#geeking out gracefully

[shiningshenanigans]

When Sacrifice No Longer Feels Loving: Raw, Messy, Emotional Thoughts on Loki Season 2

It’s been a little over two weeks since the season 2 finale of Loki came out, and although it’s been pretty much all I’ve been able to think about lately, I haven’t really been able to put my thoughts into words. And I have a lot of thoughts. I need to get them out of my system, and I’ve tried to write them down on multiple occasions, but every time I do, they keep getting stuck on the way out.   

So, I’ve decided to do something different. Rather than trying to analyze the series critically, I’m going to just start writing about how it made me feel, and see where it takes me. I’m not really sure what’s going on in my heart and mind as I reflect on this story, but I have a vague idea of the truth that it’s tapping into. Fair warning: these thoughts are going to get very Christian-y and preachy, so if the gospel is not your thing, I don’t know how much sense this post will make. But, if you’ve been having a similar experience with the season and care to read, I hope that you find some encouragement and truth in these messy, emotionally honest thoughts!

When I try to sum up how I feel about season 2 as a whole, the only word that really comes to mind is “upset.” I’m just upset about it. The morning after the finale aired, I woke up with a deep, hollow pit of sadness in my stomach. I broke down crying a couple of times over the next few days just thinking about certain scenes in episodes 5 and 6, and I couldn’t rewatch the finale for almost a week. 

Is it weird to feel this kind of grief over something as simple as a TV show? Yeah, probably. But I think that’s kind of the point. I’d been looking forward to the release of this season for two years. Without getting too personal, I’ve recently been through one of the hardest years of my life. Just this year, I’ve gone to two funerals for people that I grew up with, been in a car crash, faced rejection in a relationship that I had grown emotionally attached to, and mourned with my community as we experienced one of the most tragic shootings in our country's history. The release of Loki season 2 had become a little bright spot in my 2023; something to look forward to in all the madness. 

When the first season came out, I remember being overcome by how good it was. It was wacky, and sweet, and funny, and sad, and redemptive all at once. Even in its darkest moments, there seemed to be a thread of hope that ran through the series from beginning to end. Over the years it had become a comfort show, a beautiful piece of art that offered me encouragement when I needed a pick-me-up. Because if a comic book super villain with a long history of screwing his life up can change his ways, make new friends, fall in love, find meaningful work, stand up to his oppressors, and ultimately write his own destiny, then gosh darnit, so can I. 

My roommate and I invited our friends over, every Thursday night for six weeks, to watch the new episodes as they premiered. Our watch parties started off full of excitement and anticipation. I even made key lime pie for us the first couple of times, which was a big hit. But as the weeks wore on, and the episodes started to spiral deeper into tragedy, our post-watch conversations became more full of questions and complaints than anything. When the credits rolled on the finale, we sat in an almost mournful silence, watching the screen, waiting with baited breath to see if there would be a post-credits scene. There wasn’t one. You could almost feel a sense of dread fall over the room. That’s it. That’s all they’re going to give us. That’s how they’ve decided to end the story. 

I think the first words that were uttered when the Disney Plus screen finally popped up were, “I hate Marvel,” before we all began to voice how we felt.  

I can honestly say this has been one of the weirdest, strongest emotional reactions to a piece of media that I’ve ever had. It’s genuinely felt like I’ve been going through the five stages of grief over this show, but the grief isn’t just stemming from the inherent sadness of the story. I’m also grieving the show itself; what it’s become, how it was handled by the people it was entrusted to, and the knowledge that there will likely not be another season to redeem it. I feel angry, unseen and unloved by the writers who set up everything over the course of six episodes to ensure that the finale was as heartbreaking as possible. 

At the same time, however, I can’t say that I hated it. A part of me knows that the reason it’s affecting me so deeply is because it’s so well-made. Art doesn’t grip you this much unless it’s objectively good. There are legitimate critiques of the story/filmmaking that I could make and a lot of people already have. The temptation to scoff and say “Michael Waldron wouldn’t have done it this way” and turn all my excitement towards Secret Wars is very strong, but that just seems like misplacing my hope. Underneath all the sadness and the frustration, there’s also a layer of confusion. Am I supposed to be feeling this way? Is this what the writers of this show wanted me to feel all along? And if so, why? What are they trying to say through this story?  

I don’t normally mind stories with tragic endings, so long as I can understand the purpose behind them. I remember feeling similarly unsettled when I finished the first season of Arcane, wondering what the point of it all was. But after a little bit of analysis and reflection, I could see how the tragedy was fitting; how the characters choices had led to the ending and the cautionary tale it was trying to tell me. Even in the tragedy, it was still good. I’ve also learned to love the grief that comes with watching a character make a heroic sacrifice for those he loves. I think of Tony Stark in Avengers: Endgame, Janner in The Wingfeather Saga, or Stoick in How To Train Your Dragon 2. All these deaths are heartbreaking and painful to watch, but there’s a certain beauty to them too, and you can feel the goodness and love in their sacrifices.

This one is different, though. Something about this one feels wrong. Something about this one feels deeply, inherently, not good. And analysis is only making it worse. 

I’m having a really hard time seeing the beauty in the sacrifice that Loki makes at the end of season 2. This story wasn’t supposed to end in tragedy. It was supposed to be a reversal of tragedy. A second chance for a beloved character (one who has already sacrificed himself for love on multiple occasions) to finally receive some kind of reward instead of punishment.

To end the series the way the writers did feels almost like a stab in the back, a betrayal if you will, of all the hope and joy and restoration that the first season promised. I guess adopted children who are abandoned at birth really are destined to be alone forever, no matter how much love they have to give. I guess villains can’t find redemption, and even if they do, they will not escape eternal punishment for their sins. I guess quarrels between brothers (or lovers) can’t be resolved, and every relationship we cherish is doomed to fall apart eventually. I guess young women like me, who are strong and independent because we’ve had to be, are not worth pursuing, and we should be content with our middle-management jobs and casual friendships as if that is the peak of human existence. I guess we should embrace isolation and selfishness after all. I guess true love doesn’t really exist, and we should walk away from any semblance of it before it makes us bleed.

Bummer. 

The night after we watched the finale, I drove a couple of my friends home. On the drive back, I could feel the sadness of the story aching in my gut. I thought specifically about Sylvie, and how unsatisfied I felt with where the story left her. I’ve always connected with her as a character, and I hated the way she had been sidelined throughout the season. Every week, I had tuned in hoping I would see some kind of reconciliation between her and Loki. I just wanted some kind assurance that she loved him back, that they would somehow end up together in the end. One kiss, one hug, just… one conversation, for heaven’s sake. One apology from either side. One confession of love. But six episodes and it never came. Their relationship wasn’t even addressed. It was reduced to subtext, as if it wasn’t the back bone that Michael Waldron built his original pitch off of back before 2021.  

I thought about the way she shrugged and smiled when Mobius asked her what she was going to do next, and it just irked me. Why didn’t they tell us what her plans were? Why didn’t they give us some kind of clue? It seemed so obvious to me what she should do. She should make good use of her Tempad and go be with Loki. How could she just walk away, knowing everything he just sacrificed for her? Do people really think she could just… go back to her life after that, with so many things left unsaid between them? If she really does love him, how could she? How could she go through life, knowing that the truest love she’s ever experienced is lightyears away, always watching, always with her, but unable to be physically present with her in a mortal, tangible way? It sounded like such a sad, lonely fate and my heart broke for both Sylvie and Loki as I thought about it.  

But then it dawned on me: wait a second… isn’t that what it’s like to be a Christian? Isn’t that the reality I’m living every day, as Christ’s bride? The weight of that realization was so heavy I almost had to pull over on the side of the road because I couldn’t breath. My savior loves me more than anything. He gave up everything for me, just like Loki did for Sylvie. I don’t even know how many rounds he went with the enemy on that cross, just to bargain for my soul. And what do I do about it? I shrug it off with a smile. I forget about it until it’s convenient. I go back to my job, my house, my car, my record store, as if every second of my life hasn’t been paid for by the blood, sweat, and tears of a God who just wants me to be ok. As if I could ever fool myself into believing a life without Him is enough for me. 

As if I shouldn’t be fighting like hell to get back to Him. As if love so amazing, so divine, doesn’t demand my life, my soul, my all. Just so you know, I teared up again writing that last paragraph.

A lot of people have pointed out the parallels that can be made between Loki and Sylvie and Adam and Eve. The comparison really does work in a lot of ways. A perfect likeness, a counterpart created for a lonely man because “it is not good that the man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18). One flesh, two halves of a whole. Equals, balancing and complementing each other perfectly. A couple chosen by a higher power to rule the universe with authority. There’s something edenic about that scene where they snuggle in the grass under that blanket together: a man and a woman, wrapped up in a garden of green, completely unguarded and vulnerable with each other. The man promises the woman his protection, and the woman shyly offers him her trust and thanks in return. 

When they make it to the Citadel at the End of Time, their parting echoes deeply of the fall. The serpent (He Who Remains) sows seeds of distrust between them, knowing full-well that they are stronger together and could easily overpower him if they remain united. The two halves are torn apart and turn on one another. The woman, in her thirst for freedom, takes control of the situation, and the man fails in his duty to stop her. Free will is unleashed into the world, and with it comes consequence and chaos and danger.         

If season 1 can be read as the journey from the garden to the fall, season 2 reads more like the journey from the fall to the cross. Chaos and confusion, spiraling slowly towards death and destruction. Constant distrust between the man and the woman, between God and his bride. An inability to reconcile, to fix what’s been broken. The citadel goes from being Eden to being Gethsemane. When every other option has been tried and all hope is lost, Loki returns to the moment of the fall and pleads with his love, over and over again, to make a different choice. But she will not stop rebelling, even though it leads to her death every time. 

Unable to reason with her, Loki confronts He Who Remains to bargain for her life. But there’s no option that doesn’t end in bloodshed. Loki must either kill Sylvie, the woman he loves, and go on committing genocide in HWR’s place. Or, he must break the temporal loom and let the chaos that ensues destroy all of reality. These, according to He Who Remains, are the only two choices. So Loki makes a third choice. Instead of sacrificing others for the multiverse, he makes a total sacrifice of himself. I think you can see where I’m going with this. 

It’s not lost on me how weird it is to compare Loki, a marvel super villain based off of a pagan norse god, to Jesus. But the crucifixion/ascension parallels here aren’t exactly subtle. Loki puts on a heavy crown, carries a great burden up a hill, and “dies” on a tree of all things, to save both the woman he loves and the group of friends he’s grown close with during his time at the TVA. His last words to his loved ones before he ascends are, “I know what kind of God I need to be, for you, for all of us.” When I think about the story in these parabolic terms, I’m almost overwhelmed by how much truth is woven into this mythology.  And yet, something about it still feels deeply unsettling to me. There’s still a piece missing that makes it feel more like a Greek tragedy than a Jewish parable. 

As they are, Loki Seasons 1 and 2 show me a reflection of the fall, the cross, and in some ways, the ascension of Jesus Christ. What they don’t show me is a picture of the resurrection. And any christian will tell you that the resurrection is the most vital part of the story (1 Corinthians 15:16-20). The series shows me sin and what it costs. They show me what is lost in sacrifice, but they don’t show me what is gained. The hero meets a fate worse then death, and is forced to remain there, alone, for all eternity. There are no tearful reunions at the tomb, no assurance that death has been defeated, no eucatastrophe. No curse reversed. God and man are forever separated, and for some reason that’s supposed to be beautiful, according to Marvel. It’s not. It’s a question mark, a gaping wound at the end of the story that offers no comfort. To live in that tension, that separation, in those three days between Christ’s death and his resurrection, is literally the most painful, most hopeless place for the human heart to dwell. But, maybe it’s a tension that we should sit in more often, so that we can appreciate the weight of what Christ did for us. 

The more I think about it, the more I realize that I don’t really hate season 2 of Loki. It’s a beautifully crafted piece of art, well-written (sort of) and well-acted, with gorgeous production design and a deep, meaningful story at its core. What I hate, with every fiber of my being, is the thought that that is where the story ends. That it’s supposed to end there. That this ending is good. As a Christian, I almost can’t accept it. Everything in me screams that there has to be more resolution beyond the credits of the finale. 

That, I think, is where all the pain swirling in my heart around this story is really coming from. And whether they know it or not, I think that’s where a lot of the Loki fandom’s pain is coming from right now. The gospel is so written into our DNA that it pours itself out into every mythology we try to create. We are so desperate for the reassurance that the resurrection is true, that when we get even the slightest hint that it might not be, it triggers our deepest, darkest anxieties. Nothing scares me more than the thought of being alone, separated from God, for all eternity. Not even death is scarier, or more tragic, than that. It is, by definition, hell. 

