#getting regular story-updates from their breakfasts

[verstappieatheart]

Ok so we know Charles private insta and what has been told to be Max' private insta and I NEED to know if they follow each other here.

[ya9amicide]

Redamancy [BTS]

chapter three

♡ info ♡ k-pop masterlist ♡ previous chapter ♡ next chapter ♡

a/n: OMFG I'M SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING! Life has been like one raging tornado and has not slowed down in forever. My Wattpad was also deleted so I lost writing motivation for a long time too...But, I'm going to attempt to update this story more since I was so excited for it and I know you are too! Thank you to everyone who has left comments, I read them all and I really appreciate it! <3

summary: Hybrids were accepted in society to a certain degree. To some, they are for entertainment. Used as sex and money tools. To lock up and abuse whenever and however they please. Something to have control over. To others, they are companions. Just like regular animals are used for therapy or simply companionship, hybrids are too.

To the rest, they are just like everyone else. Someone with their own life who deserves the same freedoms as your everyday John or Jane Doe. Wren is one of these people. She hates the idea of owning a hybrid. She has nothing against those who own them for medical or companionship reasons. Just the rest.

But, when a ragtag pack of seven mismatched hybrids somehow ends up in the woods behind her home, she takes them in and does the one thing she never thought she would do. Own them. But, she also does something she didn't even think was possible. She fell in love with each and every one of them.

pairing(s): ot7 x ot7, ot7 x oc

warnings: none

taglist (crossed out = couldn't be tagged): @oopscoop || @writingwithmai || @osakis-gf || @hiefisch || @effielumiere || @singukieee || @fangirling-all-the-way-tbh || @littlrmills14-blog || @welcometomyworld13 || @chaimin || @demarie04 || @manic-atthe-disco || @blancflms || @ingyusart || @realrintaro || @braveangel777 || @ldysmfrst || @kpopmultistantrashsstuff || @vaishavi4w || @foreverddaeng

I decided to wake up early the next morning so that I could make breakfast for everyone. When I got downstairs, I noticed that it was still raining outside. Although it wasn’t as bad as last night, it still wasn’t anything that someone should be outside in.

Making breakfast was a challenge. This is the most food I’ve ever had to make at once. Not to mention that I have to make it as quiet as possible so as not to wake the hybrids with sensitive hearing.

About halfway through making breakfast, I heard light footsteps coming down the hall from the stairs. Turning towards the doorway of the kitchen, I see Seokjin peeking in. “Good morning,” I say and smile at him.

“Good morning,” his voice is still soft and quiet like it was last night. He fidgets in the doorway, watching as I move around the kitchen.

“Do you want to help?” I ask him.

He looks up at me, startled. “...Can I?”

“Of course. Do you know how to make pancakes?” He nods his head yes. “Great, then you can help me decide what kind to make. You know everyone’s preference better than I do so you’ll be a big help in making sure everyone eats happily.”

By the time the food was ready, we had made a wide variety of pancakes, eggs, and bacon, and had several bowls of mixed fruits as well. Being hybrids, especially those like the wolf and tiger, they will have big appetites. In general, they all will as grown men so I don’t have any doubt that all of the food will be eaten in no time.

“Seokjin?” I ask and he looks up at me with a hum from where he was helping set the table. “I can finish this if you want to go get everyone up please?” He nods and scampers to get the rest of his pack.

A few minutes later, loud shuffling is heard as all seven of them make their way toward me in the dining room. “Good morni–oof!” In the middle of greeting them, I was interrupted by a bundle of hyper, furry, warmth in the form of Jungkook. He rushed to me as soon as he saw me and wrapped me in his arms in a tight hug.

The others look at him in panic. “Jungkook!” Several of them shouted in worry.

I just laugh, gently patting him on the back, causing him to practically melt in my arms. “Well, good morning to you too, bunny. Did you sleep well?”

He pulls away from me and nods erratically. “Uh-huh! The bed was so warm and cozy. I haven’t slept this well in forever. I almost didn’t want to get up when Jin came to wake us up.” He smiles brightly showing me his adorable bunny teeth and I can hear his foot thumping happily against the floor again.

“Well, I’m glad to hear that.” I think I’m starting to understand the fond looks I’ve caught the others throwing at Jungkook when they think he isn’t looking. “You could have stayed in bed a bit longer if you wanted. Although, I’m not sure breakfast would taste as good warmed up in the microwave as opposed to fresh off the stove.”

His bunny ears perk up on top of his head at the mention of food and he quickly shuffles to the table. Everyone watches him go in silence before we all follow him, moods lifted due to his enthusiasm.

I turn to the others who still seem to be waiting for me to make the first move, despite Jungkook’s gung-ho attitude. “Well go ahead,” I tell them, gesturing to the table. “You don’t have to wait for me, help yourselves.”

Like the previous night, they all shuffled around the table, clumsily finding their seats. They kept the same configuration as before; the predators surrounding the prey and effectively cutting me off. I don’t mind though if that’s what it takes to keep them comfortable here.

With the risk of irritating them, I spoke up. “So I figured we should set some ground rules, you know, besides the few from last night.” They all shuffled nervously, slowing their eating. Namjoon and Yoongi particularly seemed bothered by this sentence as their eyes narrowed slightly at me in response.

Sensing their worry I work quickly to console them. “It’s nothing bad, I promise!” I wave my hands frantically.

Jimin peers at me curiously through his bangs. “What are the rules?” His voice was timid but it didn’t shake as he used it.

“Well, you guys are welcome to stay as long as you need to,” I say, smoothing the napkin down in my lap. “You can pretty much do whatever you’d like. The estate is big so there’s a lot to explore. I just ask that you be careful. This was my family’s home so lots of stuff in here has sentimental meaning.”

