used to keep around.
Behind the groom, his line of groomsmen settled, the best man fronting the crowd. The man of the hour was in a classic black tux while the others flanking him were dressed in different shades of brown. The whole shebang was sort of beige with a little bit of burnt orange thrown in. Amidst the shades of umber, russet, and sepia, stood a familiar face.
Aaron Samuels. You didn't have much time to agonize about him being here before the bridesmaids were stepping through the aisle. Similar dresses but in lighter shades, clearly made to match a certain groomsman. You didn't recognize any of them.
The maid of honour was a little odd. Her makeup seemed to be a lot thicker on one side, like there were several layers of foundation caked on. Her eye makeup on that side was a little heavy also, but she was past you by the time you could wonder why.
"The maid of honour totally has a black eye," Amanda whispered to you.
"No way," You hissed back, trying to get an angle where you could see her face. As she settled in place, facing the pews, even moderately far away you could see that, yeah, she totally was covering up a black eye. Wild bachelorette party, then.
Coos and aws resounded through the church as the flower girl and the ring bearer came toddling down. A little girl, cheeks all red, and looking like she wanted to be anywhere else, and a slightly older boy with an almost manic look in his eye. The girl was in no mood to be tossing petals, so the boy reached into her basket and threw a big fistful of them in the air. The rings rolled off of their pillow but found their way back.
"Oops," The boy said, smiling sheepishly right as the photographer came in to capture the moment. Chuckles echoed through the space.
By the time they reached the end of the aisle, the little girl was dutifully carrying the pillow on which the rings were and the boy was joyously tossing flower petals everywhere. As god intended.
Then came the bride. Escorted by her father, who was beaming with a mouth full of veneers, Gretchen Wieners made her appearance.
It wasn't disappointment that you felt. Not relief, either. It was hard to describe. You'd been expecting anger or some catharsis. This was the person who'd outed you to your whole school, who'd been the catalyst to the worst year of your life, why didn't you feel more?
High school had been over for almost ten years. You carried scars, deep ones that still ached on bad days but at the end of the day, they were just scars. You were doing better than ever. Gretchen had been a bully, had brought you to ruin once upon a time, but who was to say it couldn't all be built again?
You smiled. She looked beautiful. A white dress, a long veil, hair done big, bigger and more grandiose than you'd ever seen, and looking like, well, a bride.
You'd moved on. Considering how she'd invited you too, and knowing Gretchen she was acutely aware of every person in attendance, she had moved on too. You could recognize an olive branch when one was given to you.
That didn't explain the invitation, though. Maybe it was a mistake. Gretchen wasn't known for making those, but she was human too. Right?
"Look, they're totally enthralled by each other. You're gonna be fine." Amanda whispered, ignoring the elderly lady seated next to her shooting daggers through her eyes at you two.
"Yeah. It's gonna be fine."
Notes: Got really ill at the beginning of this week, which delayed this chapter quite a bit. You don't realize quite how awesome breathing is until you can't do it properly. Getting better slowly, it's nothing serious, but the cough is lingering. It is what it is.
This chapter was mostly setting up the narrative, no Reggie and Jorts interactions as of yet. I'm not making any promises because I'm so shit at keeping them, but hoping that this series will be shorter than the original one.
Taglist posted seperately!
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alexa-fika · 2 months
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Hello Alexa! Hope your doing well as always seems like your not lacking requests so put the other requests before my own ♡
An idea came to me last night when I failed a test for the third time- and need to redo it, when I'm sad or something bad happens I go hide in my closet with blankets and pillows, like a child- so how would the whitebeard pirates or mihawk react to child dokusha hiding when their sad? Like their because they got in trouble or isn't allowed to go with the crew on an island and instead has to stay on the ship?
As someone who had gone through a lot in their early childhood I find these stories so comforting and sweet. I often find myself only opening Tumblr to see if you've posted. Remember to take care of yourself, because someone really cares about you♡
Solace and Comfort (Whitebeard pirates, Mihawk x gn!child!reader)
A/N Hey hey Holo! I absolutely love when you request and as a a ghank you for being such a sweetheart I went ahead and did both :) I also do the same thing, when im upset I like to find a closed or cozy space and just huddle up and hug my plushies. Your words really mean a lot, I appreciate them and it makes me so giddy.
Reader is replaced by Dokucha as a placeholder which stands for Reader in japanese
Dividers by @/saradika
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Thatch found himself in his kitchen, preparing the next meal for his Captain. He made sure to take into account his current condition and choose the right ingredients to alleviate it.
"Hm, should I use kale or broccoli for this one?" he inquired to Izou, who had joined him earlier to escape the rowdiness of the crew as he completed maintenance in his pistols.
"I'm hardly the person you should ask Thatch."
"Kale it is," he exclaimed, beginning to chop down said vegetable, the tapping of the knife hitting the cupboard echoing around the otherwise quiet room
"Regardless, it is about time we addressed it, isn't it?" Izou spoke, pushing the lock back in his flintlock, a snap resounding across the kitchen
The chef stops chopping the kale at the comment, glancing up at his brother and letting out a sigh, putting the knife down
“I suppose so.”
“How about it, Dokucha? Want to come out and talk about it?” The sniper called out, walking around the counter to stand next to Thatch
A few beats of silence filled the room after that statement until the sound of ruffling came from one of the cabinets in the kitchen as Dokucha slowly crawled out of it, a stuffed bird held tightly in their arms
“How did you know I was here?” They mumbled, drying their teary eyes
“You usually hide here when something happens,” Thatch answered, kneeling down
"You should consider branching out," added Izou with a smile
"Would you like a hug?" Thatch offered
They nod, running into his arms, cries escaping them as he crashes into him
Thatch hummed, wrapping his arms around them and picking them up, swinging them from side to side for a few minutes until their cries lessened
"What's going on?" Izou questioned, glancing at the child, who by this point had positioned their head on Thatch's shoulder and looking back at Izou
"I wanted to go with Ace," they sniffled
"I know you do, but he had a risky mission he had to go on," Izou replies gently
"Why?" they cried
“They had something of ours, so Ace had to get it back.”