So yeah. Curse you, Marvel. Curse you for telling me a story that hurts like hell, and expecting me to just be ok with it. For giving me an ending that could never, in any reality, be satisfying or conclusive, and then trying to gaslight me into believing that it is. For ensuring that I will probably end up buying a ticket for both Secret Wars and Kang Dynasty (even though I’m really tired of superhero movies) just so that I can see if I’m right, that love really does win in the end. I don’t really have any kind of expectation that the next two Avengers movies are going to give me the closure I’m looking for. But I think I know where I can find it.  

As grieved as I am by the way Marvel handled this story, I’m also kind of amazed by the way its incompleteness is revealing to me the total, satisfying completeness of the gospel. Marvel can’t promise me that, at the end of time, the God of Stories will be reunited with his warring bride and live happily ever after in the presence of his inner circle. But the gospel does. And the hope that I find there is immeasurable.

[urrockstar-xe]

math test - p.parker x fem!reader

posted jan 27th, 2024 3:28 pm

came up with this cutesy idea the other day, hope u enjoy :)

summary: Peter's tired of allowing Spider-Man to be a shitty boyfriend, so he makes up for it the only way he can think of that wouldn't get you in trouble.

masterlist

not proofread

wordcount: 0.8k

It was nearing 2 in the morning when Peter slowly lifted his window open from the outside, not so gracefully falling inside once it was a wide enough gap, followed by him stumbling several times as he tried to close his window while simultaneously trying to take off the red and blue spandex suit that so badly needs a wash.

The sound of his old bed frame creaking caught Peter’s attention once he finally pulled on some sweatpants. 

He whipped around, his gaze immediately falling to your half-asleep figure in his bed, a familiar sight now, one Peter had adored. Your half-opened eyes tried to focus on his silhouette. 

“Shit, hey sweetheart I didn’t mean to wake you” Peter’s whispered apology was laced with a soft muffled tone as he pulled a hoodie over his head, not bothering to fix his hair as he made his way towards his bed. “Didn’t know you were sleepin’ over tonight” He said with a tired smile playing on his lips, the bags under his eyes failing to distract you from the beauty that was your sleep-deprived boyfriend as you merely scooted over for him to join you. 

“Supposed to help me study for that test” you mumbled, no malice in your voice, no hints of irritation, not even a slight sadness to your voice at the thought of him forgetting about your plans. All you cared about at this moment was your boyfriend cuddling with you, using all your energy to open your arms for him to slide into. 

Peter stopped dead in his tracks, looking down by the nightstand and seeing your backpack on the floor, a math book sitting on the floor beside it next to a few pens. So that’s what he tripped on when he came in.

“Oh, man. I’m sorry, doll. We can work on it first thing in the morning, swear.” Peter promised, giving into what you wanted and sliding in bed next to you, wasting no time in wrapping you in his arms. 

“It’s due tomorrow, and I have to leave early for that dumb field trip.” You mumbled into his shoulder, not meaning to but making Peter feel all the worse for forgetting as he softly smoothed his hand up and down your back.

~

By the time Peter woke up the next morning you had already left, leaving behind a note on his desk.

”don’t think too hard about that test, I’ll just ask if I can have extended time on it. I’m just happy you got home safe” 

The little hearts surrounding your name at the bottom and the emphasis on him getting back at all seemed to have the opposite effect on Peter than you had intended. 

As now, he just seemed more determined to fix this problem he had made.

~

You laughed as your friend lifted her arms into the air, taking in a big deep breath as you both finally got off the bus, “freedom!” she exclaimed. 

“We have that test in like 30 minutes” You reminded her with a smile, earning a glare in response. “Buzzkill”

You chuckled this time, before watching her lift her finger and point behind you, turning as you followed where she was pointing, “that’s geek charming, what’s he doin’ here?” she asked quietly, expecting you to have an answer as you watched your boyfriend hurry over to you, green folder in his hand. 

“No clue, I’ll meet you inside” You smiled at her, watching her nod and smile back in response, walking backward towards the school while she obnoxiously waves and says “Hi, Peter!” 

Peter waved back, finally in front of you as he turned his gaze to see you already looking at him, with a soft smile. 

“Hey,” Peter matched your smile, holding out the folder to you before you could respond. “For your test, you forgot your math stuff in my room, so” 

You smiled, taking it gratefully, “Thanks, Petey. Although I don’t know how much help it’ll be-” Peter cut you off, “I mapped out in your notebook exactly how you can find any answers for the test and explained it in notes how I knew you’d be able to understand” You looked at him in awe as he rambled, watching as he took off his backpack and fumbled with it before pulling out your math notebook and handing it to you. “Peter-” “I almost wish I could take the test for you, I’ve just had so much to do lately as you know who and that’s no excuse for ditching my best girl when she needed my help so I figured this was the least I could do” Peter continued, taking a breath once he had finished. 

You set the folder and notebook down on the grass, pulling Peter into a tight embrace. “This is nice” he mumbled into your shoulder, squeezing your waist ever so slightly. “I love you, Peter Parker” You mumbled back, pulling back just enough to set a soft kiss to his lips. 

“I love you more, now go pass your test and make me proud, you can do that, can’t you, sweetheart?” Peter smiled at you, chuckling as you placed one, two, three more kisses on his mouth before pulling away and grabbing your stuff. 

“When I pass, you’re buying me dinner, baby!” You said, beginning to walk away.

“Whatever you want, doll!”

[chocoqtelle]

𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝﹕𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐩 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 ♡

you may be called to multiple piles, that's perfectly fine ! remember that not every message may resonate. take what resonates and leave the rest. tarot is not completely certain and things may change. do not use tarot as a replacement for professional advice. divider credit to @sister-lucifer

﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵ ﹒˚ ₊ ︵﹒⊹ ๑ ︵︵ ๑ ⊹﹒︵

𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐍𝐄

okayyyy 🤭 seems like someone's self focused right now. you're dodging these desperate mfs and focusing on your finances. you oughta give yourself more credit for that at least. choosing attention from yourself over attention from others is rough. and it's clearly paying off because you are GLOWING. if you've been getting more attention that's why. you're looking better than ever right now. you don't need anyone to take care of you... but if you want that then there's plenty of options. you don't even have to put effort in. it's all self concept. as long as you acknowledge how perfect you are and what you deserve, you'll get exactly that. you've been working hard, clearing out old patterns, all that. so why would you be shocked that things are going well/going to go well? you deserve that! you worked your ass off to get to this point and you act like you didn't sometimes. whatever help you may have got wasn't near as much as you put into yourself. reap your rewards with no shame. this is your well deserved prize.

𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐓𝐖𝐎

"i don't know if i want her or her" energy. you got options for just about everything. you're in that empress mode (regardless of gender dw.) you're pouring into your creative talents and you're doing great. keep expressing yourself, don't worry about what's weird! it's fun! that's what matters. you could have some annoying exes/haters and honestly just take it as an ego boost. they're obsessed with you for a reason. but isn't everyone? you don't have to worry about anyone. grabbing for scraps of stardust when you're the star is the life they chose. you, however, have an unlimited source and you should enjoy it. if you're thinking of going bigger with your creative talents/career. you definitely should. you have the talent whether you wanna admit it or not. "what if I fail?" then you can try again or move on. your life won't be over. what if you win? believe in yourself more. believe you'll make it regardless of what happens. if you're worried about money, let it go. god/the universe/spirit guides/ancestors/whatever applies will take care of it. just trust things will work and opportunities will reach you soon. you could have that perfect duality too is what I'm hearing. geek girl vibes (it's on Netflix still, I think.)

𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄

the body is BODYINGGGGG. if you don't know that, you must be blind. and don't start talking about some "but hip dips 😖 but tummy but-" nobody in real life cares about that. if it's your body, it's nice and loveable by default. you're like the "airport girl" phenomenon where people see the prettiest person ever at a random place then never see them again and they're just haunted by their beauty. you're probably resting right now but make sure you're not rotting. it's good to still take care of yourself. I don't know if you're insecure or not, but if you are I will personally come through the screen and yell at you (affectionately.) because you are so gorgeous. pinterest level pretty. moodboard pretty. poetry pretty. you could have people writing like "her bosoms jiggled gracefully in the wind like hanging grapes." 😭 being pretty is one thing but being kindhearted on top is just extra. sweet and pretty??? fine you win 😒 save some beauty for the rest of us. you could also be an Aphrodite devotee or benefit from reaching out to her :)

︶꒦︶꒷︶︶꒷꒦︶︶︶꒷꒦‧ ₊˚・︶꒦︶꒷︶︶꒷꒦︶︶︶꒷꒦‧ ₊˚・

[bambikisss]

Bad :: S.Mingi

(Bamb's ver.!) Bad Rich boy! Mingi x Criminal! reader

📙: Mingi grew up around his picture perfect family and friends, making him crave someone else who was different. So when you try and steal from him at his parent's gala, he takes the opportunity to see what it's like to be truly bad.

⚠ : Unprotected sex, sex in a public place, use of restrains (reader), biting, oral (f + m receiving), breeding kink (mingi), multiple rounds, slight stalking (Mingi puts a GPS on the reader when she escapes), robbery, mentions of smoking cigarettes, Song Mingi is basically obsessed with the reader, use of toys, phone sex, masturbation (m + f), choking, sex tape (mingi gets it), glamorization of stealing, Mingi has a robber/robbery kink (or just that you do it)

🎶 : Bad - Christopher, Slow Down - Chase Atlantic, Cyberpunk - ATEEZ, WayV - Love Talk (Demo), Rude boy - Rihanna, I got it - Marian Hill

Bambi's notes: Hello! So this fic has turned into a smut with random plot, but I'm not made about that. By the way, robbing is illegal so don't do it. Hope you all love it <3 ~ Bambs

TAGLIST: @horanghaezone @prettyjewel93 @xoxoluz666 @exo-saranghajaaa @acetruepunk @special4u @staytiny816 @popialover

@hyukssunflower @jjk-97 @juicy-red @@bts-iris @fandom-freak-geek @urlacuna @saintriots @frobin4ever @lovelyred2

ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY | REBLOGS + COMMENTS APPRECIATED | buy me a coffee?

Diamonds were truly a girl's best friend.

They sparkled and glimmered in even the darkest of lights, breaking through the darkness with ease constantly. It was something that everyone wanted and it was something that people had to drop serious money on to get.

But, why just stop at diamonds? Why not get the money same money they would spend on that diamond and take it? Money makes the world go round, and diamonds come from that world.

Hell, why not just take the whole world?

"Invitation please." You smiled at the usher, reaching into your small purse to pull out the gold card, the invitation to the charity gala sparkling in the moonlight. Your eyes never left the ushers, your charisma and eyes making the poor man gulp, his hands suddenly becoming shaky as he examined the card before handing it back to you, moving to the side so that you could enter.

You thanked him softly, placing the card back into your purse before entering the large venue, the usher's eyes now on your back as you strutted inside. Your eyes scanned the filled venue, searching for a bar or a waiter to get a drink from. Your eyes landed on a server who was walking around with champagne flutes, snatching one gracefully from her stand before you made your way deeper into the crowd. The crowd seemed to part at your will as you walked, their eyes and whispers now aimed at you, trying to figure out not only who you were, but if you came with anyone.

You were used to people looking at you, basking quietly in the gazes and attention before you chose a table that sat by the window.

Perfect.

As you sat down, a group of men approached you with hope in their eyes, asking you questions about yourself. Your lips formed a polite smile as they introduced themselves to you, fighting amongst themselves for your attention. However, your attention wasn't on their words, but where their wallets were. Your eyes would move quickly to their wallets as they pulled them out to hand you their business cards, hoping you would call them. Their movement gave you the view of all their cards in the wallet, along with if they carried cash.

You mentally memorized their card numbers before you chose to see if they had any personal items you could take from them, as that would be a better deal for you. Who would be willing to buy some random millionaire loser's card information when you could bring in their gold Rolex watches?

"May I see your watch?" You asked, peering up at the man through your eyelashes, smirking internally when the man gulped. He pulled up his jacket sleeve to show you his watch, the diamond-covered watch making your heart leap. Your fingers skillfully removed it from his wrist, looking it over with great interest as the guy tried to convince you to come home with him tonight.

That wouldn't happen, but you appreciated the offer.

You smirked as someone called for the man you were speaking to, nodding for him to go talk to them. As he ran off, you slipped the watch into your purse before standing up, looking for another man. It was much easier to steal things off of a man: to you, they were more willing to let someone else hold their things and walk away than women.

Your eyes scanned the room, searching for someone who looked stressed (they were more likely to run off or forget something). However, as your eyes scanned the room, your eyes met with eyes just as intense and alluring as yours. You felt your body stiffen at the sight of the man leaning against the bar, the sleeves of his black button-up shirt rolled up to show off his even more expensive watch. Your eyes went to the watch before returning to the man's eyes, as if he was controlling where you looked at. Every time you tried to look away, he seemed to pull you back in.

He looked different than the other guys at this event: he had short black/blonde hair, shades sat on his head, rings on each of his fingers. He was tall, around 6 foot. He was definitely your type, which was refreshing to see. You decided to have some fun for once, approaching the man with a confident smirk on your lips.