“I also ask that you maybe help around the house every so often…” I trail off as they all turn nervous and upset. “I’m not asking you to pick up a bunch of chores or anything like that! Maybe just help me keep tidy by cleaning up any messes you make. And Seokjin, I could tell you liked helping me with breakfast this morning.” The ferret hybrid turns slightly rosy with the attention now on him. “I would love your help every so often,” I say softly, chuckling under my breath. “Lord knows I’m not the best cook.”

They start to relax slightly but some tension remains, keeping the muscles in their bodies taught and hair on end.

They finished the rest of their breakfast in a slightly uncomfortable silence, the only sound heard was gentle chewing and the gentle scrape of forks against plates.

When morning pleasantries were done, they all stayed in their awkward huddle like the night before, waiting for me to give them instructions or dismiss them.

Jungkook shuffled in place and I could tell he wanted to say something. “What is it, Jungkook?” I asked, urging him to say what was on his mind.

“Umm…do you have any video games?” He asks shyly, bunny ears twitching nervously atop his head. The others look between the two of us timidly, as if waiting for me to snap at him for asking the question.

I chuckle softly, eyes lighting up. I’ve been waiting for someone who was enough of a challenge when it comes to gaming. “Of course I do!” I exclaim, ushering him to the spacious living room where my console sits. 

I’m learning very quickly that Jungkook is very animated in the way that his body seems to speak for him most of the time. His nose twitches in excitement as he bounds towards the large sofa, picking up a controller.

Jin slowly makes his way to the couch, taking up the space next to Jungkook. The other hybrids exchange a glance, trying to decide which predator will stay with their more docile counterparts. Taehyung squeezes his way between the two on the couch, making it clear to me that they are under his watch at the moment.

Not saying anything, I plop down in the recliner a few feet away and turn my attention to the remaining hybrids. “You’re more than welcome to stay and play with us. If not, there’s plenty else to do. There’s a small library, a home theater, an art studio, and of course your bedrooms and any other rooms you can find something to do as well.” As I list off things they can do, I notice some of their eyes light up about certain rooms.

Namjoon’s face seemed to brighten when I mentioned the library and Taehyung’s ears twitched slightly at the mention of the art room. Something to keep in mind later when he’s done staking claim over his pack mates.

With no further instructions needed, the rest of the hybrids dispersed, venturing to various places across the house while I settled in to play video games with the few that remained.

[cre8inghavoc]

What are Friends For?

PT. 2

Status: ongoing!!

Updates: no set date.

WC: 2185

Description: Characters are aged up. After months of enduring her boyfriend's emotional abuse, Y/N found the courage to stand up for herself. She confronted him, refusing to tolerate his hurtful behavior any longer. In that moment, she broke free from the curse of their toxic relationship, reclaiming her independence and beginning a journey of healing. Pairing: megumi fushiguro x FEM!reader

Genre/Warnings:[18+] This story contains toxic boyfriend, cursing, name calling, self-doubt/hate, angst, breaking up, post-breakup, alcohol, drunk moments, new friends, dating!au, college!au, no curses!au, dark humour, dark jokes. SMAU.

Maki dropped you off at home ridiculously early, like 6 am early. But with a long list of errands to run and a breakup conversation that you were not looking forward to, you didn't have time to dwell on it. You just wanted to get this day over with. 

Your friends wanted to hang out later to cheer you up after the breakup, but you needed to clear your head first.

The thought of breaking up with your boyfriend made your stomach swirl. It wasn't the act itself that scared you, but rather his reaction. Would he explode in anger, or worse, shrug it off like it meant nothing? Neither option sounded appealing. You didn't want a dramatic showdown, but you also didn't want him to be emotionless. Would that mean he never loved you?

The constant back-and-forth overthinking was giving you a headache. Did you want him to fight for us, or would it be better if he just accepted it peacefully? It was hard to say. All you wanted was to focus on your errands and distract yourself, but your mind had other plans. No matter what, he seemed to be all you could think about.. And not in a good way, but when was it in a good way anyways? 

9:15 AM.

Knock knock.

Was that Maki already? You distinctly remember telling her to come by at 9:45 AM… Maybe she decided to show up early and grab breakfast before heading out for our errands together. With that thought in mind, you made your way to the door with a big smile. But as soon as you opened it, your smile quickly faded into a blank expression. Surprise. It's him.

You stand there, just staring at each other in silence for a moment. You take in his appearance - messy hair, wrinkled clothes, and that tired look in his eyes. He look like he just woke up… You know it's early, but still. Then, you notice something off. His eyes are glassy and bloodshot, and there's a strange scent lingering around him. Sweat, mixed with... could it be a hint of perfume? Wait. Is he... drunk? Putting together all the clues, I'd say there's a solid 90% chance he is.

"Hey babe~" Your boyfriend slurs, his breath heavy with the stench of alcohol. Scratch that, he's 100% drunk. The familiar pet name makes you cringe hard, even though it used to be a regular thing between you two. Now, it just feels weird... and not in a good way. Is it because you're losing feelings? Probably. But also, he doesn't deserve to call you that. He never did, and you shouldn't have let him. You shouldn't have let him take control the way he did. He's hurt you so many times. So much so that you understand why your friends never liked him. And honestly... You don't like him either.

"What are you doing here?" you ask, your tone tinged with confusion. You don't want him inside your house, especially not in his current state. So, almost subconsciously, you step out onto the porch and close the door behind you. Thank god he's too drunk to realize, or else he’d make that small thing a big problem.

"Whattt? Can’t come to s-say hi to my girlfrienddd~" He slurs again, and the possessive term “his” girlfriend sends another wave of discomfort through you. You don't want to be his, not anymore. Then, out of nowhere, he leans in close.

