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saeyoungchoismaid · 2 years

Text

“You’re beautiful...”

Pairing: Tartaglia x gn!reader

Genre: angst, suggestive

Warnings: violence, fighting, restraints, degradation, slight nsft, choking, slight BSD spoilers (see A/N!)

Summary: You encounter Tartaglia who you haven’t seen since you first left him.

WC: 1.8k

A/N: I was inspired to write this based on this fanart! The fic and fanart are based on the anime Bungo Stray Dogs so I wrote the scene with Dazai and Chuuya from S1E9-10

You let out your nth sigh as you look around the dark room, the sigh ending in a yawn. God are you bored. You figured they would’ve sent someone to interrogate you by now, but jeez, they need to hur-

You lift your head up when you hear the footsteps, looking to the staircase right before you. “It’s about time,” you grumble with an eye roll.

“Plotting as usual, are we?”

Your eyes widen when you hear the voice. “I know that voice…” You see just who it is once he reaches the bottom of the staircase, a smirk coming to your face. “Well, well, well. I should’ve known they’d send you,” you say as you lean back into the wall, giving him a once over.

“Well, this sure is a wonderful sight. Rivals a million dollar masterpiece. Right, (Y/n)?” You roll your eyes at the semantics.

“Still as dramatic as ever I see,” you sigh. He hums as he walks closer to your chained-up form, running a gloved hand down your arms that are handcuffed above you.

He ghosts his fingers just over the pulse of your throat when leans in closer and whispers in a husky voice, “Seeing you like this makes me want to strangle you. Strange, isn’t it?”

“Not if you consider our past, no,” you reply with a shrug, completely unfazed. “Still the same ol Tartaglia I see,” you continue, using the same words as before just to irk him.

He scoffs and pulls away from you, tucking his hands into his pockets as he glares at you. “Now what’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know, I’ve always wanted to ask this,” you reply, completely disregarding his question. He grows curious at your words, giving you his complete undivided attention as he waits for you to speak. “What’s it like being the only Fatui Harbinger with bright hair? Surely they have to make fun of you for it. Does it make it awkward during meetings? D-”

“Say what you want, backstabber. In any case, you’re just our pathetic prisoner now. Makes you just want to cry, doesn’t it?” he replies with a smirk. “Actually,” he starts again before you can respond, getting right into your personal space. He grabs you by the hair and tugs your face closer to his. “To be honest, I find this all to be just a bit too convenient. You might be able to fool Scara and the others, but you can’t fool me. I am your former partner, after all.” He brings his face closer, your noses bumping. If it was anyone else in a different scenario, the nose snuggling he’s giving you right now could even be seen as romantic. “So, out with it. What’s your play here?” He stares deep into your eyes and you can tell he’s doing his best to scare you. At least chivalry isn’t dead, you sarcastically think to yourself.

You give him a blank look and tilt your head to the side, bumping your forehead against his. “Clearly it was to be caught and killed. So far I’ve only half-succeeded,” you reply, voicing your sarcasm.

He smirks at this, a dark look creeping onto his face as his playful persona starts to slip. “That kind of reckless planning just isn’t like you, darling.” He suddenly lets you go, pushing you by your hair and shoving you back into the wall before placing his hand back into his pocket. You glare at the pet name, it reminding you of all the times he’d call you that, both playful and serious. You hated it at first since he’d call you that just to spite you, but you came to love it.

Just as you came to love him.

“If it was, I would’ve killed you a long time ago,” he continues, letting out a sigh.

“You’re overthinking this, princess,” you reply with a chuckle, using the pet name you know he’s always despised. Just like your pet name, he started out hating it. Eventually, he came to sort of like it because you would use it when teasing him. Now you’re teasing him, but in a way that he’s not so keen on.

“Oh,” you say before he can retaliate, realization dawning on you. “By the way, just why are you here? Why not send Scara or someone else?”

“To get payback,” he snaps, glaring at you for real now.

“Hm?” you ask, unsure what precisely he’s referring to. There’s quite a lot he could be seeking revenge for.

“For running away and joining the Knights of Favonius like the betrayer you are!” he all but growls, slamming his fist by your head. Your brows raise in surprise at this. Wow, he’s really peeved about that, isn’t he? “You toyed with me and that’s my job.”

“Aww, were you planning on sleeping with me and getting me to fall for you only to pretend you don’t feel anything?” you coo, giving him mock puppy dog eyes paired with an over-exaggerated pout.

Memories of that night fly through your head and you can tell the same happens for him.

A big argument, mentions of “betrayal” and “disloyalty.” Tartaglia using his Foul Legacy form as you battle. Your weapon hovering over his throat as he lay weaponless on the ground, admitting defeat as he stares into your eyes. An utterance of “You’re beautiful…” as he looks up at you as if you hung the stars in the sky. Mouths slotting together in a passionate and angry kiss. Clothes falling to the floor. Riding him like it’s your last day on Teyvat. Him flipping you over and driving into you from behind, still in Foul Legacy form and using it to his advantage. Pounding into you with violent vigor, acting as if he’s possessed and knows nothing other than your tight hole, thrusting relentlessly as he seeks that delicious stimulation and a sweet, sweet release. His arms holding you close after he pushes a heavy load deep inside you, whispering an “I love you.” before falling asleep right in your arms. Awaking the next day only to find you nowhere, discovering that you left in the night to go to Mondstadt.

You snap out of your stroll through memory lane when a hand suddenly wraps around your neck and gives it a harsh squeeze. “I think I’m getting sick of this pretty mouth always running,” he hisses, clenching his hand even harder around your delicate throat. Your mouth falls open as you try to obtain air into your lungs, staring up at him with an unreadable look in your eye. He clicks his tongue and lets you go, shoving you into the wall again just like how he had done before. “Kinky bitch,” he mutters, seeing your smirking face as you pant.

“You should’ve known better,” you tease, tilting your head for a satisfying pop.

“How about a rematch, hm?” he asks before suddenly drawing his sword and slicing through the chains on your restraints. You let your hands fall to your sides, your handcuffs still wrapped around your wrists despite the chains being gone. “I can give you my gratitude for all of that with interest,” he smirks, stepping back and holding up his sword. “I have no idea what you’re plotting but I don’t plan on letting you succeed,” he finishes, swirling and twirling his sword around. “I’ll crush you and whatever scheme you’ve dreamed up.”

“Tartaglia,” you groan, almost whine, making his eyes widen in surprise. He only gets out a small “Huh?” before you’re sighing and snapping your fingers. Your handcuffs break off and fall to the floor, his eyes watching them drop and rattle against the ground.

His shock quickly morphs to amusement, a smirk coming to his face as he closes his eyes with a shake of his head. “So, you could’ve escaped any time.”

“You really thought you could stop me?” you reply, smirking right back at him as you rub your wrists. “You must be joking,” you add with a chuckle, revealing the bobby pin you used to escape.

Tartaglia laughs with you before a crazed look glints in his eyes, putting his sword back into his holster. “I’m really starting to like these turns of events!” he shouts just before he lunges at you.

You watch him dash towards you, his arm going back to give you a punch. You dodge that punch and the few he throws after that one. At his third attempt to punch your face. You grab his arm and bring your fist to his stomach. He grunts and clenches his jaw, turning his head to glare down at you.

“You call that a punch?” he taunts before returning the favor, sending you flying backward. Your back hits the wall and you let out a cry, the air leaving your lungs once more and your body slowly sliding down the wall. He just places his hands into his pockets as he watches you, the same cocky smirk returning to his face.

“That wasn’t even a massage. Your martial art skills are below average for the Fatui. I don’t even need to use Foul Legacy, or a vision for that matter, to defeat you,” he taunts, his eyes filled with mirth. “Now get up,” he demands, becoming serious once more as he glares down at you, “The party’s only just getting started.”

“Heh…you always were the best at hand-to-hand combat,” you mumble, slowly standing back up. “We’ve known each other for a long time, you know. I’m very familiar with your moves, pacing, and behavior…plus a few other things.” You smirk up at him at the last part, watching his eyes focus in on you with a harsh glare. “That’s what made me such a great partner, right?”

“I don’t consider three years to be that long,” he sassily replies, starting to walk to his left. You copy his movements, being careful to leave plenty of space between you both. You two circle each other like vultures, never taking your eyes off the other. It didn’t take long for him to dash towards you just like before, not hesitating for a second as he goes to strike you.

You both give and take hits, but eventually, he has you pinned against the wall by your neck yet again. “I’m getting an odd sense of deja vu,” you joke, your voice strained from the grip he has on you.

“Did you really think you could predict all of my moves?” he asks, tilting his head at you. He pulls his sword back out, holding it to your neck and now you’re really getting a sense of deja vu.

Argument. Battle. Sword. Neck. “You’re beautiful…”

“Before I kill you, I’ve got a question. Why did you let yourself get caught? What the hell were you waiting here for?” he asks, raising his brow up at you. You remain quiet as you just stare back at him, a laugh leaving him. “Oh? Not talking, are we? Alright, I’ll just enjoy torturing you a bit more,” he says darkly as he brings the sword closer to your neck.

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kimyoonmiauthor · 2 years

Note

I love this post. You may be interested in the Dan Harmon Story Cycle too: studiobinder dan-harmon-story-circle/

I'm not fond of the word "Universal" in story structures 9/10 they are wrong. For those who don't follow: Universal means in every culture in the world. If their ego is big enough, they'll say it applies to every story.

Worldwide, to me, means in a bunch of different places.

Things are very, very rarely universal. For example, in all languages in existence today, none of them are without pronouns.

More white cishet men like to say something is "Universal" https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/dan-harmon-story-circle/

is basically the Hero's journey boiled down without the credit.

When people don't give credit for their ideas, you know what happens? You get massive retconning. And I get annoyed at the plagiarism. But let's examine why it's not universal:

You — A character is in a zone of comfort Jo-Ha-Kyu breaks this rule as do a lot of Japanese media, in general. Frames and prologues often break this rule too. 50/50 Ta'zieh breaks this rule.

Need — But they want something. Need and want aren't the same thing. This is basic philosophy. You need food, you need shelter, and a place to sleep. Do you *need* a 50 billion dollar mansion? But some people *want* it. Second issue with this is a whole genre can break the back of this: Slice-of-life. And also kids stories are still stories. (as supposed to stories for kids). Often it lists places and what they did there, but it isn't "I needed this." Sometimes in thematic order.

Go — They enter an unfamiliar situation,

Again, Slice of life breaks this. Often the situation is familiar, or starts strange and is familiar after all. (Second one is more Miyazaki)

4. Search — Adapt to it,

This isn't even true in the US. Often you do't need the character to adapt to it. Horror pulls this out a lot.

5. Find — Get what they wanted

This isn't universally true either. Jack London had it so a lot of his characters true-to-life didn't even get a bit of gold. So it doesn't even apply to European and European diaspora countries. China is famous for the fourth act--everyone dies, the evil lives, making international viewers anxious.

6. Take — Pay a heavy price for it,

Also, see Slice of Life. Not very good if a whole genre can break you.

7. Return — Then return to their familiar situation,

Korea puts this in the middle, and then flings the reader in several directions, disorienting them for the sake of heightening emotion. This is not what they are thinking here. Familiar situation? Nope. Koreans don't do this.

This is half true for Taz'ieh. (Which is truly one of the oldest trackable forms)

Noh totally breaks this rule (and Jo-Ha-Kyu within it)

Some forms of oral storytelling also break this. There is no return element. Some just leave you there. Antigone doesn't really return the character to before her father died.

Griot.

8. Change — Having changed.

Some characters are supposed to never change, and stay there.

Slice of Life, Slasher horror, Zombie films: the zombies.

In Chinese Qichengzhuanhe, the specific usage can also break this, because the aim is different.

There is literature which also breaks this: Don Quixote. He never changes.

About here:

Probably some blustering about how it's universal, but not in all stories...

Yeah, nope. This is why white men need to read more and more widely. Also get out of the 20+centuries and look backwards with the actual story structures used prior. (Also !@#$ Cite your sources. Just because Freytag did it badly, doesn't mean you have to. Remember he hated Japanese, women, Jews (though he revised a little), and a whole bunch of other people and wanted to genocide for Polish... If that's your example, no. Credit people, regardless of if you agree or not.)

Is your knowledge of the Earth's history of Literature wide enough to call it universal? I have that list and I'm humble enough to say I might wake up the next day and find out something I thought was universal isn't and will be shaken to my core--and I live for that. That's *exciting* and I think that's a philosophy we should have for stories and culture.

If I found a human existing or pre-existing language that uses no pronouns--you know that excitement I would have? I'd be spending hours asking how does it work then? Is there subject deletion or object deletion? Can you communicate for places like in Korean only in verbs?

And I think we need to approach stories the same way. The preoccupation with universal can erase the very specific. Say:

Karagöz and Hacivat

story structure, which is ONLY used in this genre of shadow puppetry.

And I think the search for universal erasing the specific is a shame. As did many of the 19th century writers. (And probably begrudgingly Lubbock himself).

Short version: Plagiarized a whole ton. Am I surprised? No. And it's not universal, because most people try to cram stories into their story structure, rather than examining how retconning destroys reading literature, because ego over facts.

An aside, but Don Quixote is *not* 3 act or 5 act. I looked it up and was shocked it's a different story structure entirely. (And Cervantes was a fan of other story structures).

#worldwide story structures #white cishet men's egos #story structure #Most universal story structures aren't universal #Stop retconning history #Plagiarized from Joseph Campbell #white cishet men need to stop plagiarizing with story structure #Is citation that difficult when we have things like online citation machines?#The quest for universal in cultures is daft

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diaborodevil · 3 months

Text

“Lycanism

A disease that is becoming more widespread as the months go by all we currently know about it is that it effects mammals exclusively mostly those found in the order Carnivora but is also extremely potent to humans causing a frightening metamorphosis into a beast adequately known as lycans which are more mysterious then lycanism itself but the goverment has two branches that can help us out the exterminators that protect us and the researchers who study lycanism now raise your hand if you want to be an exterminator”

We see class full of raised hands except one student

“Sebastian why aren’t you raising your hand”

“We barely know anything about lycanism I say we need more researchers”

“What do we need to understand lycans are bad there numbers should be decreased”

“Problems aren’t meant to be solved by violence”

“This one is”

“That is enough class is over Sebastian please stay a bit”

“Uh what did I do wrong”

“Nothing it’s just your right this world needs more people like you so never lose that will to learn okay”

“I won’t I promise”

00:07:08

“Geez you are a weirdo do your parents know you want to be a researcher”

“Yes there proud of it there both researchers do your parents know you have a death wish”

“My parents do care if I’m exterminator or researcher uh let’s talk about something else wanna go eat”

“No no thank you I only like 10 bucks on me”

“Don’t your parents give you 90 for a day”

“Yeah but I I got more important things to spend my money on”

“Really like what”

“It’s a secret”

“Oh come on I’m your best friend”

“Hence why I won’t tell you you can’t keep a secret even if your life depended on it”

“Cmon if it’s this important I can keep it”

“Even if it changes the trajectory of your life and current beliefs”

“Wow it is serious I’ll do my best to keep it”

“Okay my place backyard about an hour”

00:07:07

“Welp I’m here what is the big 80 dollar secret of the rich smart kid”

“Frank jay smithson do you promise to take this secret to your grave”

“Oh this is really serious well Sebastian I don’t know your middle name connory I promise to keep this secret into the after life I wouldn’t even tell god”

Sebastian looks around and opens the door to a shed frank could see movement of something his brain couldn’t quite identify then Sebastian flipped a switch turning a light on and frank saw it a dog in a child’s dress trying its best to walk on two legs

“”

“I knew I’d regret this please stay calm I can explain this”

“How how can you explain that this doesn’t make any sense oh am am I awake”

“Uh where where to begin I I was walking Sera through the woods when small lycan bit her I kicked it and brought Sera home but my parents told me they they told to kill her but I I couldn’t I just couldn’t”

“Why why couldn’t you”

“I raised her since she was a puppy I I couldn’t so I hid her in the shed and kept taking care of her but then I noticed her changes”

“So you thought this would be a great start at being a researcher”

“No but as she changed I noticed that there were more then physical changes”

“Like what”

“Sera this is frank do do you remember him”

“Yes he’s nice like you”

“”

“So I guess your gonna tell someone get me in trouble and who knows what will happen to Sera”

“”

“Well I I guess it’s over”

“Uhhh no I’m not gonna tell anyone it’s just hard to wrap my head around it but I trust you you’ve been my best friend forever I’ll stand by you”

00:05:11

“So anything new with Sera”

“She’s been talking better and picking up words quicker and “

“And”

“She she has thumbs now it it doesn’t make sense bones muscles tendons it’s it’s all so strange”

“Welp I don’t get it but even though things are crazy things are starting to seem less crazy in the world it’s it’s nice”

00:05:05

“Where have you been”

“Out”

“That isn’t a good answer”

“I’m going to room”

00:04:22

“I don’t trust him”

“It’s his life he can do what he wants with it”

“No he’s up to something and it probably isn’t good so I got cameras and I hid one in his uniform”

“You better be right about this”

00:00:01

“This has been a strange week but since lycanism started I think this has been my best week”

“Hmm hopefully things can go back to normal”

“Can they wait is that a”

“That’s the little freak whose been hiding a lycan”

“Dad what are you”

“You told him”

“No I didn’t I don’t know how he found out”

“Sir calm down kid I’m going to need you to step away from the lycan”

“What’s going on what are you doing”

“We have been told that your son has been harboring a lycan so we came to take”

“Sera sera it’s okay calm down ah”

00:00:00

“Sir your going to want to hear this”

“What is it”

“There’s reports of lycans attacking people in large numbers”

“All of you evacuate to the nearest shelter”

Everyone else leaves leaving frank and Sebastian alone

“Hey are you okay we gotta go”

“I I can’t”

“Come on I’m sure we can convince them to let sera in”

“It’s not that it’s”

Sebastian raises his arm showing a spot where Sera accidentally bit him

“If I go there with a lycan bite they’ll kill me so I can’t go with you”

“When this blows over even if it does I’ll find you”

“Why”

“Your my best friend my only friend so I’ll find you even if you turn into some giant freaky lycan I’ll find you”

-60:07:08

“Brief me on this mission sir”

“On this supply route about half the supplies goes missing so we suspect there might be bandits involved”

“Huh is that”

“What”

“Oh it’s just that I believe that’s the school I used to go to”

“WELL I need you to survey the are to see where the bandits are hiding so you might have some time for nostalgia go”

-60:07:07

“Huh it’s been forever since I’ve been here to think things were normal at one point where did the time go hmmm it’s been five years and I haven’t found him should I give up no he wouldn’t so time to get back on track”

Then suddenly something hits frank in the head

“Wha what was that uh”

Something else suddenly hit his head

#original idea #original series #original writing #lycanism

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immajustvibehere · 2 years

Text

Chance Encounter

Chapter 10

Chapter 1 // Chapter 9

warning: drinking, fluff

summary: You wake up next to Arthur after having drunk too much and wonder what had happened that night.

2100 words, 10 minutes reading time

It took only three shots before you started seeing things a bit funnier than they probably were. Arthur had a head start with the alcohol, but he could take far more than you. Still, you had never seen him so relaxed and happy.

"Let's go and make some more money, eh?", Arthur announced.

"What d'ya mean?", you had a big smile on your face. Seeing Arthur so happy made you happy and being so close to him made you also happy. You were just a happy pile of hope, pretty much ready to follow Arthur where ever he'd take you.

"C'mon!", he smirked, ordered two beers and pushed one of them into your hands. Then he took your hand and draged you up the stairs. "Ever played Blackjack?", he asked. "No...don't think so...", not that you were able to think about a lot at the moment. "Take notes, y/n!" He sat down on the blackjack table where three other men were already playing. You then watched and laughed at him, as it only took ten minutes before he had lost four dollars. There was non-stop cursing coming from him. Luckily, the other men didn't take any offence and just smiled.

