#but i can't turn down this job on the basis that i might get a better one

[justporo]

Astarion sees you're almost falling asleep and will drag you to bed now!

I would need this on like a daily basis. And I guess so do many of you - so let the vampire drag you to bed and GO! GET! SOME! SLEEP!

It was so late it could have been called early. Outside you could already hear the birds chirping, cheerfully greeting a new day. Which meant that it was more than high time to crawl into bed. And doubly so because you lived with a vampire who fared even worse with sunlight than you.

But you were still crouched over your desk and the papers there.

Your eyes were tired. You barely saw what you were working on anymore. And you knew you could get this done when you were fully rested and it would only take a matter of minutes. But you were so desperate to finish this.

Unfortunately, you had a tendency to be very determined (someone else usually called it stubborn but you always pretended you had gone deaf all of a sudden when that happened). But this tendency had brought you this far and probably saved your life more than once. And you wouldn't be bested by this piece of work!

But your head was slowly falling, your eyelids growing as heavy as lead.

And you only jumped back up when you heard that certain someone enter the room, being purposefully noisy to make you aware of it. You were grateful for that because if the vampire had snuck up on you, like he was fully capable of, it might have not ended well with you being this exhausted.

“Slacking off on the job, are we?” you heard his familiar teasing voice as he came closer. You felt his presence as he leaned on the table around you - basically caging you with his arms, sleeves rolled up to his elbows as usual. His lips were awfully close to your ear and the hairs on your neck stood on end as you didn't dare rip your eyes from your work.

“Don't you think this can wait, love?” he whispered now directly into your ear causing a hot and cold shiver to run down your spine.

But with this he had pushed the wrong button. Almost involuntarily you felt one of your eyebrows rise up and your lips forming a pout: “No, Astarion, I don't think it can wait.”

You turned your head around to face him and saw him smirk, making you even more annoyed at him. He leaned in closer, causing his chest to brush against your head now, his hands moved to cover yours.

“Do you really think a stack of papers can't wait more than your caring lover craving your calming touch?” he murmured with a pout that mirrored yours while his deft fingers freed your writing quill out of your angrily clenching fingers. You couldn't resist him long. His hands were used to open up more difficult things than your desperate grip on your writing utensils. Also his absolutely instrumentalized big red eyes he looked at you with were absolutely working their usual enchanting magic on you.

Not enough though for you to not make a snide remark about what was happening.

“Well, for starters the stack of papers doesn't talk back.”

“You think I'm funny, my love.”

“It also isn't as full of itself.”

A mockingly offended gasp while Astarion’s hands moved the papers out of your reach.

“My heart, you hurt me.”

“Ah see, it also doesn't guilt trip me.”

The vampire's hands wandered up over your arms to your shoulders. “I can't do right by you tonight, can I?”

“You could just let me keep working on my thing.”

A dramatic sigh and Astarion let his head fall forward and onto your shoulder. Then he let go of you and took a step back.

“Do you really want to keep working, dear?” he sounded sincere now and you suddenly felt true guilt as you looked at him. He stood there, arms crossed over his chest, eyes still awfully wide and shining.

But the urge to not keep business unfinished still had you in its claws.

After a few heartbeats you opened your lips to answer, but-

“Too bad, you're coming with me now, my love.” Astarion exclaimed and with rogue quickness grabbed your chair by the armrests to drag it away from the desk and turn it around to him. “You need your beauty sleep, I can't be seen walking around with a walking corpse!”

You squealed when you felt your body get yanked around so quickly while your tired brain was almost incapable of catching up. Thus you were almost confused when you had ended up on Astarion’s shoulder a moment later.

There was no energy left in your body to resist this infuriating man any longer so you just played the part of dead weight draped over his shoulder - since he had already coined you as such - and couldn't stop yourself from giggling.

“See, darling, I told you: you think I’m funny.”

“It's just sleep deprivation talking.”

“Ah, so you agree with that too.”

You resisted to answer him with something he would only twist around again to fit his agenda. Instead you just slapped his butt you had quite the delectable view of at the moment.

Astarion hissed and just slapped your behind in return. You only giggled more.

“I should have left you at your godsdamned desk, let you fall asleep right there to drool on the papers,” he murmured under his breath and ended it with something about how ungrateful you were while he threw open the bedroom door; your favourite drama queen.

Then he made quick work to get you off his shoulders with an exaggerated groan which you were sure wasn't fully acted.

As soon as your body hit your soft bed the last of your energy decided to evaporate into the aether. You were almost falling over if not for the vampire's quick reflexes catching your wrists.

With quick fingers and more snarky remarks you had no power to reply to anymore he undressed you to your underwear.

And with more overly dramatic groaning and a roll of his eyes since you provided absolutely no help did he turn you to lay down. He carefully placed your head on the pillows which you thanked him for with a dreamy sigh. Your eyes closed on your own. The blanket was thrown over you and more rustling told you that Astarion was quickly undressing as well.

When the mattress shifted under the vampire's weight as he got into bed next to you you barely even noticed it anymore.

With final efforts Astarion dragged you onto his chest. Your arms slung around him and your legs tangled with his automatically - you had done so hundreds if not thousands of times already.

“All this work just to get you where you belong,” Astarion whispered to you and clicked his tongue disapprovingly as he began rubbing lazy circles on your back. You only hummed contentedly as you felt your body relax fully into him and his touch.

Your last half-coherent thought as you drifted off to sleep was that, indeed, you had to agree with him on this one: you were right where you were supposed to be.

Taglist: @spacebarbarianweird @sunfire-ancunin @tragedybunny @dependsonthedream @tallymonster @magazzne @micropoe10 @aoirohi @my-bunny-prince @lumienyx @fayeriess @darlingxdragon @hereliesblackdragon @ayselluna @ajokeformur-ray @i-cant-get-into-my-other-account @rikuyrk06

[sopebubbles]

Two

Masterlist

Synopsis: in a world where alphas, betas, and omegas live along side modern humans as second class citizens, you've fallen through the cracks of a society that wants to take everything wonderful from you. Luckily a timely encounter with the boys just might save your life.

Chapter summary: the boys try to find your pack and face some painful truths.

Warnings: I feel like I should warn you that mc does not appear on screen at all for this whole chapter, language, honestly it's just pretty fuckin angsty.

Wc: 4k

The ride through the kaleidoscope of traffic lights and street lamps passed in near silence as they got closer to your address. Jungkook didn't notice, as caught up as he was in his own head, but for Yoongi the tension was excruciating. With one hand still on the wheel he stretched the other out to grip Jungkook's arm.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

Jungkook turned slowly to look at the other. "Talk about what?"

With a knowing smile that wasn't truly happy at all, Yoongi slid his hand down to grasp Jungkook's fist, which had been clenched to trembling on his thigh.

"Whatever is bothering you."

Jungkook rubbed his forehead and sighed, consciously unclenching his fist to let his fingers slot between Yoongi's and take the comfort the alpha's large, warm hands offered. He wouldn't really know where to begin. He'd seen so much shit today, the worst parts of society, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. When he first became a cop less than a year ago, he thought he could make a difference, make this world a safer place for everyone in it. But he'd quickly learned that more often than not he was merely a witness, someone who gathered the pieces to say this is what happened when something terrible occurred and to pray for justice that would likely never come. Sometimes it was just a bit too much to handle or to speak of.

Yoongi knew that all too well. And Jungkook knew the offer to talk was just that, an offer, not a demand. Like Jungkook and Jimin, Yoongi saw horror on a daily basis, and he knew there were times that there weren't words to speak. All the pack knew there was an overwhelming amount of injustice all around them. Jin saw so much evidence of it in his office where he worked within the legal system to try and make a difference. But none of them saw it as viscerally each and every day the way the three of them did.

"I can't stop thinking about the phone call with that woman. The way she sounded…not just disgusted but shocked. She really had no idea that Y/N isn't Sap. How is that even possible?"

Yoongi shrugged. "It's not uncommon for Lykos to try to pass for Sapiens in the workplace. It's usually only betas who can get away with it but," he shrugged again. "You said it was a bar right? Between scent blockers and so many other people, maybe it's easy to hide. She gets better wages, better tips. Even though lots of professions aren't required to disclose a second gender, there are plenty of assholes out there that won't hire an omega. Or an alpha for that matter," Yoongi added.

Jungkook sneered. "I still can't believe there are betas out there who honestly think it's better for them to pretend to be Saps. I could never imagine doing that. To just disown your entire heritage like that?" He shook his head and stared out the window.

Yoongi just pursed his lips. He didn't think he could explain it to Jungkook, nor did he think it would matter at the moment. It was good that Jungkook was a proud Lykos, that he was proud of his family and his pack. But Yoongi knew from experience that it wasn't so easy for everyone. Passing for Sapien was, in most cases, a uniquely beta privilege. It was probably even harder for alphas than omegas in Yoongi's opinion. If Yoongi could have passed for Sapien or if alphas weren't so strongly discriminated against, he might have gone to med school and become a doctor. Not that Yoongi was complaining. He was proud to do his job most of the time, even if it wasn't everything he had once dreamed. Luckily, Yoongi didn't have to continue the conversation because the GPS on his phone told them they had arrived.

The building they were looking at was a dingy, dilapidated brown that hadn't seen a fresh coat of paint in several decades. Just as well. The building would probably be better off torn down than renovated.

"Jesus," Yoongi muttered under his breath. Jungkook unbuckled his seat belt. "Wait, let's have a plan. You wanna do good cop, bad cop?" Yoongi asked, gesturing first to his partner and then to himself.

Jungkook shook his head but there was a smile on his lips. "How about a cop and a concerned citizen."

Yoongi sighed. "Sounds lame, but okay."

The pair exited the vehicle and walked briskly up to the front door. The external entrance to the building didn't appear to have any functional lock, and Yoongi's alpha growled in his head at the lack of security as they walked right in the door. Inside, they could hear several TVs playing loudly, probably trying and failing to drown out the sound of the couple fighting on the second floor who they heard as Jungkook navigated them to the unit printed on your license. The mixture of scents in the building was just as loud. Everyone living in the building must be Lykos. When they arrived at #23–only the gold 2 was still present on the door while the 3 was outlined by peeling brown paint–Jungkook rapped on the door with three firm, decisive knocks. Yoongi could practically hear every asshole in the building clench at the sound of what could only be a cop's knock. He had to suppress a chuckle.

After a few seconds, they heard the sound of a chain and several deadbolts make way so that a young Lykos could open the door a few inches. By the smell of her, Yoongi would guess she was a beta.

"Good evening, ma'am. We're sorry to bother you. We're looking for the home of a woman named Y/N Y/L/N. Does she live here?"

"No, sir. She doesn't live here." The woman replied mechanically. Jungkook couldn't read her expression from behind the door.

"Please, we need to get in touch with her family. If you have any information about her," Jungkook pressed.

The woman hesitated a moment before speaking again. "Wait just a moment."

She closed the door on them and Jungkook and Yoongi shared a look of raised eyebrows. The former hoped to hear the slide of the last chain, but seconds ticked by and when she returned the door remained blocked. The woman passed several envelopes through the small space.

"I think she must have been that sad omega that lived here before me. I've been collecting these. Meant to take them to be returned to sender but I keep forgetting. Maybe you can get them to her."

Jungkook took the envelopes, not knowing what else he could do. He cleared his throat. "Thanks."

The beta closed the door once again without another word.

Jungkook heaved a defeated sigh and turned back to Yoongi. He flipped through the various envelopes he had been given. Past dues and final notices in among the junk. Just as they were about to walk toward the exit, a door on the opposite side of the hall opened, and a man stood against the door jam with his arms crossed.

"You looking for that little omega girl?" The tall man asked. Yoongi didn't need to smell him to know he was an alpha. He didn't want to smell him.

"Maybe. You know anything about her?" Jungkook replied vaguely.

"Y/N, right?" Jungkook gave a curt nod. "She lived across the hall for a year and a half. Three weeks ago she was evicted," the alpha informed him. Jungkook looked down at the late bills in his hand. That made sense.

"Any idea where she lives now? Or how to get in touch with her pack?" Yoongi chimed in.

The man gave an amused smile and shook his head. "This is not a place for people with packs," he answered with a gesture toward the general state of the place. "People in this building are usually lone wolves," he added. "Not that I didn't offer to help her with her heats, you know? I'm a helpful guy, especially for a pretty little omega like that."

Jungkook swallowed down the bile that rose in his throat while Yoongi merely stared the man down with a stoney look usually reserved for people who walked a little too close to Hoseok.

"Yeah, thanks for your help," Jungkook muttered as he walked past the man's door and down the hall toward the exit. Yoongi held his stance until Jungkook was a few paces ahead and then fell in line.

The drive back home was even more silent than before, and when they finally arrived they were surprised to find the house just as quiet. All five of their pack members were still awake, but no one spoke as Hoseok sat at the entrance to the hallway and stared down Namjoon and Taehyung. Jin cradled Jimin in his lap with his face buried in Jimin's scent gland. Or maybe it was Jimin that was holding him down.

"What's going on here?" Yoongi chuckled as he dropped his keys into the communal dish.

"These spoiled little alpha fucks have forgotten what the word no means," Hoseok replied, arms flexing as the crossed tightly over his chest.

"Is that so?" Yoongi asked with a raised brow.

"Yes, and just in case you've forgotten too: it means you cannot mount strange omegas without their consent, and consent cannot be given in the middle of heat," Hoseok said tightly.

"Jesus, did you jump her?" Jungkook asked, looking at his mates.

"No. We did not jump her!" Namjoon insisted just a little too forcefully.

"But you would have!" Hoseok fired back. "Alpha scum."

"You're acting like we're pigs or something," Taehyung grumbled.

"You are pigs," Jimin offered from behind him.

"You guys don't get it," Jin finally broke in, showing his face for the first time. "It's not like we want to fuck her. It's just a need. We are alphas, it's our duty to breed an omega in heat."

Yoongi shook his head as he joined his fellow alphas on the couch, squeezing in between Jin and Taehyung before pulling Jimin half-way into his lap to get a sniff because yeah, your scent had saturated every molecule of air inside the house. "Yeah, I don't think that's gonna fly this time, Jin."

"Look, we are doing our best to control ourselves here. Can you give us some credit?" Namjoon asked, but he only met with Hoseok's stony glare.

"Do you think her actual alphas will be thanking you for your bare minimum decency?" He turned his head to Jungkook. "Speaking of which, did you find them?"

Jungkook sat down near Hoseok and for once made an effort not to let his scent spread out, not until he could level himself out. The omega was on high alert, and didn't miss the pungent edge of mildew coming from him. Hoseok grabbed his sleeve and tugged until the beta scooted closer.

"What's wrong? What happened?" He urged as he ran fingers through Jungkook's hair.

The youngest sighed. "She doesn't live there but she used to. An old neighbor said she got evicted a few weeks back."

"No forwarding address?" Jin asked, fighting to keep his clarity.

"Neighbor said she was a 'lone wolf,'" Yoongi added, voice muffled by Jimin.

"Alone?" Someone echoed as Jungkook rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands.

"That place…it was awful. Even though I see it all the time—I don't think. I come home every night and I let myself forget that there are people out there with no pack, who are struggling just to survive."

"Kookie," Hoseok cooed, rubbing a hand up and down his mate's back.

"We're very lucky," Jin agreed.

"There are so many loners these days. We're trying so hard to get kids into good packs, but it can be tough to find the right fit. And so many of them have trust issues or have never had a pack…they don't know what they're getting into at all. It scares me to think that could have been me," Jimin reflected. It was only a handful of years ago that a chance meeting with Yoongi had led him to his home. Jimin's light scent and lack of a family history often excluded him from groups and from forming proper bonds with other Lykos. He was the last to join their pack, but it was always a blessing.

The sadness filling the room and his mates caused panic to rise in Hoseok's chest. His fingers curled into Jungkook's shirt. "Maybe the neighbor was wrong. Maybe she moved out to move in with a pack!" He suggested with forced cheerfulness. "Did you find any other leads in her bag?"