Oh, no.

Fuck.

He's about to kiss you. Panic sets in. You can't even bear his presence, let alone the thought of him claiming you as his girlfriend. You don't want to kiss him. You CAN’T kiss him.

Subconsciously, you blurted out, "Ew…" and it visibly angered him. He pulls back quickly, glaring at you with frustration evident on his face. 

"The fuck. Why the fuck did you say that?" he snaps.

Your face flushes with embarrassment as you realize what you just said. It's like the words slipped out before you could stop them. You panic, scrambling for an excuse. "Sorry! Your breath just smelled like really strong alcohol and I just didn't expect it…"

Smooth, Y/N. Not the worst lie, but definitely not your finest moment.

As you step back, your eyes catch something on his neck. A purple spot. No, it can't be... can it? You reach out and pull down the collar of his shirt, confirming your suspicions. It's a hickey. Unbelievable. You're not sure how you're supposed to feel. Angry? Sad? Heartbroken? But strangely, you just feel... disappointed. Disappointed in his actions, yes, but more so disappointed in yourself for sticking around through all the misery, only to have him cheat on you.

"Is that a hickey?" You question him, but that question only seems to piss him further. You can't recall ever seeing him this angry before. "Are you fucking accusing me of cheating on you? You're fucking pathetic, Y/N," he scoffs, a cruel laugh escaping his lips. "You're the one who went to a boy's house yesterday, and you're calling me a cheater? You know what, fuck you. You're just a bitch. You always like playing the victim card, don't you? It's always about you and your fucking drama. Maybe if you weren't a fucking whore trying to find attention from your little guy friends, I wouldn't feel the need to seek affection elsewhere. Fuck you. You're a nobody, and you will never be worth anything. No one wants an overthinking, paranoid, insecure, anxious fucking bitch. You're pathetic, truly. If your mind wasn't fucked up, maybe I would've loved you."

His hurtful words pierce through you like daggers, but it's his final remark that cuts deepest. "If your mind wasn't fucked up, maybe I would've loved you." Fucked up? YOU? FUCKED UP? You wouldn't feel this way if he hadn't treated you like absolute fucking shit. His comment triggers something inside you, igniting a fire of rage you've never felt before. For the first time ever, you stand up for yourself.

"You're a fucking liar. You're the one that's fucked up. Have you ever thought that the only reason why I have anxiety and overthink is because of YOU," you seethe, pointing a trembling finger at him. "YOU'RE THE FUCKING REASON I'M LIKE THIS, ASSHOLE. I'm so done with this. I'm done with you. We're fucking over. Do not ever talk to me again."

You realize that everyone in the neighbourhood could hear the whole ordeal, both of you yelling and hurling insults at each other. But at that moment, you didn't care. For the first time ever, you said what you always wanted to say, and it felt good.

What you didn't anticipate was how much this would enrage your now ex-boyfriend. Before you knew it, he had clenched his fist and swung it right at your face. Fear courses through you like never before. Fuck… Was he about to hit you? You knew he was capable of sinking low, but this... this was a new low.

"HEY!" A commanding voice breaks through the chaos, causing your ex's fist to freeze in midair. He quickly withdraws his hand and turns to face the person who interrupted him. Standing there was a tall man, dressed in a black hoodie and track pants. It's obvious he's out walking his two dogs, both of whom sit obediently by his side like they’re his bodyguard's. You find yourself catching your breath, relieved that this stranger arrived just in time, potentially saving you from further harm.

Your ex's retort is sharp and defensive. "What the fuck do you want? Can't you mind your fucking business? I'm trying to talk to my girlfriend."

"Ex-girlfriend," the tall man corrects with a firm expression, catching you off guard with his confidence, especially considering he doesn't even know who you are. A soft smile tugs at your lips as your ex rolls his eyes and walks away.

 Finally, he's gone.

The tall man hurries over to you, his dogs following his move. "Are you okay?" he asks, his concern evident despite his neutral expression.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Thank you... for helping me," you reply softly, tears threatening to spill from your eyes.

"Of course. Did he hurt you?"

"No... but if it weren't for you stopping him, I don't know how far he would've gone." A tear escapes, trailing down your cheek. His hands gently cup your face as he wipes away the tear with his thumb, his touch surprisingly gentle. You find yourself getting lost in his eyes, a captivating dark blue unlike any you've seen before. They remind you of the night sky, filled with stars and the moon... oh, how you love the moon. You both share a prolonged gaze, completely lost in each other, until the sound of a car pulling up and a honk breaks the moment.

It's Maki; she's here to pick you up, and you've completely forgotten about your plans. He slowly withdraws his hands from your face, still not breaking eye contact.

You quickly turn your head away from him, feeling the heat rush to your cheeks. Are you blushing? Oh no...

"Sorry... My friend is here to pick me up, and she gets very impatient... Before I go, I just wanted to say thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate it," you manage to say, giving him a genuine smile.

He chuckles softly and returns the smile. "I'm glad you're okay. Have fun with your friend. Tell her to become more of patient person."

You giggle at his response. "Will do!" you reply as you walk towards Maki's car. Once you get in, you wave at the man, and Maki drives off. You can't shake off the feeling of his soft voice and gentle touch lingering on your cheek. God, his touch felt good.

"So... are you going to tell me who that was or...?" Maki interrupts your thoughts.

Shit. You were too deep in thought to realize you were silent for practically five minutes.

"Omg... it's a long story..." you begin, explaining everything to her in detail. Her facial expressions change almost every two seconds, from happy to angry, to relieved, and then happy again.

"Wow... holy fuck, Y/N. That was a fucking rollercoaster. BUT I'M SO PROUD OF YOU FOR BREAKING UP WITH HIM!" she exclaims with extreme excitement.