"What the hell y/n? I thought you bring me luck?", Arthur turned around in his chair, looking at you.

"Sorry I cannot be of use for you, Mr. Morgan", you mocked and came closer. Arthur took your beer, you had only drunk half the bottle so far, and finished it in one big gulp. "Mind getting another one?", he grinned. You happily obliged, though the way down the stairs proved quite challenging at this point. When you returned with the beer, Arthur had already started a new round. He took the bottle and thanked you in murmur. You were about to return to your spot closer to the wall where you could oversee the game, when Arthur grabbed your wrist and pulled you on his lap.

"Yer luck doesn't work when yer too far away", Arthur slurred. You knew you were a blushing mess, but Arthur didn't make a big deal out of you sitting on one of his thighs, his arm with which he held the cards wrapped around you so you wouldn't fall off. He let you decide on how much to bet each round and you almost started to believe that you were a good luck charm, when Arthur got two Blackjacks in a row and won significantly more often than before. When you two were a couple of dollars richer, Arthur threw his cards across the table and stated: "Thank you gentlemen, I think I'mma leave it at that!" Arthur let you stand up and then proudly presented the money you had won. Moments later you were back at the bar, buying new drinks.

"Look at the men over there, I bet ya I can rob them", you provoked Arthur. "Don't ya dare. I'm startin' to see double I can't get ya out of the mess ya will get into." You stood with arms akimbo: "Don't ya underestimate me, Mr. Morgan!" And with a cheeky smile on your face you took out Arthur's pencil. You had fiddled it out of his satchel when you sat on his lap, just to prove your point.

"Oh...you...", Arthur showed pride, anger, surprise and joy all at once. He tried to snatch the pencil out of your hand, but you jumped back. This little game resulted in a chase through the saloon. People were shouting at you, some were cheering. The next thing you remembered was being thrown over Arthur's shoulder after he had caught you and carried back to your place at the bar. Afterwards followed laughter, dancing and singing.

As soon as you woke up from your dreamless sleep you started to feel your headache, which made you wish you'd fall asleep again. The air was strangely cool. You didn't dare to open your eyes just yet, the light and stimulation would probably kill you. There was a sound like raindrops hitting wood and from time to time you felt a light breeze on your face. After you had remembered that you had spent the night at the saloon in Rhodes, you began to wonder if you actually still were in Rhodes. Rain and wind...you don't think you have experienced any of this close to Rhodes yet.

The curiosity of where you were had grown so much that you decided to very slowly open your eyes. The first thing you saw was hay. Then the smell of stables and horses reached your nostrils. Slowly you moved your fingers, your hands, just to verify that you really had slept in a big pile of hay. When you tried to move your feet and legs, it felt different. There wasn't any hay. They rested on something more solid. A horse, maybe? Still too weak to lift your head or torso, you decided you'd just stay still until you would find the energy to move.

Even though the task of thinking and remembering was exhausting and only worsened your headache, you tried to recall what you could remember. After the pencil chase and a weird game of playing catch with someone's hat, there was nothing. The night couldn't have ended there, otherwise you would remember the act of...laying down in a stable. You were a bit relived though, as you realized that right behind the saloon is a small stable for horses, so that's where you were...most likely.

You continued to listen to the wind and rain. It was truly lucky that it had cooled down a little, you didn't think you would have survived if the sun had been burning your face off right now. It was strangely silent. Too silent for whatever your legs rested on to be a horse. Of course...it could only be- right?

With all the strength you could muster you lifted your torso. Indeed, your legs laid on top of Arthur's, who was still fast asleep. You only now realized that you weren't wearing your boots. Arthur was wearing only one, the other one you saw lying in the hay a few meters away. Your gaze wandered from his feet upwards. Rather than two, he had three holsters with guns on his belt. The third gun was yours. His suspenders, normally neatly on his shoulders, dangled from his waistband and his shirt was unusually far unbuttoned. You paused, only passively noticing that he wore your hat and not his.

You cursed yourself for not remembering what happened. You didn't do anything stupid, did you? For a second you wished you could just disappear, but honestly, you'd trade your life on Emerald Ranch within a second for lying next to Arthur and horseshit.

You fell asleep again, waking up when Arthur groaned and sat up. Immediately you pulled your legs away and watched how the man yawned and stretched. He slumped back into the hay, arms behind his head mumbling: "That's a storm alright..." The wind had increased and the rain was stronger than when you first woke up. The shed did a decent job at keeping you dry, though sometimes something would drip on you from the roof. You were too embarrassed to say anything. Honestly, you were a bit afraid of finding out what happened in the timespan you couldn't remember.

"Yer alright?", you noticed Arthur looking at you, lifting your hat slightly from his face to see you better.

"...I don't really remember...a lot", you admitted.

There was a warm chuckle from Arthur before he covered his face again: "Maybe better that way." Great, now you had even more questions and things to wonder about. Arthur broke the silence again, sensing your uneasiness: "Ya were harder to babysit than little Jack as a two-year-old. Almost killed yaself with yer gun."

You were dumfounded and felt your cheeks burn up. Arthur removed your holster and gun from his belt and handed them to you. "Did I shoot...something? Or someone?" Arthur waved with his hand: "Ya were too drunk to load it. Dropped all yer bullets." You groaned. You didn't even want to hear any more, you must have been an annoying little shit. "Sorry", you sighed, "for...everything I did that I can't remember."

Arthur sat up and took your hat off his head: "Don't worry, I had my fun." He grinned, throwing your hat at you. Well, that was a suggestive thing to say. You shook your head, telling yourself that nothing like that had happened. Arthur was the first to stand up and slip on his second boot, then pick up his hat, button his shirt and adjust his suspenders. You watched him in awe for two reasons. The first reason being his ability to even stand straight. He couldn't have been that drunk yesterday. And the second reason was...he was just handsome. The way he buttoned his shirt and refastened his belt, picking hay out of his holsters and off his pants...it was a sight you could become used to. But slowly you saw his expression change. The happy Arthur as well as the relaxed Arthur who had just woken up close to you was almost gone...replaced by an Arthur who remembered he had a lot of responsibility.

"C'mon now, let's get breakfast and ride back to camp", Arthur grabbed your arm and lifted you out of the hay. It took him absolutely no effort to do so. For you it was a sudden movement that almost had you throw up. Putting on your boots was torture, you stumbled and wailed, while Arthur was already walking out into the rain, holding his hat so it wouldn't be blown off. With a sigh you started sprinting past Arthur (very wobbly and trying your best to suppress your nausea), not wanting to spend too much time without a roof over your head. Nevertheless, you were soaked when you had reached the saloon, and so was Arthur.

"Should have stayed in the shed...", you grumbled, wringing out your shirt. Arthur laid his hand on your back and steered you inside. Due to the rain and your abnormal sleep schedule, there was no way of telling the time, but based on how many people were at the saloon, it should have been early afternoon. Arthur's clothes were just as soaked as yours, though he didn't seem to mind at all. He knocked on the counter to get the bartender's attention.

"Can we get two oatmeals, please? And get a hot bath ready for the lady", he demanded, slamming some money on the countertop. You looked at Arthur with surprise and asked: "I thought we should go back to camp?" He shrugged: "No point in ridin' through such a storm. As well as I know ya, you'll probably slip right of the damn saddle." You must have looked at Arthur very eagerly, because he cleared his throat and added: "I'll be ridin' back though."

You finished your oatmeal quickly in anticipation of getting out of your wet clothes. As you warmed up in the hot water, you let your clothes dry in front of the fireplace. They wouldn't be completely dry, but at least not as soaked as before. With damp clothes and a refreshed feeling, you returned to the bar. If anything, the storm had worsened. You had said good-bye to Arthur before you went off to take the bath, but why in the world would he ride through such heavy rain? Waiting a few more hours with you couldn't possibly be so bad. You had thought about this a lot in the bathtub. You also tried hard to remember literally anything from the night, but gave up quickly.

"Miss!", the bartender wanted your attention, "the gentleman had me prepare a room for you. Since the rain doesn't seem to stop anytime soon." How kind of him. I mean, you could have just sat down on a table, but a room meant a bed and sleep sounded very nice right now. You could also strip out of your clothes again and have them dried a bit more. At least part of your plan crumbled when you opened the door to your room and saw Arthur smoking while looking out of the window.

"So you didn't leave?", you asked, the answer being obvious right in front of you.

"I have to be a madman to ride through that storm."

You smiled, letting yourself fall onto the bed. You watched Arthur's back as he was turned towards the window. Shamelessly, you checked him up and down and quietly stated: "You should really get out of them wet clothes."

------x

Chapter 11: here

Yes, I recently figured out I should end on cliffhangers more often. To keep ya'll curious, ya know? Not because...I have no idea....how to continue...and need time to figure it out...

I'm always open for your suggestions! Thanks to @little-honeypie who helped me with brainstorming this chapter!

#arthur morgan x reader #red dead redemption 2 #arthur morgan #arthur morgan fanfiction #red dead redemption community #rdr2 #arthur morgan x female reader #rdr fanfiction #rdr2 fanfiction #rdr

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th84u · 2 years

Text

title: 10:36 pm

contents: non idol! jongho x gn! reader. fluff; college au, carnival au, strangers to eventual lovers, ot8 appearance

summary: a hugging booth yunho sets up brings both new beginnings and feeling for the youngest member.

word count: 2.6k

note: i started this back in october or earlier last year, so this is long overdue. apologies by jongho fans! i don’t see a lot of jongho content, so i’m hoping to write more for him <3

“this is dumb.”

jongho’s mumble wasn’t as soft as he hoped for it to be and it triggered a response from the five older boys with him. “jongho! don’t say that,” hongjoong yapped as the brunette rolled his eyes.

“why’re you booing me? i’m right!” he argued, pulling his coat tightly around his body. “a hug for 1 dollar? who the hell does that?” he asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice. his ‘bear ears’ seem to twitch despite it being his hair, trying to express its disdain towards the situation it was in.

yeosang mumbled something along the lines of ‘our best friend and broke student’ as mingi shook his head, gently placing his hand on the younger boy’s shoulder.

“let’s just give our support to yunho, hmm?” he says calmly. “you know he’s been having a tough time, jongho. let us help our friend by supporting him, how bout that?” mingi asks with a smile as the youngest inevitably gives in and nods, allowing the older one to ruffle his hair which makes him smile a little.

wooyoung and san turn to each other, still utterly confused as to how their friend had such an effect on the younger boy (they concluded that it be only real answer was witchcraft through their exchanged glances and sly grins). jongho couldn’t help but roll his eyes at their idiotic deduction that was written all over their faces. hopeless fools, they were.

“what was the booth called again?” yeosang asked the boy that towered over them, already scanning the multitude of multi-coloured tents.

“bear hugs, i think,” wooyoung replied, tip-toeing as jongho rushed to stand next to him, an arrogant grin on the younger male’s face. “oh, shove it, you fool,” he jabbed the young, giggling boy away with a sour expression. teasing his older friends was a full time job.

mingi hummed in acknowledgement before his eyes lit up. “over there! the blue and yellow tent!” the three followed his gaze, staring at the large sign that was decorated cutely with brown bears that were hand-drawn and painted.

“woah, does yunho have an art major friend?” san said jokingly while they made their way over to the tent. “these drawings are very good.” the other two agreed, but jongho remained silent.

jongho was in awe at how beautiful the drawings were. it greatly contributed to the warm, comforting and soothing environment of the tent. even if people perceived him to be an emotionless robot at times, he knew how to appreciate good art.

“jongho!” seonghwa’s voice snapped the younger boy out of his trance and he looked at the taller male who was much further ahead from him. “jeez, what were you looking at?” he mumbled as the brunette apologised. “it’s fine. c’mon; let’s go find yunho.”

following the group, jongho continued to admire the drawings that scattered the tent, on signboards, posters and even the tent itself; he was enraptured by the images of adorable bears and animals that looked more attractive to a kid than the average college student.

funnily, jongho found it strangely comforting and beautiful. more than he thought he should’ve. how strange.

“hey, guys!“

yunho’s voice rang loudly as the seven turned to look at him. “welcome, and thanks for coming!” he grins, wrapping his way-too long arms around them.

jongho rolls his eyes as the older boy ushers them forward, trying to force all seven of them towards the booth. “this is really dumb,” he mumbles which once again, earns him a sharp poke in the side from seonghwa who has a stern look on his face. best keep quiet for now.

the inside of the tent was painted brightly and simplistically, yet jongho couldn’t help but be enamoured by how beautiful the art was. just like the work on the outside, it was beautiful.

“i wanted you to meet my friend and art director! they helped me design everything!”

yunho’s voice is loud and jongho turns to glare at him momentarily, but when he lays his eyes on you, everything seems to stop.

suddenly coming to the carnival was a good idea.

you look at the brown haired boy and smile brightly. jongho feels his cheeks heat up quickly. yanking his beret down, he tries to hide how his hair was shaped like bear ears. seonghwa’s nagging and wooyoung’s shouting was drowned out as he continued to stare at you.

“hello,” you chirp, extending your hand towards the youngest boy. “people often call me y/n, but you can call me tonight, gorgeous.”

it’s your wink that sets jongho ablaze, cheeks burning as the tip of his ears turn red. “h-hi,” he surprisingly manages to stutter out. “m-my name’s j-jongho and i-i major in business,” he smiles awkwardly as yunho chuckles.

“go easy on him, noona,” he nudges you slightly. “he’s the baby of the group.”

you turn back to him and giggle. “oh, so you’re the baby? i thought you were my age,” you hum as hongjoong cocks his head in confusion. his eyes widen all of a sudden, smacking his hand against his thigh.

“you’re that senior who drew the piece next to the art room! ‘breathless’, wasn’t it?” he asked as you nod, grinning. “i thought your name sounded familiar.”

looking back at jongho, you see his eyes wide, glossy even, with admiration. you chuckle, pulling him closer as he lets out a soft squeak. “careful baby bear,” you say softly. “there a bunch of kids behind you running out.”

the seven males were stunned by how receptive jongho was towards your assertive nature. you were treating him like a delicate being, a fragile porcelain doll that could shatter at any moment, and he was allowing you to. yunho could only grin at you, the playful wink you send him amusing the blonde.

pulling away, you revel in how flustered the younger boy looks. “anyways, since you’re all here, why don’t we show you what we’ve done to the booth?”

instead of letting go of his hand as jongho had expected, you intertwine your fingers and pull him along with you. he looks up at you in awe, eyes sparkling as you smile at him, tilting your head slightly. you looked stunning.

the inside of the tent was much more extravagant than the boys expected. a multitude of stuffed toys lay around, bean bags and pillows all over. it looked like heaven to a sleep deprived student.

hongjoong immediately fell onto a bean bag, letting out a sigh of relief. “i knew he’d be the first to make a move,” yunho snickered, handing seonghwa a menu. “we even have a menu for drinks that y/n noona can make. a lot of teas with more fruity hints for relaxation– no coffee.”

jongho pouted slightly at the last line that was meant for him as you giggled, pulling him closer. “don’t worry too much about it. i think you’d enjoy some of the teas we have,” you smile sweetly and he nods, fully allowing you to show him around the booth.

“this is really a first,” wooyoung says as mingi nods, handing him a corndog. “i have never seen jongho completely let another person into his personal space.”

san makes muffled noises of agreement, chewing on some dango. “he’s like, absolutely insane!”

yunho burst out laughing as seonghwa rolls his eyes with a warm smile. “c’mon, let’s go and wake hongjoong up before he takes a fourteen hour nap here.”

as the night went on, the boys wore themselves out and soon, it was time to close the booth.

“this was fun,” san grinned at his taller friend. “thanks for inviting us, yunho.”

“my pleasure,” he smiles, handing them their drinks. “so, are you guys gonna pay for a hug?”

seonghwa takes out a $10 bill, placing it into the donation box with a smile. “we get one from both you and y/n, right?” he asks as the blonde nods. “good. they look like they give amazing hugs.”

before yunho can even start to whine, seonghwa hurries his face into his chest, arms wrapping around his body. “you’re so soft,” the pink haired boy is muffled by yunho’s beige sweater.

you stand beside yunho, smiling before engulfing seonghwa in a hug. he smelled like vanilla and strawberries— a sweet concoction of beauty. as he sighed into the hug, you smile. “thanks for coming, seonghwa,” you mumble as he pulls away, smiling.

“anytime, noona. thanks for taking care of yunho for us,” seonghwa hums before waving goodbye.

hongjoong yawns, rubbing his eyes as you chuckle, pulling him in. resting his chin on your shoulder, hongjoong smells like expensive cologne and paint. “you’re very comfortable,” he murmurs, burying his face into the crook of your neck. “could hug you forever.” his arms tightened around your figure, pulling you closer.

flustered, you’re unsure of what to say. instead, you opt to pat his back gently, racking your fingers through his red hair soothingly. “thanks for coming, joong,” you whisper as he hums, snuggling against you a little before leaving.

yeosang comes up to you, cheeks red. “i don’t exactly enjoy physical affection,” he mumbles as you smile. “but yunho says you give good hugs, so…” his voice trails off as you chuckle, extending your arms to give him a hug.

the blonde smells like sandalwood, with an earthy undertone. it was calming, a scent that suited him all too well. “you’re very soft,” he mumbles and you laugh, stroking his hair. “thank you for such a lovely hug, noona.”

“you’re very welcome, yeosang,” you say softly as he drifts away into the crowd. he was a mysterious one.

before you can even process it, san suddenly pops into your peripheral view with a cheeky grin on his face. “i take that you give better hugs than yunho,” he lets out a high-pitched giggle before wrapping his arms around you.

san smells lavender and honey– a rather unusual scent, but nonetheless, suiting. “you’re very cuddly, san,” you whisper as he hums into your sweater. “such a warm boy, you are.”

“thanks, noona! take care!” he grins again before running off. as you’re waving to the younger boy, a tap on your shoulder catches your attention.

before you can turn around, the person hugged you tightly, arms around your waist. they smell like burnt wood and marshmallows which is all you needed to identify them. “mingi,” you chuckle as he hums. “you could’ve said something. you startled me.”

he gives you an innocent look and you chuckle. “such a softie,” you pat his arms with a smile. “thanks for coming to visit. it means a lot, to both yunho and me.”

mingi grins. “it’s no problem, noona! take care of jongho for us, will ya?” he winks and scurries off to join the others. turning around, you’re startled by the sight of wooyoung running towards you, arms wide and ready for his hug.

letting out a startled sound as he runs into your embrace, you can’t help but chuckle. he smells like chocolate and charcoal, contrasting scents that described his personality all too well. “you’re so soft and cuddly!” wooyoung squeaks, hugging you even tighter.

it’s endearing to see wooyoung so happy and you smile, thanking him. “it’s nothing! take care of yourself!” and just as quickly as he ran into your arms, he runs off to join his friends again.

sighing contently, you turn around to find jongho hiding behind yunho, a large grin on the taller male’s face.

“are you looking for a hug from me, yunho?” the tone of cockiness in your voice makes yunho chuckle. “you know the requirements.”

the boy drops a dollar bill into the donation box and you smile. before you can even hug yunho, you take in the way he smells: mint and citrus. you think it suits him very well.

his sweater is soft, cushioning you slightly. “alright, that was the best hug i’ve ever gotten,” yunho announced as you roll your eyes at his grand gesture. “don’t tease him too much, hmm?”

you chuckle when yunho nudged you, wiggling his eyebrows. “i can’t guarantee anything, my dear.”

as yunho waves at you one last time, you turn to jongho. his cheeks are ablaze, fingers toying with the bottom of his sweater. “you don’t have to hug me if you don’t want to, jongho,” you say softly with a warm smile.