Jungkook shook his head. "I didn't have a chance."

Hoseok popped to his feet. "I'll go get it from the room!" He paused as he turned. "Keep your eyes on those four," he added before padding to your door and closing it behind him in a futile attempt to keep your heavy scent inside.

"I was just reading an article today about how pack life is healthier for people. Omegas live 8 years longer on average as part of a pack than alone," Namjoon told them just to fill the silence. He was one of the lucky ones, like Jin, Hoseok, Tae and Jungkook, who had only ever known pack life. For them any other way seemed inconceivable. They'd gone from pups to their own mature pack without ever living one night on their own, but even the thought of it ached with unbearable loneliness. Lykos were not meant to be alone.

Hoseok returned a moment later, large black purse in hand.

"How is she?" Yoongi asked.

Hoseok gave a dramatic eye roll. "She's fine."

"Hyung," Tae whined.

"She's so fucking out of it she doesn't know where she is right now, Taehyung."

That did not soothe any of the alphas fraying nerves.

"Maybe we could just cuddle–"

"No." Hoseok cut Namjoon off. "You are not going in there for anything. End of discussion."

He dropped the bag on the floor in front of Jungkook, who opened it and began to carefully sort through your belongings. At the top of the bag was a change of clothes that he couldn't stop himself from taking a sniff of, catching your normal crisp apple scent instead of the gooey apple pie you were giving off tonight. The trace on the shirt was so faint it was almost drowned out among the other smells in the house.

"Let me smell it," Namjoon chirped before he could stop himself.

"Don't you feel embarrassed?" Hoseok returned quickly and harshly, and Namjoon cowed his head because he did.

Jungkook merely set the clothes to the side and continued to search. Next he pulled out two boxes of extra strength scent blockers, the kind that go inside your nose so you don't smell anyone around you, and then a bottle of scent spray that you bought at a Sap store. It smelled similar to your apple, but more artificial and layered with other scents.

"I guess this is how she passes," Jungkook mumbled as he set the items in front of Hoseok, who picked up the bottle and sniffed its top, wrinkling his nose at the chemical smell. Your scent was much nicer than that.

The pack's attention was drawn to a rattling sound before Jungkook pulled out a large plastic medicine bottle. He looked briefly at the label before shaking the bottle and then handed it to Hoseok.

"If she had a full bottle of heat suppressants, why did she go down like that?" Jungkook wondered aloud.

The omega beside him unscrewed the cap and shook a single pill into his hand. "Holy fuck! I didn't know they were this big! How does anyone swallow that?"

"Let me see?" Jimin asked. He was probably more familiar with heat suppressants than any other pack member because they were required in order to stay in pretty much any mixed-gender shelter, and even in many single-gender ones. Hoseok replaced the cap and tossed the bottle across the room. Jimin picked it out of the air with one hand and brought it down in front of him and Yoongi. "Where the fuck did she get these?" Jimin asked after reading the label.

"What is it?" Jungkook asked. It wasn't something he was particularly well-versed in since Hobi had never taken any. And he'd never had any other omega.

"I've only ever heard about these," Yoongi said, taking the bottle from Jimin. "Some omega activists are trying to get these banned. They have mega doses of hormones to stop heats, but they can cause permanent damage to an omega's reproductive system. I've also heard that most omegas don't like to take them unless they have to because the side effects are really harsh."

"I've heard rumors that some of the shelters give them out to omegas who want to stay," Jimin added.

"Is this one of them?" Jungkook asked when he found a crumpled flier in your bag. The paper showed a posed group of people wearing smiles outside a generic looking building in the downtown area. It also stated the hours of operation and contact information. Jimin held out a hand and Jungkook passed it through the alphas to him.

Jimin gasped quietly. "This is the worst shelter in town. The people who run this are fundamentalists who think that Lykos are abominations. They preach that we are unnatural and against god. Kids sometimes come to us from there and have said they were prevented from nesting or sharing beds with others. I'm sure they gave her these before letting her in but-" That didn't answer how you had ended up in your current state.

Jungkook thought he was going to be sick, and he wasn't alone.

"Why would anyone go to an organization like that?" Taehyung wondered, his hand sliding into Namjoon's.

"Some people don't have any choice," Jimin answered.

Everyone sat in quiet thought for a moment until the sound of Jungkook's sob broke from his chest. Six heads snapped in his direction, but only one spoke up.

"Jungkook, come here, baby," Jin said with arms held open. Jimin moved down to sit over Namjoon and Taehyung while Yoongi squeezed to make room for Jungkook. In spite of being a beta, Jungkook was just a little too large to sit comfortably in the pack alpha's lap, but he sat down and let Jin pull his legs over his lap and snuggled into his chest. "Tell alpha what's going on," Jin cooed.

Jungkook tried to calm his sobs, which got easier when Yoongi pressed himself against the beta's back. It took a minute before he was able to speak, but no one rushed him.

"I saw an omega get killed today," he finally said in a watery voice. "He was just a couple years younger than Y/N. He was alone and he was shot by some hateful Sap, for no reason. And all I could think at the time was where is his pack? Why didn't they protect him? But he didn't have a pack. There wasn't anyone to call. And then we found Y/N. And I just…why isn't there anyone to call?"

Jin hugged the man tighter to his chest and let him cry. "It's okay, Kook. Let it out. It's okay. There are four good alphas here and no one is going to get hurt," he assured in a soft voice.

Jungkook sucked in the deepest breath he could before he pulled away and leaned into Yoongi. "Sorry, it was kind of a fucked up day," he said as he wiped his eyes.

Yoongi gave his arm a squeeze, one that said he was sorry there were so many fucked up days, because Yoongi always knew more about them than the others, because sometimes Yoongi and Jungkook would lay in the nest in the spare room and whisper the things that haunted them before they could go to sleep.

"You should have told me before we went out, Kookie. We didn't have to go." Jimin reached a hand out across the alphas and Jungkook took it.

"I'm glad we did though." He didn't want to think what it would be like otherwise.

"Pup, you need to tell us when things are weighing on you like that," Hoseok chided, still rooted to his spot on the floor.

"I honestly can't bring that to you all the time," Jungkook admitted.

"We’re your pack, Jungkook-ah," Jin reminded him. "It's our job to share your burden, especially when it's too hard."

"I'll try."

Hoseok sighed. "It's late. Everyone, go to bed. We can decide what to do next in the morning."

No one argued with the omega. The tone of the conversation had dampened their yearning for you in the other room.

"Are you coming, my love?" Jin asked with an arm outstretched to pull him up.

Hoseok shook his head. "You all go on."

"Honey, you can't sit here all night."

"I'll get some things settled for her and then I'll sleep on the couch. No one will get past me."

Jin pouted. "But it won't be the same in the nest without you. You haven't even gotten a chance to build it up yet. How can we sleep there?" Seokjin always became so codependent when he was sleepy.

Hoseok's resolve cracked just a little.

"Hobi, you go up. I'll stay down here. I think I'd be more relaxed that way anyway," Jungkook suggested. It would be easier to rest if he knew you were safe from danger. Is this what it felt like to be an alpha all the time?

Hoseok grumbled but he was already giving in. "I can't let you go to sleep smelling like that."

With a wave of the omega's hand, all of his packmates gathered around Jungkook and marked wherever they could reach until he smelled like the unique blend of scents that to him smelled like home. When they finally backed away, Jungkook wore a dopey, scent-high smile, and Hoseok could go upstairs to his nest with one fewer worry.

Once they had all gone up to bed, Jungkook took a thick blanket from the hall closet that was too thick to use this time of year and laid it out on the floor in front of your door along with a pillow from the couch. He thought briefly about going in to check on you, but he honestly wasn't sure he would be able to stop himself from climbing in the nest to cuddle you. He couldn't stop thinking about the way they wouldn't let you sleep with others in the shelter, or how you had probably slept alone for at least a year and a half prior to that. But Hoseok was right about boundaries and consent, and he could be good if he just stayed on this side of the door. If you couldn't be comforted, you could at least be safe.

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[cowgurrrl]

You're My Only Hope for Heaven

Pairing: Joel Miller x fem!reader

Author's note: oh bitch I'm having a fucking blast with this dynamic the slow burn is slow burning

Summary: An unlikely patron saunters into your bar [3.5k]

Warnings: one (1) creepy guy, one (1) fake marriage, lots of flirting that’s not flirting but it’s not not flirting, one (1) kiss

You try not to make it a habit of picking up bar shifts during the week. Not only is it almost always slow, and you barely make any money, but it's hard to go from teaching for eight hours directly to another job. You'd much rather be at home, grading or doing something for yourself for the first time in weeks. But you couldn't say no when Katie called you, almost in tears, begging you to take her shift so she could deal with a burst pipe in her house. You don't regret doing her a favor, but you do regret other things as you stand behind the mostly empty bar as whatever game is happening plays on the screen above your head. You think it's a UT game. Or maybe A&M. Or any of the other SEC Texas schools with an absurd football budget. 

You're basically yawning your way through your shift and working through your newest painting in your head, trying and failing to not think about school until absolutely necessary. Principal Martinez is cracking down on the stupid minutiae the school board demands of its teachers, and you spent most of your afternoon writing student objectives on the board. On top of that, your art club kids have been begging you to plan a field trip to the local art museum for weeks. You finally relented, but the paperwork is mind-numbing and requires much more work than you thought. Between working, making art, and trying to live your life, you barely have time. 

Another reason you hate working weekdays is the creepy regulars. Normally, you can ignore them on a busy Saturday night, but it's harder when it's as dead as it is. You have no idea how Katie deals with them on a regular basis. It started with a guy at the bar, you think his name is Steve, asking you progressively invasive questions. "How old are you?" "You gotta boyfriend?" "What time do you get off?" One right after each other, even after you made it clear you're not interested. Fake laughing and making excuses to run to the back or change a keg don't throw him off. 

"Keep it up, and I'll cut you off." You finally threaten after he asks you why you're being a bitch. You roll your eyes when the bell above the door rings, probably admitting yet another asshole who's gonna make your night hell. When you turn toward the door, the words leave you before you can stop them. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me."

"Now, is that any way to greet your customers?" Joel chuckles, and you sigh as he sits down in front of you. Thankfully, his brother is not in tow, and you can save yourself a little embarrassment. "I didn't know you worked here."

"I don't," you say. "Whatcha drinkin'?" 

"Looks like you're workin' to me." He smirks and you shoot him a look.

"You wanna free drink or not?" 

"Shiner," he answers quickly. You hum in acknowledgment, not even bothering with the POS system and going right to the fridge to pull a bottle out for him. You pop the cap off and place a napkin under the beer before sliding it to him. "Are you bribin' me?"

"You've gotta be faster with your questions, Miller. You've already accepted it. Might as well enjoy." You say, and he laughs. 

"Well, alright, then," he says, raising his beer to you before taking a quick sip. "So, what's this, then? You moonlightin' as a bartender?" He asks, and you fight yourself on how to answer. What if word gets back to parents? Administration? They couldn't reprimand you for that, right? You know plenty of other teachers with second jobs, so it can't be that taboo. Still, you're hesitant to open up to Joel. Out of all the people who could've walked into your bar tonight, it had to be him.

"Something like that." You settle on, wiping a sticky spot on the bar to avoid his gaze. If he feels anything negative about you having a second job, his face doesn't show it. He has a soft smile on his lips and a slight sunburn across his nose, highlighting the freckles living there that previously went unnoticed. You want to tease him about not wearing sunscreen, but the joke dies in your throat when he rests his elbows on your bar, showing off those stupid biceps you can't not look at. He catches your eyes lingering near the short sleeve of his shirt and opens his mouth like he's going to say something, but a grating voice from the other side of the bar cuts him off.

"Excuse me, sweetheart! You've got other patrons over here!" Steve yells, and you feel your eye twitch at his attitude. Joel notices.

"What's wrong with him?" He asks quietly, leaning forward over the bar to get closer to you. Looking into his brown eyes and confused expression, an idea forms.

"Pretend you know me." You say, and his eyebrows knit together, every emotion visible on his face. 

"I do know you."

"No, I mean," you sigh. "That guy over there is a regular on Wednesdays, and the girl who usually works is married, so he doesn't try anything with her, but I won't give him my number, and he's making me fucking miserable. So, just... pretend to know me." Joel is bigger than Steve. Much bigger. Probably a whole head taller and much broader than the man on the other side of the bar. One word from Joel, and he might actually shut up or, better yet, leave altogether so you can finish your day without any more hiccups.

"Okay," Joel agrees, and you reflexively reach out to touch his thick forearm and squeeze. You don't even realize you did it until he smiles like he won a staring contest or something.

"Thank you," you say before turning and bracing yourself to deal with Steve. "What can I do for you, sir?" You ask, but before you can even finish your sentence, he holds up his empty beer bottle and waves it in front of your face like you're stupid. 

"Another beer." He says, and you bite your tongue. 

"You got it."

"Finally," he groans. "You'd think for such an easy fuckin' job, you'd be better at it." 

"What the fuck is your problem?" You ask, refusing to move from your spot to get him his beer, and he scoffs.

"My problem is that you're bein' a fuckin' bitch and ignorin' me when I didn't do nothin' wrong." He's slurring his words together at this point, and you wordlessly go to the POS system to close his tab and send him on his way. "Hey, I'm talkin' to you!" He yells after you.

"Hey, man, why don't you leave her alone? She's just tryna do her job." Joel speaks up from the other side of the bar, and Steve straightens up in his seat as he assesses Joel. 

"This isn't any of your fuckin' business. Stay out of it."

"It's my business now. That's no way to speak to a lady. I think you owe her a mighty big apology." 

"I don't owe her shit," he spits, and you look over to see Joel setting his jaw and squaring his shoulders. "Why's this even matter to you, big shot?"

"That's my fuckin' wife you're mouthin' off to," Joel says without hesitation, and you quickly school your expression. Wife? You asked him to play along, but you didn't think he'd say that. "So, if you wanna keep the rest of your teeth, I suggest you apologize to her, leave her a nice, big tip for dealin' with your sorry ass, and get yourself a ride home." 

Steve is silent as you take the empty bottle away from him— just in case things get really ugly— and slide him his card and bill. He eyes Joel carefully for a few tense seconds before picking up a pen, signing his check, and leaving without another word. The second he's out the door, you feel a weight lift off your shoulders and sigh at the relief. You scrub a hand down your face and look over at Joel.

"You okay?" He asks gently like you're a spooked horse, and you nod. You take a few minutes to get yourself together, putting in Steve's 30% tip and cleaning off the empty bar before returning to Joel. "What?" He asks when he catches you smirking.

"At least buy a girl dinner before you call me your wife." You say, and he laughs, shaking his head. 

"You said the other girl is married. I just took it and ran," he says. "And I already tried to take you to dinner, but somebody said no." 

"School regulation says it's unethical." 

"Well, we're not at school now, and you're certainly not a teacher right now." He says smoothly, vaguely gesturing to your all-black outfit, and you give him a look. "What time d'you get off?"

"You're gonna get me in trouble." You whisper, and he leans forward across the bar. 

"All I did was ask you a question." He whispers back, playfully mocking you. It could be the smile on his face, the relaxed humor behind his eyes, or the fact that he stood up for you because you asked him to, but you glance between him and the clock and take a deep breath. 

"I get off at 12. Unless it stays dead like this, then I'm closing early," you say, and his smile grows. "But this is not a date." 

"'Course not." He chuckles, and you raise your eyebrows at him. 

"I'm serious. I need you to say it's not a date, so I know you won't come after me if your kid fails my class." 

"Is my kid failing your class?"

"No, she's amazing. But for my own mental well-being, I need you to say that this is not a date." You say, and he grabs your wrist to stop your anxious wringing. 

"Let me buy you a drink. That's it. Nothin' more," he says, squeezing you. "This ain't a date." 

"Thank you." You sigh, and he nods. 