Mingi smirked also as you approached him, sitting up from the bar he was leaning against to give you a proper view of his body.

He could tell that you weren't someone his family invited: you looked far too sexy to be someone my family would associate with. He had grown up around the type of women at this party- their necks adoring pearls and their activities either being tennis or horse riding. Mingi had no interest in a woman like that, though. He was much more interested in the woman who now stood in front of him with such alluring eyes.

You reached your hand out to gently shake his, the tips of your fingers meeting his wrist and watch, grazing the bottom of the latch. Mingi didn't seem to notice as you pulled your hand back, leaning with him against the bar as you both ordered drinks.

"You weren't invited, were you?"

You couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the attractive man's question, surprised that he was able to tell. You gently picked up your glass of wine, taking a small sip of it as you maintained eye contact with the male, trying to read him. "Already making assumptions? You haven't even asked for my name." 

"Will you tell me your name?" Mingi asked, his thick rings clinking against the sides of his whiskey glass as he continued to lean next to you. You took the chance to glance once more at his watch before your eyes returned to his, deciding to give him your name. You would usually give a fake name, but there was just something about Mingi that made you want to tell whatever he wanted to know. Maybe he just had that aura about him.

"Y/N. What about you, rockstar?" Your words made Mingi smirk, glad that you told him your name. It fits you. At your nickname for him, he chuckled softly. "Rockstar? How did you come up with that?"

"You seem like a rockstar to me," He looked so cool, like he wouldn't spend his evenings here, but would be instead out in a club or something. You could just tell when someone is cool or is faking it, and Mingi wasn't faking it.

His deep voice vibrated through you as he moved closer, as if his name was secret and he wasn't the son of the people who were throwing this gala. "Mingi. My name is Mingi, beautiful."

"Beautiful? So now we're doing nicknames?" You asked playfully, your smile growing as Mingi nodded, his own smile appearing on his lips. "I thought we were using nicknames for each other. You called me Rockstar, I call you Beautiful." His words made your stomach tighten, arousal slowly pooling your panties at the confidence that covered his lips and voice. Your hand moved to his arm, slowly moving up his forearm to his bicep, holding eye contact with him as you tilted your head up at him, smirking when you saw him gulp.

"I wasn't complaining, I liked it" Your confidence was so addicting to Mingi, his mind short-circulating as your hand slowly moved back down his arm to his hand. You took the opportunity to walk closer to him, pressing your body against his. You could tell Mingi was having a hard time focusing on you, his eyes moving from your eyes to your lips down to your body, as if he was trying to memorize how you looked so that he could get off on it later. Good, he would never see you again, so you might as well give him something to remember you.

Mingi was so distracted that he didn't notice when your hand moved down his arm again, your fingers skillfully unlatching his watch before pushing it away behind you, your purse now blocking it from his view as you continued to flirt with him. Mingi was none the wiser at your moves, his body only focused on how good you felt pressed against him, everyone else in the gala fading away.

"Everyone, thank you so much for coming tonight. I'd like ask that you all help me in welcoming our son Mingi to the stage."

The room erupted into applause, breaking Mingi from his trance. His eyes widened a bit before he excused himself from you, making his way to the stage to stand with his parents. You smiled as he walked away, waiting till he had his back to you before you turned back to the bar, placing the watch that was once on Mingi's wrist now into your small purse with the other things you had taken throughout the evening.

Your eyes fell onto a clock that was on the wall of the venue, the time reading 11:30 pm. You decided it was time to leave, slipping into the crowd as you made your way to the doors. Your mind slipped back to Mingi as he gave a speech, thinking about what else could've happened between you both. Sadly, however, you were busy.

Mingi watched as you moved like a snake through the crowd, making your way to the double doors in the back of the venue. Mingi only broke out into a dark smirk when he got off stage, grabbing himself a bottle of whisky before leaving the venue himself; his parents had only asked him to make an appearance and speak on stage, so he was no longer needed. He didn't care for the galas his parents threw anyways, he was much more interested in the woman who stole from him and many other men that night.

Oh, you thought Mingi didn't know?

Mingi had to bite back his smirks so many times as he felt your fingers unlatch his watch, then kick it away behind your purse. He had to admit, you were good, but you weren't that good that Mingi could see through your ruse.

He kicked open the room to his study, grabbing one of his many lighters from his desk before lighting his fireplace, the fire adding to the heat Mingi felt for you. His thumb flicked off the top of the whiskey bottle as he fell back into his office chair, his feet kicking up onto the hardwood desk as he pulled out his phone. He took a swing from the whiskey bottle before he pulled up the tracking app he had, a large, devious smirk on his lips as he did so.

Mingi had tracking devices on his most precious items, the watch he wore tonight included. The same watch you had in your purse right now as you made your way back to your hideout. The same watch you were admiring as you leaned against your steel table, your fingers moving over the diamonds that surrounded the moving hands.

"Now, where did you run off to?" He asked as he stared at the large, blinking red dot that rested over downtown. He zoomed in, smirking as he was given your direct address.

"Mingi?" Mingi looked up from his phone to see his mom entering his office, a sweet smile on her lips that he instantly mirrored. He placed the glass of whiskey down before standing up, meeting his mom in a sweet hug. He may be about to track down a woman, but in his mom's eyes at that moment, he was her son: her sweet son. "Are you going to join me and your father out on the balcony for drinks?"

"No mom, I have something to do tonight." He placed a gentle kiss on his mom's forehead, grabbing his phone and keys from his desk as his mom looked at him puzzled. "This late?" Mingi nodded, holding up his keys as he paused at the door, offering his mom one more smile before saying "It can't wait, Mom. I'll be back."

Mingi walked away, an excited smile on his lips as he walked through his large car garage, picking one of his sports cars before climbing in. He took out his phone once more, smirking as he noticed that the red dot had moved from your hideout to a house, showing that you had gone home. Mingi plugged the address in, his thumb rubbing against his bottom lip as he tried to calm himself down, his cock already growing hard in his pants.

"I'm coming, beautiful."

____________________________________________________________

You sighed as you exited the shower, running your hands over your shoulders as you made your way through your large walk-in closet, looking for something to wear to sleep. You had everything you had stolen for that day ready to be sold tomorrow night sitting on your dresser. It wasn't hard to find buyers of some rich people's watches, jewelry, card information, and more on the black market. Plus, you knew a few people who had a thing for that type of stuff.

You put on an oversized t-shirt before watering your many plants, smiling softly at the sight of some of your favorites growing. Yes, you may be a criminal, but you still loved having plants and cats- it gave you some sort of normalcy.

You had just finished watering your Devil's ivy plant when you heard a knock at your front door, making you jump slightly. Who would be coming over to your house at 1 am? You picked up the nearest weapon that was around, which just so happened to be a police baton (that you stole), and inched to the door. Maybe it was a drunk neighbor or something. When you looked through the peephole, you saw a phone sitting on your welcome mat, making you sigh. You opened the door, crouching down to pick up the phone.

However, when you got closer to the phone, you noticed that the screen showed a tracker, the dot being right above your apartment building.

"You know, you're a lot easier to find then I thought." You paused at the familiar deep voice, your eyes widening as a tall shadow moved in front of you, covering you from the rest of the hallway. Your eyes moved from the phone, up his long legs up to Mingi's face as he looked down at you. He had a proud smirk on his lips as he met your eyes, tilting his head at you. "Hi there, beautiful."

"What are you doing here? How did you find out where I lived?" You asked, springing up from your crouched position on the mat to meet his gaze. Mingi let out a small "ooh" as he chuckled, your sudden confidence making him laugh. How come you were all of a sudden so mad at him when you were the one who stole from him? Mingi couldn't help but want to play with you, his face forming a faux confused look as he tilted his head.

"Well, that's funny because my tracker says the person who stole my watch lived here." Your eyes widened more at his words, watching as Mingi picked up his phone, holding it up to your face. "See? The tracker says that my watch is right here."

Your eyes moved from the phone to meet Mingi's eyes, which now were dark as he continued to play with you. He looked a bit crazy, making you close your legs as arousal pooled in your panties once more. Mingi noticed as you closed your legs, chuckling at the sight. Here you were being confronted with stealing from him, and you found it sexy.

Your mind jumped to try and think of an excuse as your mind flashed back to the watches that you had already promised to sell sitting on your desk. Mingi tilted his head as you rambled out excuses, nodding along as you begged him to leave and not tell anyone. He waited till you finished before he placed his hand on the wall by your head, leaning in closer to you as he whispered "You know, in all your little excuses you just gave me, in none of those did you promise to give me back my watch."

Your eyes widened as he pressed his body against yours, his eyes moving over your face as he smirked. He had you right where he wanted, and based on how he was playing with you, he didn't want his watch back. No, Mingi never wanted his watch back, he had 3 more just like it.

No, Mingi wanted more.

And you could see that, dropping your scared act, which only made Mingi's smirk grow. "What do you want, Mingi. It's obviously not the watch." Mingi smirked at the attitude in your voice, his tongue moving along his bottom lip before his eyes showed you his excitement that was now mixed in with his growing lust. Mingi didn't give you a moment to repeat your question, instead smashing his lips into yours. You gasped, your hands moving to his chest as you both made out in your hallway.

There was something about kissing Mingi that was absolutely filthy: the way his tongue played with and caressed yours, his hands moving all over your body greedily, how he moaned obscene things into your mouth. He didn't care about anyone walking by, nor the camera that was in your hallway. Mingi had never been with someone like you and he would be crazy to miss the opportunity to have someone as perfect and sexy as you moaning his name.

"Mingi" You sighed as his lips moved down your face to your neck, his hands moving to grab and play with the flesh of your ass over the large t-shirt. He moaned deeply into your neck, his tongue running along the bottom of your neck as he strained out "Fuck, I love how my name sounds coming from your pretty mouth." You moaned more as he flicked up the shirt, his hands now playing directly with you as he ground his hard cock against your panty-covered clit. Mingi didn't care if you two looked like horny teenagers, making out and grinding against each other in the hallway, only caring about how you moaned and how he could keep hearing it.

At the sound of someone's door closing, you tried to push Mingi away from your body, your cheeks beginning to burn with embarrassment at the thought of someone seeing you. However, to Mingi, it absolutely drove him wild, gripping your ass tighter as he tried to pull you back against him. "Mingi, we should head inside if we're going to-"

"Nah, I'm going to fuck you right here" Your eyes widened at his words, looking at Mingi with confusion before his lips met yours again, causing you to close your eyes. Your lips became wet as both of your tongues met again in the messy and needy kiss, a moan slipping from your lips again as Mingi delivered a spank to your ass before gripping the flesh. "I'm going to fuck you in this hallway so that everyone who walks by can see how good you take my cock."

You felt drunk as Mingi pulled back from your body, removing his belt in one motion before he tossed it inside your apartment haphazardly. He kept his eyes on you as he unbuckled and unzipped his pants, moving slowly as to tease you, a successful smirk moving across his lips when you began to reach for his pants to move faster. He grabbed both of your wrists in one hand, shaking his head as switched your positions, his back meeting the wall as he had you stand in front of him, your back to the rest of the hallway. You looked at him with confusion as he let go of your wrists, his hands slowly moving up yours like you had done to him earlier at the gala, only stopping when he reached your shoulder.

He repeated the same motion with his other hand before applying pressure to your shoulders, pushing you down onto your knees in front of him. "Have you sucked cock before, Y/N baby?" His voice was deep and slightly condescending as his hands moved from your shoulders back to unzipping his pants, a proud smile moving across his lips as you nodded. "Ah, so you have some experience. You're going to need it to make up stealing from me, princess."

You were about to complain about him calling you princess when he pushed down his pants giving you a perfect view of his cock. To say his cock was pretty was an understatement: it was long and thick, matching his skin tone perfectly, perfectly shaven. It slapped against his shirt, his precum leaving a stain before it dripped down his cock. Heck, there was even some on the inside of his thighs. Mingi watched as you admired his cock before his hand moved into your hair, bending down slightly in front of you so you could meet his eyes.

"You have never taken a cock so big, haven't you?" Mingi asked, his voice laced with faux care. He didn't care if you had before or not: you were going to take his cock anyways. When you shook your head, Mingi's cock twitched with excitement at your words. He licked his lips, trying to control himself as he spoke. "Hmm, well, looks like you're going to take your first big cock. Come get a taste, yeah?"

Mingi and you had both forgotten what this was even for by this point, Mingi resting his back against the wall again as you scooted forward, your tongue wrapping around the tip of his cock. He moaned softly, closing his eyes as you gently placed kitty licks around his cock, feeling the weight and girth against your tongue. Mingi soon grew frustrated, groaning out "I'm about to start calling you kitten with all of these kitty licks, baby."