“no!” he quickly cuts you off, eyes wide. it startled you a little. “sorry, i just,” he inhaled a deep breath. “i really want a hug from you.”

you feel your own cheeks heat up at the boy’s sudden confession. “o-oh,” you stutter, giddy by what he said. yunho had mentioned how much jongho didn’t like physical contact, especially from strangers, so this was both a surprise and compliment to you.

before jongho can even react, you grab his wrist, pulling him forward and into your arms. jongho let’s out a squeak before gently falling into your embrace.

the boy is rendered speechless. he can’t believe how amazingly soft you feel– how comforting your hug is. it’s almost indescribable how good jongho feels.

he unconsciously nuzzles his face into the crook of your neck, arms tightening around your figure. you felt giddy– a lightheaded feeling that was almost comparable to euphoria, yet so much better. he made you feel some type of way no one else had before.

hongjoong’s voice snapped the both of you out of the dreamy trances you were in. jongho shied away, nervous to look directly at you. “thank you for coming, jongho. i really appreciate it.”

“it was my pleasure, noona,” he blushes, looking up at you bashfully. you smile, intertwining your fingers with his, gaze switching between his eyes and lips.

“may i?” you ask softly, watching as he nods slowly. you press a soft, chaste kiss to his lips, enjoying how soft and sweet they were. the aftertaste of his vanilla latte was still there.

you pull away, looking at jongho, and for a moment, you swear you can see the stars in his eyes. jongho, so taken aback by your actions, stares back at you. he thinks you’re the most gorgeous person in the world– from your voice and eyes, to your voice and embrace.

“you should go before they chew your head off.”

your voice makes jongho turn around, glaring at the seven older males. woo sticks his tongue out, glaring back as you chuckle. “go and join them.”

jongho turns back swiftly with a small frown. “will i see you again soon?”

“of course,” you grin, taking out a marker and scribbling your number down onto his forearm. “i’ll be in touch, baby bear.”

planting one last short kiss to his lips, you bid the boy goodbye.

jongho stood there, cheeks red as he smiled softly, waving back at you who had winked at him before being ushered off to greet more students.

“woah, jongho, you good?” san asked, waving his hand in front of the younger boy’s face only to not get a response. arching an eyebrow, the three friends exchanged confused looks.

“hyung! i think he’s broken!” mingi shouted as the two eldest walked over, corn dogs and drinks in hand. “jongho has spaced out!” the tallest male said, shaking the younger boy vigorously.

hongjoong hummed as wooyoung snorted. “a trauma response?” he snickered, earning a smack on the back and a glare from the eldest. “what?” he whined, pouting slightly.

seonghwa rested his hand on jongho’s shoulder, a concerned look on his face. “jongho? are you okay?”

the youngest male finally looked back at the six others standing behind him, eyes wide with a soft, small smile on his face.

“i think i’m in love.”

#ateez #x reader #ateez imagines #fanfiction #fluff #jongho #ateez fics #ateez x reader #ateez jongho #choi jongho #jongho imagines #jongho x reader #ateez fluff

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kirishimaswife2819 · 3 years

Note

This is my very 1st request, I hope you won't have trouble answering it! May I ask for headcanons of Bakugou, Midoriya, Todoroki and Kirishima in a Coffee Shop!AU? I don't mind if they own coffee houses, are baristas or frequent customers! Thank you so much for heeding my petition, have a nice day and take care!

Them in a Coffee Shop AU (+Quirkless AU) || Midoriya, Bakugou, Kirishima, and Todoroki

Masterlist 1 || Masterlist 2

↠Author’s Note: Hi! I also made this a quirkless AU so it made more sense with the story. Anyway, thanks for requesting! I hope this okay and I hope you like it. -Danielle <3

↠Characters: Izuku Midoriya, Katsuki Bakugou, Eijiro Kirishima, and Shoto Todoroki x Reader

↠Summary: Coffee shop AU with Izuku, Katsuki, Eijiro, and Shoto

↠Genre: Fluff

↠Word Count: 2.1k

↠Warnings: None

↠Notes: Idrk know how coffee shop hours work, so just pretend like they work however I said, okay?, also y/o=your order

Izuku Midoriya:

Izuku works at a fairly popular coffee shop, and he’s literally the best worker there

Unlike most of the workers, he pays a lot of attention to the customers and what they specifically ask for, and he’s also always so polite, he was only ever rude to a customer once, but that was because she was being ruder, so it was okay

He also rarely ever gets orders wrong, and when most people come there, they ask specifically for him to make their coffee, so he gets pretty overwhelmed throughout the day and rarely gets a break

Most of the time he didn’t really pay much attention to the customers that asked specifically for him, but most of them straight up flirted with him, and he’s made it perfectly clear that he wasn’t interested in getting a significant other

That was until he met you

Normally, Izuku worked afternoon shifts, so from about one in the afternoon to nine at night (this was partially because he was the only one who closed up the shop correctly), but they recently began changing the schedules up and he got stuck with six to two in the afternoon

He didn’t really have a problem with waking up early, since he normally woke up fairly early to go for a run, not as early as he was now, but still pretty early

It was his first time working that shift when you came in for your morning coffee

You were playing on your phone when he called out to the next in line, you looked up and proceeded forward and to the counter, you looked up expecting the girl that normally worked in the morning but instead it was Izuku

“Are you new here? I’ve never seen you before,” You asked, clearly confused. Izuku gave you a small smile, and his face got a little red, you were really attractive, despite obviously just waking up

“No, I’ve always worked here. I just normally have afternoon shifts but they changed it,” Izuku replied.

“Oh, are you going to be working in the mornings from now on?” You asked, and after a nod, you spoke again, “Okay, well my name’s Y/n L/n, you can call me Y/n if you want, I come in here every morning and I’ll take a y/o.”

He immediately made your order and it was the best that it ever has been

After that day, you and Izuku both got secretly excited to see each other every morning, and you took got on first name basis with each other

You two ended up developing an odd sort of bond, whenever you came in, you two acted like best friends despite only seeing each other for about fifteen minutes every day

You started drinking your morning drink while at the shop, and you always sat at the bar so you could converse with Izuku while he was working

Eventually you two ended up exchanging numbers and hanging out outside of the coffee shop, and then he asked you on a date, and then shortly after that you began dating

You still went in every morning even after you started dating, and everybody working there thought that you were the cutest couple ever

Katsuki Bakugou:

Katsuki comes to get coffee every morning, and everybody at your shop knows this, and they all play rock paper scissors the day before to see who gets to deal with him the next day because he’s a pretty tough customer

He always finds something wrong with the coffee that he gets and he will make the barista remake it until it’s perfect, and he’s made multiple baristas quit because of this

And I know what you’re thinking “why doesn’t your boss just ban him from the shop” but your boss is a bigger asshole than he is, and he has chose Bakugou’s side every time that he’s been brought into it, so the workers just stopped trying to get him to help after a while

The two of you met on your first day working there, since you had tried to defend Katsuki when you first met them, saying that he couldn’t possibly be that bad, when they tried warning you about him, so they forced you to deal with him on your first day on the job

“Good morning,” you said, smiling at the blonde that came in, as he stared at his phone, he didn’t recognize your voice so he looked up and he was pretty surprised to see how attractive you were

“Morning,” he replied, hiding the fact that he liked you, and turning his phone off, before placing it in his pocket

“What can I get for you?” You asked, still smiling at him, hoping that he really wasn’t as bad as all your co-workers said. He told you his order, before giving you his name as well

All your co-workers were listening in and were shocked when he didn’t add on a rude “And don’t forget the extra cream” or “And if you fucking add too much sugar again, I’m calling your boss and complaining”

You made his coffee, before setting it on the counter, and tapping a few things on the screen, and giving him his total price, which was around seven dollars

He took out his wallet, before placing a fifty dollar bill on the counter. This was also strange to your co-workers because Bakugou never paid before he got a sip of his coffee, in case he wanted a refund or for them to remake it/give it to him for free

You picked it up and went to give him his change, but he stopped you

"Keep the change."

"What?" You asked

"I said, keep the change, you fucking deaf or something?"

"Uh, no, but sir, you handed me a fifty."

"I fucking know what I did, do you want it or not?"

"Yeah, I want it," you said, grabbing the change and immediately putting it into your pocket, "Thank you, sir, and have a good day."

"Yeah, whatever," he replied, picking up his coffee and leaving

As soon as he was gone, all of your co-workers were around you, asking you what the hell you did and why he wasn't rude to you, and you could only answer them with a shrug because you honestly had no idea

After that day, you were the only person that ever made his coffee because he was actually nice to you, and because of you he saw how it wasn’t really that easy to do the job

He figured that they just always messed up because they weren’t trying but they were probably just stressed, and it was probably partially his fault

Eventually, he ended up asking you out on a date and you two got to know each other and then eventually you started dating

Eijiro Kirishima:

Like Izuku, Kirishima works at a coffee shop, he just isn’t the most perfect worker ever, but that’s alright because nobody expects him to be perfect

He makes his occasional mistakes, and I would probably give him a 7/10 when it came to doing his job, but he gets an 11/10 for customer service

He’s not just polite, he’s also really friendly and if you just simply have a conversation it’ll feel like you’ve known him forever

He doesn’t really notice if anybody is flirting with him, he just assumes they’re being friendly and is friendly in return, but sometimes Kirishima’s friendliness can come off as flirting, even when he doesn’t realize, so sometimes he has had to reject somebody asking him out, and apologize for not realizing what they were doing

He never specifically tried flirting with anybody, not until you at least, he purposely flirted with you, because immediately after glancing at you, he knew that you were the one

Or that’s what he assumed, you just looked like his type, and he immediately wanted you

Your old coffee shop had shut down and this was the closest one to where it was, so you started going there instead

“Hi!” He immediately greeted you, happily, despite it being seven in the morning

“Um, hi?” You asked, in return. In your last coffee shop the worker that you normally got was pretty vague, and normally talked in a monotone voice, so Kirishima’s happy and cheerful voice was a bit of a surprise

“How are you doing this morning?” He asked, tapping something on the screen

“Good,” you replied, “Do you guys have y/o?”

“Yup, what size would you like?”

“Medium,” you replied, and he tapped something on the screen, before replying

“Okay, that’ll be $5.30, but it’s on me,” he said, smiling at you, picking up a medium disposable cup, “What’s the name?”

“Wait, what?” You asked, referring the first part of what he said, not the question

“I asked what your name was,” he explained, giving you a smile

“No, why is it on you?” You asked

“Oh, I always pay for somebody’s coffee if I find them cute,” he replied, causing your face to heat up

“You find me cute?” You asked, and then he nodded, “Sir, I just woke up a little over half an hour ago. There are huge bags under my eyes, there is no way that you find me cute.”

“Sure there is! Because I do, now what’s your name?”

“Whatever, it’s Y/n,” you replied, and he used a sharpie to write the name on the cup, before going to get your order ready

And he returned with it, giving you a smile, and telling you goodbye

You thanked him for the coffee and once you returned to your car, you read the receipt and found that his number was written at the bottom along with “call me :)”

And that’s exactly what you did

Shoto Todoroki:

Like Bakugou, he’s also a frequent customer, but not every day, he normally comes in every other day, or every three days

He was normally pretty vague, not wanting to interact too much with the barista, he wanted to get in and get out in as little time as possible

He didn’t have a problem correcting the barista if his order was wrong, and he didn’t expect it for free. He just expected them to remake without him having to pay extra

He also didn’t make a big deal if there was a little too much cream or sugar, they probably just added a bit too much, and that’s pretty easy to do

Shoto never really paid much attention to the barista he got and he didn’t really care about who it was, until he walked up to the counter and you were there

“Good morning, what can I get for you?” You questioned, tapping something on the screen

“Morning,” he said, and then he proceeded to make his order

“Alright? And your name?” You questioned, holding the sharpie up to the cup

“Shoto,” he replied, surprising the barista next to you that was listening in. Shoto never used his first name and it surprised her because he normally just said either “Todoroki” or “I’ll be standing right here, just hand it to me, please”

“Alright, Shoto,” you said, using his name, “I’ll be right back with your coffee.” He nodded in acknowledgement and stood off to the side, watching you as you made his order

“Here you go,” you said, handing it to him, “Sorry if I messed it up. I’ve never made one of those before. I’m new here.”

“That’s alright,” he replied, taking a sip. He hid the fact that he didn’t like it, because you had in fact messed something up, maybe you didn’t add enough of something, either way, he faked it with a smile, “Thank you, have a good day.”

Later that day, your co-worker informed you that she was watching you while you made it, since she knew that you never made one before, and she told you that you messed it up. Then she told you a little bit about Shoto and how it was obvious that he had a crush on you

The next day he came in, you apologized to him, and he brushed it off, saying that it was alright

You made a pretty bold move and left your number on the receipt with a little note “call me sometime?”

He did just that the same night when he got home from his work, and you two agreed to go on a date

223 notes · View notes

kaypeace21 · 3 years

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What's in a name? (Analysing all the names in stranger things)

*I'll be repeating some names more than once as I break down categories .

Show , book, and tv easterggs

Alot of character names may have deeper meaning but some are also refs to stories they liked. The stranger writers twitter posted a list of movies said to inspire s4 (which I’ll be referencing).

Dart- dustin names him this after d'artagenean (a 3 musketeers book character) and one of Dustin's fav candies (3 muskateers). Similarly his pet turtle yurtle is implied to be named after the dr Seuss’ story 'yertle the turtle'.

Brenner- main character from 'the birds', which was on the st s4 list.

Byers- john byers from x files. The duffers mentioned x files was an inspo for the show. Although John byers (from x files) resembles Murray as an unhinged conspiracy theorist. The documentary paradise lost was also cited as inspo for st- john byers and his son, terry, Michael, and Steve were names in said film

Jim Hopper- in Predator (another st inspo) he was a soldier who was flayed to death in the woods. Another character in the film with a similar fate was “Hawkins”.

Detective Wheeler and elle Holloway- from silent Hill franchise. Another ref mentioned by the Duffers. Holloway was the surname of st's Heather. Elle (is el) and Wheeler is Mike's surname. Wheeler was also on the ep of twiglight zone (another cited ref by the duffers) . In the ep 'mute' sheriff wheeler takes in a mute psychic girl as his foster daughter. So some hints at hopper too . Hopper even mentions el-anor (gilipse) in s1. The surname of a main character in the silent hill series.Lt. Colonel Sullivan (s4) could be a eastergg of silent hill 4 which had a Sullivan character.

Henderson- st twitter mentioned how all the bond films were on the s4 inspiration list . So Dustin's surname being the same as one of the bond characters is a nod. Duffers also mentioned ‘freaks & geeks’ as inspo- and 1 character’s surname was also Henderson (another nod).

Mrs Driscoll (from s3) - a nod to invasion of the body snatchers which was mentioned as inspo by the Duffers. And clear inspo for s3.

Powell (cop and partner of hopper ) - diehard films also on s4 list. He's named after the cop powell.

Callahan (cop and partner of Hopper) - father Callahan ref. He shows up in many of Stephen King novels. The Duffers have cited over 10 novels and books from him as inspo for st

Nancy- she's called ‘Nancy drew’ (from the novels). And the duffers have mentioned they are fans of elmstreet - who's main character was Nancy. Nancy also references 'Oliver twist" ,and that book has a character named Nancy in it. Nancy was also a first Lady in the 80s similar to her friend Barbara- who was also a first Lady in the 80s.Nancy's name might also be inspired by "Nancy Wheeler", a secondary character in the 1970 book Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret written by Judy Blume.

Fred (s4)- apparently a high-school journalist who may be friend or foe. This one is a stretch but given nancy maybe being an elmstreet ref- and her enemy being fred-die kreuger. Fred may have animosity to Nancy and that's why his name is Fred. I mean ... they even cast a new s4 character with Freddie kreuger's original actor.so...

Jason (s4) - is in the 1986 Nancy drew novel (when s4 takes place). He is similar to the duffers description. In the novel he's a rich, popular, arrogant jock and blackmailing students at the high-school . S3 even named one of its episodes after a nancy drew novel- so wouldn't surprise me.

Christie carpenter (s4/reffed in s1 by hopper)- christie is the main character in the hellraiser series (which is on the s4 st list). Carpenter is the surname of the director of 'the thing' name dropped in s3. (The flesh monster in s3 also resembles the thing) , and in s1 mr clarke watches it ,and mike has the thing movie poster in his basement.

Argyle (s4) - die hard 1-2 were on the s4 st list. And is a name of a diehard character.

Max- her name is 'mad max' like the 80s film. But since the Duffers like videogames. Her name may be a ref to max caufield from the ‘life is strange’ game as well. She has a 'never Maxine rule' similar to max in st. But the game character is similar to jonathan as she is a teen photographer and says similar words to jonathan in s1 saying she would rather watch people through a camera than interact with them.

Eddie munson (s4)- not going to lie. I have no proof of this but I immediately thought of the TV character Eddie Munster (the friendly monster ).

Possible comic book easteggs

The duffers are no stranger to comic book references. The duffers have already directly reffed xmen, wonderwoman, and green lantern. Kali's place also has a comic book ref to 'the invisibles' on the wall. While the s4 movie list mentions thor ragnock , age of ultron, and 2 batman films. Some of these refs will go over your head if you haven't read my DID theory. But a lot of this analysis will still be enjoyable. :)

Jane st ives (jane ives aka el). marvel. (jane st ives sees her dad k*ll her mom and vows revenge against him.Sort of similar to what brenner did to terry).

Stephanie harrington (Steve harrington)- 80s marvel comic. DP.7. Will DID ref. Antibody, is a medical resident who can project from his body a dark figure of himself (also called an "antibody", a word play on the medical term) that flies, can become intangible, and transfer its memories to another person by physical contact (mindflayer). He later merges with the antibody. like how susie refs ‘wizard of earthsea’ -the novel where the young wizard Ged releases a shadow monster (said to be an ancient evil) but it turns out to be the dark aspects of his personality and the only way for the chaos to stop is to accept his darkness and merge as 1.

Barry bauman (Murray bauman) . marvel comics - Will did easteregg.Bauman lived in never ending darkness. He felt, that there was a realm outside the darkness and started to explore the entire content of his brain thus using now more than the usual 10 % .Also had telekinesis.He turned his attention to the stars in order to exact revenge on the human race which spends billions of dollars to kill each other, but wouldn't spend the mere million or so it would have cost to cure him. For his vengeance he transported the suns near our galaxy into his omnipotent brain. As the people of Earth would learn of the disappearing of the suns they would panic and feel Bauman's loneliness before he would destroy Earth.Despite the death of his physical body, Bauman's consciousness somehow survived and began hopping from body to body throughout the galaxy, his powers growing until the Star Thief was recognized as a major threat to galactic society.

Sinclair- last name of xmen rhaine. Will Did ref. storyline Rahne Sinclair is mentally bonded to Havok against her will(Will/mf).She is subsequently manipulated by the Shadow King. Her bond with Havok causes her to act irrationally, sometimes threatening teammates, sometimes by flirting with them. She undergoes more than one attempt to undo the bonding, with varying results. Her instability also manifests in many odd dreams, in which her identity is merged into pop culture figures. What’s funny is charlie heaton (jonathan byers) was just in an xmen movie with this Rhaine character.

Victor creel (s4)-sounds like mutant victor creed of the xmen comic. x men Mutant with ab*sive dad and poor socioeconomic background. He had a "birthday tradition" of ab*sing his young relatives on their birthdays. Which reminds me of Lonnie making jonathan cry for a week (because he forced him to k*ll a rabbit on his b-day). Not to mention Lonnie is prob coming back for Will’s b day in s4... so... the name is prob a ref to that ‘birthday tradition’. Could also be a stephen king reference -since Duffers love him. The Creel family was in sk’s book “pet cemetary’-which fun fact (the actress who plays El’s aunt is in the recent remake)!

Yuri (s4)-Yuri Topolov (Russian: Юрий Тополов) was a Soviet scientist and the first foe of the Hulk.

Dimitri (s4)-Dmitri Bukharin was born in Kuibyshev, Russia (some sources say Moscow). First appeared in Iron man.

Peter ballard ( s4 character) may just be a hellfire ref . since I guy with last name ballard was a double agent for the hellfire club (name of st s4 ep 1). And ballard means bald which the actor is certainly not lol. I don't think he's literally associated with hellfire but its just a ref. And because its implied in his st character summary despite working for the mental hospital-where brenner is most likely at- he's horrified by the treatment of the psych patients. So that may be where the double agent aspect would come into play.