You giggle at her response. "You're too much sometimes," you tease.

After running errands, you and Maki head out for dinner, and by the time you get back, it is already 10:30 PM. As you both enter Yuta's house, Maki bursts in with her hands in the air.

"GUESS WHO'S SINGLE, BITCHES!!!" she yells in excitement.

Inumaki stands up in shock. "You broke up with Nobara??!!"

Maki's face twists in confusion. "WHAT? NO! What the fuck, Toge."

"Then who??!!" he asks, still clueless.

You start dying of laughter as Yuta and Maki exchange looks before turning back to Inumaki, as if he's the slowest person in the room... which, let's face it, he is, but you'd never tell him that.

"Y/N, you idiot," Maki finally spits out.

"OH MY GOD! YES, FINALLY," Inumaki exclaimed excitedly.

Yuta and Maki slap their foreheads simultaneously. "You're actually so slow," they sigh in unison.

Yuta stands up and walks over to you, enveloping you in a hug, followed by the others.

"You know what time it is!" Yuta says, hinting at something you're clearly unaware of.

"Club time!!!!" Maki chimes in excitedly.

"What?! No, no, no, guys... It's too late, and I'm so tired..." you interject.

"You agreed we would celebrate your breakup..." Inumaki reminds you.

"Yeah... but the club?" you question.

Maki quickly responds, "Nobara invited me and told me to bring you guys too since she knows about your breakup. She thought it would be nice to distract yourself, plus you'll finally get to meet her and her friends too!"

Their expectant gazes make you feel guilty for not wanting to go. They just want you to feel better, and honestly, it's a good way to distract yourself. Well, not from your ex... but from the tall man who saved you. Fuck. You didn't even get his name or his number. Wait... why are you thinking about him so much? You don't even know him... Oh my god, you're so screwed.

"Okay, fine. When are we going?" you concede.

"Now," Yuta says, grabbing your hand and pulling you out of the house, with the others following and getting into Maki's car.

The music is blasting, and the lights are flickering like crazy as you enter the club. You haven't been to a club in a year, so being here with your friends actually feels kind of nice... You all head to the bar and start downing shots one after another. After your fourth shot, you start feeling the alcohol kick in. As you reach for another shot, you feel a hand on your shoulder and a voice whispering in your ear.

"Slow down..."

Wait... this voice... It sounds so familiar. You turn your head quickly and see who it is.

No way.

It's him...

TAGLIST

@nikkimvriee , @xbarrjallenx , @atinymonbebestay , @1l-ynn

GUYS THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND LOVE!!!! <3 you don't understand how happy it made me reading your comments hehe

AND FINALLY SHE BROKE UP WITH THAT PIECE OF SHIT!

GO Y/N!!!! She's making me so proud 🥲

[jarofstyles]

Reaper 3

Reaper is a dark story with dark and mature subject matter. 18+ NSFW

Sorry, the update is a bit late but better late than never right? ALSO they're finally getting touchy in this chapter, this one is fluffy compared to the next chapter... so please enjoy the calm before the storm :)

wc: 10k

Warnings: a touch of smut, stalking, talk of crime and gangs, misogyny, general dudes being assholes, talk of violence, gun and weapon mentions, etc

Check out our Patreon for early access and exclusive writing!

----

“Come on, Bunny. We can get breakfast out before I drop you at school.” Harry was a big fan of breakfast food, especially at the Silver Spoon. It was one of the only places that hadn’t changed in this town, it gave him a sense of stability. He and Sterling had weekly meals there and now it was time for him to bring Bunny.

He figured it would be a good way for them to start their journey as a couple. The windows gave the son of the bitch the perfect opportunity to peep at them.

It’s a good thing Harry was planning to give him a show.

Y/N loved the silver spoon, so she had no complaints. She had practically ran to the door, pulling on her boots quickly so they didn’t have to rush with eating.

Having her on the back of his bike was a thrill.

No one ever rode with him except her, actually. The first time had been a few years ago when she’d gotten herself mixed up in a bad part of town at a party and called Harry instead of Sterling because his wrath was far less scary-  at least to her, it seemed. But this ride was much different. A different sort of tension rose in his guts when she had her hands wrapped around him, seeing her polished nails gripping his shirt right over his stomach. Her head rested against him but was covered in a helmet. He had to get her one of her own. His sunglasses covered his eyes, the warm sun bearing down on them as they approached Silver Spoon.

The rumbling of his engine cut off and he tapped her hands to signal she could let go, even if he didn’t particularly want her to. His stomach was grumbling though, and he needed a good stack of pancakes with black coffee.

Dismounting, he turned to her and helped her get the helmet off. Gentle motions with rough fingers coaxed the clip free, lifting it off of her head. “Good?” At her nod, he took her hand and threaded their fingers together.

His hand was large, calloused and his knuckles were scarred. Hers were delicate, soft, and barely had a scratch on them.

She couldn’t help the smile from spreading across her face. It felt like a dream. Bunny had been dreaming of riding on the back of his bike around town, the way everyone stopped to look at them had her stomach doing flips because to them… she was his.

So proud she was to have Harry on her arm. Everyone in town knew of him and knew what he was capable of, they’d never seen him with a girl in broad daylight or ever really so the staring was completely justified.

“Hello my dear,” Sandy, the woman who owned the diner greeted the two of them. “Oh, Y/N? Sweetheart, you look beautiful! You haven’t been here in so long, I was starting to think Sterling took you with him.” She chuckled, taking in the pair of them. And their intertwined hands.

“Booth for two?” She asked giving Harry a knowing smile.