“I wanted to go with Big Brother too!” They cried, beginning to struggle against Thatch’s embrace
“Let me go!” They scream, beginning to throw punches his way
“Hey, Hey, it’s okay,” the man reassured them, tightening their hold, ignoring the shrill screams that now escaped them
“Hey, Hey, Dokucha, he always comes back, just like he came back from his previous mission and the one before. Just like I come back, just like Izou, and everyone will come back. But we need to calm down so we can welcome them back.”
“We would love to take you with us, Dokucha, but we want to keep you safe even more; we couldn’t bear something happening to you,” Izou continues, rubbing the child’s head
They sniffle, relaxing in their hold
“Hey, how about we go see Pops?” Thatch suggests
“Papaw?”
“Yeah, I’m almost finished with his meal; how about you come with us to deliver it?”
“Okay”
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“Pops, food is ready; we had special help today.” thatch announced approaching the man
Whitebeard glances down at the two commanders, about to ask what they mean, until he spots the ‘special help’ running towards him
“Papaw!”
He grins, lifting the child up
“Gurararara, what brings you here, Dokucha?” he questions, glancing down at his sixteenth commander as he spoke
“We were having a hard time earlier wanted to go with Ace.”
“Gurarara, why would you be upset about such a thing brat?”
They shrug
“Has the boy ever broken his promise to come back?”
“No…”
“Has he ever lied to you?”
“No…”
“Then why were you throwing a fit?”
“I didn’t throw a fit!”
“Sounds like you did”
“You’re mean, Papaw!”
“It’s called tough love.”
“It’s being mean!”
“If that’s the case, are you not coming to the celebration when he does return?”
“I want to!”
“Are we done with the fits?”
“Yeah!”
“Did someone say celebration? I could use some grub,” a voice joins in
Dokucha beams, jumping off Whitebeard's hand and crashing into Ace
“Ace! You’re back!”
“Just like I promised.”
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“Where are they?”
The human drills look at each other nervously and turn back to the swordsman, letting out a string of hoots and sneers.
Mihawk narrows his eyes at this
“Is that the answer you wish to go with?” He said, pulling out Yoru from his back and pointing it against the apes
“I will allow you to try again; where are they? I am well aware this is where they run to when they grow upset.”
In response, the human drills sounds escalate as they pull out their own weapons, only to stop as a small voice joins in
“It’s okay, Ezra, Enrique.” A small child wrapped in a blanket spoke, patting the apes, effectively calming them Down as they slowly lowered their weapons
“Don’t hurt them, Papa,” they mumble, hugging their blanket closer to them
He sighs, sheathing Yoru once again and extending his hand toward the child
The child wobbles their way to their father, taking hold of their hand and looking back at the human drills, sending a wave their way
As they walked on, the only sound that could be heard was the sounds of the forest around them as insects and birds chirped together, the sound of the human drills still reaching their ears, and the sound of Dokucha’s blanket being dragged as they walked next to the warlord.
“Are you going to tell me why you ran off?” he spoke, breaking the silence between them
He sighs at the silence that followed, pausing to pick up the child and place them on his hip, in turn the child leans their head against his shoulder
“Is this about the sword practice you were doing before?” He inquired, letting out a hum as the child nodded their head against his shoulder
“Can you tell me about it?”
“I can’t do it,” he mumbles
“Do what?”
“I can’t make the sword cut like Papa’s.”
“Is that what this is about?”
“Yeah”
“That kind of precision takes practice, it takes time,” he explains
“But I want to be strong like you!” They cried, leaning back and glancing up at him
His eyes soften at this, halting his walking as he puts all his attention on the child
“I know you do,” he said, wiping the tears that began falling from their eyes
“But one cannot simply master the sword overnight.”
“Not even Papa?.”
“No, I am not an exception to the statement. I had to train for years to be able to reach my current state, and I don’t doubt you will one day surpass me; that day is just not today.”
They frown at that, lying their head on their shoulder again
“How about we begin with the move you were attempting before?”
“Papa will teach me?” They exclaimed, shooting up
He chuckles
“You should have asked; I am never below teaching you the way of the sword.”
They grin, hugging his neck tightly
“I love you, Papa.”
“I love you too, dearest.”
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Here we go! Two for two!! These are really cozy ones, loved how the Mihawk one turned out
Taglist:
@imaginarydreams
@amethystviolin
@h0n3y-l3m0n05
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stillpanicking · 4 months
Text
Ironman: You want me to help your parents?
Phantom: They've been looking for sponsors, but due to their work related to the paranormal...
Ironman: Let me guess... the science community think they are quacks.
Phantom: As goofy as they are, they are not quacks. Exhibit A... Phantom points at himself.
Ironman: ......
Phantom: looks away, feeling the judgemental stare. It was my fault, I went into failed portal and accidentally turned it on from the inside. Suuuure, they shouldn't have put the on and off switch on said thing... but I'm still alive! Ish. Half. Details.
Ironman: Have you told them? About....?
Phantom: I have. They tore down the house and redid it to make sure it no longer locks into my exto-signature. Along with redoing their life's work... which is why I'm hoping you could help? Sponser them?
Ironman: You know what. After helping me deal with that Techie Ghost dude, I'll help. In one condition.
Later....
Tony Stark: Peter! I have a new friend for you! He likes space!
Much later... Tony regrets ever introducing Peter to Danny.
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