Ian Hargrove (billy hargrove)- batman comics. had a history of mental health problems dating back to childhood, which his parents were unable to afford treatment for. His brother John hargrove tried to keep him out of trouble but Ian developed an uncanny talent for explosives (will the wise fire powers). He ends up at Archam asylum. Cough billy is Will's alter. Why he has the name billy (a nickname for William) . Jonathan in s2 mentions how he likes the writer vonnegut- who wrote slaughter house 5- the main character was Billy. Already mentioned how it connects to my did theory .

Jason carver (s4)- carver is the last name of the comic hero thunderbolt (in the flash)-the first name of thunderbolt is Will and his brother is named Lonnie. There was also a John carver in the comic.

Holland (barb's last name) last name of Swamp thing. I think its plot has quite a few s4/5 spoilers but Im not diving into it right now.

Names associated with religions or mythology

(if you’ve read my DID theory- some themes will appear relevant in relation WIll’s alters or to WIll’s past/tr*uma).

-‘Kali prasad".Kali is the name of a Hindu goddess . Kali’s iconography and mythology commonly associate her with death, violence, s*xuality, but also paradoxically -motherly love. In myths ‘she only k*lls demons’ and is described as ‘overflowing with incomprehensible love for her children’ - (aka ST’s Kali k*lling people from hawkins lab for hurting kids). Her third eye stands for wisdom (like Will the wise).Kali is called at times ‘ the bright fire of truth’ (will the wise/fire powers).The devotee makes her image in his heart and under her influence burns away all limitations and ignorance in the cremation fires. This inner cremation fire in the heart is the gyanagni (fire of knowledge), which kali bestows (cough Will the wise-fire powers). The goddess also could create a darkcloud of lightning (similar to the mf). The phrase “brilliant as a dark cloud” is a snippet of one such prayer dedicated to Kali.The name Kali is derived from the Hindu word that means “time”. Kali receives her name because she devours ‘kala’ (Time)- like clocks ticking when El sees demogorgan/clock being wonky when Will see mf/clocks in s4 promos.’ After devouring time she resumes her own dark formlessness. “This transformative effect can be metaphorically illustrated in the West as a black hole in space” (cough mf cough hopper blackhole/time refs). Kali’s s2 butterfly-“Kali is the Hindu goddess associated with eternal energy. ... The cocoon, butterfly and the karmic golden wheel reflect Her deep connection with life.”And Prasād (her last name) is a material substance that is a religious offering to gods in Hinduism .

-While, EL is the name of a Cannanite (male) god associated with “salt water “ (pool filled with salt in s1) who “dwelled in a tent” (in s1 Mike’s blanket fort) .And his gray-beard was described as " "full of wisdom.” él’ in Spanish means ‘he’- which could be a nod at her ( androgynous) presentation in s1. El can also be translated to "God" or 'god'. The el character has various mythologies depending on which culture/ religion is using the term 'el'. In the post-biblical period, "el" became a regular element in the names of angels such as "Gabri·el," "Micha·el," and "Azri·el," to denote their status as divine beings.And Jane translates to " Yahweh (god) is gracious/merciful". The cannanite god El was also dubbed “Compassionate God of Mercy.” Earlier, a ninth century B.C.E. inscription identifies Ēl- the name of the Babylonian water god Ea, lord of the watery subterranean abyss (cough watery dark void in st). Terry (el’s mom-aka Teressa) was originally used in the Middle Ages for a “child baptized in holy water” (El in the sensory water tank/Terry used it too,according to Becky in s1). Eleanor (called this in s1)- can mean "sun ray" (possible the opposite of the ‘shadow monster’ or Kali who can represent a “black hole”).

-Will-the s4 st movie lists (‘red dragon’, gods of monsters, & ‘blade runner’ ) mention the artist and writer William Blake (specifically his painting of the angel michael fighting a dragon in revelations - reffed in st s1). He was one of many painters part of the exhibition of “ The World Turned Upside Down: Apocalyptic Imagery.”The World Turned Upside Down explores the myriad ways that artists in England visualized the apocalypse in a period fraught with political, religious, economic, and cultural change.

During this period Blake was commissioned to create over a hundred paintings intended to illustrate books of the Bible along with revelations . He also drew illustrations for the novel Dante’s inferno. Blake’s brutally satirizes oppressive authority in church and state.He said those who proclaim restrictive moral rules and oppressive laws as “goodness” are in themselves evil. Hence to counteract this repression, Blake announces that he is of the “Devil’s Party” (cough hellfire club ref-and dissing the satanic panic of the hellfire club and other marginilised groups) . He also says “men forgot that All deities reside in the human breast.” So Instead of looking for God on remote altars, Blake warns, man should look within.He produced a diverse and symbolically rich œuvre, which embraced the “imagination as “the body of God.” He wrote his own stories based on biblical writings- one includes the fire wielding character of Los (will the wise) who represented jesus. Los (like jesus does in revelations) causes the destruction of the world and the second judgment unfolds. The poem ends with Los’s unfallen state rising up and shepherding in science and removing the dark religions. I also talked about how this story ‘book of los’ hints at the DID theory-but this is getting long-so you can just read the explanation here if interested. Also, hellooo Both names are William B(yers/lake). Billy (a alter of Will-sharing the name William) in s3 he even wore “lady of pillar” medallion- i.e about jesus/mary.

JOHN (supposedly Jesus’ blood relative- who wrote ‘revelations’.) In scripture John was called “the disciple whom Jesus loved as a brother” .Fire is the most typical element associated with the Saint John's Eve celebration (Jonathan did light the demogorgan on fire). Many scholars consider John & Jesus ("apocalyptic prophets"). Jonathan itself translates to " yahweh (god ) has given" in Hebrew.

Michael- Similar to kali, he’s a religious figure known for killing demons. He’s the arch-angel from the book of revelations (Apocalypse). A evil Beast (with seven heads usually translated to ‘satan’ or ‘dragon’) appears .“it was a 7″ causes Will to be attacked by the demogorgan ( which in d&d is a demon with multiple heads). The Archangel MICHAEL fought and defeated this 7 headed beast/satan. Corresponding with Mike at the end of s1 writing a fictional d&d story for Will (based off defeating the demogorgan) which was about helping kill a 7 HEADED MONSTER! Michael is also the archangel who oversees on Earth the natural element of fire (Mike telling Will the wise to use ‘fireball’ to defeat this same 7 headed monster in the game, at the end of s1)! Ironically though Jesus /Christian god is also associated with 7s a lot (he has 7 angels and during the apocalypse causes 7 plagues , he has 7 candles etc .)cause the number seven, represented ‘perfection’ according to ancient numerology . Will’s b day is March 22- (3) +2+2 =7 (“it was a 7”). Will’s bday even falls in what christians call “the holy week”( the week immediately preceding Easter.) At the end of s1 they even defeat this 7 headed monster because Will rolls a 14 (which can be broken down into two 7s). Michael & William also have 7 letters in each of their names respectively- equating to this 14. This dragon biblical story (of Michael) is also William blake’s most popular painting. Also, random fact in revelations god has a rainbow throne (with thunder /lightning -will the wise powers- coming from the throne, and seven lit torches next to it ) . He also wears a rainbow halo. Lol. Michael also roughly translates to ( 'Who like el?' The answer being roughly translated to ' no one like el' ... which i mean literally is saying there is no one similar to her. But I still think its a linguistic pun/ burn that Mike is not actually into El romantically).

Jim (James) hopper- According to the s3 script Hopper’s real name is James. JAMES (JIM) was an apostle to jesus- brother of john. And in the bible was called a ’son of thunder ’. Will’s powers/ hopper being an alter of Will's so technically brother of jonathan and thunder powers. Not to mention David on Instagram saying hopper has " he has risen. like bread" is a Jesus ref to 'he has risen"... even the bread ref could be a catholic ref to the last supper.

Martin Brenner/marsha holland- have their first name reference the roman god Mars who was originally a ‘thunder or storm deity’ (will the wise/mf powers). EL (in cannanite mythology) also allowed Baal the storm god to rule the entire earth.

ROBIN- was the God of Thunder’s- Thor’s- favorite bird. And Dustin also means ‘Thor’s stone.’The red belly robin is also an important bird in Christianity. Legend has it that the robin got its red belly from a fire in which it was trying to protect Jesus. Robin also name drops the greek god prometheus- the god of fire (will the wise) who brought human beings life and knowledge. And Steve looks at Robin and says "let there be light" a biblical passage. The robin represents selflessness for a higher truth.

Barb- Saint BARBara- dad kept her locked away from the outside world (like el/brenner) . He tried to k*ll her when he learned she didn’t believe in his religion- so the dad was punished by “god” who electrocuted him with lightning/lit him on fire. (Will the wise powers).

Nancy- is derived from a medieval diminutive of Annis, an English form of Agnes. There’s the christian saint Agnes- who was beautiful and from a wealthy family. She was the Christian saint of girls and v*rginity . And the duffers subverted this along with the problematic horror movie trope of the ' v*rgin female heroine surviving while her more se*ually liberated female friends are punished by the villain' ( by having her survive specifically because she decided to have s*x).Agnes was also led out and bound to a stake, but (allegedly) the bundle of wood would not burn, or the flames parted away from her (will the wise fire powers). Also people claimed that any man who tried to r*pe her was struck blind.

Hopper's wife’s name -Dianne- is also the roman goddess of ,nature, hunting and wild animals( and greek equivalent to Artemis) .Becky means ‘snare’ -for hunting animals .Teressa (Terry) means ' huntress'. The name was originally used in the Middle Ages for a child baptized in holy water . Name of 2 saints-Teresa of Avila and Therese of Lisieux. Lonnie’s gf (Cynthia) was originally an epithet of the Greek goddess Artemis, as well.

Power couple Angela & jake (s4) - Angela means 'messenger of God". And Jake (also means ”supplanter”) is derived from jacob. Jacob was the son of Isaac and Rebecca in genesis. El’s aunt,Becky (Rebecca) is wife of isaac.Other theories claim that Jacob is in fact derived from a hypothetical name like יַעֲקֹבְאֵל (Ya'aqov'el) meaning "may God protect".The name jacob is also where the names James/jim is derived from.

couple Steve spies on in s3- Anna Jacobi & Mark Lewinsky. Anna ( name of the mother of the Virgin Mary) Jacobi ("he who supplants"-aka same meaning as jim since both names are derived from jacob). Mark (”the god mars”-same meaning as martin brenner) .Lewinsky (lion-same name meaning as Lonnie). Also derived from the Hebrew root לוי‎ (leví, “priest”)

Joyce means "lord". Could also be a ref to the ('unofficial') saint Joyce who gave up wealth to live in poverty.

Ted-is the short form of the names Theodore and Edward. Theodore is a Greek name meaning "gift of God", Edward has an English origin and means "wealthy guard." Eddie (from s4) also means ‘wealthy guard”

Holly (nancy and Mike's sis)- Holly meanings are 'One who is pious' or 'sacred'

Karen- can be short for Katherine-one of the first christian saints.”Saint Katherine of the Wheel “(er). A 4th century martyr who suffered t*rture on a spiked wheel. Wheeler does mean ‘occupational name for a maker of wheels’ after all.

Gospel of LUKE (lucas?) , or simply Luke, tells of the origins, birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.

Sinclair- Catholic saint of computers and TV screens (i mean... he is in the av club).

MAXimilian was deemed a saint in the 1980s- saint of journalists and radios. (Both aspects of s3)

Saint stephen/steven ( STEVE)-an early disciple and deacon . Considered one of the first m*rtyrs of the church.Stephen is first mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as one of seven deacons appointed by the Apostles to distribute food (lol icecream) .According to Orthodox belief, he was the eldest and is therefore called “archdeacon”.

Sara- Her name is a feminine form of sar (Hebrew: שַׂר‎), meaning “chieftain” or “prince." She was the wife and sister of Abraham (ew -given her being an alter of Will though, such a name doesn’t surprise me). Similar to st Barabara’s dad - Abraham tried to k*ll his son isaac in the name of god. Becky (El's aunt) - is derived from Rebecca - wife of Isaac.

Claudia (Dustin's mom)- Christian woman of Rome greeted by Paul in his second letter to Timothy (in the bible).

Sam mayfield (max's dad) - Short for Samuel or Samantha, from the Biblical name Shemu'el, which means "God has heard", from the Hebrew shama, meaning "heard" and el, meaning "God". Samuel is rumored to be argyle first name.

Marsha Kelly (s4)- Kelly means "frequents churches" or " bright headed". Given she's a counselor the bright headed pun makes sense. But maybe she's not to be trusted if she frequents churches during a satanic panic arc which was fueled by Christian religious extremism . Or she's someone who contrasts the rest of the religious people in town since she's not originally from hawkins...who knows. x files’ main character was catholic but in one ep she criticized a small town for the satanic panic occurring-and says how accusing these kids who listen to rock as satanic or being k*llers is ludicrous.

Peter ballard (s4) - Peter was also the name of an apostle.

Tina (side character s2)- like christy (s4) it’s short for Christina which translates to "follower of christ" or 'stream'. Tina was the gal who hosted the t halloween party and also the name of one of Erica’s friends in s3.

Samantha (goth girl jonathan talks to in s2 party) translates to "told by god".

Tommy (s1-2) "God's gift" or "twin".Thomas is the Greek variation of the Aramaic name Ta’oma’. It came about because there were too many apostles named Judas; Jesus renamed one Thomas—meaning "twin"—to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot and the Judas also known as Thaddeus.

carol (tommy’s gf)- Carol is the short form of Caroline and the meaning is derived from the English vocabulary word for “song” or “hymn". A hymn being a religious song or poem.

Benny ( who helped El at his dinner) - originally derived from latin bennedictus which means "blessed"

Stacey (s2-3 ) rejected dustin at dance. Stacey- "resurrection "

Grigori (the guy following and tracking hopper, Joyce, and alexi)- The name was adopted by early Christians heedful of the Biblical passage located in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober-minded; be watchful."grigory now means 'watchful and vigalent'

Alexi- prob based on the russian folklore story of alexy. A clever priest's son who tricks a dragon.

Harrington- similar to Robin's religious animal iconography. Harrington means 'he goat'.The most popular image of the Satanic goat dates back to the ever-mysterious Knights of Templar, who were accused of worshipping an idol known as Baphomet (a 1/2 human 1/2 goat man). Roman Catholic society decried it as a demon that demanded human sacrifice — but it would take a few more centuries before the goat became a truly occult symbol.Anton Lavey adopted Baphomet as the sigil of the Church of Satan in 1966, and it has appeared on countless metal album covers. But, Baphomet isn't the lone source of inspiration for our goat-like depictions of Satan.it's also believed that early Christians, seeking to demonize preexisting Pagan traditions, drew comparisons between the Devil and the Greek god Pan (god of nature), who happened to resemble a goat.Some cited how in revelations- during the apocalypse- Jesus separates the 'lambs from the goats'. ( supposedly Good vs bad)

Given the fact s3 alluded to the satanic panic. A Christian movement in the 80s that demonized and said d&d ,rock music, homosexuality, other religions, stephen King,horror films, wearing black,and non conservative ideology were 'satanic.' I wouldn't be surprised by this possible ref. Heck even William Blake criticized similar religious movements in his own time period. Several movies from the s4 list allude to this. The most obvious being the documentary paradise lost (named after the fictional retelling of satan/adam and eve story) - the documentary directly focuses on a witch hunt of rock loving teens (wrongfully accused of m*rders) in a small town during the satanic panic. Not to mention ironically s4 is hinted to be around easter. So Using such symbolism to address religious fundamentalism and the bigotry/hysteria it can cause isn't surprising. No i’m not lumping all religious people into this negative category- obviously.

Other Names with similar definitions

*Hunting /forests woods, nature, animals

Hunters and people in forrests

name meaning : becky - snare (a trap for catching birds or animals). Teressa-huntress. Dianne/Cynthia (Hopper’s ex wife/Lonnie’s gf) - is a roman/greek goddess of hunting and wild animals. Rhadaghast- Will's password for cb is a lothr wizard who protects forests/wildlife.martin/marsha- previously god of agriculture/plants.As an agricultural guardian, he was believed to directed his energies toward creating conditions that allow crops to grow, which may include warding off hostile forces of nature (pumpkins rotting in s2). El in phoenician culture was called Elus and its Greek equivalent Cronus (god of agriculture) steve- he goat- associated with pan- god of fields, groves, wooded glens . brenner- ‘someone who cleared forests by burning’. the blond women, Brenner worked with, Fraizer- “of the forrest men”

* FUN FACT: Kali’s name originally was going to be ‘Roman’ (which is derived from Romulus-the son of Mars... aka Martin Brenner) .

Trees

Ives and owens- ives means 'yew wood' while Owen means 'yew tree. ' bauman- nickname for someone who lived near a tree.comes from the German word "baum," or "boum" in Middle High and Old German, meaning "tree’. Jennifer hayes- Jennifer derived from Old English words "jenefer", "genefer" and "jinifer", all of which were variants of Juniper used to describe the juniper tree.Lonnie means "oak tree; or lion". Lion plushie in cb and the lion el has along with the tree establishes a connection between all 3 maybe? Oak groves were especially sacred to the goddess dianna too. Buckley (it has many different translations) - Old English "boch ley" (with boch meaning beech tree and ley meaning wood, glade or clearing).

Nature

buckley if translated from "bok lee," means meadow, or field. mayfield- open country (field) where madder (mæddre) grows. Holland- wood land, Bruce (who was also possessed) - means WILLow lands . Keith (s2-3) : woods or forrest.Hargrove- meadow filled with rabbits (Jonathan’s hunting story).Holloway is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, or type of tree. Tina means 'river' . Burness (guy who claimed he jumped into quarry)-stream. Neil- cloud. Lowe (Bruce's last name)-This surname is derived from a geographical locality 'at the low,' i.e. the hill. Hayes means "hedged area'.

Flowers

Flo (hopper's secretary)- means flower. Suzie- lily flower. Susan (Max’s mom)- means lily, lotus flower or rose. Karen (in Japanese can mean)- flower, lotus, or water lily. Heather is also a variety of small shrubs with pink or white flowers which commonly grow in rocky areas. Erica is a type of "heather" plant. martin/marsha: in the legend of Mars,his mother become pregnant with him using a magic flower- which was given to her by the goddess flora.

Bright (aka intelligent)

Bob- nickname of Robert . Both Bob and Robert mean 'bright, shinning or fame'. Aka smart -he's called ' Bob the brain ' for a reason.

Robin- is also diminutive of Robert . And we all know robin is smart too. Being multilingual/ cracking the code.Robin (like Robert) also means 'bright, shining , or fame.'

Lucas- means "bright" or "shinning" aka he's also a smart cookie. His firework plan saving the day.

Lonnie and Larry (the mayor) can both be nicknames for Lawrence which also means ' bright one' or 'shinning one'. Well... both are cunning I'll give them that. Lonnie is unfortunately ...smart. I think this detail had other foreshadowing. Joyce to Will about Will the wise ' if he's so wise why does he need the fireballs? can't he just outsmart the bad guys? " Will: " yeah. Usually. BUT sometimes the bad guys are smart too." I never understood why on earth Joyce would be with someone as awful as Lonnie in the first place- than be with his literal opposite Bob- but maybe she just found intelligence attractive?

Names associated with thunder/lightning/fire (Like Will/mf/Will the wise)

Byers-reprsents Greek Zeus (god of thunder/lightning). Martin - references the roman god Mars who was originally a ‘thunder or storm deity’ .ROBIN- was the German God of Thunder’s- Thor’s- favorite bird. And Dustin also means ‘Thor’s stone.’Jim- “son of thunder”. Christian god- has throne (surrounded by thunder /lightning). Kali- could summon thunder storms.Nancy/Barb-both saints associated with fire. Kali-is called at times ‘ the bright fire of truth’ /and bestows the fire of knowledge. Robin also name drops the greek god prometheus- the god of fire. Mars -the keeper of Rome's perpetual flame . The Robin bird in a Christian story myth protects Jesus from hell's fire. William Blake- wrote about a fire wielding character of Los who represented jesus. Jesus during end times wields fire. Michael is the archangel who oversees on Earth the natural element of fire. Fire is the most typical element associated with the Saint John's Eve celebration (Saint John- called Jesus’s brother).