"I'm just getting acquainted with it," you giggled against his cock, your voice returning to the seductive voice you had spoken to him earlier that night in. Mingi felt his mind once again short again at the sound, his hand moving to roughly grip your hair before forcing his cock into your mouth, making you moan and slightly choke around it. "There, now you can get acquainted with it" he moaned as you began to bob your head, cursing as your tongue moved around his cock. If you hadn't taken cock in a while or even just a cock as big as his before, Mingi couldn't tell: you had him moaning and groaning against the wall of your apartment building hallway, his hand firmly in your hair.

You had to slip your own hand into your panties at the sight, taking more of him to get a deep moan from him as your fingers moved along your slit, gathering your wetness before you began playing with your clit, moaning around his cock. Mingi hissed at the vibration, forcing his eyes open to watch you.

There you were, the woman who had him so needy at the gala, the woman who successfully stole from him and the other men, now on your knees in front of him, knuckle deep in your pussy while you sucked him off in the hallway of your apartment building.

Mingi felt like he was in one of his wildest dreams ever, biting his lip as he pushed you down deeper on his cock, taking him down your throat as you looked up at him. Mingi had to tighten his hands into fists to keep from holding you at the base of his cock, allowing you to come back up for air as he breathed heavily. "Again."

"What?" You paused your movements at the sound of Mingi's deep yet breaking voice, looking up at him. He ran a hand over through his hair before he repeated his words. "Again. Go back down on my cock, just like how you just did it." You bit your lip as the hand that was in your hair tightened, pushing your head to meet cock again. You moaned as your pussy clenched around your fingers, taking Mingi's cock down your throat as he tossed his head back against the wall, cussing out into the hallway.

"That's it, baby, fuck" He licked his lips before he began to fuck your throat, making you choke and gurgle around him, wet sounds coming from both of you. Mingi smirked as he watched your fingers move faster in you to match his thrusts, his cock twitching at the sight before he had an idea. After all, this was to make up for you stealing from him.

"Do you wish it was my cock, baby?" He pulled out his cock from your lips, chuckling as you coughed softly before crouching down in front of him to meet your face. Your lips were wet, streaks of his precum coating the sides of your lips mixed with your own spit. You looked pretty, if only you'd let him take a picture of you like this.

"Don't you wish it was my cock pounding into you instead of your fingers? I mean, your fingers must do the job, but my cock baby" he paused, cupping your jaw to meet his eyes as his free hand moved into your ruined panties, pushing away your fingers before his fingers replaced yours, making you moan at the stretch. He smirked, curling his fingers in you before his lips hovered over yours, his eyes still piercing into yours. "My cock will make you feel so fucking good. Going in and out of your pretty pussy, hitting all the right spots to make you scream and shake around my cock"

You bit your lip at his words, grabbing his bicep to keep yourself from falling back. It shocked you that he was talking to you like that in the hallway of your apartment building after you stole from him, his fingers matching his words, moving in and out of you, hitting all your spots perfectly.

You would be perfectly fine with just having his fingers, but with how Mingi was talking and with good his cock felt down your throat, you needed it in you.

Mingi smirked as you whispered that you wanted his cock, stilling his fingers that were inside of you as he tilted his head, his voice once again giving you his best faux confusion. "What was that baby? I didn't hear you." "I want you to fuck me." You whined louder, shaking around his fingers with need.

"Oh baby," Mingi chuckled, swiftly pulling his fingers out of your pussy before they entered his mouth, moaning at your taste. Mingi couldn't help but close his eyes as his tongue moved to gather all of your juices from his fingers, your taste making his mind further shortcircuit.

With you tasting this good, you could take anything from him you wanted.

Mingi picked you up, pushing your panties to the side as he pinned you against the wall. He gave his cock a few jerks before pushing in the head of his cock, moaning as his forehead fell forward onto yours, both of your moans mixing together. You ran your hands through his hair as you both tried to calm down, meeting his lips in a deep kiss as he began to push into you. You were no virgin, but there was something about Mingi's cock that felt absolutely delicious pushing into you. His cock was already brushing some of your spots as he filled you up, making you pull back from the kiss to curse against his shoulder.

Mingi gave you a minute to adjust to the size, rubbing your thigh in the process. He waited till you started moving your hips against his, showing that you were ready for him to move. He jolted his shoulder so that you'd pick your head up, waiting till you met his eyes before he began to rock his hips. He wanted to watch your face as it contorted with pleasure, moaning his name as your hands rushed up his shoulders. The sight made Mingi move faster, and soon he was drilling into you.

"Look at you taking me, baby. Wanna tell me how good it feels?" He asks, chuckling deeply when you try to speak, only for a moan to break through your words as he moves faster. You had completely forgotten about being in the hallway until Mingi pulled out of you, placing your feet back onto the floor before turning you to face the wall that was across the hallway before he pushed back into you from behind. Your eyes rolled back at the feeling, Mingi's hand moving up the front of your t-shirt to cup your neck, tilting your head back too. Only when you opened your eyes did you figure out why.

Mingi panted as he placed his head on your shoulder, his hand keeping your head tossed back before he whispered into your ear "Why don't you look into that security camera, huh? You're already giving everyone else in that lives within this hallway a nice show, why don't you give the poor night security guard a show too?"

You moaned as Mingi applied pressure to your throat, forcing your head to continue to face the security camera. Mingi moaned as he felt your wetness begin to drip down his cock, letting him know that you liked the idea. The feeling of your wetness and your tightening walls pushed him closer to his release, dragging his tongue along your cheek before he mumbled against it "I'm about to cum baby, I'm about to fill you up so fucking good. Look into that security camera, baby, let everyone hear and see you fall apart all over my fucking cock." You gasped softly at his words, your rope snapping as his cock moved faster, his cum mixing with yours as you both moaned loudly.

You panted softly as Mingi shoved his face into your neck, planting kisses wherever he could before he slowly pulled out of you, holding you against him as you both calmed down.

Well, your neighbors probably hated you now.

"Do you want your watch back?" Your question made Mingi pause fixing himself as you were doing the same, now leaning against the doorway of your apartment. You looked just like how you did back at the gala, his heart warming at the sight. He had to see you again, even if it meant letting you get away with robbery.

"No, I have 3 more just like that one, losing it won't kill me." You nodded at Mingi's words, watching as he fixed himself up. You felt your heart (and pussy) ache at the thought of him leaving, debating inviting him inside to stay the night. Mingi noticed how your eyes were looking at him, his own body aching for you now. Even though you both had just met earlier that night and only met again due to the tracker, his body wanted to be next to yours all the time.

"Here" You blinked as Mingi took out his phone, handing it to you, his contacts open. "Give me your number, Y/N."

"Mingi, I...can't" You tried to get out, but Mingi's body pressed against yours, pressing you against the doorway as he kissed your neck, unable to resist his body's craving for you. It was dangerous for you to give him your number as he could give it to the police, but a part of you trusted him: he didn't go to the police with his tracker, instead, he came to you.

You nodded, giving in as you placed your actual number into his phone. Mingi pulled back from your neck as you handed him back his phone, both of your lips meeting one last kiss before you stepped into your apartment, closing the door without any further words. Mingi bit his lip, wondering if he crossed the line with you before making his way out of your apartment hallway.

You covered your mouth as you rested your head against the door, realizing what just happened: Mingi not only knew where you lived, but he had your number too. You had basically exposed yourself to him. You suddenly saw your phone vibrate on the counter, making you bite your lips. You felt your heart pick up as you began walking over to it, jumping when you stepped on Mingi's belt. You picked it up before grabbing your phone, your thumb rubbing over the expensive leather.

Mingi: Let's meet up again soon

A smile broke through onto your lips at Mingi's text. He wanted to see you again? The idea filled your heart with excitement as you responded.

Y/N: Maybe. Goodnight Mingi, don't tell anyone about me.

Mingi: Of course, princess. I won't tell anyone about you. 

Mingi smiled as he sent the text, assuring you that you and your secrets were safe with him. Mingi had no use to go the police with the information he had on you, anyway; you were far too sexy for jail.

"I have the security tape from the hallway you asked for." Mingi placed his phone into his pocket, taking out his wallet to hand the security guy around 4 thousand dollars in cash. He watched as the man accepted it, handing Mingi the flash drive with the recording on it before he began to excitedly count the money. Mingi watched for a few moments before his hand moved to push the fan of cash the security guard had made down, leaning over the counter so that the man made eye contact with Mingi, who towered over him. "I better have the only recording of me and that woman. I assume that you understand that, right?"

Mingi nodded as the security guard rushed to assure him that he had the only recording and that he wouldn't tell anyone before Mingi walked away, holding the tiny flash drive that held his night of desire with the woman he craved on it.

______________________________________________________________

Mingi and you didn't stop after that night.

You had hoped that either you or him would ghost each other, but the opposite between you two keeps seeming to happen. Mingi prided himself on all the places he took you, from all the underground clubs he owned to hole-in-the-wall restaurants. He didn't mind keeping your hangouts with him a secret as if you guys went out during the day in public, the press would swarm you both and try to figure out anything and everything about you.

You had grown to enjoy his company, sneaking into his bedroom through his window at his mansion after a long night of theft for either mind-altering sex or just to talk. You had even told him why you began stealing from the rich like you tried to do with him, which you never told anyone. Mingi had learned more about you in 3 months than anyone else had ever known about you ever. You trusted him.

There were also feelings developing between you both that would spill into the sex you both had.

Mingi groaned into the phone as his hand moved on his cock, his hips fucking his fist as he listened to you beg for him to not only cum, but to come over right afterward to fuck you. He hadn't been able to see you as he had been working on the interior design of his new casino, keeping him busy. He had begged you over text to help him cum and after seeing a video of the custom dildo he bought you to use being deep in your pussy while you showered made him absolutely ravenous.

"Fuck, baby, I'm gonna cum, I love you" He groaned out, his deep groan of your name causing you to also cum. However, your mind was also short-circuiting at him saying 'I love you." You chose not to bring it up as you exited the shower, placing the dildo down onto the sink as you looked for the cleaner to clean it off before putting it away, keeping Mingi on Facetime. Mingi cleaned himself up before asking "Are you going to be out stealing tonight?" Mingi asked, resting back in his office chair, stretching out his long legs. It was a Saturday night and you usually spent them going to various clubs and stealing from the men there.

"No, not tonight. I got enough from the last night's robbery" You had grown comfortable with telling him about your nightly adventures, even showing him what you had gotten. You put on a robe as you carried the phone into the bedroom, placing the phone propped up on your dresser before you showed him the newest item you obtained from a gentlemen's club: A gorgeous necklace , a beautiful dark green gem in the center. It was going to be added to your prized collection, as it was just too pretty to sell, maybe one day, but not right now. Mingi whistled at the necklace, recognizing it as being extremely expensive. You smiled as he praised you before he asked "Well, since you're not busy tonight, does that mean that you can come see me?"

'I love you' Mingi's earlier words filled your mind, making you bite your lip. You didn't want to have to face the growing feelings between you both, but you also really missed him. Mingi smiled as you agreed to meet him, reminding him to keep his window unlocked. "We're not meeting at mansion, darling. I have family staying over this weekend."

Then where were you going to meet him? Mingi smirked at your confusion before saying "I'll send you the address, just show up. Oh, and bring that necklace and your bodysuit."

_____________________________________________________________

Mingi may be rich due to his parents, but Mingi knew what to do with that wealth.

Mingi was a businessman just like his parents, owning multiple businesses that all raked in millions a month. The Song family was known for their businesses always becoming popular within the city.

You put the address Mingi sent you into your GPS, following it as it led you to a large 5-story building that stood proudly in the middle of downtown. You looked up at it, noticing the large words "ARRIBA CASINO" glowing in the night. You were going to see Mingi's casino before everyone would be.

You smiled at the thought, keying in the code he gave you into the keypad before walking inside. You made a b-line to the grand staircase that would take you up to the second floor where Mingi said he'd be waiting for you. The second floor was full of poker and spade tables, only one having a light on, though.

Sitting at one of the poker tables was Mingi, cigarette resting in between his plush lips as he watched you approach him, leaning back in his chair. He had the same aura as when you both first met, his eyes watching you like a shark as you now stood beside him, slowly dragging down your body to admire your outfit choice of jeans and a hoodie. Mingi then sat back up, standing up as he placed the cigarette down, blowing smoke up into the air before his eyes returned to yours. "Did you bring the necklace?" You nodded, taking it out from your purse to show him. He nodded, examining it before asking "And did you bring your suit?"

When you first snuck into his room straight after a big robbery, Mingi couldn't stop thinking about having sex with you wearing your robber outfit. There was something about the tight leather and how it seemed to perfectly mold to your body that made him go absolutely insane. You nodded, a proud smile moving onto his lips before he kissed you softly, his hands moving to your shoulders. You furrowed your eyebrows as he turned you around to face the restrooms, his lips moving to press a small kiss to your ear before whispering "Go put it on for me baby. Take your time, I'll be waiting out here for you, baby girl."