You spend an hour or two idling between conversations with Joel and trying to look busy for any manager who might care enough to check the cameras. You're pretty much done with all your closing duties by 10:00, and you wait until it's been a full hour since anyone else came in to flip the closed sign and do a few last-minute things. When the bar is completely clean, empty, and ready for the next shift, you slink back behind it to make yourself and Joel a drink before sitting beside him. 

"You feelin' proud of yourself for getting us here?" You ask as you clink your glass against his and take a sip. 

"Yeah, I've got the prettiest girl in the whole place sittin' by me," he says, and before you can even scold him, he throws his hands up. "Not a date." 

"Not a date." You repeat.

"Still true, though."

"Don't make me regret saying yes to you, Mr. Miller." You say, and he gives you a look. You like teasing him, especially since you can always see exactly how he's feeling. He's not particularly subtle, contrary to what you're sure others think about him. 

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Joel?" 

"As many times as it takes, I guess," you shrug. "You also clearly have an aversion to being called Mr. Miller."

"My dad was Mr. Miller." He says, and you roll your eyes, groaning and half-folding in on yourself dramatically. 

"Oh, my God, do you know how many men have said that to me since I've become a teacher?"

"Well, it's true!" He says. "Are you sayin' other people are tryna tell my wife to call ‘em by their first names?" He asks, and you laugh. 

"Believe it or not, you're not the first single parent to ask me out." 

"Am I the first one you said yes to?" 

"So far." 

"So far?" He asks, raising his eyebrows, and you hum. "I'll take it." 

Unsurprisingly, Joel is really easy to talk to. He asks questions about your life outside of work, where you went to school, and what made you want to be a teacher. You ask him about his job and family and, somehow, end up talking about the latest cheesy action film he's seen. When both your drinks are empty, the glasses sit there, the ice slowly melting as you talk into the night. Every time a hint of anxiety creeps up your spine, he makes you laugh or tells you an interesting story from his past and distracts you from it. You lose hours sitting there, and you don't even realize it until your phone pings you with a reminder, and you suddenly see it's past midnight.

"Oh, shit," you mumble, showing Joel the time. "I gotta lock up."

"And you have school tomorrow." He says, and you groan as you stand and grab your glasses. 

"Don't remind me. I've got like five million things waiting to get done there." You say. He watches you step behind the bar, leave them in the sink for the opener to find, and no doubt send a catty message in the group chat asking who closed the night before. His eyes don't leave you even when you reach up and grab your bag, your sleeve falling down just enough to reveal a nasty bruise.

"Woah, that looks like it hurt," he says, gesturing to your arm. "How'd you get that?"

"Promise you won't laugh." Your response does nothing to clear up his confusion, but he raises his right hand and makes a cross over his heart.

"I promise." His tone is gentle and even, but you're still hesitant to actually admit it.

"I fell off a table." 

"I told you!"

"Hey!" You scold. "You promised you'd be cool about it!"

"I promised not to laugh." He says, and you roll your eyes. "They still haven't come to fix it for ya?"

"Would I be climbing on tables if they did?"

"Fair enough," he shrugs. You find the bar keys at the bottom of your purse and walk over to where he's still sitting, your hand resting on the back of your chair. He shifts forward until he can catch the edge of your sleeve and roll it up to see the bruise in all her glory. His fingers are warm, and his touch light as he traces the edge of it, not firm enough to make it ache but enough that you feel the pads of his fingers. You freeze like your stillness will be enough for the feather-light touches to continue, your eyes meeting for a split second. He clears his throat and rolls your sleeve back down for you, drawing his hand back. "Tell you what," he says. "I gotta buddy who gets me a good deal on some spare parts. Let me see if I can track down the part you need, and I'll come fix it myself. Free of charge."

"You don't have to do that." 

"And let my wife fall off tables?" He asks, a smirk pulling on his lips, and you shake your head. "It's the least I can do for the free drinks and, ya know, teachin' my kid." 

"Fine, but don't make it a thing. The maintenance people already don't like me. I can't imagine seeking outside help will make them like me." 

"I won't make it a thing," he promises, leaning back in his chair as his eyes travel up and down your body. He sighs heavily and sucks his teeth like you're suddenly too much, and you smile. "It's a damn shame this wasn't a date."

"What'd you do if it was?" The question borders on dangerous, but you can't take it back now that you've said it. It seems to have piqued Joel's interest, too, because he raises his eyebrows at you.

"You really wanna know?" He asks, and you nod.

"I really wanna know," you say. "How does Joel Miller end a successful date?" He gets a little bashful at the question, a blush creeping up his neck, and you knock his knee with yours to get his attention. "C'mon, don't get shy on me now."

"Alright, alright," he grumbles. "If this were a date, and we were gettin' ready to go out separate ways, I'd walk you out to your car, open the door for ya 'cause a lady should never open her own doors," his voice is slow and low, and he watches your face as he speaks. "And I'd kiss you. Nice and slow so I don't scare ya off or anythin'. I might put a hand on your waist or bite that pretty lip or somethin'. And right when I can feel you wantin' a little more, gettin' a little desperate, I'd stop, say goodnight, and walk back to my truck." His words have a devastating effect on you, and you can't look away from him. The heat rolling off him in waves makes you too warm and flustered. His gaze flicks from your eyes to your lips, his own tongue darting out to wet his plump bottom lip, and you have half a mind to think he's looking at you like he wants to eat you alive. You have half a mind to let him. 

"You're right," you finally breathe. "It's a shame this isn't a date." He nods and stands, his broad chest grazing yours as you look up at him. You're not a science teacher by any means. If you were, you might be able to explain the magnetism you feel toward Joel or what stupid chemical in your brain makes you wonder what tricks he keeps up his sleeve. But you're not. You're an art teacher. So, the only thing you can focus on is the deep brown of his irises and the heavy lashes and crow's feet that frame his eyes. And the swoop of his salt and pepper curls, the tint of his slightly pink forehead and strong nose. You want to capture his image in the dim lighting of the bar, but you settle for committing it to memory to scribble in the margins of your notebook for the rest of the week. Why couldn't you have been a science teacher?

Neither of you says anything as he finally steps away, giving you the space to turn off the last of the bar lights and push through the haze he created in your mind. He lingers by the door and opens it for you when you go to the front and step into the humid Austin night. You lock the doors and give him a small smile when you turn around to see him rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. 

Then, just as he said, he walks you to your car and opens the driver's side door for you. His truck, the only other car in the parking lot, is parked a few spaces away from yours. It would've been so much easier to just ignore you, get in his car, and drive away, but here he is, being the gentleman he's always been toward you. You step into the space created by the open door and throw your bag in the passenger seat, but don't get in the car. Not yet. He sighs heavily, like he's in physical pain, when you meet his eyes again, and his hand flexes around the edge of your car door. 

"Thanks for my not date." You mumble, and he nods. You're close (and weak) enough that brushing his lips would just take a strong breeze. It freaks you out how okay you are with the idea of "accidentally" kissing Joel Miller. You should be panicking. Alarm bells should be sounding in your head, but the only thing filling the cavernous space is the echo of his voice explaining what he'd do if this were a date. Idiot.

He leans on your door a little more, and your heart quickens, thinking he might actually be the one to make the move. His head ducks just a little, and you get a strong whiff of his cologne, your eyes fluttering shut at the scent. Your throat is suddenly dry, and you're all but pushing up on your toes when he swerves past your lips and presses a chaste, firm kiss to your cheek. His beard scratches your soft skin pleasantly, and you keep your eyes closed until he pulls away, looking like he just won a prize.

"Get home safe." He says as he steps back, still holding your door open. You sigh and fight a smile as you look at him— cocky, vindicated, and knowing exactly what he just did. 

"Goodnight, Joel." You manage to get out before sitting down and letting him gently shut the door for you. You wait until he gets in his truck to roll your window down and shout his name until he does the same. "I'm gonna get you back for that."

"Oh, I'm countin' on it, darlin'."

TAGLIST: @abbyhaslongshorts @kiwiharrykiwi @sumsworldz @myloveistoolittle @anavatazes @marantha @cosmoscoffeee @shyminnie07 @beezusvreeland @eddiemunsonsbedroom @harriedandharassed @doodlebob-mp3

[bluginkgo]

Another Nuzi rant. Don't mind me

Spoilers, duh

Since I've already done a quick character study/nuzi rant from N's side. Here's one from Uzi's side!

This is probably gonna be just me repeating things people have already said... again. But I love Uzi. (Just like every other character in Murder Drones, honestly.) But Liam did a wonderful job of making an angsty, emo girl, borderline maniac that we know as Uzi. Her character, to me at least, never became the annoying overdramatized and overused stereotype that follows her style. She has real reasons for being the way she is.

A loner, whose dad loves nothing but doors. School is not different, as her classmates pretty much forget about her existence on a day to day basis. No one to talk to, no one to connect with, gives her the angsty side that I absolutely adore. Because underneath all of that toughness is just a lonely little drone who was left by herself since early age. But guess who comes in and busts down those walls (literally and figuratively)?

Our good boi N! Despite their rough start, N never really gave Uzi a reason not to trust him. Their chance encounter, and a broken sensor, allowed them to have the talk that might have never happened. Their beginning might have been a lucky accident, but for the rest of the season, we can see how both sides had to work to make well... Nuzi work!

For Uzi, asking for help is like asking for a death sentence probably. After being on her own for so long, she doesn't expect anyone to help. With that information in mind, the first time she let's that wall crumble was episode 2, Heartbeat.

"Uzi, shoot! Or give it to me!"

Granted, we all know that was not our N. But in that moment, when Uzi was in an enough distressed state, she sought help in N. We all know how that ended, though. Absolute Solver took advantage of that and almost killed her, before N once again sweeped in to save her. The one and only notorious Nuzi misunderstanding was, for better or for worse, cleared up pretty quickly. Seeing as glitchproduction only has so much money at their disposal, they can't really drag this ordeal out. Personally, I'm glad that it didn't. The long drama that is just a misunderstanding after misunderstanding gets quite tedious to follow.

So, moving forward in The Promening, Uzi once again seeks out N when she's in distress. When she sees and hears about what Doll and Lizzy were gonna do, she books it to the only person she knows can help her.

N! Now don't get me wrong. Uzi, by herself is plenty strong. She's shown off her fighting and capabilities, and would have probably been able to take V on. She's taken J down before, aaaand Uzi does technically also take V down in Cabin Fever. But she still went out of her way to go find N. So they could work together and get this mess sorted out.

And then there's this. God I love Cabin Fever, and surprisingly no, not for the Falling.... for you? scene. No, I loved the entire Uzi going on murder spree because she can! The music was such a banger too. But back to Uzi. She recognizes V and briefly snaps back to her usual self. Curious isn't it? N and Uzi both tried reaching out to V, but because V is so untrusting (and we all understand why from ep 5, Home). Here Uzi tried to ask V for help... in form of N.

I find it interesting how ever since Uzi met N and V, she's been getting better at asking for help. Sure, V shot her down because, once again, V was scared. Uzi was turning into the monster that only Cyn has been capable of creating. This soon leads to N yeeting Uzi into the f*cking stratosphere and the two have a chat.

I love how the animators included Uzi hiding behind her bat wings.

Her metaphorical walls were back up. And guess who broke them yet again.

The bestest boi N! And ever since this moment, N and Uzi are way more open.

Episode 5 was taking place in N's memories. But episode 6 is where their trust and care shines. Yeah, sure, there was the hand holding. And it was a big moment! But I enjoyed the little things more. Uzi checking in on N, nodding at his little comments and jokes.

Summary: I love Nuzi. Send help they're on my mind 24/7.

[ssaaaronmontgomery]

Inconveniences

Warnings: Smut, periods, reader is a bit self conscious about periods and period sex, please let me know if I missed anything!

Word count: 1K

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x fem!reader

A/n: I was in the mood for period smut and accidentally made it fluffier than I intended to but that’s okay. There may be some errors because I have not read over it yet but I will when I have more time.

Tags: @greg-montgomery

This post is nsfw minors DNI*

"Wait Aaron.  No we have to stop." Aaron was on top of you and starting to pull your shirt off before you stopped him.  "Is everything okay?" He looks at you slightly concerned.  He's searching your face for something.  "Everything's fine I just- I can't-" you let out a sigh.  "We just can't have sex right now is all." He sits back.  "Honey if you don't want to have sex it's fine.  We don't need to do anything." "It's not that I don't want to, because believe me I want to, I'm just I'm I just-" you trail off and look away.  Clearly embarrassed about something.  

He puts the pieces together now.  "You want to but you're on your period aren't you?" His voice is soft and he tilts his head to the side a little.  You give him a shy nod.  "I'm sorry Aaron.  I didn't mean to mislead you or anything.  I just forgot about it until you went to take my shirt off and I guess I just panicked a little." You stare at your hands as you fiddle with your fingers.  "You don't need to apologise.  We can just cuddle and watch TV if you want."  He's being so kind and understanding which you're not used to.  This happened once before with someone else and they were completely disgusted and annoyed because they thought they were going to have a good time.  

He moves to lay down beside you and face you.  He can tell you're embarrassed.  But he can also see that there's something else going on in your head.  "There's something else bothering you isn't there?" He brings his hand up to brush a strand of hair away from your face before smoothing his thumb over your cheek.  You sigh again and look over at him.  "You're just being so nice about it and I feel bad because I gave you the impression that you would get to have some fun tonight.  And now you're probably disgusted with me." You continued to fiddle with your fingers.  It's his turn to sigh now.  "Sweetheart why would I be disgusted by you because you're on your period?  It's completely natural.  And I see much more blood in my job on a regular basis.  Your cycle doesn't bother me.  You do know that I keep hygiene products here for you in my bathroom right?" 

This surprises you because no you didn't know about that.  He never mentioned it before.  You furrow your brows at him.  "You do?  Since when?" "Since you started spending the night from time to time about four months ago.  I figured you might need some at some point." He's so considerate you're practically looking at him with heart eyes because he's so sweet.  "I promise it doesn't make me uncomfortable at all."

That makes you think.  You look down and see he's still about half hard in his sweats.  "It's not a turn off for you?" "Not in the slightest.  Is it for you?"  "Well no.  But I thought you wouldn't want to do anything once you knew.  Someone else said they thought it was gross and didn't want to after I told them." You looked back down still a bit embarrassed about that encounter even if it was years ago.  "If you're open to it I'd love to make you feel good Sweetheart." He moves his hand to rub up and down your side.  "But I don't want get any on you." You move your gaze back to his.  

He looks away momentarily as he thinks.  "I think we can work around that.  I wouldn't mind it but if you're not comfortable with that we can try something different."  "Like what?"  He smiles and moves back on top of you.  "Tell me if you want to stop at any point okay?" You nod.  He kisses you deeply and you move your hands to tangle in his hair.  He moves his to gently grope your breasts.  He figures they might be extra sensitive so he's careful with his movements on them.  "Can I take this off?" He questions as he grabs the hem of your shirt.  You nod again and he pulls it over your head.  

He starts kissing your neck.  Slowly moving down to your chest and he wraps his lips around one of your nipples making you suck in a breath.  He's trying to get you worked up again.  And he's doing it very well.  He does the same to your other nipple and once he thinks you've had enough he moves back up to kiss your lips again.

He starts rocking his hips into yours.  His clothed cock pressing right against your clothed pussy.  You gasp at the sudden movement and bring your legs around his torso.  He starts grinding harder against you.  You're moaning into his mouth and he's swallowing each one.  You try your best to move your hips with his and he buries his face in your neck to nip and suck there as he groans.  

"Is this okay baby?" He mumbles against your skin.  "Yes.  Yes Aaron it's good.  It feels good.  Can you go faster please?" He obliges and you're moaning louder than before.  Your back arching off the mattress.  "Aaron please.  Please please." Moving against you even harder and faster you quickly come undone shortly followed by Aaron's hips stuttering as he groans loudly into your ear.  

Aaron kisses you again.  It's slow and messy.  Tongues moving together and saliva mixing.  You both pull away panting and he presses his forehead to yours as the two of you come down and catch your breath.  