Animals (and their symbolism)

Byers- means ‘ cattle shed’.The Greeks considered the bull animal totem to be a symbol of Zeus (god of thunder and lighting - will the wise powers). He is the head of the gods and the almighty ruler of Olympus. I”n hinduism, Shiva is known as Gorakhnath, means the lord of the cows. And is also known as, Pasupathinath, the lord of all animals (similar to Rhadaghast). According to some scholars, Shiva’s association with cows and bulls might date back to the Indus Valley period. Cows have a special significance in Hinduism, as aspects of Mother Goddess and as symbols of selfless service. Mahatma Gandhi declared the protection of cows a central feature of Hinduism.Hindus worship cows as the Mother Goddess and symbol of motherhood, kindness and forbearance.”

Tigers: (Sarah’s plushie/ Hawkin’s macott/ Will & Mike have tiger posters in their rooms): The goddess Kali & God Shiva wore a tiger skin (this fact was actually mentioned by Kali in the prequel novel ‘suspicious minds’ ).”In many tribal traditions of India, the tiger (or lion) is worshipped as a god. In some Hindu hymns the domestic fires are compared to the tigers that guard the house.Tigers also figure prominently in many Indian folk-tales, Jataka-stories, and the Panchatantra.”

Lions:(Lonnie means ‘lion’ and el and Will have matching lion plushies)- In the Bible, the lion has two opposite meanings: it is compared to the Devil (1 Pet 5:8) and to Christ (Rev 5:5). Aka: Lonnie is the devil. The kids are the opposite. Nancy also compares the demogorgan to a lion. “In many tribal traditions of India, the lion is worshipped as a god.One of the ten incarnations of Vishnu is Narasimha, who has the head and shoulders of a lion, but the torso of a human.Goddess Durga, a fierce form of Parvathi or Shakti, has a golden lion as her vehicle, while Rahu, a planetary guard, rides upon a black lion as his vehicle.Lions form an important part of Hindu religious art. The face of the lion (simha-mukha) is used in images and sculpture in many Hindu temples to decorate the doors, walls, arches, and windows.The memorial pillar at Saranath contains four beautifully carved standing lions at the top on a round abacus representing the imperial power. They now constitute the official emblem of the government of India.”

El almost k*lling a cat- “Some superstitious beliefs are also associated with cats in Hinduism. For example, killing a cat is considered a grave sin, for which one may have to offer prayers and give in charity at least seven golden images of the killed cat. “

Harrington- he goat. Buckley- has various translations. Anglo-Saxon: ‘bucc and leah’ meaning goat and wood respectively. And obviously there’s the robin-bird. And I've already discussed their symbolism. Goat= baphomet/pan.

Robin- thor's fav bird/ helped Jesus from hell's fire.

Buckley- can also translate to " field filled with deer" (like the deer attacked by the demogrogan or the bambi film jon reffed in relation to the hunting story about lonnie).And Karen ( when from it’s Hebrew origins) can mean- antler or horn. Also the caananite God el was usually depicted with animal horns on his head.Diana in Roman art usually is accompanied by a hound (demo dog) or deer. Because of the story of her turning an attempted r*pist-hunter into a deer/ and then causing dogs to attack him. Deer is also one of the symbolic animals accepted since early Christianity as an allegory of Jesus Christ and the Christian Disciple. And when associated with Shiva (kali's husband) in Hindu iconography, the deer omen denotes sovereignty over nature and symbolizes the lord of all animals, humans, and the King of the Forest. In many visual and written illustrations, human beings and deer appear as close companions and in some cases, humans adopt the face or antlers of a deer, in images more common in stories of human strife. Deer also have a supernatural significance and appear as apparitions of divinity and in legends of spiritual awakening.

Hargrove- meadow filled with rabbits (like the rabbit lonnie made jonathan k*ll.) Hopper sounds like thumper the rabbit- which jonathan mentions in relation to bunnies . And ... idk... Hopper did make that pun in s3 about bunnies to Larry (lawerence) ? We also have rabbit refs elsewhere like with- el in Benny's. They play the song 'white rabbit' a song referencing Alice in wonderland and in el's room at Terry's house is the white rabbit from that story. Also paralleling to jonathan- el was almost made to k*ll a cat by her father (Cheshire cat aka Alice in wonderland ref + cats are associated with magic powers/witch craft).In Celtic folklore, the rabbit is seen as a supernatural being from the Otherworld.The rabbit symbolism in Christianity has found its way through the Germanic deity Eostre from which the name Easter came to be (s4 will most likely have the Easter holliday).One tale describes the rabbit as the pet of Jesus Christ. And rabbits were often inserted into art of jesus' mother .

Creel- basket or container of fish.fish is taken as symbolizing Christ’s faith, charity, and abundance. A biblical story goes how Christ fed his disciples with 2 fishes and called them “fishers of men.” The Christians made an acrostic from the Greek word for fish, “ichthys” as early as the first century and it is, “Iesous Christos Theou Yios Soter”, meaning Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.

Names hinting at character traits (which are very literal)

Mr clarke (science teacher)- clarke means 'scholar'

Dottie (in kali's gang)- she was in an insane asylum . And ‘Dotty’ is a very old British slang term for 'crazy'

War (usually relates to ‘villains’)

Troy- means ' foot soldier'. Martin brenner: Martin means 'war like'. Lonnie is diminutive of Alonzo or Lawrence. Alonzo means 'ready for battle'.

In contrast to Lonnie, Will can mean "desiring peace. " Axel who is part of Kali’s crew (who i think Will created along with others ) even means "father is peace."

Twin

Tom (Heather's dad) and Tommy mean ‘twin’. Robin's crush Tammy ('twin') Thompson ( 'son of tom’).

* Besides similar/identical name meanings.There’s also a lot of other repeated names that go into this whole twin/mirror imagery which i find strange... makes me wonder about @strangertheory ‘s version of the did theory. If not...maybe it’s just a allusion to the whole Will vs Will the wise arc (possibly) coming up?

Jennifer hayes (popular girl) & Jen (Mr clarke’s gf). Tina (highschool gal) & Tina- erica’s friend- Tina & christy are also nicknames of christina (s4 character). Susie (dustin’s gf) & susan (max’s mom). Sam (max’s dad) and Samantha (girl at party)/ samuel (possibly argyle). Billy Hargrove, Bill (dianne’s new huband), and Will-all being nicknames for William. Robin & Bob-nicknames for Robert. Lonnie & Larry-nicknames for Lawerence. Ted & Eddie being nicknames for Edward.James (Will’s bully), Jim Hopper (real name James), jacobi, and jason- all 4 are derived from jacob . Marsha Holland (barb’s mom) and marsha kelly (therapist s4)/martin relate to mars. Tom (reporter), tommy (highschooler), thompson (other highschooler).

it’s definitely peculiar to repeat names like this in a story. Unless it means ...something... I talked about how David was mentioning alot of doppelganger/twin imagery recently-here. So the name mirroring could just be an allusion to the Will/WW arc coming up ...possibly?

#will byers #mike wheeler #el hopper #nancy wheeler #jonathan byers #jim hopper #steve harrington #lucas sinclair #max mayfield #murray bauman #robin buckley #byler #kali prasad #martin brenner #lonnie byers #stranger things #stranger things theory #billy hargrove

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coffeeandcalligraphy · 3 years

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A chatty writing update | novels, short fiction, etc!

Hi folks!

It’s been a while since I last wrote an update on this blog! I thought it’d be fun to go back to basics, and just talk about writing. This post chats about: new plans for Feeding Habits, my newest novel, my short story goals & growing collection, along with process reflections.

(image description: a photo of green leaves with the text “writing update” in a white font written on top. /end image description)

Post starts under the cut!

General taglist (please ask to be added or removed)

@if-one-of-us-falls, @qatarcookie, @chloeswords, @alicewestwater, @laughtracksonata, @shylawrites, @ev–writes, @jaydewritesfiction, @jennawritesstories @eowynandfaramir, @august-iswriting, @aetherwrites, @avakrahn, @maisulli

What have I been up to?

For starters, I finished my second year of my Writing undergrad last week and got two of my final grades back today (A+ baby)! For anyone who has taken online university, y’all already KNOW, but this year was so difficult. Would not recommend! Really proud of myself to have gotten through this absolute rollercoaster of a school term and am excited to get into some writing. That leads us to:

What have I been up to (writing edition)?

2021 started off so fast. By the time January hit, I was so consumed in my new semester that I did not have time to write Feeding Habits (my novel). In the first few days of the term, I managed to write between class, until I could no longer keep up! Essentially, I did not write any of that novel until exam season (last week), where I did manage to get in about 3k words in ~4 days.

Feeding Habits

I’m currently drafting what I believe will be the last chapter of this book (chapter 10: Swan Song). This chapter is so bizarre for a few reasons. It begins the book’s third part and also marks the shift back into Lonan’s head from Harrison’s. I originally thought this part would be much, much longer, with at least another five chapters to go, but quickly realized the book’s content was nearly completed. In my 4 day 3k palooza, I hit 50k in the book (the word count goal), and couldn’t see myself extending past 60k. Since then, I’ve made the loose decision to write this final chapter as a ~novella. Here are a few reasons why:

1. This chapter is structurally very strange.

I unashamedly shift from present to past to present to past past, and so much more every 12 words. I mapped out the timeline on a sheet of paper, and there were over 20 shifts in scenes (the chapter is only about 4400 words at the moment). The fictive past is incredibly important to this chapter, more important than the present, and I thought it would make more sense to not break randomly for a chapter so I could upkeep the consistent inconsistency of the chapter.

2. The chapter is very abstract

This stems from the structural changes, but there are paragraphs in this chapter of the fictive present that are loosely based in reality. They’re more poems than they are factual paragraphs, and keeping them all contained in one place (so a mega chapter/ novella) would reduce the most confusion!

3. There’s not much left to cover

Like I said above, Feeding Habits is on its last leg, lol! I know exactly where the book needs to end up, which is very, very soon from where I’m currently at on the timeline. Swan Song should cover what 2-4 chapters would cover in terms of arcs.

Feeding Habits and I have a really weird relationship, tbh! When I realized a few weeks ago that it’d been over a year since I started the book, I realized I just needed to finish it. Not that I want to rush (because I’ve taken longer than a year to write a book in the past), but that in order to move onto another project, I’d like to put this one behind first. This book has been the hardest thing I’ve ever written, and has reminded me there’s always a time to let go. This sort of scrounges up a conversation about letting this entire series go, which is certainly something I’ve been contemplating doing soon(ish). If this spinoff series gets a third book, that may or may not be the last Fostered book for a very long time (or ever)! There are many complex reasons to move on, but the main one is that I have other projects I’d like to focus on. This is not a definitive decision, but something I’ve certainly been thinking about!

Here are a few excerpts I wrote recently:

(TW: death, gore)

Dying feels like being a trout dangled out of water. Clinging to a hook. Mouth open. Scales iridescent in a final death cry. It’s like blood spurting up the knuckles, drowning out the flesh. It’s that moment on the long fall down when the clouds cup the body. Easy drifting. The sound a skull makes when it cracks is really just the afterthought.

(TW: death, gore)

Kill shot. Death blow. Coup de grace. Right in the heart. He feels it. The blood swelling, slicking his palms. He can do it. Reach into the cavity. Feel for the ribs. Part each bone. Then cup the humming heart. Stay there. Right. It’s never been easier.

Look at this PURE moment of Lonan holding a baby I CANNOT:

The grocery store was a fifteen-minute walk away. With Olivia clinging to his shoulder, Lonan was acutely aware that she could feel his heartbeat. Open valve. Close. Repeat. Hers pulsed right above his, a miniature drumming. The sky had bruised purple, misted with clouds. The evening air nipped his cheeks, so he made sure Olivia was securely fastened between him and his jacket. With wide eyes, she absorbed the drowsy suburbia, all its family cars pulling into driveways, all its couples heading back home after a sunset walk. When Lonan passed a young boy walking two golden retrievers, Olivia giggled, and didn’t stop, even after he’d spent fifty dollars on groceries and nearly the rest on a red Corolla marked with a MUST GO NOW sign outside a convenience store.

Let’s move on!

Mandy and Cora

I said I wouldn’t talk too much about this project, but I just love it so much?? I wanted to share my SUPER early thoughts on drafting a novel, especially one that is SO different from what I’ve been writing recently. I talked about this before in THIS post, but the summary about this project is that it’s a YA contemporary novel! Can’t believe I’m writing YA again, it’s been so long, but I also think it’s going so well. Everything I’ve learned as a literary fiction writer has been a fantastic primer for transferring back to the genre. Admittedly, I have not written much, but I’m having a lot of fun diving back into a lighter project. This is the summary:

Cora and Mandy are identical twins who’ve always done everything together. But when Mandy decides to go to university out of province after graduation and Cora doesn’t, Cora takes this as an opportunity to “test run” life apart from her sister for the first time by spending the summer at her aunt’s house across the country.

I have come up with a few ~things since I last talked about this project, mostly how I’d like to structure it. As of now, I’d like the book to be structured super loosely. I’m really pulling on a lot of inspo from “We Are Okay” by Nina LaCour (which is SO good), particularly how “nothing happens-y” that book is. This project (which I still need a title for!!) will be structured in short chapters that cover something Cora does on her own for the first time (without Mandy). For example, a few ideas are “Flight”, “Lunch”, and “Groceries”. “Flight” is the first “chapter” (they’re really kind of vignettes) where Cora flies to her aunt’s house. I still can’t determine if this book will take place in Canada. On one hand, I feel like there will be a wider audience if it takes place in the US (is that just an assumption??? maybe?? someone let me know!), but also: don’t really care too much about an audience at the moment! It could also take place in Canada (So Ontario and British Columbia). But if it does take place in the US, I think it may take place in NYC and San Francisco. The problem is: I really don’t like researching lol, and while I’ve been to NYC many times, I will definitely write it wrong! Does this really matter on a first draft?? absolutely not lol, but of course I am already overthinking!

But back to structure: I am looking forward to seeing what this looser structure will do. This is a story that is solely around one half of a set of twins learning to be her own person (and ultimately that she doesn’t have to completely forget her sister in order to do that), and as a twin who KNOWS this feeling, I think this structure of her doing things for the first time is SUPER relatable.

I was worried it might sound silly/worrying to others who are not twins that Cora hadn’t done things like “lunch” or “groceries” on her own, but I feel this so much as an identical twin myself! Not that she hasn’t done anything at all by herself, but as a twin, when you do something without your twin for the first few times, at least in my experience, you notice. If any twins are reading this--weigh in!

This story is the most personal thing I’ve ever written. It definitely is an OwnVoices book! Usually, I avoid details that are remotely similar to me because they make me uncomfortable haha, but with this book, it’s all me, lol! The characters are all Guyanese, which is SO fun because I’ve been planning what they eat (my fellow Caribbean peeps know: the FOOD!), which is so fun (yes they have pumpkin and shrimp, yes they have roti, yes they have pera, yes they have mithai). Every time I’ve gone to dabble at this book, or even think about it, I get incredibly emotional for this reason? I don’t exactly know why. I think this is a story I just so want to tell, with the culture I love SO much that I definitely struggled to love as a child. This is reclamation bitchessss!

Not going to lie tho: the prospect of writing ~a book~ is kind of freaky! I’m going to make the minimum word count for this book pretty short (50k) and see where it goes from there. I think I will focus on this project this summer! Originally I was going to write a literary novel this summer, but I think this one’s calling my name!

Here’s a pretty rough excerpt:

Try. I remind myself that’s what I’m doing after the flight attendant fills me a disposable cup of Coca Cola and all I can think of is Mandy and I shoving Mentos into a bottle of the stuff when we were twelve. Just me, wedged in the middle seat between an exchange student heading out for summer break and a middle-aged woman sipping a cocktail, thinking of Mandy and I bursting whole oranges in a blender when we were bored one Winter break as the plane dips through a wave of turbulence. Mandy and I dying our hair neon green with highlighters (didn’t work—our hair is too dark) as the plane lands on the tarmac. Mandy and I arguing so loud last month, we both lost our voices as I lug my carry-on out of the overhead compartment and shuffle off the plane and through the airport, searching for Aunt Vel.

Short Fiction

I’ve written so much short fiction this year! I have a goal to write a short story a month (they can range in length, as long as 1 is “complete”), so my short story brain has seriously been soaking it all up lately. Let’s chat my month to month breakdown so far:

January:

I wrote four stories in January! The first is a flash fiction piece called “Shark Swimming” that follows a young woman who attends a shark swimming class after breaking up with her girlfriend. I wrote this story for a “test” workshop for my fiction class, and it was based off the prompt “think about something you’re afraid to do and make the character do that thing”. I’m not particularly afraid of sharks, but had been wanting to use the title “Shark Swimming” for AGES (literally since 2018).

This story is one of my favourites. It’s only about 900 words, but I think there’s something profound in how mundanely specific it is. The entire story doesn’t even see the narrator swim with sharks once; it actually takes place fully in the sanctuary’s lobby. But I really love this narrator. This is the first story I’ve written in second person in a while, though I felt really connected to the unnamed narrator. She struggles with accepting that she truly is a “boring” person, and there’s something about the final image that really gets me!

I’ve been submitting this around, though it’s been rejected a handful of times. Hoping I can secure it at a magazine one day because I really love it!

The second story is “Joanne, I’ll Pray for You” which is actually a rewrite of one of my very first short stories (the first story I did not write for a class haha), “NYC in Your Apartment”. I LOVE this rewrite a lot, and also learned the original is not a very good short story! Revising this story taught me just how much I’ve learned in the 2 years I’ve been writing short fiction. Seeing the 2019 version versus the 2021 version side by side is fascinating because I essentially “gutted’ the 2019 version of its beginning and end until all that was left was the middle of the story (aka the actual story). AKA: this is the only story I’ve ever written with a hopeful ending and I cut out all the happy bits lol I am SO sorry (that arc is more for a novel or novella). That’s how this went from a 5k word story to an 1800 word story (my Submittable thanks me for this lol). A lot of details and scenes I included were more pertinent to a 3 act structure/novel, which of course short stories don’t often have because of their brevity. I love rambling about writing theory, and seeing that actually pay off is so fascinating!

(TW: trauma)

Like the original, this story follows Joanne, a woman in her early twenties, who spontaneously breaks up with her boyfriend. She claims the poltergeist haunting her drove her to this decision. The original draft focused a lot more on the traumatic events Joanne survives, but this draft really loosens them up. It focuses less so on the events themselves, and more on how Joanne’s life is affected. I found the details of these events were less important, and even sort of contradicted Joanne’s insistence she is being haunted. Instead, the poltergeist really takes more precedence in the new draft as a force Joanne doesn’t understand. That ambiguity, I think, is what the story truly needed.

I also centralized Joanne’s relationship with her boyfriend, Julian, here. Now don’t get me wrong, I really didn’t add anything to this draft. It was a matter of trimming the fat around it to leave the lean “meat” in the centre. But by removing that fat, I was able to emphasize what was most important here, and that was her relationship. Julian always played a really big role in the original draft, but I feel like his role as both a friend and partner to Joanne is much more emphasized since this draft literally is only two scenes now. Because there is less, there is more room for Joanne to reflect, which I’m happy about!

A final change I made was the setting and therefore the title. The original, which was “NYC in Your Apartment,” I couldn’t keep because I shifted the setting to Toronto (this is how I originally saw it, but in 2019 I just?? couldn’t?? write?? canlit??), and “Toronto in Your Apartment” sounded sort of gross LOL. The new title comes from a line in the story which I think is more relevant to the themes!