Mingi loved it when you took your time getting ready for him; to him, you put all that effort into looking perfect for him, knowing that he'd make you cry off your effort with his cock. So you took your time getting ready for him in the luxury bathroom of the casino he owned. You slipped off your regular clothes and underwear, knowing that you being bare underneath the suit would drive him insane. You carefully put on the leather bodysuit and tall boots, taking your time applying your lipstick in the mirror. You smirked at how good you looked, feeling perfect to go see Mingi.

When you return to the casino floor, Mingi has to stop himself from leaping over the table to get to you. You looked like sin, his fingers itching to touch the skin that peaked out in between your bodysuit and boots on your thighs. He licked his lips before standing up, running a hand over his face before he successfully obtained control over himself again, raising his hand to do the 'come here' motion. You smirked, swaying your hips as you approached him, smirking more when his eyes immediately moved to watch your hips as you approached him. "Like what you see, babe?" you asked, your hand landing on his shoulder as you stood beside him.

Mingi didn't have to say anything, his eyes letting you know that he really liked the outfit. Mingi wrapped his arms around your waist before he placed you on the poker table, his lips meeting yours in a deep, demanding kiss. Mingi's tongue explored your mouth as your hands moved through his hair, scratching at his scalp the way you knew he liked. He moaned against your lips before he pulled back, pushing you back so you fell against the table. Mingi took the opportunity to admire you in this position and in this outfit, your eyes moving down his black button-up jeans to see the zipper of his pants was already down, his bulge strained against his boxers.

"Tonight, baby," Mingi whispered, placing a kiss on your lips before slowly kissing down your body, his hands grabbing at whatever he could. "Tonight, I'm going to punish you. You've been bad, and that obviously means that me letting you get away with what you doing whatever you want isn't working."

"I mean, the necklace I got shows that it's working perfectly fine" You smirked, holding up the necklace you had stolen earlier that night. Mingi growled against your stomach, taking the jewelry from you before he sunk to his knees on the velvet-colored carpet, roughly separating your legs as he did so. His hands moved up your legs, smirking whenever you let out a whimper or whined. "You're right, it is working. But, you've still been bad"

You gasped as Mingi's tongue met with your thigh, his fingers making quick work of the buttons on your bodysuit before his tongue finally meets your pussy. Your hand shot down into Mingi's hair as he ate your pussy, his mouth covering your pussy lips. Mingi didn't budge whenever you tried to push him away, his licks and sucks getting harder whenever you did. He even wrapped his arms around your waist, forbidding you from moving away from his mouth as your upper body writhed around on the table. You didn't think that Mingi would invite you over to his new casino to eat you out on the table, but you weren't complaining.

"That's it, baby, ride my tongue and fingers, now you're being good for me" Mingi's voice had deepened throughout him eating your pussy, his voice now dripping with arousal as you began to roll your hips against his face as his tongue curled inside you, his fingers doing the same. You closed your eyes as his lips wrapped around your clit, his own eyes closing at the sound of you moaning his name. Mingi didn't think he could ever get over how you said his name.

"Mingi" Your moans had picked up in volume, letting him know that you were about to cum. Mingi smirked before removing his tongue and fingers from your body, leaving you shaking on the table before you asked him why the hell he stopped. "I told you that you were being punished. Do you want me to stop punishing you?"

Mingi smirked at your nod, placing a short kiss on your lips before saying "Good. Now put your hands up." You did as he asked, a proud "good girl" leaving his lips before he climbed onto the table, climbing over your body before he sat back on the heels of his feet, his knees now on either side of your head.

You had no choice but to watch as he grabbed his belt from a nearby chair before tying your wrists together tightly. You tried to break free, but Mingi had it tied perfectly. Once he was satisfied, slowly dragged his fingers down your arms, making you shiver, his fingers moving to the zipper on your bodysuit.

"Y/N," Your eyes moved to meet his as he played with the zipper, teasing you as he pulled it down only an inch. His eyes were dark, the single light that hung over the table added shadows to his face, making you shiver. He smirked at your reaction before his eyes moved to the necklace that sat on the table. "What do you tell the men you steal from, huh baby? Do you feed into their fantasies like you are doing right now?"

You bit your lip as Mingi slowly dragged down your zipper, the sight of your bare breasts making Mingi's mouth water, just like you had hoped. He scooted down your body a bit so that he could lean down and grab your breasts, squeezing them before freeing them from the bodysuit. He dragged his tongue around your nipple before his mouth wrapped around it, making you moan. You tried to free your hands to touch him, but the belt stopped you. "Answer me, Y/N"

"I flirt with them until they either give it up or when they're really distracted, I take it from them" You admitted, making Mingi chuckle. His mind flashed back to the bar where you and him first met and how you tried to steal his watch while he was talking with you. He could see how it worked on other guys, you're so sexy and out of so many men's leagues.

He pressed your breasts together, his mouth engulfing both of your nipples as he began to grind his cock against your pussy, making you both moan. You raised your hips to meet his clothed cock, your eyes rolling back as he pressed his bulge more against you. Mingi sucked on your breasts, licking around your pebbled nipples before pulling back, groaning against you as your hips rolled to meet his. Mingi felt like he was in a daze like he was going insane.

Mingi and you met in a passionate kiss, your lips sliding against one another as your tongue fought for dominance. His hands moved to push down his jeans and boxers, having enough of waiting for you. He placed your legs around his waist, his hands finishing unzipping the bodysuit. He was setting you up how he wanted you, setting you like you were the table's centerpiece. His eyes then fell on the necklace, an idea moving into his head.

You opened your eyes to Mingi placing the jewelry onto your neck before he sat up, licking his lips at the sight of you. "Fuck, you look perfect, baby. Are you ready for my cock?"

You nodded, biting your lip as he pushed into you, moaning at the stretch his cock gave that you had grown to love. Mingi moaned with you, gripping your thighs as he finished filling you up before he began to fuck you. Besides the sounds that came from both of your mouths, you and Mingi's moans echoing around the whole casino, which drove Mingi crazy. "I brought you here to fuck you on the table, just like this baby. I made sure they were sturdy when I bought them so that every night when this casino closes, I can fuck you on one of these tables with everything that you stole from those suckers."

You moaned at the idea, closing your eyes as Mingi continued talking. "Fuck, I'll even cover for you when the police ask where you were. I'll tell them that you were here with me. I'll tell them, pay them whatever it'll take to send them away so that I can bend you over the table and punish you while you." Your mind filled with the view of Mingi fucking you on a poker table covered in cash, watches, jewelry- anything you could get your hands on.

Mingi was out of his mind, no longer even talking to you as he drilled his cock into you on the table, the table creaking as he leaned down to crash his lips with yours. Mingi couldn't tell if it was the love he had for you speaking, or his lust, but he would do anything for you because...

"I love you baby" he moaned against your lips, his cock now hitting your spot repeatedly as he dropped his head onto your shoulder. You gasped, your mind cloudy as Mingi said "Say it back, baby, even if you don't fucking mean it, just say it for me, baby girl." You didn't hesitate to say it back, the words leaving your mouth as you clenched around him, making him choke out "fuck, I want you so much baby, fuck I love you, god" as he came. You moaned loudly as he filled you up, your body shaking as he slowly pulled out. Mingi took a deep breath, tossing his head back to enjoy the cold air as it moved over his hot face and body. You bit your lip at the sight of sweat moving down his face and neck, disappearing underneath his shirt.

Mingi tossed his head forward after a bit, his hand moving to untie your hands from the belt before he looked back down at you. You thought he'd help you up, but Mingi instead got up off the table, not saying a word to you. He moved to grip your ankles, pulling you to the edge of the table before flipping you over onto your stomach, his hand colliding with your ass roughly. You jumped, turning back around as he removed his shirt, staring down at you with dark eyes.

"What do you want, Y/N?" Mingi raised an eyebrow at your shocked expression, leaning over your body to press his hands on either side of your body on the table, your back against his chest as his hard cock rests against your ass. You bit your lip at the feeling, which Mingi smirked at, leaning over to press a kiss to your lips, repeating his question once more before applying another slap to your ass. He leaned down to bite your neck when you didn't answer again, leaving hickies behind as he began to grind against your ass. "You're so fucking stubborn, you know that right?"

Mingi didn't allow you to respond, shoving his whole cock into your pussy in one thrust, making you jolt forward on the table. You moaned at Mingi's rough pace, his hand moving into your hair again as he fucked you. You couldn't help but scream his name, bouncing back to meet his thrusts.

Mingi was fucking you like you had stolen from him again, his rough thrusts making you fall forward against the bed before he pulled you back by your hair. It felt like he was using you, your lack of response to his question pushing him over the edge. "Should I breed you, baby? Should I fill your pussy up again with my cum and shove it deep in you?" Mingi spoke with his harsh, pointed thrusts, making you sob out his name. You could feel your orgasm begin to move through you, your eyes closing as you moaned "yes, yes! breed me Mingi, fuck I want it!"

"Yeah, you want that? You'll only answer my questions when I'm filling you up like this, won't you, my baby?" You nodded, your body shaking as you came around him. You rushed to beg for him to kiss you, Mingi obliging as you shook around his cock as he slowed down for you. You kept him in the kiss as your arm wrapped around his neck, arching your back as he began to pick up speed again, your whispers about wanting his cum and him to breed you driving him insane.

"Fill me up, Mingi, get me pregnant with your baby. Make me yours baby."

Your words caused Mingi to short circuit, smashing his lips back into yours as you both said 'I love you,' his cum filling you. You both held each other, trying to wrap your head around what just happened between you both before he pulled back, slowly laying you down on the table, leaving you to find a napkin. You nodded, lying against the table as you tried to wrap your mind around what you said. Was it sex induced? Did you actually wanna be with Mingi?

"I brought back a napkin, hold still" You nodded at Mingi's words, the wet napkin cleaning you up before he did the same to himself. He helped you get dressed, doing the same to himself before he turned to face you, his cheeks burning as you both made eye contact. He also couldn't figure out what just happened, nor if you meant everything you said.

You cleared your throat, reaching to take off the necklace when Mingi gently holds your wrist stopping you. "You should keep wearing it, it's pretty."

You nodded, watching as Mingi walked past you to clean up the table. Maybe this was your moment to leave?

"Don't even try leaving, Y/N." You paused your walk at Mingi's stern voice, turning around to face him as he finished wiping cum from the table, tossing the napkin away before he stood in front of you. You at first couldn't meet his eyes, his hand moving to cup your jaw to face him. His thumb moved along your bottom lip, his eyes meeting yours before he dropped his hand, sighing. You could tell that Mingi was fighting with the idea of saying those words again, feeling like you weren't going to say it back.

"I love you," you blurted out, your hand moving to cup his hand. Mingi's eyes widened, a happy smile moving onto his lips. You took a deep breath as he pulled you in for a loving hug, your eyes even tearing up. You didn't know if it was the sex, you admitting that you had fallen in love with him, or something else, but you couldn't help but wrap your arms around him and relax in his embrace. He placed a small kiss on your cheek before saying "I love you too. I know that was hard for you to admit...I'll always wait for you, Y/N."

_____________________________________________________________

1 year later...

"Mingi, are you coming to the charity gala this year?" Mingi shook his head as he spoke to his mom, letting him know that he had plans tonight. Mingi had attended every charity gala this year, so it wouldn't hurt for him to miss one.

He turned his head to his open window, watching as you climbed through his window, a proud smirk on his lips as he hung up. "What poor soul lost out on something tonight, baby?" Mingi asked you as you wrapped your arms around his neck, pressing a sweet kiss to his lips before you reached into your bag, picking up a tiara that the mayor's son brought with him when he was going out tonight. It went from the backseat of his car, to now your boyfriend's head. He raised an eyebrow as you placed it on his head, giggling at how cute he looked with it on, making him chuckle before he placed it onto your head, pressing a deep, hungry kiss to your lips.

You promised Mingi that one day, you'd give up your thief ways. For now, though, you were ok with Mingi fucking you with whatever you stole that night, including the tiara.

"Hmm, seems you've been bad baby" Mingi smirked, crawling over your body to meet your lips as you smiled. "Looks liked you to need to get punished."

You nodded as he kissed your lips, pressing your body down into the bed as he ground against you.

"Bad girl."