"Was that a good compromise?" He asks still a bit breathless.  "Yes it was a very good one." He gives a small chuckle and kisses your forehead.  "Please don't be embarrassed about anything Honey.  Especially not this.  Not with me.  Let's get cleaned up and then we can snuggle yeah?" He's running the back of a finger over your cheek again.  It's a comforting touch and he knows you love it because you always lean into it.  "Yeah." You smile at him and he helps you to the bathroom.  

Once you're both back in bed and snuggled up he turns the lights off and the TV on.  Soon enough you've both drifted off in peaceful sleep completely wrapped up in each other.  

[zeezelweazel]

Until Dawn| NSFW Headcanons|

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I would love to write more until dawn & the quarry as well so send in your requests :)

TW: praise kink (sam, jess), body worship (jess), bondage (emily), pet play(ash), rough sex(ash)

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• Sam •

- Out of all the girls Sam is the most vanilla one. It's not like sex with her is boring, it's anything but. She's just pretty tame when it comes down to it. Would take a bit of convincing if you want her to try something new but she definitely won't venture to far on the kinky side. She, not so secretly, loves it when you call her 'good girl' but that's as far as she'll go with pet names during sex.

- She's a switch with no specific preference. You want her to top you? Get ready for your legs to turn into jello. You want to top her? You'll watch her whimper and moan beneath you as she begs for you to touch her just a bit more.

- Absolutely loves marks. It doesn't matter who they're on. She prefers it when you leave hickeys on places that aren't visible, just so she doesn't have to go through the hassle of covering them up. Her favourite place to mark is your thighs. Her favourite place to spend her day is between your legs and the amount of purple marks on your soft skin are a constant reminder of that.

• Jessica •

- Sex is one of the best things in your relationship with Jessica. She is super energetic and horny most of the time so you two have sex on a regular basis. She isn't too vanilla or too kinky. Middle is good. She would have trouble getting out of her comfort zone though. It's a given that she would be hesitant to trying new things in the bedroom because of her underlying insecurities.

- Speaking of her insecurities, she loves when you show her how much you love and appreciate her through sex. She'd definitely be into body worship and would be delighted to spend just as much time loving your body as you do with hers.

- She's a bottom leaning switch. She's also very vocal in the bedroom and you definitely know when you're doing a good job. One of the things that get her going is praise. She loves the feeling especially when it's paired up with some good old dry humping. If you whisper sweet praises in her ear while she's riding your thigh she'll absolutely melt.

• Emily •

- Much like many other things in your relationship, sex with Emily is a wild ride. She might seem like the dominant top that will roughly give away control, but she's a power bottom at heart.

- She's quite a kinky person. Em is a goner the moment handcuffs and gags appear. It surprised you at first, how such a strong and blunt person had the desire to be topped and dominated. It would take time for the both of you to find a balance but when you do, get ready for the best sex you'll ever have. Em will act like a brat on purpose just to rile you up. It's one of her favourite past times, considering how much she enjoys the punishments that always follow.

- Another thing that Em surprisingly loves is when you pay special attention to her tits. They are very sensitive and playing with her chest never fails to make her whine and whimper while she writhes and rubs her thighs together. Em is neither loud nor quiet. Her sounds are mostly breathless moans and whimpers. She will almost never beg you to touch her, you must driver her crazy for her to reach the beginning point.

• Ashley •

- Undoubtedly the kinkiest one of them all is sweet and quiet Ashley. You know what they say, it's always the quiet ones.

- She's definitely into pet play and adores it when you call her 'kitten' during sex. She is a bottom and cannot top anyone for the life of her. She has a normal sex drive but when she does get horny she's very needy. You're going to immediately know when she's in the mood, she can't hide it even if she wants to. She'd want you to be rough with her. Spank her, slap her, pull her hair, bite her. She's into that shit. She also loves face sitting. Preferably with you on top. She has a lot of secret fantasies, as your relationship progresses and she starts to trust you more she'll let you in on them. She would be very happy if you tried them with her. She would also be excited to bring cameras in the mix.

- The idea of filming a video of you fucking her just so you can potentially jerk off to it makes her so incredibly wet. She would also take a lot of nudes and would on purpose send them to you when she knows you won't be able to do anything about it.

____________________________________________________

[edens-passing-if]

Eden's Passing is a 16+ game made in Twine by me, Doc, and is my first attempt at making an interactive fiction game!

Genre: Primarily Fantasy and Comedy focused with a smidge of Mystery and Horror elements. Do tell me if a separate catagory fits, please!

Warnings: Trauma, Bodily Injury without feeling it, Body Horror in general (more will be added as time goes on, these are what I'm currently certain off)

Demo: In the works!

Alone in a land you can't recall and stuck at the bottom of a seemingly endless ravine, the start of your journey isn't a pleasant one. Body slowly crumbling away, memory missing, and seemingly stuck with a stranger intent on calling you a name you can't remember, your attempts to leave seem fruitless until they finally offer a helping hand. Hopefully with no strings attached.

Set in the world of Nyr, you're just a lost soul trying to figure out who you are and what happened to you.

Features, added or intended:

☆ Fully customizable MC (name, hair, skin color, personality, etc.)

☆ Romantic or Platonic routes, Poly included.

☆ Long Crocodile. You'll see. ♡

☆ Learn more about the world and maybe save it, maybe launch a salamander at someone.

☆ Diverse cast of characters, ethnicities, religions, etc! (Please do tell me if anything's not accurate enough, it's fantasy, yes, but I am using some real-life ethnicities and such as basis!)

☆ A lot of lore. A lot. I made a map. I will do more than just a map. It's inevitable.

Eden's Passing isn't romance focused but, those inclined towards it, does have multiple routes with it.

Zacharie, M, 36(RO)

A 4'11" man with spiky green hair and red tinted glasses. Adventurers clothing, torn at the edges and taped to his body on his limbs, cover most of his skin. What you can see of his skin, primarily his face, has stitches spanning the length and width. No one is allowed to touch them. Beyond that, he seems nice, even when he mutters insults at passing plants or argues with books. But his skittishness towards others is concerning, especially the glint of pure terror he sometimes shows. It's typical to see him hovering around Cassian, primarily either hiding behind him or riding his shoulders.

Solo OR Poly route with Cassian or Florian.

Cassian, M, 29 (RO)

At 6'6, he's the tallest of the group. Long black hair drapes down well past his hips, sometimes being used to hide his eyes from others. Old yet well cared for armor is his ordinary choice of clothing, no matter the situation. Quiet and melancholic, it's hard to catch him smiling at much of anything. Despite that, he's the first to jump into a fight to protect his friends. One of the few people to understand Zacharie, he keeps a firm eye on anyone that might pose a threat to the smaller man. A bit of an enabler, he will turn a blind eye to the more playful deeds his companions wish to take.

Solo OR Poly route with Zacharie.

Florian, Gender Selectable (M/F/NB), 25 (RO)

At 5'3", they're the second shortest of the group. Blond curly and short hair, styled like an odd pixie cut, clashes against the bright red coat they drap over themself. Two antennae stick out from their scalp, twitching at any stimulus. A butterfly bow, which sometimes flaps on its own when Florians distressed, keeps it from falling off. When they're not being pestered by Zacharie or Wynn, they're actually the most sensible of the group. A bit of a motherhen, they do their best to prevent the others from getting into trouble. It's a thankless job, and they aren't even getting paid for it.

Solo OR Poly routes with Wynn or Zacharie.

Wynn, Gender Selectable (M/F/NB), 23 (RO)

A 5'9" elf that's joined the group alongside Florian. Long, pointed, and pierced ears flick every so often, parting their short, light purple hair. Clad in a cape that trails in the air and an outfit that shows off a concerning amount of chest, they aren't the shyest with showing skin. Long pants that hide even their boots cover their legs, yet never get dirty as they drag across the ground. A bit of a flirt, they aren't the type to take much seriously. It's common to see them, Zacharie, and Twig up to no good, typically with Wynn at the lead. A natural born leader, one might be confused why they follow MC's lead, even they seem at odds with that fact.

Solo OR Poly route with Florian.

Twig, NB, 26 (RO)

Looming over at 6'4", they tend to forget just how tall they are. Long purple hair ends as their tail begins, the fluff at the end matching their hair. Thick and curly when short, it covers up their eyes from the view of others. 5 horns sprout up from their scalp, imitating a crown of sorts, and range in size from a few inches to just two. Clad in purple and blue robes that are breathable yet skin-tight, they've had Zacharie modify it to properly accommodate their tail. Out of the group, they remain the friendliest even in the face of adversity. It's... hard for others to tell whether they're simply naive or just too forgiving, but regardless of that, they remain the first to lend their hand when others need it. A bit of a goofball as well, it's easy to catch them trying to pick the funnest option first. Quick to trust and quicker to befriend, one might wish to spare them from the cruelty of the world.

Solo route

???, NB, ??? (RO?)

A figure that stands at 5'10, they're your savior from the pit you woke up in. Long hair, starting black and quickly fading to a bright red, flows from their scalp like tendrils. It flows as if hit by a breeze constantly, regardless of airflow. Clad in only a white robe tied shut at the waist by a sash, it's easy to notice the gaps in their skin. They never answer when it's brought up, leaving you wondering just what has saved you from the ravine. Quick to anger, you'd almost think they're unpredictable if not for the consistent causes and phrases. Regardless of who you are, they insist your name is Eden. Regardless of their affection towards you, they refuse to tell you who they are. They insist you'll figure it out.

Solo route.

[ssuperficialspacecadett]

Roll Call

Chapter Two of the Through the Scope series | Chapter Three

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 4K

TW: (Very) subtle hint at SA in readers past, gym member being creepy

Chapter Overview: Today is your first day at Brass Knuckles Boxing Gym. Benny has a surprise for you after your shift.

Notes: Hey everyone ! Still no set posting schedule, but I managed to get this one done this week. I have a pretty packed week coming up so I can't make any promises as to when chapter three will come out. thanks for dealing with me (': happy reading <3

*no use of y/n & female presenting reader*

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Your alarm clock makes its presence known bright and early this morning. Normally getting up for work on a Monday isn’t anything that you would be overly excited about, but today is your first day working at Brass Knuckles. It’s also your first day getting back into a stable work and life routine. Which is something you have been craving since you moved. You feel like a nervous child the morning of a school field trip. The good kind of nervousness that buzzes around inside your body and lingers. 

After hopping out of the shower, you head into your bedroom. You see your phone lying haphazardly on your bed and think about texting Benny to ask what you should wear today. He didn’t strike you as the kind of guy to enforce a dress code at work, but you also didn’t want to look out of place. Oh fuck it. He didn’t say anything negative about the jeans and t-shirt that you were wearing while you toured the gym. Might as well just wear something in the same vein as that to play it safe. 

You slip into your clothes and wander back into the bathroom with your phone in hand. The bags under your eyes are a physical testament to all the stress you have been and are under currently. Maybe some light makeup you say to yourself. It’s not as if you had any intention of trying to find a boyfriend here much to Robbie’s dismay. You just didn’t want anyone to think that Benny hired a walking corpse to greet the guests. You check the time on your phone and realize that you need to leave right about now to make it to the gym by 7:30 A.M.. Benny had texted you over the weekend asking you to come in half an hour early so he could give you the rundown of what you need to be taking care of on a regular day to day basis. Your shoes get thrown on and you grab your tote bag as you run out the door to your car.

Thankfully Brass Knuckles is only a 15-20 minute drive from your apartment. You pull into the parking lot and turn your car off before taking out your phone. You text your dad to remind him that your new job starts today so you will be coming by to see him after 8:00 P.M. Monday-Saturday. When he quickly texts back you’re a bit surprised. You would think retirement meant sleeping in.

Dad: Have a good day, Sweet Pea! Make some friends. Remember to hit them in the throat and in the balls.”

You smile and heart the message on your phone. This is your dads not so subtle way of reminding you where men are the most sensitive. Since according to him, you were walking into the lion's den by working here. As you climb out of the car your smile drops. Maybe if you would have remembered his advice when you were 19, things would have ended differently.

“Are you ready?!”

There was only one voice you knew that had the capability to be that loud this early in the morning. You look up quickly to see Benny waving and holding the gym door open for you. 

“Morning, Benny! Yes, I think I am.” You say slipping past him to get inside. 

“That’s what I like to hear outta my employees!” 

You set your tote bag down on the desk and take a deep breath in. It still reeks, but less so now that the smell has had time to dissipate between closing and opening shifts. Benny comes up behind you and pats your shoulder encouragingly as he walks behind the desk. 

“Come on, let me show you how everythin’ is setup.”

Benny has you sit in the chair so you can get a feel for things while he teaches you how to operate the scheduling system. He shows you how to login to the program under your profile and then how to access each individual client once you’re inside. You notice that he set your profile picture to the selfie you sent the other night. It seems to be a pretty straight forward program, you note. You are able to see, create, and control Benny’s one on one training appointments up to three months in advance. He gets excited when you figure out, on your own, that you can color code clients. You’re pretty sure that he didn’t know how to do that before, but he looked so happy that you didn’t have the heart to say anything. 

Once the two of you cover all of the bases for the scheduling program he moves on to the ‘easier’ tasks, as he calls them, that you are incharge of. He shows you how to scan membership cards with the scan gun on the desk and how to register new members when they ask. He shows you how to sell and print out tickets for the Friday fights. You feel him pull your chair away from the desk and see a small black, mini fridge underneath it. 

“This is where we keep the complimentary water for the guests. Just make sure to keep this stocked throughout the day. If it ever gets low we have cases in the laundry room.”

He checks the time on his phone while he scoots you and your chair back into the correct position. 

“Last thing you need to worry about is unlocking the door at 8:00 A.M.. As for me and my tasks? I help train people, obviously, look over finances, and take care of the music.” 

“You have time to queue up songs?”

“I make time to queue up songs.”

You were grateful for his help this morning. And even more grateful that he did it in a way that didn’t come across as condescending or like he was babying you. You got the feeling that he really did trust you with the work you were assigned even after only just meeting you. 

“You’re gonna do great today! Feel free to make the desk your own too.”

“Thanks, Benny.”

You walk with him from out behind the desk and lean against the brick wall as he heads into his office. 

“Oh,” he calls back to you before disappearing into the small room. “The guys are going to swing by around closing time. They wanted to see who they were drinking too the other night. I might have also talked you up to them.”

After he drops that bomb, Benny walks out of sight. You have no idea what to do with this information. Benny talked so highly of them the other day, so it makes you nervous that he wants you to meet them. Yet, the more you think about it the more you warm to the idea. He must feel like he found a friend in you the same way you did in him. You walk around the desk and head to the front door to unlock it. Cars have already begun to pull into the once empty lot signaling that your day has started whether you're ready for it or not. 

The first few hours of your shift crawl by at a snail’s pace. Two or three guests come in an hour. Each one of them mindlessly handing you their membership card to scan before they enter the gym. This gives you plenty of time to play around and really get to know the inner workings of the scheduling program. You want to make sure that there isn’t anything you aren’t prepared for. Benny, bless his heart, checks in with you just before 12:00 P.M..

“A lot of people come in here to burn off some steam durin’ their lunch breaks. It will be pretty packed for the next hour-hour and a half, but then it will go back to how it was this mornin’.”

God is he right. An endless stream of new faces begin coming at you soon after the clock strikes noon. Some of them don’t say anything, some of them offer you a polite greeting, and some of them take it upon themselves to welcome you in their own special way.

“You’re new, huh? I could show you a move or two in the ring if you want.”

“I’ll be back tomorrow if you promise me that you will be too.”

You just smile sweetly and scan their card with a simple ‘enjoy your visit’ to help move the lingerers along. The rush dies down a couple hours later, again just like Benny said it would. Honestly, you are a little bit sad that it's over. Time went by much quicker in those few hours and you finally felt useful. 

When shopping for furniture online in between helping guests check in got boring, you look for tasks you can take care of that venture past the desk. During your initial tour of the gym, you remember seeing a dirty clothes basket that was designated for towels. You figure that this late in the day it should be full enough to do a load of laundry. 