The next short story I wrote in January was “How to Spell Alpaca.” This one is super fun because I wrote it SO fast (in about 15 minutes or so). THIS is the writing update if you’re interested in learning more. I talked extensively about this one in that update, but some developments are that I dove into an edit a few weeks ago to really understand the core of the story. I’m still not quite there (this is just an intuitive feeling; I know not everything has “clicked), but I am really intrigued by the two mothers in the story, the narrator, and her newfound acquaintance, Violet. Both really struggle to understand their place as mothers (the narrator even declares she isn’t a mother anymore). The narrator, who is in her 50s, sees herself in Violet, who is much younger (~20s), and so she views Violet’s relationship with her daughter in a cautionary, yet mournful way, like she can see it will end up like her own relationship with her daughter, despite wanting the opposite. This is a really subtle story. I feel like if you blink, you’ll miss the message. But I think it’s compelling for that reason. It’s really a portrait of parenting and how to grapple with mistakes you may make that inevitably affect your children. Wow just unlocked the theme writing this lol.

The final story I wrote in January is “The Party,” which may be in my top 3 faves I’ve ever written. This story follows Aida, a recent divorcee in her ~40s. The day her divorce turns official, she moves into a new house and receives a party invitation addressed to the previous homeowner, yet RSVP’s anyway. At this party, she’s hoping to find some sense of noticeability, having struggled with being nondescript her whole life. Things seem quite normal at the party, until it gets bizarre.

I LOVE this story, y’all. Like “How to Spell Alpaca” it really delves into motherhood. Aida, our narrator, is incredibly hurt after her divorce. She now lives farther from her children she struggled to feel connected to in the first place, and doesn’t really know how to reignite her life. This party is a means to do that. This is the first story I’ve written that contains a “twist” which is strange because I really prefer stories that give us as much info as possible upfront, but yes, this one sort of twists.

February

I wrote one story in February, and that was “Protect the Young.” This title is SO changing when I think of a new one because it’s thematically incorrect, haha, but this story follows a woman in her late 40s whose daughter, Lindy, announces she is married the same day all their backyard chickens turn up dead. The discovery of dead chickens prompts our narrator to recall her ex-husband’s murder and the role her daughter may have played in his death.

I love this story so much! I think this would make a great closing for my short story collection. It just has that vibe! I wrote this for my second fiction workshop. I thought I had to hand in the story a week earlier than I had to, so I panicked and wrote this in one sitting! Little did I know, I did not need to do that lol but I’m very happy because this story is so fun. We get to learn more about Arnold (her ex), his relationship with Lindy, and how that translates to Lindy’s relationship with her new husband, Malcolm. I LOVE true crime (I listen to about 3-4 hours of case coverage daily), and this is my first “true crime” story. Because of that, I’m very sus of a few details that probably wouldn’t slide in actual investigatory work, so I’ll also be working on that in a revision. My professor also gave me a great suggestion that may alter the story’s structure a bit, though I look forward to toggling with it in the future.

March

In March, I was really on a Criminal Minds kick lol. I’ve been watching this show since I was seven (oops), and dove into a rewatch since it hit Disney+! This story, “Where to Run When the Lamb Roars,” is very clearly Rachel watching 5 episodes of CM a day. Oops! We follow 14-year-old Astrid as she and her older half brother kidnap a young girl to sacrifice for their yearly ritual.

I knew a few things going into this story, but the main thing was that I did NOT want to show any details of a potential murder (if one even occurs). I really wanted to keep all of those elements off the page because this story is not about those events, but about Astrid’s relationship with her brother. They are a murderous duo, with Astrid actually being the dominant partner. I wanted to explore that. I knew her brother, Fox, was more of a submissive partner in their team, even when he used to do this same thing with his father when he was much younger (chilling!), and so it was a task to explore how this young girl’s desire for violence works. The end actually comes right before the story starts, one could say, but I like it for this reason. It really made me contemplate the story by the time I finished it, and helped me examine what it really was about versus what it appeared to be about.

April

(TW: sexual content, non explicit)

I was so busy this month! Who knows if I’ll write a story last minute, but I did write one story this month called “Five Times Fast.” I wrote this during a “writing sprint” that was being hosted at a flash fiction workshop I recently took with one of my favourite writers ever, K-Ming Chang. I learned so much from this class, and am so happy I came out of it with a draft! This story is just over 300 words, so the shortest flash I’ve ever written, but I’m really happy with it. It was based off the prompt “describe the last time you or your character was naked.” In this case, the narrator has a “friends with benefits” relationship with Ricky who works at a laundromat. This story highlights a moment in this relationship (and also Ricky’s goofy personality lol). I really like it! Hopefully I’ll submit it to some magazines soon.

My short story collection

Very briefly I wanted to touch on my short story collection which I’ve titled “She is Also Dead.” I’ve been meaning to make a blog post on this, so look out for that in the coming months, but this collection is already at around 35k words (about 14 stories so far). The collection also surprisingly has a solid amount of flash fiction which is kind of fun! There’s definitely a range here, which is what I personally love in short story collections.

I feel very professional now that I have a ~collection chart. This is her:

(image description: A chart with the title “She is Also Dead.” It is broken into four columns: Story, Status, Word Count, and Published. Entry 1 - Story: Slaughter the Animal. Status: Revisions, Word Count, 3982, Published: N/A. Entry 2 - Story: Joanne, I’ll Pray for You, Status: Polished, Word Count: 1809, Published: N/A. Entry 3 - Story: Primary Organs, Status: Published, Word Count: 2342, Published: The Malahat Review. Entry 4 - Story: Faberge, Status, Polished, Word Count: 619, Published: N/A. Entry 5 - Story: The Wolf-Antelope Will Not Come for Us, Status, Polished, Word Count: 1556, Published: filling Station (forthcoming). Entry 6 - Story: How to Spell Alpaca, Status: revisions, Word Count: 1327, Published: N/A. Entry 7 - Story: Blink Twice for Final Judgement, Status: Polished, Word Count: 6572, Published: N/A. Entry 8 - Story: The Species is Dead, Status: Published, Word Count: 1208, Published: Minola Review. Entry 9 - Story: Shark Swimming, Status: Polished, Word Count: 907, Published: N/A. Entry 10 - Story: The Party, Status, Polished, Word Count 2339, Published: N/A. Entry 11 - Story: Fig, Status: Polished, Word Counter: 947, Published: N/A. Entry 12 - Story: Protect the Young, Status: Revisions, Word Count: 4128, Published: N/A. Entry 13 - Story: Where to Run When the Lamb Roars, Status: Revisions, Word Count: 2174, Published: N/A. Entry 14 - Story: Phantom Limbs, Status: Revisions, Word Count: 4844, Published: N/A.) /end image description.

This order is DEFINITELY not permanent (at this point whenever I write a story, I just fit it randomly into this chart lol), and some of the info is outdated (for example, Slaughter the Animal is now polished!!! thank god!!!). But just an idea of what I’m thinking of including.

This is the summary so far:

In SHE IS ALSO DEAD, characters are pushed to act on their gravest impulses. A small town turns murderous when their local invasive species, the Janices, begin dying. A child struggles to understand her mother’s suicide. A college dropout who insists she’s being haunted by a poltergeist unexpectedly breaks up with her boyfriend. A mother acknowledges her daughter’s murderous tendencies after her backyard chickens mysteriously die. A young girl caters the funeral of a girl rumored to be killed by a wolf-antelope. A newly-divorced mother RSVP’s to a bizarre party she was not invited to, and a murderous brother and sister upkeep their yearly tradition of abducting a young girl. These stories follow characters who navigate death, violent desires, womanhood, and loss, both self-imposed and otherwise.

This is also so subject to change as I may pull and add stories to the collection!

I think I’m going to leave this update here for now! I’ve written TONS of poetry too, but I honestly ~hate my poetry right now lol, so! Hope you enjoyed this chill rambly update. Hope writing has going well for you all! All the best!

--Rachel

#writing #writeblr #writerblr #amwriting #writingupdates

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knullanon · 3 years

Note

Lex Luthor with 33?

before writing- oof vibes are only angst but i do have an idea (also yes im using Kit if u remember him then u deserve a veterans award for remembering my useless bitches i create while writing)

after writing- using my dads quotes that he told me at a young age is really making me cry but its for the plot. also poor kit. f in the chat everybody also got too invested in this so yes theres a bonus

ilomilo - billie eilish

the gala was the longest one you had been to yet. you were almost glad, however. it gave you more time to talk to kit.

kit was the nicest boy you’ve ever met. he was the one to give you a view on the outside world. he was the one to help you make new friends in your situations. he was the one to treat you like an actual human being.

and here he was, sitting with you and laughing on your phones about some meme you’ve seen. he was the one who you liked: like, really liked. had a crush on kind of liked.

it felt stupid. it even felt childish. you didn’t want to have these feelings. it made you feel like a child. you didn’t want to have these feelings so you wouldn’t be hurt. even if you knew most of his words weren’t true, lex had always warned you about boys at a young age. how did he put it?

“the only thing they will think about when they look at you is how they can improve their status or how they can manipulate you. do you understand me?”

he always made you promise that no, you weren’t going to get a boyfriend, or a girlfriend, for that matter. he said that the only thing that you would end up with is a broken heart and a messed up sense of trust. he said you would just be running from one person to another trying to gain love only to be dropped after they got what was needed out of you.

and even if you knew that his words were just to keep you with him, that doesn’t mean they just went out of your head. after you hear things for a while, they start to become real. you didn’t want to have lex tell you something along the lines of “i told you so”

however, whenever you were with kit, it felt like those worries weren’t even there. even if there was a nagging feeling about trusting him, you ignored it because of what kit gave you: freedom.

he wouldn’t only talk to you because you were _____ luthor, he wouldn’t only talk to you just because he wanted your money, or power, he wanted to talk to you because of you. he liked who you were as a person, not who you were as a child of a celebrity.

maybe that’s why you gained a crush on him. because he reminded you of before you met lex. maybe you just liked him as a person, like he did you.

“_____, did you see what happened last night?” kit had asked, still snickering from the news article he showed you. you laughed.

“oh, wow, what party did you attend to this time?”

“none, at all actually: the entire city was on lockdown.”

“really?” you asked, turning to him. “which villain caused a mass murder this time, then?”

kit shrugged. “not really a mass murder, more of a... robbery.”

you rolled your eyes. “really? a city lockdown because of a small robbery?”

“a small robbery from one of lexcorp’s own warehouses.”

that got your attention. “how much?”

“a small multi-million dollar heist-”

“oh, stop making fun of me, I didn’t know!”

“it was a small price to pay, apparently-”

“stop!” you playfully shoved him out of his seat, and he fell right on his ass. you gasped and when you saw that he wasn’t moving, you quickly got up and bent down to where he was sitting. “kit? goddamnit, kit-”

when he jumped up from the ground, his hands acting like they were going to grab you, you jumped back. stumbling, the back of you knee caught the seat you were sitting on, so instead of falling on your own ass, you fell into the seat.

as he laughed, you whispered, “kit, you ass!” he sat back into his chair, before saying (between laughs), “sorry, sorry. it was too much of a good opportunity to miss.” you huffed and went on the phone he had given you. you looked at the news, and sure enough, there was a robbery on one of the lexcorp warehouses, and yes, the things that were stolen were at least millions of dollars in profit.

“now that i’m looking at it, maybe that’s why my dad was all talking last night.”

“of course he would be, ______, there was millions of dollar worth of tech stolen-”

“oh, i know, kit, don’t be a bitch!”

it was silent for a little while, besides showing each other memes and laughing. it felt nice. it wasn’t awkward, in fact it was nice. just showing your friend funny photos that made you laugh was enough for you.

1:10. this was the latest you’ve ever been at a gala. it was supposed to last until 4, so you could understand why, but it still felt weird. it was like... going to school at night. you recognize the place, but it felt so weird.

“hey, _____.” you turned towards kit, who was now looking at a blank screen.

“yeah, what’s up?”

“you said that... you said that you’re never allowed to go anywhere, right? that you don’t even know where your real family is?”

you shifted uncomfortably. “well, yes, but why are you asking me this?”

his fingers turned white from the pressure on his phone. “well... you don’t seem happy whenever you’re with him, I guess. it feels like you don’t want to be there.

you could say that again.

“and... and you’ve been my friend for months, now... I don’t want to see you hurt because of someone else’s actions... so... I was wondering if... you wanted to live with me?”

the last bit came out rushed, and yet, it still made you wonder. what if you could leave? what if you could live with your friend, your only friend, instead of your over protective father?

“I know its stupid, I shouldn’t have asked that. it’s fine.” he continued.

“no, it’s... comforting.” you looked at him straight in the eyes. “I’m glad that you like me so much you would risk me being in your house. of course, I’m going to have to say no, but I still... I still appreciate that you would ask that.”

he gave you a small smile, and asked, “are you sure you’re going to be ok?”

you smiled at him. “maybe. I don’t know. if I don’t, then I could always take up your offer.”

you both sat in silence for a while, before his phone buzzed. looking at your phone, you saw it was at least 1:40. almost time to go. and you didn’t want mercy, or pray to god, lex to find you with him.

looking at kit, you asked, “you wanna head back?”