______________________________________________________________

BAMBIKISSS | 2024

[himbofan]

haikyuu!! boys finding out you're a big 'ol nerd

hello i once again return with some headcanons no one asked for B)

what if some nerdy boys found out that you were also a nerd?? I feel like when I tell people I like manga or video games it somehow changes their perspective of me so I tried writing it :)

cw: fluff, mention of bugs, gn reader

characters: kenma, tendou, tsukishima

wc: 700+

kozume kenma

when he hears you’re a gamer, he lights up so fast; like a cat when you open a can of food

if you’re talking to someone else, he’ll pretend he didn’t overhear, but really he’s hanging on to every word you say

if you’re talking to him, he’ll begin asking you your favorite games with a sparkle in his eye

if you ask to swap friend codes he’ll gladly oblige

once you accept his friend request he’s immediately scanning through your library to see what you’ve played

if he sees that you play a lot of games that he plays as well, he’ll get butterflies 💕

in the future he’ll definitely be more open and trusting towards you, since you’re a fellow nerd

will send you video game news and announcements through text, asking if you’re going to get the new game or whatever

he definitely loves it when you send memes or geek out about a game, no matter how much you may spam him he’s reading all of it!!

if you ask him to put his minecraft bed next to yours (even as a joke) he might malfunction for a bit

congrats you now have a high level friend that can carry you on all the hard bosses 

he’s also the type to give you a bunch of high level items and money when you play an online game together (because he's absolutely enamored 😳)

kuroo points it out and is totally dramatic about it

“damn, you’ve never given me that much stuff when I play. I almost feel hurt, do you like them more than me now?”

“no comment.”

tendou satori

if you tell him you read shounen jump he’ll probably fall in love on the spot

ok maybe not that fast, but he’s definitely excited to finally have someone to talk to about weekly chapters

he’ll ask to swap numbers too so you can send each other memes and theories about the mangas being serialized

sends a “good morning!” and “goodnight!” everyday to you with a meme or cool fanart related to the manga you’ve been discussing

he absolutely loves it when you ramble about characters, storytelling techniques, how the good the anime adaption is, and other extremely niche nerdy details

if you cry when your favorite character dies, he’ll think it’s so cute and endearing

he’ll tease you at first, but will comfort you nonetheless without being condescending or judging you

he will subtly try to act like characters that you simp for

tendou worries that your reputation might take a hit if you’re seen hanging out with him all the time, so he asks you if it’s okay

“of course it’s fine, talking to you makes my day more fun! plus, who else would I cry to about fictional characters?” 

he’s frozen for a moment before bursting out into laughter with heated cheeks

if he hadn’t fallen for you already, he definitely knew this was the final nail in the coffin 💘

tsukishima kei

ok i’m imagining a gecko or bug that accidentally got into the classroom and no one wants to touch it because they think it’s gross

tsukishima would, but he doesn’t want to attract any unnecessary attention so he just sits back and watches his classmates scramble about

until you show up and gracefully scoop up the lil guy with tenderness and adoration, carefully heading towards the door to release it outside 

he probably already thought you were cute, but now he has a reason to talk to you that doesn’t seem forced

he stops you before you get out the door, asking to see the creature in your hands 

you ask if he wants to hold it, he’s a little surprised but will say yes

when your hand brushes his, adrenaline explodes in his body but he makes no outward indication about how nervous he really is 

you excitedly ask if he likes creatures too, which leads to a wonderful conversation about how bugs and stuff are actually really cool

until you both remember that he still has a bug in his hands that needs to be outside 

you continue chatting while heading towards the door and it might seem like he’s not listening; responding with one word answers and nods, but he’s just trying to keep his cool

if you exchange numbers, he’ll send you pictures of bugs or reptiles he finds outside that he thinks you might like 

if you have any pets that require tanks (fish, bugs, reptiles, amphibians etc) he’ll subtly ask to come over so he can check them out

“hey, we should study at your place sometime.”

“you know you can just ask me if you wanna see my pets lol”

"...hmpf"

[luxcassidysstuff]

ronancetober day 9! || Free Day

quick little oneshot of ronance if they met in the earlier seasons :)

Nancy Wheeler was a straight “A” student. Always on time for class, never turned in an assignment late. If it came to a group project, she would organize meeting dates to work on it. She did her research on everything, and never questioned the intentions of her teachers or fellow students. That is, until a new student arrived. 

Robin Buckley was what you would call a weirdo, or an outcast. She didn’t have many friends, and the friends she did have were in marching band like her. She loved reading and learning about different languages, and she was probably the only student to actually be interested in what the crazy history teacher, Mr. Hauser, was saying. Robin was, by any definition, a nerd. And she was okay with that. She wore that label proudly. 

When she switched schools, in the middle of sophomore year no less, she had to resituate herself to all the new teachers and classmates she’d be seeing on a daily basis. Already embracing being the town weirdo, Robin joined the Hawkins High marching band, becoming fast friends with a girl named Vickie and her friend Chrissy, a cheerleader for the basketball team. Her friends were great, and Robin always had an amazing time when they all hung out, but throughout the agonizing school days Robin would always catch a certain Nancy Wheeler glancing at her in the halls. She knew, of course, who Nancy was due to her goody-two-shoes reputation. Plus, Chrissy used to be close with her.  

Nancy was intrigued by this mysterious new student. She was amazed how this girl was so quick to find her place amongst the band nerds and the AV tech club geeks. Nancy wondered why this girl wasn’t trying to make something of herself, trying to be popular like most girls she knew. Nancy would catch glimpses of her in the halls, sitting on the floor against the lockers reading strange books she’s never even heard of it. This girl rarely talked to anyone that wasn’t Vickie or Chrissy, and she would leave school on her bike quicker than anyone in any fancy car. 

Months went by of just getting glimpses of each other in the halls, sometimes seeing each other in the morning walking into school or leaving classrooms that were close by. Robin was noticing Nancy’s gaze a lot more often now, and as the days past Robin’s eyes would linger on Nancy’s for just a moment too long, almost giving herself away. 

It was this kind of game they played. Every day the girls would pass each other in the halls finding one another’s eyes. No one dared to talk to the other, or look at the other longer than a couple seconds; they wanted to, but knew that it would shatter this little bubble they created for themselves. They were content with where they were in each other’s lives. Until a single look of pink tinted cheeks surprised Robin on their way into school, changing everything.

Robin had been thinking about the way Nancy’s face flushed that morning, how there was even a slight hint of a smile on her lips before she turned tail and scurried inside; the sight of Nancy Wheeler blushing never left Robin’s mind.

So, after much thought, Robin decided to approach the girl during lunch later that day.

Nancy was sitting by herself, surprisingly, cramming for the science final the entire sophomore year was taking tomorrow. As Robin walked up to her, heart thundering in her chest, Nancy could feel the heat rising on the back of her neck, threatening to settle on her cheeks. She squeezed her pencil hard when Robin not-so-gracefully slumped into the chair across from her. It was silent for a moment, neither of them knowing what to do in this situation, being they never even got more than seven feet from each other until now. Nancy tried to go back to her studying, writing out flashcards about the human anatomy and parts of the brain, in an attempt to ignore the awkwardness. But Robin seemingly had other plans.

Robin cleared her throat. Nancy glanced up through fallen hair framing her face, and Robin surely thought she would melt right then and there.

“Uhm, so uh. Well I guess first of all, hi. I’m Robin,” Robin sticks out her hand, whom Nancy confusingly shakes, “nice to meet you. Properly. So anyways I just figured since it’s been like forever of us just staring at each other in the halls and like on the way to school and stuff that it was about time we actually talk and meet and maybe hang out or something.” Nancy’s head shot up at the idea of hanging out with Robin. Taking it as being uncomfortable, Robin waved her hands in the air, “Unless if you don’t want to! I just assumed since you kept looking at me and I kept looking at you that hanging out would be fine. But we totally don’t have to. At all--” 

“Robin?” Nancy’s voice was steady, calm. She didn’t sound nervous or uncomfortable. Robin looked into her eyes, noting how the sunlight coming through the big cafeteria windows made the brown in them turn honey colored.

“Yeah?” Robin said, voice not as steady. Nancy smiled, letting the blush finally escape onto her cheeks.

“Do you always talk so fast?” It was a genuine question, she wasn’t teasing Robin one bit. Robin smiled big, shrugging nonchalantly. 

“Only when I’m nervous, or excited.” Robin watched Nancy pick at the eraser on her pencil, still smiling just as much as Robin.

“And what would you say you are now, nervous? Or excited?” Robin detected the slightest smirk in those words. Nancy was flirting. This made Robin’s head spin in a completely euphoric way. Robin leaned back in the chair, trying to look cool.

“A bit of both, now that I’ve got you talking.” 

The girls stared into each other’s eyes, not worrying about hiding blushes or smiles. It was a comfortable silence, one Nancy could never have with any of her other friends, and she liked the way it felt. She liked the way Robin made it feel. 

“So,” Nancy broke the silence, “Friday after school?” 

Robin’s face lit up, she forgot all about her cool-kid posture and bounced in her seat. Nancy smiled at this reaction, and found herself hoping she could see it again.

“It’s a date.”

[beesmygod]

It's difficult to remember much less respect guidelines for acting gracefully on the internet since the advent of social media revealed that every space will eventually trend towards something resembling FYAD or /b/ and if you go against the bit you WILL get owned and it WILL be forever.

none of the spaces online are like FYAD or /b/ at all. lol. first of all none of the places youre thinking of as being like either of those places are funny. FYAD is/was funny as fuck and /b/ had a few bangers YEAAAAAARS ago lol. /b/ was never consistenly funny tho, it was just a space for people to really push the boundaries of what (was at the time) netiquette. tbh invoking the /b/ boogieman in 2023 feels insanely out of touch with the reality of its influence or its offensiveness over like. any mainstream social media website where you can find a full name nazi with his employer listed in a simple search

i dont think theres a single mainstream website comprised entirely of trolls lol. the closest was kiwifarms but they were so fucking bad at everything that wasnt mass shootings it was confusing to me that people were legitimately afraid of them on a one on one basis. or pretended to be scared for attention i guess. nothing is funnier than people who "fear for their lives" and then keep posting their location and what they're doing

also if you get owned...who cares lol. take the lesson from it idiot. either they dont want you posting there bc you suck or you need to post better. you dont get to be a member of a community on the basis of existing, which is literally what the geek social fallacies talk about. you need to be a likable, insightful, fun person to have around. if youre incapable of laughing at yourself, it is likely that most communities are not going to entertain someone who thinks their ego and dignity is paramount over everything else.

people of earth, consider: if youre upset that everyone around you is too mean to you, have you considered that the problem might be you and not the community

[payte]

Mina: Well, if they do or not, it's cool - though you two look really cute together geeking out-

Winnie: Alright, enough of that! You've put it off long enough - it's time for you to lose gracefully!

Mina: Oh we'll see about that! Wait a minute - you got a head start!

Winnie used distraction - it's super effective! It had been a little bit since she first moved in and her and Itsuki have since become even closer friends - something that she wouldn't want to ruin with attraction that may or may not arise.

[liealittlebetter-mckenna]

I just finished reading LALB and leaving kudos is not enough. It is the absolute best white collar fic I've read and McKenna is an absolute gem. Thank you for this peace of art that even Neal wouldn't be able to fake :). I wanted to ask since you're probably not writing the next part anymore what was the story going to be? Like does it run until the end like TV and then Kenna runs away with Neal or does Neal stay and they have little blue eyed babies. Would we have seen Kenna's parent at some point? Do they fight about the soul mark or make up right away after the first part ends? Even if you don't have answers thank you thank you so much for this amazing story.

Oh, my goodness, you've turned me into a blushing, grinning mess. Thank you so much, this is so kind and supportive and inspiring all at once. I am still planning to write the sequel! (So, I'm sorry, but I won't answer your questions - I don't want to spoil it.) I just haven't had as much time. I finished the story just before I finished high school and ever since then I've just had less time to spend on hobbies. The sequel also proved really hard to plan, because I kept rewriting how to handle the emotional and relational aspects and how to gracefully shuffle my "cast" around. I think I've settled on a way to do it, so now I'm just trying to clear some smaller projects before I focus in on such a big one again.

I will say that I do still plan to make the sequel and I tentatively plan for the story as a series to go at least through season three. I don't want to give away the major beats of the next story, but I will give the spoiler that I'm changing my cast around in order to account for how relationships changed during Lie a Little Better.

I'm taking your questions as a sign of interest so I'm going to geek out a little here and share my over-analysis. After how Lie a Little Better ended, I almost need a foil for McKenna. In the last sections of the story, her attachment to Neal and paranoia/trauma from Fowler made her willing to cross lines that public servants should not be crossing. Hence, another federal agent - an older, more experienced, and more even-tempered one - is needed, not only to keep the story paced, but to keep her in line, even as Neal is going off the deep end. That's why I had Peter in several chapters of Lie A Little Better: to foreshadow his inclusion in a later story. He gets bumped from a guest star to a recurring character.

I hope you like overthought character and story analysis as much as I do. It makes me so excited whenever I have someone to share my thoughts with. Thank you so much again for reading and supporting! If you wanna chat, just send me a message, I'm happy to talk more. :)

[who-is-sunny-d]

Today, Matt & I had a conversation about optimism, pessimism (glass full status, you know), and being a yes person etc. It was very enlightening.

Turns out, we’re both yes people. But he said he’s a glass empty type, whereas for me, it depends on whether I’m drinking or pouring, or if I’ve dropped it and it’s shattered. But generally, I tend toward the positive and optimistic.