You walk inside the gym, weaving out of guests' way, and collect the used towels. It’s not too heavy so you carry it to the laundry room and dump all of the contents into the washer. You use the detergent that's on the shelf and close the machine's lid. Benny must have seen you walk in here because he walks up next to you as you press the ‘start’ button. 

“It’s a stubborn ‘ole son of a bitch so you gotta show it a little bit of extra love to get it goin’.”

You jump slightly when he rams the side of his foot into the washer. Unsurprisingly, it comes to life after he does this. For the third time today, Benny is once again correct. You look around the small room as the washer hums and see a photo hanging on the wall. It shows Benny arm in arm with three men you have never seen before.

“Are these your friends?” You point to the picture and ask Benny.

“Yup!” You can hear the pride in his voice as he says this. “That one on the right is Will, my older brother. The handsome devil next to him is yours truly. Then there’s Pope-”

“Pope?”

“Yeah, his name is technically Santiago, but we all call him Pope. It was his call sign when we served together and it just kinda stuck. We all have one, well I technically don’t, but I’d like to think mine is Brass Knuckles. It fits well with Will’s since his call sign is Ironhead.”

“That’s really sweet.”

“I like to think so.” he says bashfully. “ And last but not least…the one on the left is Catfish or Frankie.”

You nod along to what Benny is saying, but you would be lying if you said you were listening anymore. Your attention stays on the man in the left of the photo: Frankie. You could tell he hadn’t had a haircut in a while when the photo was taken. His thick, brown curls came up to lick the sides of the ‘Standard Heating Oil’ cap he wore. He had a full mustache that looked as if it was mocking the patchiness of his beard. You didn’t mind it. You thought it made him look more approachable. One of the most handsome noses you had ever seen sat atop his mustache. It was deeply sloped and came to a soft curve at the end. He’s laughing in the photo which makes the skin around his eyes wrinkle in an endearing way.

“You comin’ or what?” 

Unbeknownst to you, Benny had walked out of the laundry room while you were still captivated by the photograph on the wall. Or more specifically one of the men in the photograph. 

“Shit, my bad.”

Reluctantly you pull yourself away and walk back to the front desk with him. Your timing couldn’t have been more perfect either because his 4:00 P.M. appointment walks through the door right as you two arrive. Thankfully, Benny is so wrapped up in talking with the other man that he doesn’t notice how quiet you have gone. While your body may have left the laundry room, your mind is still very much there. You check him in and hand both men a water bottle before they head back for their workout. 

You sit restlessly in your chair as you watch the hands on the clock above the door chase one another. No one has come in since Benny’s last appointment, but you know that will change soon. It’s almost 5:00 P.M. which means the after work rush is on the horizon. You hear Benny faintly as he talks to his client and you find yourself wondering what goes on in his sessions. It feels safe to abandon your post for a few seconds so you stand up and peek your head around the brick wall. Benny has dawned some gloves with pads attached to the palms of them. 

“You got it, man! Right in the center! Yeah, just like that, great job!”

He carries on with his encouraging words as the man across from him continues to make contact with the padded gloves. You hear him tell the man to hit harder and in a more controlled manner. When he does this, Benny showers him with praise. It warms your heart to see him in action. You can really tell that this isn’t just a job for him. This is his whole life. 

The doorbell rings out and you look behind you to greet the client.

“Oh don’t turn around my account, darlin’. I was admiring the view.” 

He wasn’t a very tall man, but what he lacked in height he made up for in misplaced confidence. He was attractive in an average sort of way. The kind of way that wouldn’t make you do a double take on the street if you saw him. However, you could give credit where credit was due. He had great hair. It was thick and raven in color and combed in an almost meticulous way. 

“Welcome to Brass Knuckles. How can I help you today, sir?” you say, biting back your new found annoyance.

“I have a 5:00 P.M. appointment with Miller. I decided to come in early to warm up and I’m happy that I did. What’s your name?”

You ignore his inquiry about your name and take a seat in your chair. When you check the schedule you see his name, Ed Brunson, under the 5 o’clock spot.

“Ed? Let me get you checked in. Benny will be with you once he finishes with his 4 o’clock.”

“You can call me Eddie, darlin’.”

“Want me to put it in your file or what?” Now unable to hide your disdain. 

“Oh you're spunky. I like that.”

Benny jogs up to the front drenched in sweat. You take advantage of his current state and ignore Brunson to grab him a water bottle. 

“Brunson, you’re on time,” He takes a gulp of water. “That’s a first.”

You watch as Benny cautiously looks between you and Brunson as he polishes off the refreshing drink.

“I was just trying to get acquainted with your new receptionist here.”

“New receptionist, this is Brunson. Brunson, this is my new receptionist. Now y’all are acquainted.” His tone is flat as he says this.

You have to pretend to do something on your computer so you don’t snort at Benny’s ‘in depth’ introduction of you.

“I don’t get to know her name, Miller?”

“Did you come here to practice runnin’ your mouth or to practice throwin’ your fists?”

Brunson chuckles lightly and holds his hands up in defeat. You dare to glance up at the two men and see a weird tension in between them. Another guest walks in so Brunson takes it as his queue to head back into the gym. Benny stays up there with you as you scan the new guests card. 

“What was all that about?” you question when the two of you are alone again. 

“I don’t fuckin’ like that guy. I’ve been itchin’ for a reason to ban him from this place. Did he- did he say anything to you before I got here?”

“Just regular run of the mill meathead shit I suppose.”

“Are you sure?” He presses.

“I’m fine, Benny, really.”

“But you’ll let me know?”

“Yes, I’ll let you know. I’m a big girl though. I can handle myself. Now you better get back there, you wouldn’t want to keep that peach of a man waiting.”

He laughs, but seems a bit wary of your answer. You wave at him as he walks into what you’re sure will be a very strange session. Before you forget, you make sure to color code Brunson’s name in a bright shade of red.

***

You’re grateful when 7:30 P.M. finally rolls around. You think you could classify your first day here as a success. It may have droned on at times, but you had Benny to keep you company which made all the difference in the world. As you put the last of your things in your tote bag you make a mental note to bring some stuff from home to jazz up your desk. After all, Benny did say that you could make the desk your own. Maybe a cute potted plant in that corner, a new pen jar up there, an air freshener right here? You’re mapping it all out in your head when you see a tired looking white pickup truck pull into the almost empty lot. Three men get out and start heading in your direction. They aren’t dressed for a workout-? Oh fuck they’re Benny’s friends.

The closer they get to the door, the more easily you are able to identify them based on the photo in the laundry room. You don’t know why you have a knot in your stomach all of a sudden. You feel completely crazy for being so jittery over their approaching presence. The man Benny referred to as ‘Pope’ walks in first, followed by Will and then Frankie. You stand, a bit awkwardly, when they approach the front desk. 

“Well you must be the reason my wallet is a lot lighter than it usually is.” Pope theorizes as he leans his forearms on the desk. He’s got a playful grin plastered on his salt and peppered face when he speaks to you.

“Guilty,” you confess. “You must be Pope or Santiago. I’m not really sure which one I’m allowed to call you.”

“You can call me whichever one you’d like. Did Benny give you an exposé on all of us?”

“Kissing and telling wouldn’t be a good way to end my first day, don't ‘cha think?” 

Will laughs heartily as he steps up to greet you next. “William Miller,” you shake the hand he offers you. “I hope Benny wasn’t too much to handle today.”

“Actually he was really helpful, but I’m getting the sense that's not always the case with him.” 

All three men shake their heads in confirmation with your statement. Last to approach you is Frankie. You feel your heartbeat quicken as you realize he is much more handsome in person. His eyes also look considerably sadder than they were in the picture. 

“And you must be Frankie-”

“Hey boys!” 

Benny comes barreling out from behind the brick wall and greets each man with a bear hug. You smile when you see the love each of them has for one other. It’s really nice to see a group of men express that so readily. When Benny makes his way to Frankie the two of you make eye contact. Something about those deep brown eyes on you makes your ears hot and you have to look away. 

“So whaddya think?” Benny says to you when he finally lets Frankie go.

“The picture Benny has in the laundry room doesn’t do y’all justice.”

“Well I could say the same thing about you.” Pope quips.

Your jaw hangs open and you turn your attention to Benny. “So thats why you asked for a fucking photo the other night! You little shit!”

“No! No! You saw that I set it as your login picture! It was Frankie’s idea anyhow!”

“You!?” you snap your head towards Frankie who looks like he has just seen a ghost.

“Don’t you fucking pin that on me, Benny! I just told you how to ask for it in a non creepy way! Pope was the one who originally wanted it!”

“Pope!” you whine in his direction. 

“Okay. Okay. The buck stops here. You caught me. I got curious and couldn’t help myself.” 

“And I guess you were just along for the ride then, huh, Will?”

“That’s usually how it goes.” He shrugs innocently. 

Benny continues talking with his friends while you log out of the computer and shut it down for the night. As you do this, you can’t help but feel like there are eyes on you. You keep your own gaze on the computer and listen in. You hear Benny so it can’t be him. Pope just made a snide comment so it isn’t him either. There Will goes laughing up a storm at what Pope just said. The only one it could be is…

“Are you going to be joining us at the bar tonight?” Pope queries. 

“I’m flattered, really, but I have a previous engagement.”

“You’re breaking my heart.”

“Lay off, Pope.” Will gives him a playful shove. “Well the invitation doesn’t expire, so maybe when you’re free next?”

“Thanks guys. I’ll keep that in mind for sure. It was really nice to meet y’all!”

Everyone says their goodbyes as Will, Frankie, and Pope head out the door towards The Barrel. You swear you see Frankie turn around one last time before he gets bathed in the darkness of the night. Then it’s just you and Benny again. The way it started.

“So? How was your first day?”

He happily walks across the parking lot with you to your car after insisting that you shouldn’t go alone. You take a deep breath of the humid night air and feel it clearing out your lungs. 

“Besides the intense and constant smell of male body odor it wasn’t half bad.” 

“Oh, fuck off.”

“No, I’m dead serious. We have got to do something about that.”

He waits patiently for you to get in your car and crank the engine on. You look up at him before you drive away, but you see him motioning for you to roll your window down. 

“Yeah?”

He rests his forearms where your window disappeared into your car. “I’m glad you want to stick around. I’m even more glad you got along with my friends. We’re kind of a fucked up bunch. But I swear we are cool once you get to know us.”

You smile sadly at him as you pull out of the parking lot. He follows behind your car as you exit the lot and get into the street. Then he crosses over to the bar on his own. You watch him in your rearview mirror until you can no longer tell the difference between him and the shadows. Part of you wants to turn around, join them at their table, and see where the night takes you. It would be so freeing. It would be exactly what you need. Unfortunately, your better judgment takes over and you punch your dads address into your GPS. Maybe you will award yourself that luxury another night. You pull out your phone and press on your dads contact before your silly, little heart tips the scale inside your brain in its favor. 

“Hey, are you still awake?”

“Well I answered the phone didn’t I?” he says sarcastically.

“Touché, dad. I’m headed your way right now.”

“Did you make any friends today?”

You feel a coy smile play across your lips before you speak. “Yeah. Yeah, I think I did actually.”

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

[the-moon-lullaby]

'Simple Moments'(MCL HSL Nathaniel)

N/A : This was unfinished in my drafts since a little while so I thought I should give it another try and see where this lead

Sum. : As the school play occupies everyone's mind in Sweet Amoris, Nathaniel can't afford to let himself get distracted. Unfortunately for him, it seems to be out of his control.

TW : none, it's just cute (if you don't look at the slight angst that comes with Nathaniel's situation)

Nathaniel let out a deep sigh as he stretched on his chair.

He had been caught up in paperwork for at least a good hour but still, he wasn’t eager to go home.

The school was probably empty by now and if not, it was only about time. Only a few students were staying this late after the end of class. It was mainly the most studious ones who stayed around and despite being a part of them, Nathaniel was on his own in the Student Council Room. It was often the case but he didn't mind or at least he didn't think he did as this habit became so ingrained in his routine that he didn't bother thinking about his loneliness.

Sometimes Melody would walk in and sit besides him. She’d try to talk but there was too much to do and not much to say so the conversations would inevitably meet a dead end. When he thought back on it, he felt a bit bad for the girl. He could see that she liked him and it might have looked like he was leading her on but he wasn’t trying to.

Truth is that he had other things on his mind which were slowly drowning him. 

Today, Mr Faraize had given them back their test results. Usually, Nathaniel wouldn’t have given it some second thought or wouldn’t have been worried about it but this time, he couldn’t help it. He turned pale when he saw his grade and he hoped that no one noticed it. Anyone would have found him ridiculous. It wasn’t a bad grade, it was actually pretty good. Above the class average. But certainly not above a certain person’s expectations.

No, really, he wasn’t eager to go home.

Which is why he decided that he would visit the library before leaving the school. Mr Faraize mentioned a book that might help them go through this part of the history program and that they could borrow it from the school. Deep down, he knew it wasn’t a lack of understanding that earned him this grade but he didn’t like the idea that he allowed himself to get distracted. In his defence, with the school play being set up and the commotion it created among the other students, it was becoming hard to focus on anything else.

Also, these rehearsals with Candy…

He probably should’ve focused on school work but he was too glad she asked his help to decline. And it was worth it because during that time he spent with her, it was as if his concerns were suddenly far away and these suffocating thoughts which filled his mind on a daily basis faded to the sound of her cristalline laugh. He quietly smiled as he thought back at her reaction when she received her grade too. And how her and Alexy beside her, who probably didn’t do a much better job than hers, let out a sour laugh and some snarky comments. 

Had she been distracted too ? And was it by their rehearsals ? Or was it just Nathaniel hoping that, whatever relationship they had, it wasn't only one sided ? The way she smiled and looked at him when it was only the both of them... It had to mean something, right ?

He stopped this thought from flourishing in his mind, ignoring that his pulse got quicker and ignoring the knot forming in his stomach as he entered the library.

He began to pace the shelves, looking for the said book, without success. ‘It’s really my day’ he ironically thought. As he was ready to leave, empty handed, he noticed someone sitting in an isolated corner.

Candy, with the book wide open in front of her, staring at it as if trying to decipher something. Her confused look amused Nathaniel. « Is it that bad ? » he asked as he walked toward her.

« Don’t make fun of me... You'd probably be surprised to know that The Cold War isn't really my cup of tea. Mr Faraize could tell you so... » she replied, grimacing. 

Nathaniel let out a soft laugh at her expression. «I think we were a lot to got it wrong on that test..." he said thinking it’d reassure her. She looked up at him with a puzzled look. He instantly regretted saying this. He did not want to complain about his grade knowing that she wouldn't find it bad at all. He knew what it’d look like and he didn’t want her to think of him like that. Like this grade-obsessed nerd everyone seemed to see him as. He hated it.

"Also, I didn’t expect  to see you here so late in fact. » he added, hoping to change the topic.

« Well me neither ! But I guess that I should get used to the idea that you never leave this school » she laughed. As much as he liked her laugh, Nathaniel couldn’t help but feel saddened by her remark.

Oh, if only she knew. 

« I was actually looking for this. » he said pointing at the book. « Mr Faraize talked about it so I thought I’d give it a look ».

« What a perfect student ! I’ll be honest, I don’t get everything that’s in it but given my grade, I’ll better keep digging into it » she said lightly. Visibly, she wasn’t upset about her grade. Nathaniel thought that she was lucky. She’ll probably not receive a sermon about it when she gets home. He simply nodded, ready to head out when she called him before he got to. 

«  I mean, if you really need it, we can share it. If you want… »

It was like his body made a decision before his mind got to react and before he knew it, he was drawing a chair next to Candy. They sat together and she placed the book in front of him, turning the pages to go back at the beginning of the chapter. He started to read it but he could feel her eyes detailing him and at this moment, he wished nothing more than to be a mind-reader.

Time was quickly passing by and neither of them seemed to actually notice it. Studying was often interrupted by some random comment on Candy's side and Nathaniel would just jokingly roll his eyes, pretending to be annoyed.