The polite nod was all she got back, but Harry did have a fondness for Sandy. He grew up here, grew up with milkshakes and fries as he tried to sober up and breakfast after long nights of activities he couldn’t discuss.

Harry never put his back to the door and Sandy knew that, taking him to his regular booth. The menus were placed on the table with a promise to be right back with coffee and Harry took the time to grab Bunny’s jacket, hanging it up on the hook outside the booth.

Harry rarely ever took his cut off. It was his most prized possession. The leather vest and the leather jacket he wore in the winter months? That almost never got taken off when he was in public. It was an identifier, a signal that he was protected and also not someone to fuck around and find out with.

The rings decorated his hands, a mix of things he had collected over the years tapped against the table as he fished his phone out and placed it face down on the table.

“Bunny.” He murmured. Her eyes had been focused on the menu, feeling the eyes on them. It was a giddy and nerve-wracking feeling. People were aware of Reaper and his antics, never once seeing him take a woman to breakfast- let alone hold a hand.

“You okay? Why’re you hiding from me?” He tilted his head, hair falling over his face a bit as he observed her. She was hiding a bit from him, which he didn’t like. He liked seeing her face.

“I’m okay, it’s just a bit different— didn’t think people would care this much.” She looked up at him with a cheeky grin, setting the menu down now that she had decided.

Strawberries and cream French toast. It’s what she always got when she came here, but she still liked to look at the menu and see if anything else tickled her fancy.

Her legs moved under the table, ankles wrapping around his in a small gesture of affection. Her foot gently rubbed at the back of his calves, a smile still on her face as she waited for a reaction. All couples played footsy. She wondered if Harry had ever gotten to experience it.

“What are you getting?”

Harry swallowed down his surprise. Until now, he had been the one to initiate any sort of touch. He had even thought perhaps he had done a bit too much until he had seen her reaction in the kitchen, but it was clear now that maybe she had just needed to warm up to it.

“Pancakes.” He murmured. He always got the pancakes with eggs and bacon, which was a safe and filling bet. There wasn’t anything bad here but he wasn’t someone who went for overkill.

“And you’re getting strawberries and cream French toast.” He knew her order just as well. The girl loved her strawberries, had since she was a kid. Strawberry pie, milkshakes, ice cream, popsicles. He used to tease her about turning into one- Harry’s version of teasing anyways.

His bulky boots were something she found attractive too, oddly enough. How solid of a man he was. He was steady and unmovable. Perhaps it was one of the reasons she was so damn drawn to him.

“They’re going to care because I always said I’d never date.” He placed his menu down, eyes still glued on her face. Her phone buzzed on the table and he wordlessly grabbed it, ignoring her ‘hey!’ And opened it up.

“Snapchat?” He raised a brow. “Darling… who the hell still uses this?”

Y/N wasn’t sure who would be snapping her at this hour, but she could only assume it was one of her friends. Most likely Lulu. She didn’t have anyone on there besides her friends, she wasn’t in the mood to receive unsolicited dick pics so she usually said she didn’t have one.

“What?” She asked confused about his judgment, “I’m sorry you’re old and not hip, Harry. Who is it anyway?” Y/N was curious, especially when she saw the smug look on Harry’s face.

“Are u fr with reaper and didn’t tell me? I’m hurt 😔”

Y/N felt her face heat up. Damn, news spreads fast. She didn’t think her friends would find out this quickly, hell, her friends knew about her crush and were probably all screaming and dying to know the details. Fuck, she hoped no one would mention it—

“Can I have it back, please? Girls chat. It’s private.” She knew she had to play it cool, but the puppy eyes she was giving him were lethal. “Please.”

He raised a brow, looking at her giving the look. The one that was always used to get her way. She was good, this girl. Very good. His eyes narrowed as he scrolled the chat, seeing nothing of interest.

He sighed, locking it and handing it over. “Nothing interesting that I saw. Boring girls chat.” It did tickle him a little how fast the news had spread, though. They’d literally just walked in and the rumor mill was going.

If it wasn’t going in his favor, he’d think it pathetic. People were always wondering about him, always trying to see what the scary mysterious man was doing. He kept shit private for a reason. This, however? It was meant to spread.

“You’re gonna have to make them believe it too.” He mumbled, shooting her a look. His hand reached out to hold hers again. “I don’t use the social media shit, but I know you do. If you want to post shit it’s fine, but do what you’d usually do if you had a boyfriend.” He knew she hadn’t had many. Sterling tended to scare boys far away from her.

“You’re going to regret saying that.” Y/N giggled, playing with the rings on his finger as the waitress came up to take their order.

She was young, probably around her age maybe older, she looked oddly familiar but Y/N couldn’t pin point where she knew her from. It was clear she also was surprised by the news, already knowing Harry’s order but asking what else she could get for them.

“Strawberries and cream French toast for the lady, and an early grey tea. Oat or coconut milk, either is fine.” Harry recited the order, he could never forget it. It seemed that was a common theme when it came to Bunny.

It left Y/N feeling bashful, giving the waitress a shy smile as she handed her the menus with a quiet ‘thank you’.

“I’ll wait to post though, gotta let the initial news settle before I overwhelm them with photographic evidence.” The two of them made a beautiful pair, she was sure the photos would do well on Instagram. “But this is kinda cute wait…” She pulled out her phone and took a picture of their intertwined hands to post to her story.

“Is that the Instagram thing?” He looked over to see her phone. “Hm. That’s the one I used to use. But honestly, doesn’t appeal to me anymore. M’glad you like it though.”

Harry was a bit older and he was really quite tired of people wanting to know his business. He scrolled some websites and watched videos sometimes but he found not having a large digital footprint would help him more than anything else.