The funny thing was that despite being yes folks and me being pretty optimistic, people tend to regard him as a no person and me as a Debbie Downer. We discovered that this is likely due to our autistic tendency to be more vocal about the things that upset us, and less vocal about our little autistic obsessions (as people are generally alienated by our geeking, so we have learned to keep it under wraps), so we probably come off as grouchy, negative people, but we’re actually very chill and generally open to whatever.

We’ve grown very adept at adapting, if you’ll excuse the alliteration, due to being suddenly and dramatically thrown into situations we have to just learn to deal with. And I realized that for me, that’s basically my life story, but my grandparents always dealt with it so gracefully that I never even knew it was a bad situation, except when gram would pull me close and ask me in a hushed voice not to mention certain aspects of our situation to anyone, like when our utilities were cut off, or when we were living in a van after an eviction.

I didn’t even know we were living in it at first, I just thought we were camping. Neither of them ever complained or made it my problem or showed dismay about things. It was just how things were now, and we had to deal with it.

I still ended up developing adjustment disorder later in my life, but I think mostly, that stemmed from my mom’s sudden extended absence from my life when she joined the navy, then her drastic personality change when we were reunited, and from there it just spiraled due to things always getting blown to hell the moment I grew comfortable and began to trust my circumstances. It always happens, so now I’ve learned to fear happiness, and although I have the mental ability to switch myself into survival mode to get shit done and change the situation at the drop of a hat, I eventually break down once things are in place.

If the situation is completely out of my control, like getting dragged out of my bed by cops and beaten in the street before being sent to the hole due to my ex’s never-ending desire to make my life a living hell, I skip survival mode (at least after unintentionally kicking the cops’ asses trying to escape) and revert back to infancy. Literally. When stuff like that happens, I curl up in a fetal position and cry until I’m bushed, then sleep until I can’t, then repeat the process. I can’t eat, especially when they deny me my fucking anxiety meds and expect me to just deal. All I can do is cry, sleep, repeat.

But that doesn’t happen every day, and I hope to god it never happens again. Also, I don’t blame my mom for any of the things mentioned above. She joined the Navy because it was all she could do, and no one comes back from boot camp as a whole person. She was soft and sensitive and very loving before she joined, but when I moved back in with her, she had become… someone else. I can’t help if some of my mental trauma stems from her either directly or indirectly, just as one can’t control their genetics.

That’s why I have a hard time talking about my early traumas. My mom takes it as a personal attack, even if I am calm and simply explaining who I am and why, not pointing fingers or assigning blame. It’s just how things are, and I wish she would learn to make peace with that fact.

I have a hunch (read: evidence) that both my grandparents are autistic. So I would assume that my mom would be, too. But oddly enough, she doesn’t really seem like it. Autistic people, at least the ones in my family, including my husband, seem to internalize 99% of their emotions, which explains why I never knew just how hard things were when I was little and we were trying to survive. It’s a little different now with social media, because now we can internalize it in person, but if we feel strongly about something that’s bugging us, we can post about it to let off steam, and who cares if no one even sees it? You just rant a little bit and forget about it.

Thus, people who only know anything much of us from social media can easily make the assumption that we’re whiny little negative Nancies. In truth, though, this isn’t who we are.

It has made me realize that if I’m going to be on social media, I should try to have my presence reflect how I really am. Or maybe I should just keep away. I’m still working that part out.

[shiningshenanigans]

So, about Loki and Sylvie’s dynamic in Episode 2…

This episode was hard to watch. It’s painful to see these two characters who we know love each other wrestle with such deep-seated issues in their relationship. The gap between expectations and reality for their reunion scene, what we hoped it would be vs. what we got, is pretty glaringly huge. 

It’s interesting to think about how most of the reunion fics people have been writing for the past two years have been variations of the same thing: Loki searching endlessly for Sylvie out in the multiverse, finally finding her and welcoming her back with open arms; Sylvie, tentative and rageful at first, but eventually breaking down in tears and melting into his embrace. We all wanted a big, emotional moment for them, full of kisses and hugs and apologies and “I love you”s. What we got instead was awkward tension and a lack of vulnerability from both parties. 

That sad part is, this is just what happens in human relationships sometimes. Sometimes you can’t resolve everything with one conversation. Sometimes fear, insecurities, pride, or just poorly timed interruptions keep us from mending what’s been broken between us and the people we love. 

But, there’s still a reason that we wanted to see the reunion scene play out this way, à la Hosea and Gomer or the prodigal son returning home after wasting his father's money. We long to see forgiveness and repentance play out in relationships, because that’s what unconditional love looks like. That’s how the conversation should have gone, and would have gone if these weren’t flawed, complex characters that we’re dealing with. Sylvie should be feeling remorse for what she’s done. Loki should be prioritizing Sylvie’s emotional well-being above his own needs. Under the surface, I think that that’s exactly what’s happening. But neither of them are vocalizing it properly, and that’s what’s creating the tension. 

Sylvie, I think, is clearly in the wrong. I say that as the biggest Sylvie stan ever, so hear me out. Her actions and anger towards the TVA have always been completely, 100% justified, but she’s being really short-sighted at the moment. She thinks she can settle down in her own timeline and forget about everything, but sooner or later the consequences of her actions are going to come back to haunt her.  

If you think about it, killing HWR didn’t really do that much to free the timeline. The TVA didn’t even know that HWR existed, and he seemed to be running everything on autopilot. If Sylvie had made it all the way to the citadel by herself, without ever meeting Loki or Mobius, the TVA might very well have just continued to prune branches and hunt her down, with no real knowledge of what happened behind the curtain. 

The real reason the TVA stopped coming after Sylvie is because Mobius and B15 put out an order to stop pruning branches. While Loki and Sylvie were making their way to the citadel, they were down in the TVA changing hearts and minds, transforming it from the inside out. That’s not to diminish what Sylvie did - after all, it was her fighting spirit that inspired the change in the first place. But in a roundabout way, Loki is really the one who set her free from her life on the run. He was the bridge between her and the TVA, the one who brought her story and the all evils of the TVA to the light. It’s really his influence that has made her new life on the timeline possible, but she doesn’t comprehend this yet. She can’t, with all of her unhealed trauma. In her mind, she’s her own hero. She saved herself.

It’s interesting to note that when Loki asks her what she’ll do if HWR shows up again, her answer is, “Kill him”, with that smug little smirk on her face. This has been Sylvie's go-to solution for all her problems ever since we met her. Minute men chasing her down? Kill them. Timekeepers trying to control her destiny? Kill them. Clown interrupts her plan to kill said time keepers? Kill him. Weird man in a purple robe trying to take away everyone’s free will? You guessed it: kill him. What she doesn’t realize, though, is that this mindset makes her no different from the corrupt TVA agents she hates so much. People making choices that lead to chaos and multiversal war? Prune them. In other words, kill them. Loki’s love for Sylvie, and his friendship with Mobius, has taught him that life has value, and now he’s doing everything he can to protect it through the TVA. But this isn’t a lesson that Sylvie has learned yet. She’s only thinking about the value of her own life - not the lives of others. Not really. Not yet.

Also, how happy could she really be in her little 1980s McDonalds world? Yes, she's experiencing stability for the first time in her life, and don't get me wrong, Homegirl totally deserves the chance to rest and live a normal life for a little while. But, at the same time, how many people in her new timeline could ever really, truly understand the life she’s lived? She deserves to have people like Loki, Mobius, B15, Casey and OB in her life: fellow variants who can relate, on some level, to the trauma that she’s been through. She deserves the chance to explore and embrace her Asgardian heritage, her Jotun heritage, even. With Loki in particular, she has the opportunity to be in a relationship where she is fully known in every way possible, seeing as he’s literally a masculine version of herself. She deserves that kind of intimacy in her life, and it won’t be long before that lack of connection starts to leave her lonely again. She may say that she’s not running from anything, but she is. She’s running from herself, from her own story.

Loki’s not off the hook, either. He made some major missteps in the way he approached this conversation. It really should have been his responsibility to lead with love and prioritize Sylvie’s emotions over his own. And while I think he tried to do that… he failed pretty miserably. 

I have a suspicion that he was disappointed, a little hurt, even, when he learned about Sylvie’s new life on the timeline. Afterall, they had kinda made plans to do that together when all was said and done. It probably stung to learn that not only was she ok without him, she was also happy and thriving in her new life. This is honestly the hardest part of learning how to love someone selflessly. You tell yourself that you want what’s best for them, but… can you accept it if “what’s best for them” has nothing to do with whether or not you are an active part of their life?

A lot of Loki’s desperation to find Sylvie in the first episode is fueled by uncertainty–not knowing where she is and wanting to make sure she’s ok. When he learns about her new life, a lot of that urgency goes away. But, he still wants to see her, and he feels like he needs a “reason” for it. So, he hides behind his encounter with her in the elevator as his way in.

What Loki should have done in this moment was be vulnerable with her. He should have asked her how she was. He should have told her the real reason he came: because he loves her and wants to fix things between them (and also protect her from an impending multiversal war, but that’s a conversation for later). He got this so right when he threw himself under her blade at the citadel, holding her gently and assuring her that he knew how she felt. But sincerity and truth-telling, vulnerability, are all still new to him, and while he’s not hiding his feelings anymore, you can tell he’s still struggling to express them.     

He’s too in his own head during their conversation. Her cold attitude and the time limit she’s placed on the talk have left him scrambling for words, so instead, he chooses to put up his own walls rather than chip away at hers. He tells her about what he saw in the future and asks her for information. He starts talking about TVA business and multiversal wars (the absolutely last thing she wants to hear about) and tries to force his viewpoint on her again rather than actually trying to clear the air.  

They both have so far to go to reconcile their relationship, and it's tough to watch. It makes me miss their bond in season 1, their playful banter and the inherent sweetness of their honeymoon phase. Is it possible that they’re drifting apart intentionally, that they won’t end up together in the end? Yeah, sure. Marvel doesn’t really have a great track record for ending romances on a positive note. But I really hope that all the angst is building towards something satisfying in the end. It is, after all, only episode 2. We’ve got the whole rest of the season to go!  

[billconrad]

The Title is Everything

     A title tells the reader, viewer, or listener what they will encounter, but it is also the first line of marketing. “Shogun” is bold, simple, mysterious, and telling. It begs a reader to open the book. “Star Wars” is overwhelming, scientific, and poignant. Perhaps the best movie title. “Thriller” is sexy, scary, and intelligent. It may be the best song title of all time.

    Sometimes, the title is the only thing going for a book. Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey are astounding titles hiding awful works. The Road is a splendid book with a mediocre title. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is the perfect title for the perfect book.

    How do I come up with my book titles? My first step is to list the appropriate words. For example, I would research nautical and water terms if the book is about a ship. A thesaurus is helpful in this area. Next, I will list action, related, and exciting words. Now, I spend a few days connecting them and brainstorming. Remember, there are no wrong answers at this stage. A fantastic resource with existing book titles and title generators like:

    I stop when I have approximately 100 titles because any more would be redundant. I made preliminary titles for my first book, Interviewing Immortality, about a 500-year-old woman (Grace) who forces a disgraced author to interview her.

Surviving Grace Finding Grace Saving Grace Stepping Towards Immortality Grace the Immortal Interviewing an Immortal Experiencing Immortality Gruesome Grace Guts and Grace Recording the Harvest Selected Selected for Harvest You Will Do Gracefully Immortal

A Graceful Interview A Step Towards Immortality (obscure song with this title) A Grave Misfortune Deadly Biography The Author and the Immortal The Forever Interview Authoring Immortality The Immortal Grace Forever Grace (book with this title) Biography of an Immortal (book and article with this title) Learning to be Immortal A Step Toward Immortality How to Interview an Immortal (I liked the movie How to Train Your Dragon)

    The next step is to search the titles for existing works. (You can see the results on my above list.) I eliminate it if I find another work with that exact title or a near miss. Note: A book titled, “Interviewing for Immortality” came out after I published.

    Next, I put all my titles into Excel in a single column. (Alright, truth. I am such a geek that I started my crazy process in Excel, but I wanted to sound cool by using the word “list.”) Then, I add two more columns with follow-on titles in the same theme. Why am I thinking about future junk? How about “The Last Dance.” How can you follow that? “The Last Dance Two” “The Last-Last Dance” “Last Dance the Next Generation” Lame.

    Locating titles of other works and doing the future title process limits the choices to around ten. We must pick one (and the following books in the series).

    Remember during the decision process that the title is the most essential advertising tool. This means it should be bold, exciting, sexy, daunting, and, most of all, intriguing. Should it contain a bit of humor or a pun? Perhaps. Should it be misspelled? “The Wrekked Ship.” Should it be tropical to gain maximum buzz? “The Weakest Link in Dieting” Errrr, I would avoid those two practices.