Nathaniel thought that Candy was a terrible study-buddy as she was not as serious as she should've been but he also had to admit that she was the best one he ever had.

For the simple reason that she made him smile, she made him laugh. And the most astonishing part was that she didn't even look like she was trying to. She made his heart feel lighter by simply being around and Nathaniel was delighted by this unfamiliar feeling. 

He also liked how she leaned toward him as he tried to explain to her the notions she didn't really catch on on her own. He felt useful and despite him, he liked how she looked at him as if he was the smartest person in the world. It made him feel good, feel enough, and it was something he almost forgot the feeling of.

Sometimes as she was writing down his instructions, his eyes would study the lines of her face, somehow lingering on her lips. Nathaniel thought that they seemed so soft, almost like ready to be kissed. He felt bashful and slightly ashamed to think about pressing his mouth against hers every time her face and his were separated by these few inches. He could swear that he saw her "sneakily" look at him too, probably thinking that he had his attention on something else as well. Yet, he didn't remember when was the last time his attention wasn't set on Candy.

This improvised revisions session concluded by them starting to talk about the play. He listened about how excited she was with a light heart and an attentive gaze. She looked pretty like that. She always looked pretty but even more when she was talking about things that were close to her heart.

Then, the moment where it was time to leave came. The duo arrived in front of the school gates, ready to separate when Nathaniel changed his mind. "I'll walk you home".

« Oh, it’s okay, you don’t have to » she answered him, lowering her face to hide her blushing cheeks. This sight made Nathaniel smile, amused.

"I insist. It's getting dark and I’d feel better knowing that you got home safe" She looked up to him with rosy cheeks. She'd often blush when they were hanging out together (and in all honesty, sometimes he would too). For example, just moments before, when they were studying and his hand had accidentally met hers in search of the shared book. She looked at him so strangely then, right before lowering her head as she had done it at this instant. He hoped that it wasn't that he was making her feel uncomfortable but this thought was interrupted by her voice. 

« Alright, let’s go then ! ».

The walk home was pleasant, both of them feeling playful as one willingly teased the other. Nathaniel managed to forget about his grade while he was laughing and for her part, Candy savoured this laughter that she guessed to be rare outside the school walls.

Arriving in front of her loft, they stopped. "Thank you for the walk home, it was really nice". She was blushing but he noticed that this time she kept her head high, looking him in the eyes. He gently smiled at her

"The pleasure is all mine. Good evening." . He only expected her to return him the greeting but she seemed hesitant. Nathaniel frowned his eyebrows, a bit confused. Before turning toward the loft's door, she quickly stepped in his direction and placed a quick kiss on his cheek whispering a shy 'good evening' and disappeared inside the building before he could find something to say.

He stayed a few seconds like this, baffled. And without realising it, a smile had made its way on his face.

He chuckled quietly and turned around heading toward his place, light headed and with a singular tingling feeling in the belly. 

By the time he arrived home, he had forgotten what was waiting for him there.

Despite this, he couldn't think about anything else than how good he felt. About how good these simple moments with Candy felt.

Alright so this isn't a headcanon but it's still a little something. Hope you enjoyed it and see y'all soon ! 💕

[marylinasblog]

The dating handbook.

Act like you already know you're a catch—but you need to know if he values it. This is how a queen would analyse her candidates before birth control—make him work to prove himself.

Look confident in your femininity, like a proud peacock and let him take your energy in. This will put him on edge and scared to offend but he will relax his nerves a bit once you get talking. This won't throw off a HVM as he doesn't have anything to worry about- he knows you'll trust him in time and he knows you're worth the effort. He will demonstrate he values you: he will book the table at the upscale restaurant and pull the seat out and have in depth conversations whilst giving you the puppy eyes.

Whenever you fall into that 'Omg he's cute does he like me, am I good enough? What else can I do to impress???' mindset, you're going to gift him the upper hand every time & end up chasing/getting your ass run because you're working too hard to get his validation. Approach the date with QUEEN energy that fills up the room. Keep the first dates more serious whilst you sniff him out. Don't become the jokey fun drunk party girl he could just have a bit of fun on the side with (this is important! Do not let him get you blind drunk - that's his tactic to get your guard down for sex).

They can smell that sense of self doubt the same way we can so just relax. He really might not turn out all that (what if he's hot & turns out to be a simpleton? Are you a simpleton? Why does he deserve that pedestal then?). Switch off the scarcity mindset, most these men are very replaceable & far less impressive than they initially make out.

Stop being too available. Have a tint of mystery to your aura. (I will be writing a blog on how to do so). Don't be waiting eagerly for his texts like an addict- assume he's bullshit & make him work for you to think otherwise. Some bored men are just filling time. Equally if he's playing the loooong lazy game on a constant basis, as in really not making much conversational effort, don't get too excited about that & match his low efforts- he may be plating other women, not v interested or trying to turn you into a lapdog (chase me). Don't over complicate it- men will make time for what they value (& some men don't value women full stop). He will find time to mategate dream girl. If he has a v busy job or is going through something stressful (like a sick family member)- give him some leeway but he should still be communicating throughout the week and opening up his weekend time for you. If he is taking too long to reply too often- bring that up & communicate- find out whether it's for genuine reason- make sure you're on the same page & he's in the space to date. Also pay attention to how fast he replies to his phone when with you- if he’s making you wait 4 hours a time & replies to his friend fast- you know where you stand.

Stop being scared to offend them. You need to come down heavy, otherwise these men will wriggle in and ruin your life. They will steal even more time from you. Don't just chase him because you're offended by his behaviour or rejection! Understand his mask has slipped. Do you REALLY want to be involved with that trash? You don't have to risk feeling more hurt, disrespected & used. ​Be in control & cut him off.

This kind of assertiveness will make you unattractive to manipulators. They know you put YOU & your dignity first. They know they can't shake your character.

Keep certain aspects of yourself in the dark for when he has come far enough to gain your trust (6 month minimum for me). This is where restraint & discipline has to come in if they are funny/very attractive/have the gift of the gab. If you're warming to them quickly, you’re in danger of letting your guard down too fast.

Brush off all attempts at him trying to probe too deeply on your personal or sensitive stuff fast (looking for weak-spots 9/10) & respond to any attempts at negging you with blunt sarcastic witty jabs (no over emotional reactions like he worked you up). This shows you can handle fools assertively without getting worked up: you can give as good as you get.

This will either make him wind his neck in & make him stop his shit tests. He then will realise that you're not insecure or here for the BS, or he will escalate this in a bid to crack you & this will become a red flag to cut him off (he's insecure/out of his depth/trying to lower your self-worth).

Be aware that manipulative low value men are prone to selling you sob stories (about ex’s /their childhood) quick to make YOU respond by letting your guard down & revealing your weak spots - so be weary of this as this is often where we women slip up. He says something about his childhood issues & then we splurt out the deepest depths of ourselves. We are judging HIM remember - we already know ourselves - so let him prove himself over time before you truly let him in. Low value men know the prime door to get their foot in is through your emotions. Keep that in mind always. Hence why women who can emotionally self regulate/have discipline/hold high standards are DIFFICULT to manipulate long term - they have internal barriers in place which prevent them from investing once his mask slips. A savvy woman with experience of men, who has options & is not needy, is not gonna show her cards & play wifey fast- if she does, he knows she's REALLY into him & its gonna pump his ego, make him think he can sit back & get away with doing bare minimum. So make him earn it. Men are used to insecure over-emotional women being the norm & making them chase after/nag them- it bores them eventually...so be a challenge & make yourself stand out. It's going to make him curious why you have such high esteem & don't fall for or trust him easily. Show some restraint & keep your game face on, even if you really want to rip his clothes off or really like him, because you barely know this man, his intentions or his character. All of this could be a honeymoon phase or a persona yet.

They are going to start laughing & getting cocky if they think 'haha wow I bagged this girl out of my league quick, that didn't take much' & boy oh boy does that inflate a mediocre man's confidence- this is how their false ego gets built up. You need to bide some time getting to know his character before you start letting the guard down or cooking for him (wifey stuff) or letting him in your apartment quick (convenient for him to escalate to sex). If he starts acting up cos he paid for a measly date or 2 and starts talking about you 'treating' him now or joking about your 'turn'/ going halfsies when he is grown- just laugh in his face at the audacity & look around with the most unimpressed face like you're waiting for the joke- that will shut him up & he won't try that again. But I’d take that as a possible yellow flag he’s insecure, cocky or already resentful of the effort you require- likes he’s already considering whether the investment is worth his while. A confident high value man knows a high value woman is worth every penny- he knows the return on that investment is high- he is sure he has the qualities to keep that woman off the market so spending on dates to prove his generosity is a small price to pay to bah his dream girl. Like I said don’t take personal offence to this shit test- he might be worried he’s not enough of a man to keep you so he’s cautious of all this spending. But if he’s trying this shit test a lot- he is definitely low value/ not trying to commit & he’s likely trying to take you for a soft target to exploit. Believe me he will already know you’re high value, whether they are valuable enough to keep you off the market is another question. That’s for you to decide. It’s his risk if he wants to try to take a high value woman for a ride. Don’t feel bad you wasted his money if he’s happy to waste your time. No one told him to bat up this league, no one told him to lie.

Don't be flattered by lovebombing/ excessive compliments & mistake that for real chemistry. That 'too good to be true' gentleman act/dopamine rush is usually short lived, so stay weary until you're over that 3 month mark (he'll struggle to keep that up if he's bluffing - his attitude & real self will come out). A few compliments from him is totally fine but no 'omg you're absolutely stunning and amazing look at YOUUU!' all the time. It's fake and insincere & he's doing it deliberately to put you on a pedestal he will later dethrone. It’s also likely he sees you as a sexual object for an ego boost.

[neet-elite]

mean big stepbro seb is fun and all but what about subby little stepbro seb who's constantly at the mercy of his older stepsis? has to deal with her teasing on a daily basis. not even safe at family dinners, no that's when it's the worst. rubbing him under the table with her foot, making little comments about how they *never* see each other, knowing full well that she sneaks into his room every night to cockwarm him until he's a whiny mess.

makes him wear her panties every once in a while. probably buys new pairs just for him to wear, too. soft and frilly, in all his favorite colors. taked pictures if she's feeling extra mean and threatens to show them to everyone and call him a filthy pervert who gets off on steals his sister's panties. claims that nobody will believe him over her because he's just the emo loser who lives in his mom's basement.

(he'll never admit it to himself but he actually kinda likes the way she treats him. spends all his free time fantasizing about what sick thing she'll think of next but tells himself he's just mentally preparing for the torture so he's not caught unawares) -🌸

ohhhh yes yes. all of this !!!! i like all of this... bullying younger brother seb as his big mean older sister lives in my head rent free </3 love some good ol submissive seb content!!

little brother sebastian who rolls his eyes at you every morning when you sneak into his bed in the early hours. just a few hours before everyone else wakes up, huddling under his sheets as if he doesn't know what you're really there to do. he might act as if he hates it, turning to face the wall with an ache in his heart, silently waiting for your hands to sneak around his waist and down his pyjama bottoms like routine. it doesn't take him long to reposition into a more comfortable state, wiggling around in your taunting fist tight around his cock and shivering into you when you whisper dirty words down his ear. he might pretend to hate your unfair treatment, but deep down he knows it's what he looks forward to most each morning; biting down on his bottom lip to shut his whimpering up just like you told him to. see, isn't he being so good for you? you'll want to touch him more now that he's being quiet, right?

little brother sebastian who strives for your attention more than anything in the world. literally spends his days pleasing his big sister because if he does a good enough job then he might get rewarded! looks after you, makes you food, carries your stuff from point A to point B; becomes your little servant in the hopes of getting just a little coochie at the end of the day </3 it's all he wants, all he thinks about from the moment he wakes up. hell, he even dreams about his sisters cunt every night, fisting his cock furiously to fall asleep to and still managing to leave a load in your hole every morning. you're always on his mind and it drives him insane, staring at you from across the dinner table, following you around town like a little lost puppy, even going so far as to do your chores just because you ask. and, of course, eating you out for hours at night when you can't sleep. knuckles deep in your cunt in the shower to help you wake up. anything. anything you want he'll do, because you're his favourite, and he wants to be yours.

little brother sebastian who steals your panties only once before it becomes a dirty habit. he's caught immediately, because of course he is, you're always in his room. and he's downright ashamed to admit that the ensuing bullying has him rock hard in his pants from the get go, pawing at his bulge while you call him nasty names, eyes squeezed shut when you dig the heel of your foot into his drooling tip. it only gets worse for him when you suggest he wears them, some sort of punishment you claimed. but that's so far from the truth it's embarrassing, the feeling of your used panties rubbing so nicely over his red tip causing him to almost cum on the spot. he doesn't mind sharing undies with you from now on, even if it's more like you force him to wear yours.

little brother sebastian who despite claiming to not be into you and to actually, in fact, hate your bullying, cannot for the life of him seem to stop humping his fat cock into your tight little hole whenever you so much as hint at wanting him. nails digging into your waist, dragging your cunt back down on his cock just as much as he fucks you up it, desperately whining and moaning against your neck as drool spills from his lips to stain your skin. like a fucking dog, humping himself stupid in big sisters cunt just to hear the meagre praise of good boy. he can't even deny his affections for you when he's balls deep, begging for some more praise as he thrusts into you faster, shoving your head down into the pillows below despite the immediate regret that settles thick in his tummy when he knows you'll punish him for his rash actions later. he just can't help it, can't stop himself from trying to prove his worth to you, to have you call him yours, to try and claim you as his own. He has first dibs, right? After all, you're his older sister; it's only fair.

[eggtartz]

Hi! Can you do a Rindou x soulmate reader, a soulmate AU where the reader has a brother who's in a gang and she's really protective of her brother just like how Nezuko is so protective of Tanjiro, so her brother is getting beaten down in a fight and so the reader beats up the guy who was beating down her brother, just like how Nezuko beat daki up wit NO MERCY, she did the same😬 and literally just stood there with a disgusted face and broke the guys leg by her feet, just the same way Nezuko did to Daki.

And because of the tattoo that the reader has on their arm, Rindou recognized the tattoo since both of you guys are soulmates and have the same tattoo so her recognized it and knew that you were his soulmate. The reader is so protective of her brother and has the strength of Nezuko also the reader is

✨ DROP DEAD GORGEOUS ✨

a/n : is this what im seeing or someone finally requested me to write? HELLO ANON THANKYOU FOR THE REQUEST AAA *eats fist* i did a brainstorm on the concept of soulmates i hope you'll like this 🫶🏻💕

"The two people connected by the red thread are destined lovers, regardless of place, time, or circumstances. This magical cord may stretch or tangle, but never break."

wc : 2152

you and your brother have been together since you were so young, him being seven while you were just ten. your whole family got into a car crash leaving only two of you to survive in the cruel world. watching your brother grow, the protective side came with an instinct and even though now both of have grown up you were still protective over him.

"onee-san i'll be back late tomorrow. gang stuff" he said while munching on his chocolate bread that you made for him. you worriedly glanced at him and he understood that look very well. "c'mon onee-san, i'll be back before dinner. don't worry too much" he ate the leftover icing on his fingers and went to wash his hands on the sink. without turning your body, you spoke.

"ikeru. what if you get beaten up so bad huh? you got beaten up so bad that you can't even come back home, not coming home to me. is that what you want? i've been letting you do this shady gang stuff for some time, don't you think you should stop?" your tone was worrying and ikeru see no lies from your words. he will get beaten up at a daily basis, the only difference is either his knuckles are going to bloody from his blood or the opponents blood.

"fine nee-san. if it would make you feel better, i'll quit the gang and find a job. would that make you feel better?" he placed his chin on your head and felt your nodding. "so let this be the last time you're doing gang stuff okay? promise me you'll come back as soon as you say quits" you raised your red-tattoed pinky and locked his pinky finger with yours.

except that, he broke the promise.

that day, your brother didn't came back home. you tried to stay rational and thought his friends might've offered him booze but you know him. he would always update on his conditions to you. you tried calling him, messaging him. you knew little about his gang business but you did find their where their hideout is. "listen here little shit, i don't have time and the food for dinner is getting cold. i'll ask you one more time, where the hell is ikeru?" your gaze was cold, unfazed as the so called gang member was trembling under your threat.