“The first step, I guess.” He watched her twirl his lion head ring. His hand was very identifiable by the rings and scarring on the knuckles. “Viper filled Sterling in but he’s pretty much no contact right now.” He had gone through some shit their last run.. and it had changed him. He needed to get away from here, especially after his relationship with his girlfriend crumbled. Harry understood. The life changed people. “He’s going to kick my ass.” His other hand ran through his hair, aware of the punches he was definitely going to take.

Bunny has always been off limits. Always. No go zone, no touch zone. But Harry never saw her as a little sister like Sterling tried to implement. It wasn’t like that but… more so someone he really cared about. A girl he liked and wanted to protect.

“I think… I know your phone came back with no bugs or trackers but maybe don’t take any locations. Turn off the services for that.” He suggested. “Just in case. Can you do that?”

“Yeah, one sec…” She immediately went to her settings and manually turned each one off. These were all things she wouldn’t normally consider and she was glad she had him to remind her.

“Also,” She started as she turned the last location setting off, “for the record, I won’t let Sterling kick your ass. I don’t really care what he thinks about it, if anything he should be happy it’s you and not someone else.”

Harry really was the best choice. He knew her the best, he was the most feared member of all the Devil’s Keepers, he was the closest to her in age, and he was attractive so it wouldn’t be suspicious. She was actually comfortable being around him. It’s what Sterling would have wanted out of this.

“What are you going to do today while I’m in class?”

Harry would be going to the clubhouse and discussing things she didn’t need to be aware of. They were running weapons and it was club business, something she never needed to know the intricacies of, so he didn’t mention that.

“Going to work. Prospect named Bulldog is going to be outside your school and waiting for you. He looks kind of like one so you’ll know who he is.” Harry would sit outside all day but he had to work on other things and she would be safe with a watchful eye.

Harry owned a garage where the rich people came to get their cars detailed, painted, vinyl wrapped, whatever. He charged up the ass for oil changes and tire rotations for them and lowered the price for normal people. Was it ethical? Maybe not. But it worked, and people forked the money over because he was good. His employees were family members or friends of the club who knew how to keep their mouths shut- or knew what would happen if they didn’t.

“M’gonna need you to text me updates. Every hour, want you to check-in. If you don’t, I’m coming down there and embarrassing you.” He warned her, his face serious as he squeezed her hand. “Don’t care about your little friends or your teachers. You feel me?”

“Oh please, embarrassing me how?” She was genuinely curious about what he would consider embarrassing for her. Did she want to find out? No for herself, no. However, if she was going to get to know Harry and really get to know him, she wanted to see all the sides of him he didn’t show to others.

“Okay so am I meeting Bulldog after class or are you picking me up?” She preferred the latter, wanting to show him off to everyone and snuggle up to him on the bike again. “I’m going to make something yummy for dinner, do you have any requests?”

Her hand squeezed his again, before flipping his hand over so she could trace his palms. She just needed something to fiddle with to distract her from her nerves. She was so into him, it was obvious to everyone but him. She’d never act like this with anyone. For that she was thankful.

“I’m picking you up. Bulldog is just watching until I get there.” He wouldn’t let a prospect take her home. Especially not if this was their ‘debut’ of sorts. He wanted to be a good ‘boyfriend’, however fake it was. He would beat a guy's ass if they treated her wrong and he would hold himself to the same standard regardless of the validity. She deserved good things.

His hand tingled with her tracing, and he was almost thankful when Sandy rolled around with their food so he could pull away. The touch was overwhelming, even if it did feel good. He needed to put his head on straight.

“Anything. Pasta or steak.” He shrugged, cutting into his pancakes. “I eat a lot.” Harry had muscle. While he wasn’t overly brawny, you could tell that he worked out and was very in shape, he had decently defined abs but a little bit of softness to his sides. He had a soft spot for ice cream, which he kept his secret.

It was quiet as they ate. Not uncomfortably so, but Harry wasn’t one to talk for no reason. She would bring things up and he would listen, nodding his head and giving her attention while also scanning the Restaurant while he did so. The fucker had to know her schedule. This was out of the ordinary for her but he wouldn’t put it past the creep to show up.

No one gave him the vibe here. It felt safe, but he was always on guard. He couldn’t afford to be with precious cargo. He didn’t give a fuck about dying or death for himself, he knew one day someone would end up taking him out.

But her? He would rather be tortured than have her hurt.

“Okay, so what I’m getting from that is steak AND pasta, got it.” Bunny would prepare a delicious meal fit for a king. Maybe not steak and pasta, but definitely steak and potatoes and vegetables with homemade ice cream for dessert.

Having Harry’s companionship these past few days had done wonders for her. She was used to being alone while her mom worked to support the two of them. Sterling had moved out when he turned 21, so the pressure was on for her to leave the nest so her mom and stepdad could have the house to themselves.

“This is so good, oh my god.” She practically moaned, picking up her cup of tea to wash down the delicious cream that coated her mouth. “Want to try?” She asked, already cutting off a piece to feed to him.

He said to treat him like her boyfriend so she did. She wanted to give him everything she felt he was missing out on, even if it was just pretend. She and Harry had a lot more in common than he realized and while he grew up thinking he didn’t need or like romantic gestures, Bunny knew that everyone liked romantic gestures. Especially if they were tailored just for them.

He didn’t want to react to it, but his body had other plans. Hearing her moan, seeing the white at the corner of her mouth… his cock twitched to life. Her soft little bunny eyes looked at him innocently as if she didn’t just give a pornographic moan right next to him.

Harry simply nodded, leaning over and closing his mouth around the fork. Pulling back, he saw her eyes on his mouth as he chewed, tongue peeking out to brush a bit of the cream away from the corner of his lips.