    When I am convinced I have enough strong titles, I rank them as Low, Med, or High. Of course, you can use a scale of 1-5, A-F, or Yes/No. I also share my titles with friends and ask for feedback. As I am narrowing down my list, I sometimes (out of earshot) verbally criticize the title. I find some exciting inspiration there. Ultimately, the title I settle on is the least objectionable.

    Why don’t I try to fall in love with a title? Love is an emotional response, and the love for the title will come later. My process is to treat the title as a business with employees. Either an employee performs, or they get fired. Marketing is cutthroat.

    For my first book, I settled on Interviewing Immortality, followed by Finding Immortality and Saving Immortality (in editing). I believe the word “immortality” is bold and transitions into different titles, yet it is not overused in other titles.

     Will my series succeed? Only time will tell. (I made an immortality joke.)

    You’re the best -Bill

    March 16, 2024

    Hey book lovers, I published four. Please check them out:

    Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.

    Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.

    Cable Ties. A slow-burn political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.

    Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.

    These books are available in soft-cover on Amazon and eBook format everywhere.

[thesreedm]

Nailing Your Hotel's Digital Game: A 2024 Marketing Handbook

Hey there, hoteliers! Ready to kick your digital marketing into high gear in 2024? Buckle up because we're diving into the ultimate guide to help you navigate the ever-evolving world of online presence and bookings.

1. Get in the Know: Let's start by getting cozy with the latest trends and tech. From Instagram stories to the wild world of virtual reality, knowing what's hot can give your hotel the edge.

2. Website Wizardry: Your website is your digital storefront. We'll chat about making it look appealing, creating killer content, and ensuring it's search engine-friendly. After all, you want people to find you when they Google "amazing hotels."

3. Social Media Sorcery: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter – these platforms are your best friends. Find out how to use them to flaunt your hotel's best side, build a community, and turn followers into guests.

4. Email Magic: Dive into the world of email marketing. Learn how to craft emails that people actually want to read, build a solid contact list, and keep your guests coming back for more.

5. The Art of SEO: Let's demystify SEO together. We'll talk about keywords, on-page tweaks, and how to climb to the top of the Google search mountain.

6. Paid Ads Playbook: Ever tried your hand at Google Ads or social media advertising? We'll break it down so you can create ads that catch eyes and wallets.

7. Reputation Rehab: Your online reputation matters. Discover how to manage reviews like a pro, respond to feedback gracefully, and keep your hotel's image sparkling.

8. Numbers that Matter: Geek out with us on data analytics. Learn to decipher website metrics, user behavior, and campaign success. It's like having a crystal ball for your marketing strategy.

In conclusion, let's rock 2024 together. Embrace the digital revolution, connect with your audience, and watch those bookings soar. Here's to a year of thriving in the online spotlight

Know more about how digital marketing for hotel helps their business growth

[rachelroams]

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🎈🎉 ANOTHER YEAR 🎉🎈

Another wild, and winding, and most-of-the-time wondrous year in the books.

This last year has been a year full of deep learning, expansive adventure, community, hustle, challenge, growth, and grounding.

Each time the calendar resets, I do my best to show up with an open heart, curious mind, and sense of wonder for the opportunity to grow into another year.

In the coming year, may I (and may we all!):

✔️Ask big questions

✔️Practice patience when the answers aren’t available yet

✔️Pass rich and plentiful hours with loved ones

✔️Show thanks for the resilience of the human body

✔️Act as a mirror for others’ goodness

✔️Play with abandon

✔️Show up fully to commitments made

✔️Release that which no longer needs to be carried

✔️Earn each lesson gracefully

✔️Rejoice often at the wonder of it all

Thank you always for joining me on this journey. It’s a joy sharing the adventure of life with you!

✨✨✨✨✨

📍Exploring where the Andes meet the Amazon // @manu.biostation, Peru

📍Playing in the borderlands of Manu National Park // @mirador_pico_de_hoz1, Peru

📍Paddling the Amazon with @amazoncanoechallenge // Manu National Park, Peru

📍Geeking out at one of the New Seven Wonders of the World // Machu Picchu, Peru

📍 Sun-worshipping on assignment // Bora Bora, Tahiti

📍Touring pearl farms, rum distilleries, and vanilla plantations // Tahaa, Tahiti

📍Experiencing mind-melt at @oceanariodelisboa // Lisbon, Portugal

📍Re-visiting @craterlakenps in the snow // OR, USA

📍Sprucing up for @the_explorers_club Annual Dinner // NYC, USA

📍Multi-tasking with a toddler // WA, USA

[writer59january13]

Daylight Savings Time 2023...

in Pennsylvania will begin at 2:00 AM on Sunday, March twelfth

and moost likely will impact

min-née-ute effect on me a run of the mill on the Floss amazingly gracefully aging

long haired pencil necked geek,

who welcomes increased photons.

Just moments ago, a dawning realization

arose within this sol son begat

from ma late mother

and then (when following poem written)

octogenarian widower father, (me papa passed away since date this poem written)

oh..no nothing cat

tuss strophic, boot merely the revelation,

how fist bumping

dee clocks hour hand ahead

remembered by dat

dog gone refrain

spring ahead, and fall back,

this unemployed chap

doth down play eclat attests that his quotidian

schedule minimally affected

holed up here in Highland Manor named flat

roomy enough for thyself, the Missus,

and buzzfeed ding fruit flies

each fuzz beating insect approximately the size of a gnat

a minor nuisance, though tolerable

within this appealing habitat

where minor inconvenience experienced

by this Schwenksville, Pennsylvania resident cuz as a recipient

of social security disability

(social anxiety) this psyche didst get rent which fixed (unearned) income budgeted

and predominantly costs

of living money spent hence no need to arise

bright tailed and bushy eyed,

a freedom akin

to festive folks camped out in a tent, which exemption immunizes

this doodle ling middle aged

muddle brained chap subject ranting

early morning drivers,

who angrily, frenetically,

and splenetically rant and vent

thus, the tendency, piquancy, and lunacy

to twitter (for the Yardbirds), and keep company

with night owls, who went a hooting for all the world wide web

to hear, whence straw dawgs Bach,

the exact number of hours, yer oblivious

to the tight rigorous mortised schedule

manned by Mister Clock,

essentially foisting on bread winners,

an abstract artificial construct spurring

madcap commuters to scurry in the rat race,

lest tardiness could cost

more than ham iz zone whole paycheck

(to ap pier with permanent dock

hue ment aye shun),

an unwonted blot add hock

king worry about getting canned -

i.e. on permanent furlough,

perhaps forced into a life of crime,

yet if caught...

courtesy strapping jock wasting away in a jail cell

as warden turns the lock

one redeeming factor,

would offer opportunity to mock management, and more pertinently

mandate to rock and roll to the incessant muted, yet devastatingly loud tick tock.

[biggest-stupidhead]

i saw that your requests were open and i really enjoy your writing! bad timing is one of my fave fics to read 🥺 i was wondering if you could write levi x reader where the reader is tiny? (like 4’11 or 5’0) and levi is so geeked out over how cute she is and everything she does is so cute. reader literally hates her height but levi loves it bc he can finally pat someone’s head, carry them easily, and feel secure. could be modern au or canonverse whatever you’re comfortable with (-:

hhaha I know that it’s technically canon that Levi likes taller ppl more than short people but this is too cute not to. 

Summary: Levi is infatuated with squad leader (y/n) 

Word Count: 1.2K

__

Levi watched as his squad finished up their ODM gear practice, all of them landing near the base of the forest that they had been practicing in. Levi tapped his boot impatiently on the dusty ground as he waited for them to come to him for their next orders. He vaguely heard the sound of another group of soldiers coming in for their own turn on the course of dummy titans. He turned and caught a glimpse of your head among the sea of teenagers. Much like himself, you were...vertically challenged. But despite your lack of height you managed to fair more than fine on the battle field, using your small stature to your advantage, which allowed you to maneuver rather gracefully in the air. Your squad was lined up behind you as you looked up at the tree line with your hand on your chin. 

“Squad leader, afterwards can we go to the river and swim? It’s so hot out.” one of your subordinates whined as he placed an arm on your head and leaned on you. Levi’s brows furrowed at the insubordination before him, but you shrugged the boy off and turned around, clapping your hands together. 

“Get to work, run through the course and meet me back here with a tally of your ‘kills’“ you instructed, the boy deflated when he didn’t get an answer to his question but nonetheless obeyed your order along with the four other teens. Once they were all gone you turned and flashed him a smile. 

“Captain.” You greeted with a nod before turning to join him. He hummed in response, taking a moment to appreciate how you were just below his eye level. A rare occurrence around here, for whatever reason all of the scouts seemed to be fucking massive. 

“Squad leader.” Levi said slowly as he looked back up at his own squad, the teens were finally all in one place, and now they were lumbering towards him like a herd of slobbering sweaty titans. 

“Captain!” they all greeted in almost perfect unison as they stopped and saluted. 

“Go put up your gear and get started on your chores for the afternoon.” Levi waved them off and they all scattered, save for Connie. Who was staring at you with his head cocked to the side. 

“I haven’t seen you around before, are you joining Levi’s squad?” He asked, approaching you with his hand outstretched. You scoffed but accepted his hand. 

“No cadet, I’m squad leader (L/n).” You smirked when Connie ripped his hand from your grasp and hurried to salute you. 

“My deepest apologies squad leader!” He closed his eyes, waiting for you to assign him a punishment but he only received a swat to the back of his head. When he cracked his eyes open he realized that it wasn’t the young squad leader but his own captain who had struck him. 

“Get moving Springer.” Levi ordered as he crossed his arms over his chest. Connie nodded and scurried after his friends, you only sighed and widened your stance. 

“He’s a cutie.” you mused, shooting Levi a wry smile. Levi clicked his tongue and averted his gaze. 

“Why so sour Captain?” You hummed, jabbing him in the rips with your elbow. 

“Watch it (L/n), just because you’re not my subordinate anymore doesn’t mean I’m not your senior.” Levi grunted with an accentuated roll of his eyes. 

“Oh so now you want to be an old man?” You giggled, still standing in his space. 

“I’m not even that old.” Levi shot you a hard glare, clearly you’d touched a nerve. 

“And I’m 6′3.” you returned the sass without issue and even Levi let out a sharp bark of laughter. 

“Touche´.” Levi hummed with a the smallest of smiles curling onto his lips. You smiled at your victory, you hadn’t been a squad leader for long, only about five months. But you were pulling the rank card as often as you could. 

“So I’m thinking about letting my squad go down to the river after this exercise, you feeling generous?” You asked, tilting your chin up to look in his eyes. Levi’s stomach did a flip at the gesture, he couldn’t resist reaching out and ruffling your hair. You yelped but didn’t pull away as he messed up your hair. 

“I suppose.” he grunted as he slowly pulled his hand off of your head. 

“Great.” You beamed up at him, shifting your hip to knock playfully against his. 

__

An hour later Levi begrudgingly ordered his squad out to the river, where he found you already neck deep in the water. Hange was standing next to you, her shoulders and head above the waterline. Your squad was swimming as well and Levi could feel the tension that was running thick in his own squad as they waited for his permission to join the fun. 

“Well? Go ahead.” He huffed, flicking his wrist towards the pile of clothes that was strewn across the sandy bank. He sat down on a log as he watched the teens strip down to their underwear and race into the river to join the others. Hange picked you up and slammed you down into the water, you resurfaced a moment later with your hair covering your eyes. You waded out of the river and came right up to him. You were still pushing your hair out of your face as you stood before him in your underwear. 

“Come on in captain, the water’s great.” you teased as you wrung out your hair. He scoffed and uncrossed his legs. 

“Do you know how many fish piss in that water? It’ll be a cold day in hell when I swim in a river as filthy as this-” You snatched his wrist and pulled him off of his balance. The two of your staggered down the bank, you only managed to get him to the waters’ edge before he regained his balance, a dark glare on his face. 

“No.” He said with a firm shake of his head. You pouted, bringing your other hand to hold his forearm. 

“Just for a minute.” You pleaded with doe eyes. Levi inhaled sharply and begrudgingly toed off his boots. 

“Only my feet.” Levi compromised as he leaned down to roll up his pants. You led him into the rocky river, the mossy stones under his feet made him uncertain. But you remained steady alongside him, once you had reached just below his pants, you turned and flashed another smile. Levi sighed deeply as he watched you stand there in the chilly water, so captivated by the way your eyes seemed to shine in the summer afternoon sun. In fact he was so infatuated that he hardly realized that the both of you were falling. Falling off of the edge of the shallow end and into a slightly deeper part of the river. Not deep enough where you couldn’t touch, but deep enough to soak his uniform. He came out from under the water with wide eyes, you were clinging to him, laughing that bubbly laugh, your nose was so close to his as your arms wrapped around his neck. And in that moment he didn’t even feel angry or betrayed. He was just so captivated with how well you felt in his arms, your face close to his and the warmth of your breath fanning over his lips.