"ikeru went out miss. i don't know exactly where but they did said they wanted to stay at the new bar down street" he said while stuttering a lot, your knife still on his throat. you released a heavy sigh and said thank you under your breath and dashed out. it's okay, you assured yourself. he might forgot to tell you, he's probably having a great time. just check on him and then leave, you said to calm yourself down. walking down the street, you saw a familiar bike you confirmed that was your brother's bike. however there was no sight of him. infact there was no sight of anyone at all.

you saw the bar the kid mention but there were too many people. too many, it looked like a crowd. crowd.. people.. the crowd was noisy as there was a fight on the center of the bar floor. standing on your toes, to your horror you saw your brother, ikeru on the floor all bloody while getting punched continuously while he remained unconscious and not moving. letting your body move based on adrenaline, you jumped on the bigger man's back and tried scratching him.

"oi what the hell?!" he easily threw your body across the room and your head knocked one of the chairs. standing up, you hissed but saw a bottle of beer on the counter, took it and ran at the man full speed then smashed his head with it. the glass shattered and the crowd grew wilder as if this was a show but you didn't care. all care thrown out the window, you approached your brother and checked his breathing. it was ragged, uneven but he was breathing. you held his bloody face near to your neck and silently sobbed.

you felt like a failure, no, you were a failure. what kind of sister just let's their little brother do this? you swore that all your life you would protect his life but here he is, almost at the verge at death and you wondered if only he wasn't a gang member would he be in the same situation now.

"onee-san?"

"yes ikeru?"

"run, onee-san. the guys are bigger than you, they'll kill you. run onee-san, my boss is coming please don't worry" he whispered againts the shell of your ear. you were fuming, furious. inhaling another breath, you said to him "don't worry they can't kill me if i kill them first" then you dragged his body to the nearest chair and sat him on top of it. "onee-san stop, please they'll kill you" he tried grabbing your wrist to stop you but his grip got weaker. ikeru's vision was blurry and he passed out.

meanwhile you, adrenaline pumped in your veins you took a wooden stool and knock one of the gang rivals with it. you recognized your brother's gang by the uniform so you could differentiate them. swinging a punch, the man fell down startled and off guard you took the knife you had and plunged his shoulder. looking him straight in the eye, you twisted the knife and deepened the wound.

the other men stopped what they were doing as they heard the screams of their man getting tortured by a woman half his size. you stand up only to get tackled down but you managed to kick his groin, grounded your knees on the floor and twisted his head with a headlock ikeru taught you while watching mma matches in television. ikeru's member started scooting away as the man averted their attention to you. "now, now girl. you might wanna calm down okay? knife's a dangerous weapon dont'cha think?" one of them said.

"shut the fuck up if you don't want my foot down your throat" you said before running towards one of them, climbed their back and bit his ears. they panicked a lot and tried to grabbed you but using your sweater sleeve you tied one their hands into the man's head making all of them lose their balance and collectively fell. you jumped from his back successfully landing on the ground.

one of them lunge towards you but you dodged him and knocked his nose as hard as you could making him coughing out blood. the crowd wasn't rowdy anymore as they watched the bloody murder you were doing. the rampage of yours didn't seem to stop because the guys kept standing up. the more they tried to stand, the more damaging your attacks were. you didn't had any ounce of mercy.

the guy that earlier was smashing ikeru's face tried to crawl away but you saw him "oh you're not going anywhere. come back!" you dragged his left leg back to the center of the bar floor. you lifted his left calf and stepped on his thigh, breaking his kneecaps. he wailed in pain and as you were going to do the same to the next leg, you felt a shiver down your spine.

"yikes, sweetie you did this by yourself?" a braided hair man asked you while coming through the crowd. the still conscious ikeru's members tried to bow down but some of them fell down as they grow weaker.

"my, oh, look at that. hello keizo is your leg okay? didn't i told you specifically not to barge in this area of ours hm~?" the braided man asked him while he was wailing in pain. you kept experiencing this shivering but you shrugged it for now. the braided man finally looked at you "hm, you might need to go to the hospital love. you're injured" you stepped away from him only up now to realize there was someone else behind him. he wore a black shirt, glasses and had blue and yellow highlights. he was gorgeous and you couldn't stop staring at him. he did the same too, unable to tear his gaze away.

"rinnie could you tell them to clean this up? we have to bring this girl to the hospital" getting a tch as a respond, he inspected all the injuries and observed the damage you did. on the men and on the facility. "im sorry" you said impulsively, and he looked at you confused.

the crowd was already dismissed as silence developed between the two of you. this was strange, you met this man two seconds ago and you felt a huge relief washing over you. you shouldn't even feel better when he's here, he might be a greater threat but you felt the opposite with him. it was like you felt comfortable with him, safe with him.

"it's okay, uh. your name?" his voice did wonders to you. it felt soothing and you actually wanted to step closer to him so you could hear his voice again but this time closer. "i uh y/n"

"okay y/n, im rindou haitani. could you tell me what just happened because the guy almost got killed"

"my brother" you walked to ikeru's cold body and saw the blood on his face started to dry up, making it smell foul. rindou scrunched his nose and tried lifting him up before gesturing you to follow him. "uh hey you think you could ride? you guys need like immediate medical help and using the car, you know. there's traffic and that" he kept averting his eyes somewhere else while talking to you and stuttered a lot. "oh yeah my brother's bike is here so i can go to the hospital myself"

"oh, where's the keys?" he said while one of his gang members reached ikeru's shoulder and took him away. you snatched the keys from ikeru's pocket earlier and you handed it to rindou. you were too exhausted to ride the bike anyway and you felt like you could trust rindou. strangely.

"okay if you feel like falling asleep just hug me so you won't fall" he said while reviving the engine. you did what he said and arrived at the hospital and almost immediately got into an emergency ward. your brother's bed was beside yours although you might discharge earlier as your injuries wasn't too bad. the sight of your brother being connected with so many wires scared you, it was like the time of the car crash where you thought he would leave you. your daydreaming snapped as you heard a soft click on the door and saw rindou with some flowers.

"oh hi. i thought you were asleep. here, uh some flowers and food. i don't know what you like so i bought a few types of- wait why are you crying?" rindou stopped his rambling and placed the items in his hand on the table so he could swipe your tears away. he was worried for me, he's so cute, you thought.

"it's just, i love my brother so much i really thought i lost him" he held your hand and in a trance you two could speak only with your eyes. you desperately closed the gap between the two of you and cried more on his chest. after a while your hiccups was disappearing slowly and your grip on his shirt too had loosened. he laid you back so you could rest while he studied your face.

people would be terrified if their first meeting was with yours, your eyes were bloodshot, knuckles bloody, lip busted and sweater dirty but you looked magnificent is his eyes. your black hair, perfect eye shape, nose, lips hell you had no flaw. rindou was the one who wanted to see the new club, his gut telling him that there was something, someone there. then, he met you and he was correct. the moment he saw you, he fell. hard.

he rubbed his thumb over your bandaged knuckles and kissed the pinky finger with the tattoo on it. rindou wasn't a man of superstition or any sort but he does feel that you were truly his. the same red matching tattoo on his pinky said it.

he only realized you had the same tattoo while you entered the doctor's room for an examination. he didn't believed in fate but he genuinely thinks that you're his soulmate. his other half. the only one for him.

he kissed your forehead to leave so you could rest but you held his tattooed pinky. "stay with me" you softly said. rindou smiled and climbed the bed with you and you instantly snuggled in his arm. you felt safe, he felt complete. you both were truly soulmates.

a/n : this might be the longest fic i've ever wrote i got really indulged

[wakanai]

Happy Birthday to My Beloved Blorbo, Oda Sakunosuke! 🎉

AAAAAAA

he's so beautiful I can't-

(long post ahead)

this is the guy who

used to be an assassin at age 14

quit his job after reading a book and meeting its author (asagiri behavior btw - the 'left his job cause he wanted to write' part lol)

saw an injured dazai and brought him in his house (lit the equivalent of seeing a random injured criminal and knowingly bringing him into your house lol)

wrapped dazai in a blanket, trapped him in his house until he recovered safely

reacted to dazai's unhinged behavior and threats with an 'oh okay' attitude (unironically btw. he's really just like that TT)

was strong enough to be mistaken for a WHOLE organization

no one even had clues that it was him TT

made dazai embarrassed

“Of course, you would be wary of the switch. So, I had to distract you by conversation.”

“So, the games and the flow of conversation till now, were both according to your plan, you mean?”

“Hehe. Saying important things as a camouflage to get what you want. That is the basis of the negotiation technique.”

I ask as I organize the cards, “Which is camouflage of which?”

Dazai's expression turns blank for a second, as if he has been caught off guard. But it is only for a moment. He turns his head to the side to hide his expression and smiles. If I am not wrong, there is an embarrassed expression on his face. It is under the dark lighting of the bar, so I might have been mistaken though.

-- The Day I Picked Up Dazai (TDIPUD) (translation by @popopretty; you can find it in her tags i think)

^^ LOL. Oda 'I might have been mistaken' Sakunosuke (this is the guy who understood Dazai the most)

had a conversation with Shibusawa in Dead Apple and wasn't killed - in fact, Shibasawa even wanted to talk to him again if he had the chance (Oda TT he's got that 'I attract mentally unstable people and fix them' rizz lmao. Fyodor, take down notes).

did not expect Dazai to ask for a second meeting:

Dazai’s wounds have already crossed the most critical time. Just leave them like that and they will heal on their owns. My role here is over. So is our relationship.

Dazai nods and takes the cards from me. Then in a casual tone, he says those words.

“When are we meeting next?”

I stop what I am doing and look at Dazai.

-- TDIPUD

(Oda really said 'no' to attachment issues SAJDIAFJ. he's the kind of wonderful guy you meet once online and feel sad cause you can't find them again TT)

was the lowest ranking member in the mafia (and he slayed it too. did the jobs no one else wanted ugh)

despite the typical black-suit-shades look that low ranking mafiosos wore, Oda wore a BRIGHT COLORED, beige cream coat (do yall realize how much this must have made him stand out?? in a pool full of black - he stood out. Also the fact that mafiosos wear black so that blood isn't visible when it stains -- but Oda DECIDED TO STOP killing people hence why he didn't need to wear black. UgH such an icon ✨.)

survived the Dragon Heads Conflict (obviously 🙄)

adopted 5 orphans from that conflict

supported them financially, visited them on weekends, left them under the care of the curry-shop owner, connected w them!!!

managed a few shops for the mafia (reread Dark Era if you missed this detail; p. 94)

listener friend; listened to Dazai's antics and took them seriously (I bet he's the type who never forgets any minor detail their friend tells him)

joined in Dazai's chaos and hugged and tickled Ango (sibling behavior lol. Oda's just as chaotic - only difference is he does it with a straight face 😭 if Oda was in the ADA, Kunikida would grow white hair LOL. Imagine the chaos he and Dazai would bring TT - plus Dazai would be 10x happier. friendly reminder that Dazai gave Ango and Oda drugged food and when he offered to cook again, Oda's response was 'If it keeps you from getting tired, then it might be pretty useful before a hard day's work' like BRUH elfeofk.)

this isn't noticeable at first but despite always seeing himself as less than Dazai cause of their rank, Oda literally called Dazai by his name in front of the other mafia members (and no - he didn't even consciously think about it 😭). Imagine being a random mafioso and suddenly you see the lowest ranking member call an executive informally. like??? Oda's co-workers would call Dazai 'Dazai-san' while Oda be out there speaking casually like 'hey dude.' It's funny cause Oda is dense so he prob didn't even think of 'Office Codes' (yk the typical social rules where if ur friends w ur boss u call them formally at work? yea. Oda does not care LOL.)

He has good intuition

[Then I looked myself in my room and cycled through my thoughts [...] I listened only to my heartbeat as I observed the emotions bubbling up from within me like foam. I had a feeling something would happen[...]it was the small tinge everyone gets before something's about to happen. But realistically, there was virtually nothing I could do about it until it actually occurred and slapped me in the face. The world isn't kind. You have to be tough.] << relatable.

He sassed Mori HELP 😂😭

"At any rate, you just got here. You did not see a thing. Understand?"

"Yes, sir." I nodded in agreement. [...] "I only just arrived. Thank you for taking a break from undressing a young girl and chasing her around the room for me. So what was it you needed me for?"

The boss pinched his brows together for a few moments to think before nodding as if he had made up his mind. -- The Dark Era

He can see into the future

this is honestly a cool ability with so much potential. I'm going to promote this post by @raaanpo because why not. it's cool. :)

Such a caring friend (he gave Ango the benefit of the doubt, was crushed at the betrayal, and the way he thinks about dazai i cant- TT)

I already knew what Dazai was trying to say and what his intentions were and yet I had no choice but to scrutinize his every word to find some sort of silver lining.

"Maybe Ango really was lying but he's an informant who deals with top-secret information on the Mafia. It's only natural he'd have a secret meeting or two. You can't blame him for that"

-- p.46, Dark Era (DE)

**

"Hey Dazai" [...] "Is there any possibility that someone framed Ango and is pulling the strings from behind the scenes?" -- p.61, DE

**

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ango turn his back to me before leaving with the Special Forces. [...] My tongue numb, I called out to Ango as he left, but even I didn't know what I was saying. An indescribable feeling of loneliness was the only thing filling my heart...as if I were floating at the end of the universe. Even that was swallowed by darkness. My consciousness faded to black. -- p.90, DE

**

"Dazai, stop" I begged in a hushed tone. [...]

"Dazai!" I screamed. I felt as though we were thousands of miles apart. [...]

"Sorry to shock you like that" (&lt;< dazai's the one speaking here btw) [...]

Had our ranks or relations been any different, I probably would have punched him right then. (note: this reminds me of when Fukuzawa slapped Ranpo TT) However, I am me and there was nothing I could do to him.

After returning my gun to its holster, I turned my back to Dazai and began walking away. With every step I took, I felt as if the ground were going to collapse, creating a bottomless hole that I would fall through for an eternity. Dazai's expression as he placed his finger on his forehead and approached the enemy-- that of a child about to burse into tears--remained burned into my eyes. -- chap 1, DE

^^ it's giving friend-who-knows-you're-depressed-but-waits-for-you-to-tell-them energy like 😭😭bruh Oda knew. he knew dazai was depressed but he didn't push him about it. he just listened to any of dazai's ramblings and was there for him. ugh. Oda TT

also oda and ango :")

Ango looked at us and continued, "If there ever comes a time when the Division and the Mafia no longer exist...if we're ever freed from the confines of our work...do you think we can drink here again like this?"

"Don't say any more, Ango" a voice said nearby. It was my voice. "Just don't." [...]

I figured that was probably the last time I would ever see him.

(I still maintain the belief that Oda only said this because he knew the tensions were high and Dazai literally just threatened to torture and kill Ango moments ago. That last line hurts, man.)

Insecure king

(despite being a powerful ex assassin and supporting 5 kids - my goodness does Oda have insecurity issues :") )

These are just some scenes of Oda not realizing what a king he is 😭

This was Dazai though; he was probably just talking out of his ass. A man in his twenties isn't going to be much of a balm for anyone's soul. -- p.17, DE

(help why does this sound so funny 😂)

I nodded. Dazai was always right and I was always doing the wrong thing. -- p.40, DE

"Maybe I should recruit them.." Dazai smirked while wiping his sweat. "I heard all about it, Odasaku. You're raising five kids, huh? And not only that, they're orphans from the Dragon Head's Conflict."

Even if I'd tried to hide it, Dazai would've been able to figure it out with just half a day's worth of research. -- p.56, DE

(says the guy who managed to hide the painting without anyone knowing. Ngl Dazai was kind of being a dick here TT).