“Thanks, baby.” He smirked a little bit as he leaned back into his seat. “S’good. But a little too sweet.” He knew it would taste better off of her. Whipped cream and salty skin. Christ- he really needed to check himself before he got fully hard at this table. It fucking sucked to ride hard. Especially with the risk of her hand falling down to feel him, even on accident.

She nodded in agreement, understanding that their tastes were different. Harry was much more of a savory person, he even gave off that energy. It probably had something to do with the fact that he was an Aquarius.

“Do you get many days off?” She asked, “what do you normally do on them?” Y/N didn’t want to disrupt his schedule too much. Ultimately she was hoping she could spend some time with him doing things that he enjoyed seeing as he was always doing whatever it is she wanted.

Maybe she was taking this whole couple thing a little bit too seriously? She knew she would never get this chance again though, she might as well show him all she had to offer.

With her previous boyfriends, she wasn’t like this, wasn’t concerned with things that they would want from her. She treated them all the same, friends that were guys who would also give her mediocre sex… sometimes it was really good, but that was usually before she started her period when she was extremely horny. The wind blowing could have turned her on in that state, it wasn’t anything special from them.

That wasn’t the case with Harry.

“Well… m’always on call for the club. They need me, I’m there.” It was a vow you took when you got patched in. Your brothers were family, the club was your life. He took it seriously. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t able to take days off from his actual job.

“I own the garage, so I make my own hours usually. Got the employees and customers now to do it. Would have taken today off but I’ve got a big-budget client wanting to wrap her fuckin’ sports car in the dumbest vinyl- but we get good money. Even if it pains me to do it. I’ve got to be there to see her when he comes to drop off and pick up. She likes to deal with me directly.” Probably because she wanted his cock but that wasn’t something he did with clients, ever. She had fucked herself out of that one as soon as she brought her car in the first time.

She wasn’t his type, and he wasn’t about to go fuck around while he was with Bunny regardless. That was fucked up, even by his standards.

“I'm taking tomorrow off to be outside your school while you’re there. Had a look at your schedule, you’re only there 4 hours tomorrow.” He had snooped. He wasn’t apologizing for it.  It wasn’t the full day, so it would be fine.

“I normally don’t take days off. I go in, mess with cars and fix ‘em. I go to the clubhouse and see if there’s shit with the bikes that need fixing. Sometimes, if I take days off, I go on road trips.” It was his code for runs to deliver the illegal goods but she didn’t need to know that now.

“I’ve got to clean my place up. Didn’t expect visitors so I know it’s a bit cluttered. Probably need to shop for some stupid pants. The jeans I like to wear are getting too ripped.” The knees were far gone now.

“I can help!” She said with a mouth full, covering her mouth as she took another sip of her tea. “With the cleaning and the shopping, I’m staying at your place I might as well.”

Acts of service were her love language right next to words of affirmation. In other words, she loved praise and she would do anything to receive it. Cleaning and shopping were things she did often so she didn’t mind at all, especially because Harry was a tidy man. She didn’t notice his place was cluttered at all. It was cozy and lived in.

“How many pairs of jeans do you have?” She asked curiously, knowing he only had a few clothes in his closet. He didn’t need a lot, her stuff took up the other half and that was just what could fit in a duffle.

“Okay, so we can do that tomorrow when I’m back from my pastry class.”

“You can’t go crazy.” He warned her, narrowing his eyes. Bunny had a tendency to overdo. She had some mother like tendencies and he had seen it himself just from hanging out at her house. A natural hostess who wanted to make everyone feel at home, she often overdid to make everyone else comfortable.

“I’ll let you clean and organize the kitchen 'cause you’ll be the one using it, but don’t touch the other shit. I don’t want you overdoing it.” He griped. It may have come out harsh but he didn’t want her to think she had to take care of him.

People rarely took care of him. His mom suffered with a lot of addiction issues and he basically raised himself. She was better now and tried at every turn to make up for it but the damage was done. People taking care of him made him uncomfortable because he never really had it.

“I’ve got... 3 pairs.” Including the ones he was wearing. He had a fuck ton of money but he really didn’t live like he did. Material shit meant nothing to him. He made plenty of investments outside the club and found his numbers growing and growing- it didn’t even feel real to him, especially growing up the way he did.

“I’m no good at shopping for clothes so I’ll let you help me. But you have to get some shit too. All your girlie shit we left at your place. Just get extras. deal?”

“Okay, but I swear it’s not overdoing. You’re doing so much for me already.” She told him with a shrug, clearly, this was something he wasn’t going to budge on. She didn’t like feeling indebted, even if they would never ask for anything in return.

Y/N never judged him for the way he spent his money. If he was happy with 3 pairs of jeans then so be it, but she had some ideas for some additions to his closet that would make him look absolutely delectable.

“Didn’t know you liked to play sugar daddy.” She teased as she finished up her meal, giggling at his expression. Bunny always picked the perfect moments to make flirty comments, she thought someone like Harry would be immune to them but it seems even the toughest of men melted when it came to compliments and mentions of sex.

Y/N would be lying if she said she hadn’t thought about how he was in bed. She had a feeling his dominance bled through every part of his life, but she was curious to see just how he liked to dominate women. Rough, of course, but there was more to him than met the eye.

He gave her a look, silently giving her the ‘really?’ He was thinking- but his cock was oddly a fan of the idea of spending money on her. Of spoiling her. It was… really odd. Wanting to take care of someone else like this was slightly jarring.

“Finish your food.” There were still a few bites left and he wanted her fully nourished- as well as the sugary thing could do.

Bunny was happy with his reaction, though. He hadn’t told her off or rejected her teasing outright, so she did as asked and happily wiggled with each bite of her French toast. She hadn’t even noticed Harry slipping Sandy his card in the meantime.