he smiled. “yeah. lets go back before we both fall on our asses.”

~~~~~

walking down the large corridor felt strange. it was like something was going to happen soon. you didn’t know what, but something.

“so then, I asked him why he was being such an asshole, and he told me-”

“______.”

turning around, you saw mercy standing just a few meters away from you both. you quickly set some distance in between the two of you, to make sure that you were following the rules, but she didn’t seemed focused on you. instead, she was focused on kit.

she gave a small nod of acknowledgement to him. “kit is your name, right?”

he gave a shaky nod. “where were you last night?”

“excuse me-”

“where were you. last night.” every word seemed to be gritted out of her teeth.

“well, I was in my home. with my father. why?”

“really? at home with your father? and not at my warehouse, stealing my technology?”

you almost didn’t want lex to be here, but you also wanted to know why mercy hadn’t shot out kit’s brains yet.

“wh- excuse me?”

lex rolled his eyes. “I don’t need to hear excuses from you, boy, what I want to know is why you were stealing my tech, and why you used my daughter as your way to get this tech.”

wait, what?

“you’ve been using me for what?”

kit seemed to be panicking. did he- was he really using you for that?

“oh, you think I wouldn’t have found out? giving my daughter a phone so you could get into my systems and find out the codes for the doors? that you’ve been using my money for months without my knowledge? that you’ve been using my daughter for you own gain? for your own families gain?”

turning to him, you saw him try to make up some excuse about whatever he had done, but it was too late.

“freeze! put your hands in the air!”

you didn’t even see the police in the hallway, only mercy dragging you out towards the exit of the gala.

when you turned back to kit, you felt like a child. did you really trust him? did you trust him this much for it to be that he was only using you? you didn’t want to think about it. the only thing you wanted was to go home.

________________

BONUS:

“did you really think you could take my daughter away from me?”

looking up from his seat, kit saw lex sitting across from him. currently, they were in a courthouse. waiting for his trial.

“... it’s not right to keep her inside like a pet.”

he knew he pissed off lex now, but he didn’t care. his life was ruined now. it shouldn’t matter.

lex got out of his chair and said, “you know, I was thinking of letting you off on a plea deal, but honestly, now, I’m thinking of giving you a worse fate than your father.”

a plea deal? kit froze. did he just throw out any chance to see you again?

“if you’re thinking you just threw out a chance to see my daughter again, you’re right, but lets be real here:”

lex put his hands on the table and got close to kits face, barely inches away.

“she will never look at you the same way after you go to prison for 58 years.”

and with that, lex left kit to rot in his own depression, happy to give the boy more pain than ever.

#yandere lex luthor #yandere dc #yandere dc comics #yandere young justice #songs fics

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nkp1981 · 3 years

Text

Fan A.U: With a little help from my friends

While Joe and Nicky are trying to figure out if they want to go on a date, their friends can't help commenting on everything Joe and Nicky does.

Nicky had literally danced himself straight into a gorgeous man’s arms when after five pints insisted that he wasn't drunk and wanted to prove it to Andy and Nile by moonwalking in the crowded bar, but because he at the age of 30 still had a habit of forgetting to tie his shoelaces, he had with his first dance move stepped on the shoelaces and felt backward and would have hit the floor if it hadn’t been for the man, who caught him. They stood like this smiling stupid to each other until someone pushed the man, and he had to let go of Nicky, who got pushed further back and decided to sit down at the table with his friends and took a big slurp of the pint in front of him, when he lost track of the man.

"Wow if I had known it was that easy to meet a good looking guy, I would have done what you just did ages ago." Nile joked but before Nicky could say anything the man was almost forced down next to him by a big guy. "Ladies, I suspect that we all three are having the same problem right now with our friends, who both are too shy to grab the chance of asking the other one out for a date, so why don't we help them by paying them their drinks and leave them alone to figure it out by observing them at the next table?” The big guy asked. "Sounds like a brilliant idea, because it would spare me from listing to Nicky tomorrow when he starts to complain over, what an idiot he was." Andy said and threw 10 dollars on the table which Nile and the guy also did before he made a sign to the waitress. “Now, don’t behave like silly teenagers, kids.” Nile said as they left Nicky and the other man alone at the table and they just returned to look stupid at each other again.

“I’m sorry about my friend Booker. He means it well in his own clumsy way. You’re Nicky?” The man asked and Nicky just nodded. “I’m Joe. So, do you often moonwalk in a bar?” Joe asked and Nicky shook his head. “Is it now, I should ask you to stop to talk?” Joe joked and Nicky shook his head again, which made Joe laugh. “I need to know can you only nod and shake your head or do you also speak?” Joe wanted to know, and it was there Nicky realized, that he hadn’t said a word but had been staring at Joe and that Nicky’s brain had gone completely blank and his mouth had gone dry, so Nicky reached for his glass but instead, he ended up knocking Nile’s glass and its content down in the lap of Joe, which made Nicky want to run out of the bar and hide forever from the world. “I’m so sorry.” Nicky said and reached for the napkin which resulted in, that he also knocked the content from Andy’s glass down in Joe’s lap.

“That boy is never getting a boyfriend if he doesn’t get his nerves under control.” Andy said with a deep sigh when they saw the scene unfold from the other table. “I know what you mean. Joe has a habit of talking without breathing.” Booker replied also with a deep sigh. “At least it’s better than a soap opera.” Nile joked, which made them all laugh.

“Maybe I should just go before I end up knocking more drinks down in your lap.” Nicky said resignedly and reached for his jacket. “Don’t go, please.” Joe said and placed a hand over Nicky’s to prevent him from leaving.

“Wow, that was new. Can you remember the last time Nicky let anyone hold his hand” Nile asked Andy, who just shook her head as a response. “Joe has also never done that before.” Booker said surprised. “You seem like you speak from experience.” Andy said and emptied her glass. “Well, that man has more dating rules, than I ever will have and if I remember correctly holding hands in number 5 or 6, so if Joe just skipped the first rules, he must truly like your friend.” Booker replied.

“Why not? I have already ruined your pants, which I promise to compensate you for.” Nicky said and looked sorry at Joe, who moved closer to Nicky. “Don’t beat yourself up, dear. It’s only pants, so why don’t we start this all over? I’m Joe and I’m very happy to meet you.” Joe said and reached his hand out for a handshake, which Nicky took. “Nicky and likewise.” Nicky replied with a smile and moved closer to Joe, so their knees touched each other.

“Is that a normal thing with your friend?” Booker wanted to know. “No, normally we can’t get Nicky to interact with other people.” Andy said. “The last time we tried, and it went wrong, it took us four weeks to get Nicky out of the apartment to go to a cafe.” Nile said.

“I’m glad you decide to moonwalk.” Joe said and rubbed his neck nervously. “You should really be thanking my shoelaces for it.” Nicky replied and looked briefly down at his shoes before he looked at Joe again. “Then thanks to them.” Joe said and reached for the shoelaces. “What are you doing?” Nicky wanted to know. “Preventing you from tripping over them again, because I would be really sad if you fell into another man’s arm.” Joe replied and tied the shoelaces before he tied a double knot.

At the other table all three leaned to their right to see, what Joe was doing under the table, but none of them could see it, because of all the people and instead they sat up in a hurry when Joe caught them out of the corner of his eyes and looked down at the table pretending, that they hadn't done it.

“Not planning to. What is it?” Nicky wanted to know when he saw Joe looking at their friends. “Have you ever seen The Muppet Show?” Joe asked and Nicky nodded. “Do you remember the old men on the balcony? I got a feeling, that our friends have been commenting on everything, we have done so far.” Joe said. “Any ideas as to what we should do?” Nicky asked and Joe put his mouth to Nicky’s ear to whisper something, that made Nicky laugh and blush.

“What the hell?” Andy said when she saw it. “No way, Joe isn’t a fast mover.” Booker said almost choking on his beer. “Are they about to kiss?” Nile asked and all three could no longer keep up the pretense of not looking at Joe and Nicky.

“That’s a brilliant idea.” Nicky said with a laugh in his voice. “I know, but if we do it, do you promise me a kiss?” Joe asked and Nicky nodded while blushing even more. “Then let’s do it.” Joe said and made a sign to the waitress.

“Do you also got the feeling, they’re plotting something?” Booker asked and looked at the other two. “Strangely enough yes.” Andy replied, but more she didn’t get to say when they founded themselves surrounded by a crowd, who started to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Nile, before handing her a bottle of whiskey and went back to work. Then they all looked over at the other table and realized that Joe and Nicky had used the commotion to disappear. “Points for an original idea.” Booker said laughing. “At least they left us with a parting gift.” Andy said and they spend the rest of the evening at the bar talking about small and big stuff.

“Can’t believe that it actually worked.” Nicky said as they turned a corner. “Either can I.” Joe replied laughing and took Nicky’s hand. They walked a bit in silence until they found a bench, where they sat down. “You promised me something.” Joe said and placed a finger under Nicky’s chin and kissed him. “What do you say, we go out eating tomorrow without friends?” Nicky asked. “I thought you would never ask.” Joe replied and kissed him again.

my creation

#andromache of scythia #Charlize Theron #yusuf al-kaysani #joe #marwan kenzari #nicolo di genova #Nicky #luca marinelli #yusuf x nicolo #joe x nicky #Booker #sebastian le livre #Matthias Schoenaerts #nile freeman #kiki layne #the old guard

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spicycreativity · 3 years

Text

Howl- Ch. 3

Chapter: 3/10

Add'l Notes: Fic is posted in full on my AO3, WizardGlick

Chapter content warnings: Depictions of alcohol use

“Nothing,” Remus pronounced. His breath ghosted over Virgil’s ear and he shuddered, pulling away so he could look Remus in the face. Remus was still in his work clothes and he smelled, not wholly unpleasantly, of sweat and dirty water.

“Nothing?” Virgil ran his pointer fingers behind both ears, just barely resisting the urge to dig in with his nails and see for himself, dammit.

“I think you’d know if aliens had stuck a tracking chip in your head,” Remus said, his own fingers dancing across the countertop toward the basket of enamel pins by the register.

Virgil ran his fingertips across his temples, still feeling for something, some marking or scar. “But if it wasn’t aliens...”

“Far be it from me to be the voice of reason,” Remus said, “but are we sure you weren’t just sleepwalking? Or high on peyote?"

Virgil continued to track Remus' fingers as he stuck his hand in the basket. "If you steal anything, it comes out of my paycheck." Not strictly true, but it would make Remus pause.

"I wasn't gonna steal!" Remus exclaimed, holding up his hands. "But now I kinda want to."

"Please don't." Virgil sighed and put his face in his hands. He'd noticed a strange metallic taste in his mouth after waking up properly, and even the desperate mouthfuls of Monster he'd been forcing down his throat couldn't seem to touch it. It hadn't touched his exhaustion much, either. Whatever Virgil had been up to last night had not been a restful activity.

"Oh, c'mon, don't freak out." Remus' hand sat heavy on Virgil's shoulder, warming him through the thin fabric of his Baphomet t-shirt. "You were probably just sleepwalking. It happens all the time. Roman used to sleepwalk all over the place when we were kids. One time we even found him asleep in the yard. Naked, just like you."

Virgil peeked over his fingertips. "Really?" Remus was not the type to lie to make someone feel better, but this story seemed a little far-fetched.

"I swear," Remus said, eyes wide with childish solemnity.

The only customer in the store stepped up to pay, and Remus stepped aside to let Virgil deal with them. He made faces behind their back, contorted himself into absurdly sexual poses and stuck out his tongue and wiggled his hips like Elvis in his prime. Virgil pursed his lips to keep from laughing. It had been a hard decision to ask Remus for help with this, but Virgil was glad he had chosen him.

Patton was a big softie and nearly as prone to panic as Virgil was. If he didn't escalate Virgil's paranoia about aliens then he would probably end up pressuring Virgil to make a police report. A useless endeavor, since no crime had actually occurred as far as Virgil knew. Roman and Janus would just make fun of him for being a tin foil hat-wearing loony. And Logan… Well. He might judge. He might not. But Virgil didn't want to look stupid in front of him. Not to mention that Logan would ask questions, force Virgil to face something he wasn't ready to face.

So Remus it was.

"Thank you," Virgil said when the customer had left and Remus had stopped gyrating his hips. "I know I'm being dumb and it was probably nothing."

"Janus isn't here right now," Remus said, pouring out the basket of enamel pins. They scattered and clicked across the countertop. "But if he was, I think he'd say--" Remus shifted his weight and crossed his arms, "'Now what did we say about negative self talk?'"

Virgil chose not to remind Remus that Bienvenue was only a few blocks away and he could easily go get Janus if he wanted. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I know it wasn't aliens."

"But if it was peyote, you do have to share," Remus said, his attention already back on the pins. He poked through them with one dirty fingertip.

Virgil watched for a moment, then joined in, turning the pins to face Remus so he could get a good look at them. Remus seemed particularly fixated on one shaped like a death's head moth. "That one's six dollars."

Remus braced his elbows on the counter and clasped his hands under his chin, lashes aflutter. "You know how you could repay me for checking your skull for alien trackers?"

Virgil nearly reached for his wallet before he realized what Remus was actually getting at. He sighed, biting back his smile all the while, and made a show of turning to inspect the rotating sticker display. "Uh-oh," he said in an exaggerated monotone. "I'd better make sure all the stickers are properly organized. Gee, I sure hope no one shoplifts while I'm doing that."

There was a brief moment of silence. It was broken when Remus, presumably done pocketing the pin, said, "So bowling night?"

"Huh?" said Virgil, trying to find the dirty joke. Maybe something about balls?

Remus pulled his phone out of the pocket of his work pants and shook it at Virgil. "Pastor Patton's little group bonding venture?"

"Don't call him that," Virgil muttered, digging his phone out of his pocket. Sure enough, of the messages he'd been ignoring all morning, one was a new group chat. He read through the messages. "How did Patton get your number?"

"Roman gave it to him."

"How'd he get Janus' number?"

Remus grinned. "I gave it to him. No way am I suffering through some corny adult bonding shit without backup."

"Am I not backup?" Virgil asked, unsure whether he should be offended.

"You can't be backup," Remus said dismissively. "You're the bridge. You forced me 'n' Roman to reunite, you made us all hang out. You're the bridge. You won't be as mean as I need you to be."

"I'm mean!" Virgil said. "I'm so mean!"

"Say something bitchy about Patton right now. Quickly!" Remus began to snap his fingers.

"Um," said Virgil. "Uh. Sometimes-- Well, sometimes he can be kinda… Smother-y?"

"Oh, please." Remus rolled his eyes. "That was almost healthy communication."

"Fine." Virgil crossed his arms over his chest.

Remus let him pretend to be upset for roughly three seconds. "But you are coming, right? Or are you gonna spend the night playing with Data's joystick?"

Virgil's cheeks went hot. "Of course I'm com--" He paused and reconsidered his choice of words. "Of course I'll be there. And Logan will, too."

"Wonder if I can start a betting pool," Remus said thoughtfully.

The bells on the door tinkled and Virgil leaned over to see past Remus. "Hi, welcome in," he said in his best customer service voice, which wasn't very good. "Let me know if I can help you find anything."

"Just browsing."

"Alright."

"Well," said Remus, affixing the moth pin to his hi-vis vest. "See you tonight?"

"Yeah," said Virgil. "Please be nice to Patton."

Remus winked and started to back out. "Sorry! Hazing is mandatory."

He slipped out the door, leaving Virgil to marinate in his anxiety.

Although he was exhausted, Virgil went for a short walk after work. He wandered by Bienvenue and stared at the fancy suits in the window and wondered how Janus always had the audacity to dress like he was attending a funeral at a high-end night club. His feet took him forward and he smiled a little. If there was one thing Janus had in abundance, it was audacity.

He stopped again by the reflecting pool at the Plaza and read the plaque. It had very little information and devoted barely half a sentence to the supposed curse. A shiver ran down Virgil's spine. He took a deep breath and carefully did not panic. As Logan would say, he shouldn't jump to conclusions. He needed more data.

Virgil didn't want more data. He would happily chalk his misadventure up to sleepwalking and banish it forcefully to his subconscious, if only it would never, ever happen again. He shivered again despite the balmy weather and muffled a yawn behind his hand. Time to go home and get whatever sleep he could before the inevitable disaster of bowling night.

He managed to get home without hitting any potholes. Whatever stormy weather had threatened Vaillant earlier in the week seemed to have passed, and he was treated to a spectacular view of a great blue heron flying low over the road. He even managed a few hours of sleep before he had to wake up and get ready.

He chose his outfit with care, scrutinizing it through Logan's eyes. What would Logan like? What did Logan like? Virgil had no idea about his preference in men or how he slotted into it. Was it his height? His body shape? His eyes? What should he play up to make Logan like him? So Logan wouldn't regret choosing to be with him?

He dithered over this until he made himself late, and chose an outfit that he felt good in: long sleeves, long pants, the reassuring weight of his hoodie on his shoulders.

He kept it zipped up to his neck even after he entered the warmth and light of Vaillant's singular bowling alley, Gator Lanes. His friends were already seated. Waiting. For him.

Despite the wash of guilt, Virgil slowed and surveyed the scene. Patton and Logan sat on one of the low, pleather couches with a pair of bowling shoes between them. That left Roman, Remus, and Janus wedged on the other couch. They all looked like they were getting along, which was good. Roman and Remus were speed-eating French fries while the others talked.

Virgil approached from the back, gesturing for Patton and Logan to be quiet. He didn't miss the way Logan's eyes lit up; it sent a pleasant little rush of adrenaline all through his veins. When he was close enough, he leaned over and stole the pineapple off the rim of Janus' hurricane glass. It was dyed red from grenadine and tasted vaguely of rum.

"It's fine," said Janus, casually flipping Virgil the bird. "I wasn't saving that or anything."

"Guess you'll have to get another one," Remus said.

They started bickering about how drunk was too drunk for bowling night, so Virgil came around to Patton and Logan's side of the table. He kissed Logan hello while Patton explained about the shoes: "They were out of your size, so I got a size down instead of up, because I know you wear those really thin socks and I didn't want you to slip."

"Thanks, Pat," Virgil said. His hand found Logan's, somehow, and he smiled. "I wouldn't have put that much thought into it."

"That's why you have me!"

"Can we start now?" Roman asked, wiggling in place.

Patton stood up to fiddle with the control, and Virgil forced himself to nuzzle Logan's jawline with his nose. He wanted to do it, but the idea of being witnessed while he did so made his skin crawl.

Logan turned his head so they were nose-to-nose and smiled before pulling away. "Do you want me to order you a drink? We were going to, but we weren't sure what you'd want."

Roman threw a straw wrapper at them. "We're just about to start!"

"You're up second, too," Patton said cheerfully, flopping back down on the couch. "I put us in alphabetical order."

"I'll go, then," Virgil said. He squeezed Logan's hand and let go of it, stood.

"Don't forget to put your bowling shoes on," Janus said, eying Virgil's ratty leather ankle boots. Janus himself had somehow done the impossible and matched the colors of his suit to the dull red and blue of Gator Lanes' bowling shoes, making his whole outfit look deliberately tacky.

"When I get back."

"I'll go with you!" Roman got to his feet. "I already know I'm gonna lose. What's one more drink?"

"That's the spirit!" Remus said.

"Ha," said Patton, "I get it."

They turned to go, Roman bumping Virgil with his hip to prompt him forward. "So you and Logan, huh?" he said once they were out of earshot. "How's that going?"

"Fine," Virgil said, feeling the blush crawl onto his face. It was a short walk to the bar, but it suddenly seemed like miles and miles.

"You sure keep things close to your chest, don't you? Didn't say a word to me." Roman crossed his arms and looked sideways at him.

"I didn't think I had a chance!" Virgil exclaimed. "Wait. Did he say something to you?"

Roman winked at him, shushed him, and bellied up to the bar so he could order. Virgil hung back, one hand on his wallet, but Roman waved a hand. "Janus has a tab going," he said, turning back to Virgil.

"Does Janus know he has a tab going?" Virgil asked.

"Uh, yeah, it's not like I stole his card."

"It's not you I'm worried about," Virgil said, thinking of Remus and the moth pin.

"Ugh, you worry too much."

"This shouldn't be news to you, Roman, I have 'Worry Too Much' Disorder." Virgil flicked at his zipper pull. "Wait, so did Logan say anything to you?"

Roman smiled, even laughed a little. "Uh, yeah, he practically asked me and Patton for permission to ask you out. He made us promise not to tell you. Honestly, it was kinda cute how nervous he was."

"Nervous?" Virgil repeated. It was obvious now, but it hadn't occurred to him that Logan had lost just as much sleep over Virgil as Virgil had over him.

A harried-looking bartender popped up behind Roman, slid their drinks over, and vanished again practically before Virgil could force out a 'thank you.' Roman passed him his vodka Red Bull. "Let's go."

"Alright." Virgil sighed. It was probably better not to try to wring the details out of Roman, especially since he'd said that Logan had told him not to tell.

They reached their lane and he scooted in next to Logan, snuggling up a lot closer than was necessary, especially given that Patton was currently up to bowl. "Welcome back," Logan said.

Virgil set his drink on the table and began to change his shoes over. "Having fun yet?" he asked Janus. He was still a little resentful that Remus and Janus didn't think he could be mean anymore. Just because he didn't want to shit-talk Patton behind his back. Sure, Remus had been the one to say it, but Virgil had no doubt the sentiment originated with Janus.

"Sure, I guess there's a sort of primal thrill in hurling a 14-pound ball at a target," Janus said primly.

"10 pounds," Logan said.

Virgil bit down on his lip to hide his smile.

"I'm sorry?" Janus tilted his head.

Logan gestured at the bright yellow ball sitting in the ball return. "10 pounds, not 14." Patton's ball came back, followed shortly thereafter by Patton. "16 pounds," Logan said.

"Pat's strong," Virgil said, elbowing Patton as he sat down. Janus bit down on an ice cube. "By the way," said Virgil, feeling a spark of pure evil manifest inside himself. "Have you guys made cutting boards yet?" To Janus, he said, "It's kind of a tradition."

"I'd heard," Janus said, shooting him a covert dirty look.

Virgil smiled at him and turned to Patton. "Janus would rather die than say so, but I can tell he's excited."

"Oh, good!" Patton said. To Janus, he said "I was actually a little worried you wouldn't want to do it."

Virgil's killing strike was delayed slightly by Remus' reappearance and Roman's subsequent disappearance, and he knew he had to act quickly or Janus would wiggle out of it when Virgil was taking his turn. Remus finally sat and stopped crowing about his spare, which no one had witnessed. Virgil pounced. "Bienvenue is closed on Sundays, isn't it?" he said to Janus, as though the shop hadn't kept the same hours for years. "Maybe you guys could do it then."

"The weather should be clear, too," Logan chimed in. Virgil looked at him, trying to gauge if he had picked up on the game, but his face gave nothing away.

"Works for me!" Patton said. "I'm putting the finishing touches on a coffee table for somebody down south, but I can make time on Sunday."

"Great," said Janus with a plastic smile Virgil knew he usually reserved for difficult customers. The daggers in his eyes promised a thorough bitching-out later, but Virgil didn't even care. So he wasn't mean anymore, hm?

"All you," said Roman, tapping Virgil on the shoulder.

Virgil nodded and took a long swallow of his vodka Red Bull. It was stupid, but walking up to bowl always felt like walking out on stage. He knew full well none of his friends were paying attention and even if they were, their friendly teasing was nothing to worry about. They knew when to stop. But still, his heart quivered as he approached the lane. By sheer luck, he managed not to get a gutter ball, then turned and hovered awkwardly as he waited for his ball to come back.

Logan caught his eye and winked at him, not even pausing in his explanation of the physics of bowling. Virgil smiled back, and suddenly everything seemed that much lighter, that much more bearable. He really had to stop worrying so much.

#ik the aesthetic boards are reminiscent of mid 2000s livejournal fic covers but whatever it's camp and i like doing it #sanders sides #analogical #virgil sanders #spicywrites #spicywrites howl

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insomniac-dot-ink · 4 years

Text

My Afternoon With a Corpse

I was falling to pieces quite beautifully I might say when she made her way over the hill. She had a pale face the color of paste and ashen as a forest after the flames. She had to be only nine or ten, though you never know with people walking in from the past. They always were a bit smaller back then.