Even if I took Ango's side there, nothing would change. (note: oda sweetie, you're starting to act like Dazai TT.) There was no way to break out of Dazai's trap around the bar's perimeter and the children would be killed if I betrayed the Mafia. --p.119, DE

^^ see what I'm talking about? tensions were high. it's not like Oda hated Ango. He just didn't want to escalate the situation. And plus, Oda's never been a false-hope type of guy. So when he rejected Ango's wish, it doesn't mean he hates him or doesn't want to be friends anymore. he's just protecting himself from getting his hopes up and being realistic. On another note, I think being in the Mafia def affected Oda negatively. He was much more confident in TDIPD. :(

Lost king

After getting into the car, I recklessly hightailed it to the office. I don't really remember much about what happened along the way; I might've driven down the three-lane highway in the wrong direction two or three times. -- chap 1, DE

If someone were to peer inside my mind at that moment, they would've witnessed something akin to a massive volcanic eruption. Countless question marks would have been blasting out of the crater, blanketing the sky in its entirety. And yet, the only visible reaction I had was a twitch of a finger. -- p.18, DE

I ended up standing in front of the son and introducing myself. As “the person who killed your father.” There was no word that could describe how angry the son was. He had all the rights to be angry. [...] He was hitting me, throwing stuff at me, and attacking me with all sorts of insults. I could easily dodge all of his attacks, but there was no way to avoid the insults.

When he became exhausted from all the rampage and finally sat down, I explained to him about the killing. After that, he demanded a compensation. For his father’s life, and for the rental fee of that book I took without permission. -- TDIPD

(bruh. Oda's wildin 😭 pulled up at the front door and said 'yeah I killed your father' like DJFWEIJF. If Oda became an author, he would def be openly weird like the author of chainsaw man and he'd be the type to share life lore w his fans despite it being illegal😭:

'Oda! I'm a big fan! I have a question. Did you ever kill a person? Why is your writing so good at capturing that stuff?'

I'm willing to bet good money he would actually answer that question honestly.

RBF king

I was sure I looked even grumpier than usual [...] I wasn't actually in a bad mood though. It was merely a problem of balance because my hands were full [...]. You'd need a little training to carry these with a smile. -- p.121, DE

('you'd need a little training to carry these with a smile.' << it's giving uncle vibes 😭)

Writer's block king

"Because there's only one story I want to write, and it's in here." I tapped my temple. "Unfortunately, I don't have the necessary tools or skills to bring this story to life. I feel like a lost mountaineer standing before the tallest, most sacred mountain in the world with just a single, tiny ax" -- BEAST LN

(Oda stop being so relatable...)

Was a good mentor to Akutagawa in BEAST LN (lit trained him, was okay w his antics, and was willing to go against the Mafia for him. Dazai who? Akutagawa was WAY more stable with Oda as his mentor 😭)

"How are you earning enough to take care of them?" (<< Aku asking)

"That's a secret." Oda let out a faint, almost inaudible laugh.

**

What I needed to do now, however, was worry about the new recruit, since he was a hundred times more messed up in the head than me.

**

Dazai walked over with a faint, indecipherable smile. "I've been training Atsushi for four and a half years, yet you beat him. It's hard to believe..." (uhm duh. that's cause he was trained by Oda 🙄💅who doesn't abuse his students unlike y-)

**

"Akutagawa, it was actually Oda who obtained this video," said Tanizaki who was seated. "Even with Ranpo's Super Deduction and Oda's extraordinary skill, Flawless [...], it took them three whole days to sneak into the secret facility and steal the footage. That just shows you how extremely dangerous the mission was and how hard it was to get this information."

That was when it hit Akutagawa. He had just recently been asked to watch over the orphans for three days while Oda was out of town on business.

ugH. KING behavior 😩👑

He's read the Bible

"John 12:24. You're surprisingly well read, Sakunosuke." --p.144, DE

^^ imagine if he and Fyodor had a conversation. that would be p. interesting.

was kind to the curry shop owner (ill elaborate later cause im so sleepy rn)

--- and so much more. I actually have a whole fanfic in my head of Oda TT (and that Oda is a lot different from the one in canon but is based off of him. yeah...I like Oda if u couldn't alr tell.😭)

I urge yall to please read Dark Era and The Day I Picked Up Dazai. It captures his character way more than the anime.

To end this post, I want to give tribute to the IRL! Oda Sakunosuke cause that's who the bsd character is based from and Oct 26 is his actual birthday 😸

About the Real Oda:

List of some of his works:

Thank youu 🥳

I hope this post encourages more oda love lol. he's such a king. 💅

tagging @carbonateds-oda because I need someone to share my unhinged Oda thoughts too 😭😩

(feel free to ignore btw or lmk if it bothers u. i feel like ive been too interactive lately TT)

anywy, happy birthday odasaku! 🥳🥳👑

[m-to-z-andbackto-m]

UnderLust Ramble Time (Main points/summary at bottom of post)

TW for my sex repulsed fellows, this is not for you along with related topics like minors are a nono and Ess/Ayy

Okay so I looked back into it (because I drew Lust in my last post lol) and I still see the same issues and I'm gonna be honest. I'm pretty neutral about UL, they're just some silly guys, guys-

Well. No. Not just that but. That's why I'm rambling!

I am not siding with the original UL, its creator, or people who say it's problematic for the wrong reasons. I kinda have my own view of it, lemme explain:

Okay so people are saying it's problematic JUST because people are focusing on the sexual characteristic and that's all anyone sees it as.

But DustTale isn't problematic when people only see Murder as a crazed murderer without a heart. Which is completely untrue, did you know that? Broski's oddly chill y'know- Depends. De- Yeah it depends but he's not exactly out for bloodlust-

Okay I got side tracked

Anyways the point is unaliving people is BAD. Being overly sexual is...? Ehhh... Depends how you go about it (more on this later) BUT.

The reason I first heard/saw that UL was problematic was because of sexualized minors (Chara's design and not many people know this but Temmie is also a child) And... Eugh... Proshipping...

THOSE are the reasons it should be farted on 😭

Okay back to people only making it to be about sexy stuff.

I mean. When you don't count Mettaton's storyline. That's essentially what makes UL... Well? UL. This is the wrong reason to hate on it, it's literally in the name, it's supposed to be lusty and if people overdo it, just take it as thier interpretation/variation.

Same way people interpret Dust as a mindless power hungry murderer, it's not right, or canon at all, doesn't mean it's wrong, just how someone sees it.

Now I suppose it's chill with me and a lot of other people to explore Ess/Ayy and what it does to someone's mental health and their relationships with others. Plus other topics related to a sexual environment, but there's a line where it's okay and where it's messed up (Some Random Examples, But There's More: Say a victim "falls in love" with their perpetrator, ew, no, just no- Say, a victim is learning to cope and recover, yes, just yes.)

So yeah! It's nice we have an AU/Concept that gives us the grounds to do that!

It's irritating sure but there's good content, look for that instead. I don't think we should shun the idea of anything as long as its basis isn't something disgusting?

"But MZM, lustful behavior IS disgusting 🥺"

...

🎶 "It might seem crazy what I'm 'bout to say..." 🎶

Guys lust is in our nature as primarily sexual beings. (I know fellow Aces, I know, hold on, I love you too but this post isn't the time 😭)

I don't think anything natural is completely "disgusting" as long as you don't go about it the wrong way, then it becomes disgusting (Say, pedophilia is p much a disorder, some people get help, some people get arrested, that's the difference)

UnderLust could very well be like some sex club in Hell or basic UnderTale with slightly sexual undertones, there's middle ground guys, over sexualizing it can be bad, move on and focus on the good people do for this universe

Now, I'm an Ink kinnie so I love creation, I adore it. I hate to shut down a concept just because it's taboo or the creator/s didn't turn out so good. Make something wonderful instead of shutting it down for the problems it has in OTHER people's hands. It's our jobs as a creator to give life to these sillies as long as we're invested, and if someone does a bad job, that doesn't mean you or someone else can't have something good made in place of it.

Love the concept, don't mind the creator.

Love the children, not their parents.

Main points for those who didn't wanna read too much because let's be honest, I talk A LOT:

UL is not problematic because of being overly sexual, that's literally its nature

UL doesn't have to be overly sexual, just because it's common, doesn't mean it's hopeless, there's good content and you can contribute to it

UL is problematic because of sexualization of minors and proshipping if I recall correctly

UL gives us grounds to explore Ess/Ayy, sexuality, lack of it, hypersexuality, etc... it's how you go about it that matters

(I think I lost a bullet point but I can't remember what it said)

Don't turn it down for what it is or what it commonly is interpreted as, give it life for what it could be

For ANY Content Out There: Adore the creation/concept, you don't have to like the creator, or the original.

Thanks For Reading 🫶

[blindluck]

i didn't wanna reply over there cus this ended up getting rly long but there's this post by @shitpostingperidot and @marvelsassbutts about carol and maria's GNR concert in 88 and my brainworms got to making up hc after hc now all i think about is how that could've been the first time they got together despite mutually pining and coparenting monica for like 4/5 years or so anywayyy

idk if there's like a screenshot frame of monica's sword file or smth that shows her birthday in exact terms so i might be going on abt nothing here but listen

mcu wiki says she was born around june/october of 1983

it also says carol and maria met in their first year of AF academy "shortly after turning 18", so that's either late 1983 or early 1984, bc carol's birthday is late 65

which means monica was already in the picture by then 🥺🥺

what i'm thinking is maria got pregnant at around 17/18 and her parents took care of monica for the first year or so when she enlisted bc why wouldn't they

but as soon as she lands the test pilot job and starts making bank they're like "i love you so much and i'm very proud of you now here's your child go be her mom"

this is like in their 2nd or 3rd year of flight school so it catches everyone by surprise, and ofc higher ups use it as excuse to subtly and passive-aggressively ground maria on paid vacations and maternity leaves

obviously she sees right through the fake benevolent facade and overcompensates by not only refusing benefits, but taking on even bigger workloads

which then obviously gets her drained and exhausted and ofc carol notices and worries

she's been trying to give maria space through the whole ordeal but there's a line between giving you space and watching you get put through the wringer without doing anything

so she finally corners maria like "hey i know this is fucked up but maybe you could find another way to stick it to them without slowly killing yourself in the process can u pls just give me a call when it's too much to handle i am begging on my knees"

("my best friend, who supported me as a mother and a pilot when no one else did")

maria does slow down a bit but she still hesitates to call for help, until one particular hard night she cracks and carol gets there at flying speed to do chores and dinner and take care of monica while maria (a single mom in her early 20s who is also an overworked test pilot) finally gets some goddamn rest

(after changing monica's diaper tho bc apparently carol can't help with that)

from then on carol pretty much moves in with them

maria starts slowing down and taking care of herself and getting her due leaves and relying more on her parents and friends and she loves monica so much and things are so overwhelmingly good right now...............except for this one small carol shaped situation

they've been roommates before, you see, and maria is very aware she's been in love with this goobster for a minute

but she's also a black single mom in the US air force she really doesn't have to make things harder on herself so she's been trying rly damn hard to keep carol at arm's length for both their sakes

carol too is very aware that she's in love with maria and probably has been since forever (she's not super in touch with her feelings to pinpoint when the gears shifted, plus thinking back on it she can't rmbr a time when she wasn't in love with her yknow)

but "maria has a kid she's straight" (wrong) and also carol is very insecure (canon) so she's afraid of rejection and doesn't wanna ruin the friendship and she'd rather have maria in her life as a friend instead of not at all

even if it breaks her to wake up literally next to the love of her life every single day and not spill her entire heart out

especially bc maria's mask slips sometimes, mostly when she's drunk (even if just a bit tipsy) or when they share a particularly emotional moment (quite often tbf, considering how close to dying the very nature of their job gets them on a regular basis)

fast forward to 1988

carol and maria pretty much live together and monica loves auntie carol to pieces and their hearts are both so close to exploding they might actually die for real at any given moment

now to finally tie back to where this whole thing started: carol brings home tickets to a GNR concert, maria stares at her dead in the eye like "bitch this is 500 miles away" and carol's like "oh..........................road trip? :D"

you'll never guess what happens there

one year later, carol's missing

presumed dead

[generalthirst]

What I Deserve

Hi! I haven't posted anything on here in some time. Life and all, you know. But I've been slowly getting back into the swing of writing elsewhere and figured I need to return to my husband Hux. As per usual I'm writing some fluff. Maybe a hint of angst but I'm always soft for this war criminal.

Ren had done a number on him this time. Again. Some days it was a few bruises, others lacerations and a trip to the infirmary. You feared being at the receiving end of Kylo Ren's wrath the way Hux seemingly always was. A part of you broke inside every time they had an altercation. The General was indeed a harsh man, cold, calculating. But you couldn't blame him for it. He was rather young for someone to have such responsibilities. And to have that be challenged by Kylo Ren on a daily basis no less.

You'd been picked out of the crowd to assist the General after the latest altercation. Neither of you were sure how it had come to be, but you you'd been tasked with patching him up a few times before. It seemed he was pleased with your work as he often requested your assistance afterwards. This time was quite the job for you.

Hux winced but made no sound as you tenderly prodded the darkened skin around his eye and cheekbone. A rather large cut trailed blood down his face.

"Apologies." You said softly, not intending to give him added pain. He gave no response. "I don't think you have any injuries to your facial bones, which is lucky given how hard you collided with that wall." You said trying to ignore the glare he sent you for the reminder.

"A fine display of the decorum of the First Order." He finally responded sarcastically, referring to Kylo's temper. "I'll have him executed by the end of this." He hissed. You knew such talk was treasonous but you assumed Hux trusted you enough to not repeat his words to anyone. The thought alone gave you a small thrill.

"I hope it happens sooner rather than later." You muse as you organize your first aid tools. "It seems he's keen to kill you first at this rate."

"He'll have to try harder than that." Hux almost gave a slight laugh. "Many others have tried and failed before him." You knew the man prided himself on his resilience and strength of will. And part of you did admire that. But there was a side of you that still lamented that was even the case.

"With all due respect sir, I wish it was something you didn't even have to worry about at all. Dealing with the Resistance is trouble enough on its own." His striking eyes locked with yours as you dabbed away the now drying blood.

"Not saying you can't handle it of course, it's just..." Your voice trailed off. Unable to meet his gaze that seemed glued to your face as you worked on his.

"What?"

You relented to his prying knowing he'd resort to ordering you to speak anyways, so you might as well own up to your words. "I hate seeing you have to fight for everything all the time. It isn't fair. You shouldn't have to struggle so much." Chancing a glance at him showed his confusion. Mild shock intermingled. You didn't blame him. You'd never been so candid with him before and maybe you'd gone too far this time. Spoken too out of turn than you had allowance for.

Your hands returned to his face once again but not in analysis of his wounds. Your fingers gingerly danced across his cheeks. The connection felt like lighting for the man. His face flinched, seemingly of it's own accord, at the gentle gesture. His look deepened further in confusion as you dropped your touch slightly to cradle his face in your feather light grasp. Your thumb glided over the bruise on his cheekbone.

"I want to see you happy for once, sir. You deserve it."

Hux gave no reaction at all. Not even a blink. For a moment you wondered if maybe time had stopped or you'd officially broken him. Perhaps both. With a sudden sigh he moved his gaze down to the floor, but not taking in anything his eyes truly saw. You could see the thoughts racing behind those eyes. A shaking hand slowly raised and laid over yours, so delicately, as if afraid to touch you.

"What I deserve, I don't think is anything close to what you have in mind. In fact I am thankful I haven't gotten what I truly deserve." His eyes snapped back to you with a sudden determination. That driven attitude you were so familiar with him.

"But I am grateful for all that I have. And I hope to have more, even if I don't deserve it." Hux graced you with an uncharacteristic smile. Small and faint but there. A light pink to his face telling the true meaning behind the words he spoke, but you understood all the same. Your own face couldn't contain your own beaming happiness.

"Perhaps I can teach you that you do deserve good things."