The biggest way I could tell she was dead besides the grey skin and the bruises under her little eyes was the way she walked. She strode like a very inebriated elementary school student, all knees and dragging her toes and swaying back and forth as she made her way over the hill.

I was sitting in a graveyard so I don’t know what I expected. I peaked over the top of the pages of my book as she drew ever-closer.

“I’m not your mother,” I snapped at the creature since I had been a governess to enough children as it was.

She lumbered and teetered and slowly made her way toward the bench I was sitting on. She was wearing a very fine blue dress with a pink bow tied in the back and little black shoes. Her parents had probably been wealthy enough to bury her in that, the posh bastards.

“I have nothing for you.” I articulated and tried to turn away.

She took a seat next to me on the bench. I noted how her little nails were covered in dirt and splinters. I wrinkled my nose and she settled beside me.

“Took the nasty way out I take it?” I said conversationally, though by then I had a feeling her tongue had rotted in her mouth and she wouldn’t say anything to me.

She turned to me with her blurry-wide eyes and I stood up with a jerk. I snapped my book shut, “I come here to be alone, little cretin.” I sniffed loudly and turned away, “as I said, I have nothing to offer you.”

I got up and moved to the next bench under two large beech trees on the outskirts of the graveyard. It was a fine day in March with the winter chill barely a memory on the land and the earth soft and almost mud under my shoes as I moved.

The little girl heavily picked herself up and took her time plodding all the way over to my new bench. My eyebrow twitched and I huffed, “I was just fired you know. Fired from my job. Do you know how inconsiderate it is to bother people who have just had major life events?”

She was only 9 or 10 so she obviously did not grasp this concept. She just stared at me expectantly.

“Fine,” I opened my book a crack, “but I’m only doing a chapter or two and then you have to move on. And I’m not doing any voices.” I promised.

She continued to stare and I cleared my throat.

“This is Virginia Woolf, one of the greats,” I continued, “so mind yourself. I won’t tolerate any tongue-wagging at this point.” I smirked at my private little joke at the corpse’s expense.

I chose a fitting story to read her.

“Moths that fly by day are not properly to be called moths; they do not excite that pleasant sense of dark autumn nights…” She watched in awe as I got to my favorite parts. It was rather nice to have a captive audience, “nothing, I knew, had any chance against death…” I read that line and then flicked my eyes over to the corpse. “Except you I suppose. You are quite the abomination.” I said before continuing the story.

I closed the book when we got to the end and the sun was slanting sideways across the sky and I sighed heavily. It wasn’t exactly the ideal atmosphere for the dead to be walking. There was too much sunlight and bright skies in the favor of joy and frivolous things.

I put my book in my bag, “Was that enough?” I asked as I stood and the creature scrambled to get down and take a place by my side. We stared at each other for a full minute before I relented. “Oh alright.”

I put my hand out and she took it just as she would have in life. Her skin was bone-cold and the flesh was terribly soft and loose. I cringed and bit down on my cheek, “I hope someone loved you dearly in life.” She said nothing, “because I’m not doing anything more for you.”

I walked her stiffly right back over the hill where a squirrel skittered out of the way like a train was barreling toward him. He ran zig-zag away from me and the abomination.

She followed me like a docile lamb down the hill until I spotted dirt piled up around an enormous hole. I didn’t pull her toward it or drag us there, but I veered our path toward the open grave.

“The authorities will be looking for something like you.” I said neatly. “They’ll want to see if there’s an infection in this graveyard. Probably feed your bits to a holy fire or what have you,” I glanced over at her, “are you prepared for that?”

She took her strange, ungainly steps and I sighed. “Yes. Fine. I’ve crossed worse people before anyway.”

I took her gently toward the open grave that she had desperately scratched and dug her way out of. Her wide eyes became even wider and she edged behind me as we approached it.

“Be a brave girl now,” I chastised but studied her worn gravestone. “MaryAnne.”

She had only been nine when she died over two decades earlier. I turned toward her as she hid behind my skirts. “Don’t be difficult,” I said as I did to all the children I taught. “It’s only eternity and we all have to do it.”

She glanced up and shook her head. Her dull brown curls bounced as she did.

I studied her for a moment and considered forcing her back down into her resting place. My eyebrow twitched. “Goddammit,” I took a seat on the mushy ground that would probably stain my skirts. “I won’t wait forever though.”

I let go of the little girl's hand and she quickly inched away from the grave. I took out my book and set my mouth into a furious frown as I started to read again. I pretended not to watch her.

The little thing ran sloppily back and forth across the wet grass. She chased the animals which fled from her with wild fear beating in their tiny hearts. She spun around in lopsided circles and seemed to stare at the sun for at least an hour.

I was meant to take the 4pm train back to my little house and write a very strongly worded letter to the Denise's for firing me. I stayed in the grass instead.

The sun was kissing the treetops when the little girl came back to me. She was holding something between her ruined fingers and I put out my hands. “Give it here.”

She offered a large brown moth. It was still twitching and alive, but she held it ever so softly between her dirt-covered hands.

“So you have been listening.” I tried to catch her eyes. “Then you know what you have to do.”

She handed me the moth and I quietly pushed it back into the sky where it flapped once, twice, and fluttered off to probably go tell its colony-mates that it had the worst possible day.

I bent forward and kissed her on the forehead. “It’s late.” I said. “And isn’t one afternoon enough?”

She took my hand again and I laced our fingers together. I guided her toward the gaping wound in the earth. “I know it’s not fair.” I muttered, “but few things in life,” I eyed her, “or death, are.”

She was still staring up at me and we took another moment to clear off the splinters and torn pieces of wood in the hole before I positioned her in front of her broken casket again. There was a shattered bottle nearby where I assumed someone had poured the virus elixir on her grave.

Perhaps it was a prank or a body-snatching scheme or some drunken hijinks where they hadn’t been patient enough to stick around and dig her up later.

“Stupid.” I shook my head, “Adults can be so stupid, MarryAnne.” I bent down toward her. “It’ll be over soon.” I crooned, “and comfortable again…”

She nodded and I slipped my hands under her armpits and gently lowered her into the hole. She lay back down in the velvet bed and closed her eyes as the sun set. I huffed. “Someone loved you dearly.” I watched as the virus was finished with her spirit and what was left of her body. “Don’t think that didn’t mean something for your short time up here. Even if it was… too short.” I pretended my voice didn’t break on the last words.

I spent the rest of that evening pushing and digging and filling the hole back up with dirt. I couldn’t bear to look at her small face again after the sunset. I just knew I saw a moth crossing the moon as it rose and I had to take a break to find my handkerchief.

I wasn’t weeping over one dead child of course. You would spend the rest of your life weeping if you were going to mourn each one.

But her name was MarryAnne and she had gotten one last afternoon in the sun. I heaved dirt back onto her with my bare hands and went home aching and filthy and with people openly staring at me as I passed.

I would never be a governess or teacher again after that night. But I did visit a small grave from long ago and read a story about a moth to it each year after that.

————-

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#writing #flash fiction #writers on tumblr #zombies #magical realism #governess #original short story #my work

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homemadepastasauce · 3 years

Text

A Wild Night

Genre: Smut and hot trash

Pairing: Female Reader X Doyoung, Jimin, Jackson, And Mark

Warning: Not something my mom and I are proud of, Y/N as usual has their legs open 24/7

Alternate Title: Girl goes to party and fricks guys she's barely on a first name basis with.

Author's Note: My first ff! If I made any mistakes no I didn't. If you got any request, request them, I write for anime and kpop ( don't take my account seriously though).

Disclaimer: Y/N doesn't rights, and I feel as the president of the Y/N Sucks Hate Club it's my duty to do this. Also, don't do drugs.

Ok, let me set the scene. You were the guest to one of the biggest party in all of LA, and boy were you excited. You may or may not have slept your way in with the bouncer, but that's a story for a different time. So, you get into the club and the music, weed, and vodka hit. You love that smell. It's powerful. You look around and see unhealthy of amount of hotties. This was your dream come true. First things first you hit the dance floor with a load of people touching up on each other. The DJ dude was crazy too, he was playing all of your favorite tunes. Vibes, absolute vibes.

For like thirty minutes you were busting your moves, like a complete dance machine. You were lost in space, but then you felt two strong arms grab onto your hips from behind.

The stranger whispered in your ear, his breath smelling of slight booze, "You have got to be the most good looking stranger I've seen in a long time." This statement filled your raging ego with pride, it brought a smirk to your face.

"So what website did you get that one from?"

He chuckled, "So, that's how your gonna act, huh? I can't say I don't like it. I'm Doyoung."

"Y/N"

"Say, would care to have a drink with me, Y/N?"

"Sure, but you better not waste my time with this small talk."

"Oh, I promise there won't be a lot of talking when I'm through with you," he grabs your hand and walks you over to the bar.

"Hey, bartender, let me get two shots of Grey Goose with a couple squeezes of lime," you say with a big smile.

"How'd you know I like vodka and why lime?"

"Lucky guess, and lime gives a little kick to it," you replied.

Actually if you were being honestly, it wasn't a lucky guess, you always ordered that. He's just easily impressed. You could tell in no time this guy would be banging your brains out. Drinks are easy baits to get what you want, everyone always seems to fall for it.

💫⭐Quick starter recipe for success by Y/N, an established piece of trash⭐💫

Regular vodka = boring and basic (you didn't even try, easily forgettable)

Vodka with a lil spice to it = a squeeze of lemon? lime? orange? (heck even a slash of henny is a positive plus plus)

"So what do you want and hope to achieve out of this, Y/N?" The bartender sets down your glasses and walks away.

"I don't know. You were the one that came up to me, I'm just going with the flow." You were messing with him, of course, both of you only wanted one thing and one thing alone.

"You're a strange person Y/N," he leaned in close to your ear, "but I know what you want."

You chugged the spicy shot down your throat, "I don't know what you're talking about. If I wanted something from you, I wouldn't said, "I want something from you."

You took out the eight dollars from your purse and set them down on the counter. Doyoung looked confused, almost like he wanted to say something but didn't. You got up from the barstool and made your way to the back bathroom, much quieter than the bar or dance floor. But before you could close the door, Doyoung snapped out of his trans and walked towards you.

"Hey!" He held the door with a strong grip, "You can't just leave, I wasn't done with you." Hmm, you weren't done with him either. You smiled knowing you already had him wrapped around your little finger.

"You're an idiot."

"I'm a what?"

"An idiot," you said confidently, "Get inside and lock the door." He did as he was told, no questions asked with an annoyed look on his face. And at that moment you knew he was about to rearrange your guts.

He started to unbuckle his belt, "You know when I first spoke to you, you seemed interesting enough, but you're just like the rest." The rest? Huh? Anyway, his words didn't faze you, it was the big mount in his unbuckled pants that did. You placed your purse to the side and sat on the sink counter. He does nothing but stare at your body as you slowly take your undies off and throw them on the dirty bathroom floor. Nasty.

"Are you just gonna stand there or are you going get to work before I do," you threaten. He smiles at your bluff and comes close to your face with a sinful look.

"You want this, huh? Know that I'm leaving as soon as I finish."

Ok? Are you supposed to be sad?

He takes his at LEAST nine incher inside you and starts to go ham. No warm-up, no tease. Nope, just right inside.

"You have quite an ego for someone this dry," he teases. His words enraged you, like how dare he say such a crude thing to a whore like you? But for some reason, it just made you even wetter.

Maybe because he looked so scrumptious? Or maybe you couldn't hear it due to all the moans you were letting out? But dear holy moly he was making you feel so good. He was using his fingers on your grandma-looking nub and pounding into you Micheal Jackson style. Holy crap it felt amazing, not the best you've had, but amazing nonetheless.

"Mmmmh," he moaned, "I'm gonna... I'm gonna..."

And before he could say another word, he came inside.

Doyoung cleaned himself up, zipped his pants, and left. Leaving you a complete mess that didn't even get to finish. It was fun while it lasted you had to say. But what a selfish prick, he was hot too. You cleaned up his and yours mess, and put back on the underwear you threw onto the dirty public restroom floor. Yeah, you weren't the smartest book on the shelf.

How’d he do, though? He was definitely good, but not spectacular and a little stiff. Your rating? 7/10.

After your little "bathroom break" with Doyoung, you decided you wanted to have something... not Doyoung. You walk up to the second floor filled with stoners, and people who clearly wanted to jump off a cliff. No problem though, stoners were chill and you could pretty much go up to them and ask if they wanted you to swallow their kids, so that you did. There was a guy smoking the devil’s lettuce, lounging on the couch with two others waiting their turn. Hot dang they looked yummy.

“So what are you boys up to?” You say with a smile.

“Isn’t it obvious?” The boy on the middle said with aggression, “We're blowing one up.”

“Chill Jimin, she's just trying to make conversation,” he said passing it on to him. He rolled his eyes and started to smok in silence.

The one on the left looked up at you and said, “So which one of us do you want?”

“How do you know I want only one, what if I want all three of you?”

“Like at a time?”

The guy in the left began to speak again with smoke coming out of his mouth, “No dumbass, look at her, she wants all three filled. Clearly.” He winked. He was just gorgeous, ready for an adventure.

“Jimin, was it?”

“Don’t be so condescending, Jackson said my name not even two minutes ago, don’t get smart with me.”

“Jimin, enough, pass it on to Mark and be nice while you’re at it.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.”

You rolled your eyes and pointed to a secluded corner out of public view you’ve been eyeing since you came to the floor, “See over there is where you guys are gonna meet me if you wanna have a good time. If not, you’re gonna take the biggest L of the night.”

The guy on the left got up and pasted it back on to the one in middle, aka, Jimin. He scoffed, “Seriously Mark?”

“Ah, yeah, this is a once in a lifetime thing.”

“True that,” the other got up made his way to the corner, following you.

“How are you guys are being so careless right now?! She probably has like five STDs... and three STIs, and... probably a kidney stone, too!”

You could hear him, but payed no mind. It’s not your fault his friends had good taste, even if there's a ninety eight percent chance they'd get chlamydia.

You got on your knees and started to feel up on their pants. You could feel them getting hard as you unzipped both of their pants. Chile, they were packing full on heat. You started to lick and slurp them up, using your hands, too. There moans made you want to have their babies. Not literally, you weren't that crazy, but figuratively.

“Keep going.”

“Yeah, don’t stop until I say so.”

You did what they asked like a pro, but before you could deepthroat one of those precious horse pps, you feel someone separate your legs and roam there only source of pride straight into your rectum. In and out. In and out. Gosh darn it felt good. You're not stopping. One of them go into the your vag and the other says in your mouth.

“FDUR, I’m close keep going!!!!”

Already? I mean all of you were close but still.

And not even a half a second you felt three liters of pancake mix fill up your holes. Mhmm, now that’s a job done right. They pulled out and left you right there, not even caring to look back. But it was fine cause you got what you wanted in the end. 10/10

What a night, huh?

#kpop edits #kpop #bts fanfic #kpop smut #bts layouts #bts jimn #jimin x reader #nct 127 #got7 fanfic #kpop angst #doyoung #kpop aesthetic #kpop imagines #kpop senarios #kpop headcanons #bts angst #nct smut

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officialyourdailyinspiration · 3 years

Text

Devotional Hours Within the Bible

by J.R. Miller

Jesus on the Way to Jerusalem

(Matthew 19:1-2 and Matthew 19:13-26)

The words, "He departed from Galilee," have significance, when we consider the circumstances, which give them a peculiar sadness. This was our Lords' final departure from Galilee. He had been brought up there. Much of His public ministry had been wrought there. In that part of the country, He had met with the kindliest reception. He had multitudes of friends in Galilee. He had performed countless miracles there, and had been a comforter of numberless sorrowing and suffering ones. Now He was leaving the dear familiar scenes - and the people He loved so well. No wonder the throngs followed Him. The farewell must have been tender.

Some incidents of the journey are given. One was a discussion with the Pharisees concerning divorce. Jesus in His words gave most important teaching on the sacredness of marriage. "So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."

Another incident was the bringing of little children to Him that He might bless them. It is not said that the mothers brought them - but this is probable. The language in Luke strengthens this inference. "Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them." The disciples probably thought their Master ought not to be troubled with babies and little children, and so they rebuked those who were bringing them. But Jesus was moved with indignation when He saw what His disciples were doing, and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." This was one of the few times when it is said Jesus was angry. It grieved Him to have his disciples try to keep the children away from Him. He would not have anyone kept from coming to Him - but if any are more welcome than others, they are children. Very beautiful is the picture we see. He welcomed the children to Him, took them in His arms, laid His hands on them and blessed them.

Another incident in this journey to Jerusalem is that of the rich young ruler who came to Jesus with such earnestness, and then went away from Him so sadly. All that is told to us about this young man's coming to Jesus, shows us his sincerity and earnestness. "A man ran up to Him - and fell on his knees before Him" (Mark 10:17). The running shows how eager he was, and his eagerness tell of an unsatisfied heart. He seems to have attained the best that a young man could reach, without taking Christ into his life. He was young, with powers fresh and full. He was rich, with the honor, ease, distinction and influence that riches give. The fact that he was a ruler shows the confidence his fellow men put in him. Is moral character was above reproach, for he said, without boasting, that he had scrupulously kept the commandments. He was a man of winning disposition, for Jesus loved him and was drawn to him in a peculiar manner. It would be hard to conceive of a man - with more to satisfy him.

Yet with all his good qualities, his worldly advantages, his good name and his conscience void of offense - he was not satisfied! He needed something more to make his life complete.

The question which this young man asked of Jesus is the most important question ever asked in this world. "What shall I do that I may have eternal life?" We do not know how much he understood about the eternal life concerning which he inquired. The fact, however, that he asked the question, shows that he had at least some glimmering of the better life for which he hungered. No matter how much pleasure, or how great success, or how high honor one may gain in the world, if at the end of three score and ten years - he passes into eternity unsaved - what comfort will it give him to remember his fine success on the earth?

A rich man failed in business. He gathered up the fragments of his wrecked fortune - a few thousand dollars. He determined to go to the West and start anew. He took his money and built a splendid car, furnishing it in the most luxurious style, and stocking it with provisions for his journey. In this sumptuous car he traveled to his destination. At length he stepped from the door of his car - and only then thought for the first time of his great folly. He had used all his money in getting to his new home, and now had nothing with which to use there. This incident illustrates the foolishness of those who think only of this life - and make no provision for eternity .

Answering the young mans question, Jesus turned his thoughts to the commandments. "If you would enter into life, keep the commandments." He referred him to the law, which he might show him how he had missed the mark, how far short he had come of gaining life by his own obedience. "You know the commandments." It is easy enough to imagine one's self quite obedient, while one puts easy interpretation upon the Divine law. But when one has seen the law in all its lofty purity, in its wide spiritual application, in its absolute perfection, and then has compared his own life with it - he soon learns that he needs a Savior!

A pupil may think his writing is good - until he compares it with the copy at the top of the page, and then all its faults appear. The young artist may think his pictures are fine - until he looks upon the works of some great master, and then he never wants to see his own poor painting again. So long as on has no true conception of the meaning of the commandments, he may think himself fairly good; but when he undertakes what the commandments really require, he is at once convicted of sin. There must have been pity in the heart of Jesus, as He looked upon the young man and heard him say glibly, "All these things have I observed from my youth." He did not know what he was saying, when he spoke thus of his own obedience. But Jesus very frankly answers his question, "One thing you lack!" (Mark 10:21). He was not far from the kingdom of God, and yet he was not in it. Many men are good, almost Christians, and yet not Christians. It may be only one thing that is lacking - but that one thing is the most important of all, the last link in the chain that would unite the soul to the Savior. It is the final step that takes one over the line - from death into life, out of condemnation into glorious blessedness. One may go to the very edge - and not step over; he may reach the door - and not enter. Almost a Christian - is not a Christian. Almost saved - is still lost.

Jesus made a very large demand upon this young man. He said to him, "Sell everything you have, and give to the poor… and come and follow Me." This is not a prescription for being saved by good works - that is not the way Christ saves men. He saw this young man's weakness, that with all his excellent qualities - his heart was still wedded to the world, and the test which He gave, required him to give up that which stood between him and eternal life. He would not be saved by giving his riches to the poor. Charity is not a way of salvation. But the young man could not be saved until his idol was broken! So the demand was to get him to give up his money - and take Christ into his heart.

It was a hard battle that was fought those moments, in this young man's heart. It grieved him not to be able to enter the circle of Christ's followers - but he could not pay the price. "At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth." He wanted to go with Jesus - but he could not accept the conditions. Let us think of him after this day. He kept his money - but every time he looked at it - he would be forced to remember that he had give up Christ and eternal life for the sake of it. He would see written over his piles of gold and his deeds and bonds, "These things cost me eternal life!" His experience was just the reverse of the man who found the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:46) and then sold all he had - and bought it. The young ruler found the pearl, asked the price, and considered the purchase - but did not buy it, because he was not willing to pay so much.

As the young man turned away Jesus was grieved, and said to the disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" Just so, it is not easy to be rich - and to be a Christian. Christ spoke many earnest words concerning money and the danger of loving money. Yet not many people seem to be afraid of getting rich .

One morning a pastor found on his pulpit desk a bit of paper with these words on it: "The prayers of this congregation are requested for a man who is growing rich." It seemed a strange request - but no doubt it was a wise one. No men more need to be prayed for - than those who are becoming prosperous, becoming rich.

A priest said that among all the thousands who had come to him with confession of sin - not one had ever confessed the sin of covetousness. Men are not conscious of their danger - when they are growing rich.

Jesus did not say that a rich man cannot be saved. He said, "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." This means that every man growing rich, needs God in order to be saved. If riches master him, he is lost. Unless God is his Lord - he cannot enter the heavenly kingdom.

There is a story of a rich man, one of whose ships was delayed at sea. When one day had passed with no tidings, the man was anxious, and with each added day his anxiety increased. At length, however, he awoke to the fact that his money was having a tremendous hold upon him. He then ceased to worry about the ship and became anxious for his own soul. He was determined to break the perilous mastery, and taking the value of his ship, he gave it at once to a charitable object. We all need to deal thus rigorously with ourselves, whether we have only a little money or much - that money may never be our master - but that Christ may be Master always; and money our servant, to do our bidding and Christ's.

#Devotional Hours Within the Bible #Jesus on the Way to Jerusalem #Matthew 19:1-2 #J.R. Miller #Matthew 19:13-26 #July 30 #2021

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