Helping her into her jacket hasn’t been what she expected but it made her warm and fuzzy, especially when his hand slipped back into hers and they walked out together. He didn’t talk, but she was okay with the silence.

—-

Bunny had never been this excited to get out of class.

Sure, the seafood they had prepared was amazing and she had lots of fun with Tom shelling and deveining shrimp, but it didn’t compare to the relaxing hours at Harry’s place. This wasn’t necessarily supposed to be an enjoyable experience all things considered, but she let herself float off to fantasy land to cope.

She immediately spotted Bulldog as she exited the building with Tom, nodding to him as a thank you before making her way toward the lot.

“Is your sexy new boyfriend here?” Tom asked, nudging her with his elbow as they walked beside one another. “Reaper or something? He sounds violent, that’s hot…”

“Shut up,” Y/N smacked his arm with a laugh, shaking her head at her friend. “Yeah, he’s somewhere on a bike. You can’t miss him.”

Harry didn’t miss her, that’s for sure.

His eyes locked on her as soon as she left the building, stomach gnarling when he saw her with another guy.

It hit him then that she had other men who wanted her. Lots of them, probably. They wanted her attention and her ideas and her in general. They thought they could have her- and Harry felt the weird possessive cloud come down over his head.

“Bunny.” He approached, ignoring the other man. He could choke for all Harry cared. “Got out late, hm?” He had worried a bit when she hadn’t come out with the first wave of people, so his worry was authentic. His fingers tipped her chin up to look at him, her eyes wide from the sudden touch. “Missed you.”

He couldn’t stop himself. His lips pressed against hers firmly, thumb holding her chin in a semi-possessive state as his stubble brushed her delicate skin, his grip making her open her mouth just a little- enough for his tongue to brush against hers as his other arm pulled her into his body.

It was a very clear and deliberate public claiming. ‘This is my girl, back the fuck off’ claiming by the tall man in dark leather who’d rode in on the large, loud bike.

He just hadn’t expected it to be this good. To taste her tea still on her lips and her body to fall into him, hand gripping his cut as she moaned in surprise against his lips. The soft ‘pop’ of their lips detaching and his thumb wiping away a tiny bit of wetness on the corner of her mouth. “Let’s go.”

Holy shit.

Her lips stayed parted as she looked up at him, she didn’t have to say anything for him to know what she was thinking. The carnal look in her eyes told him everything he needed to know.

Y/N’s face felt warm as she waved goodbye to Tom with a giddy grin. She hadn’t expected that, but she could certainly get used to it. If she hadn’t been in public she wouldn’t have let him pull away, she swore she’d continue to melt into him until they fused together completely.

“You going to greet me like that every day?” Y/N broke the silence as they reached the bike, licking over her bottom lip while she watched him pull her helmet out from the seat compartment.

“If you walk out with other guys. Yes.” He grumbled though he felt satisfied that he had done it. He claimed her right there and was positive multiple people could see, would know that he just kissed a girl that was his.

He also regretted it.

It was going to be the only thing he thought about when he looked at her now.  He was going to think about her sweet mouth and how she had melted right into him, how she had moaned against this mouth in the surprised way, how she had clung to his shirt, and how fucking soft her lips were.

He was fucked.

He was quiet as he strapped the helmet on her head, tapping under her chin when he finished. His body wasn’t sure how to feel. Excitement? Regret? Guilt? He was certainly aroused from tasting her, but he knew now he was going to pay for his sins.

When he saw the other guy it sent him into a jealous cloud. Who the fuck was the kid and why was she laughing at what he said? How well did she know him? The knowledge she had a life outside of him and dated before, had been kissed before, made him irritated. He couldn’t have made a move beforehand but it didn’t matter to his unsettled thoughts.

Before flipping the visor down in the helmet, he looked into her stunned eyes and saw the confirmation that she had liked it just as much. That could be a separate issue. “Don’t walk around with other boys when you’re supposed to be mine. Don’t fuckin’ like it.” He grunted. “Said you’d be good.” There was a pause before she went to open her mouth. “Then act like it. Come on.”

He helped her on the bike, not giving her a chance to speak as he followed, tugging her hands around his waist. “Don’t let go.”

“Harry he—” The sound of him revving the engine cut her off before she could explain.

So he was jealous. He was jealous and it wasn’t part of the act.

Y/N smiled smugly and held on tight as directed, deciding she’d let Harry take out his anger on the open road. She would get a chance to explain once they were back at his place, but she wanted to see what else he would do to prove her suspicions.

If he had even given her a moment to explain, he would have found out that Tom was a happily married twink. Of course, she would be bringing that up once they arrived, but for now, she was going to let him think he had gotten away with this little jealous boyfriend act.

Arriving at Harry’s apartment complex, Bunny stayed quiet, watching as he took off her helmet and fixed her hair. He practically dragged her up into his apartment, not saying a single word the whole way up.

Harry was dirty. He needed to wash his hands and change his clothes because he didn’t feel like it was right to be around her being so filthy.

Bunny was… she was light and soft and clean. He was dark and hard and fucking filthy. Opposites in most ways but god damn, did he want to appeal to her. This was exactly why he had tried so hard to hold her a shoulders length away.

Now he was scrubbing his nails with the nail brush to get the grease from under them. A shower would come later, but he wanted to get back out there and see what the fuck she was doing.

He left the bedroom to see her padding around the kitchen, taking out ingredients for what he assumed would be dinner. She hadn’t had a chance to change yet and was still in her outfit, the pants hugging her ass in a way he wished his hands could- but he kept quiet to observe before he approached.

“Rooms open. Go and change.” He opened the fridge to grab the water pitcher with the built-in filter, filling up a glass.

She thought maybe he would have cooled off by now, but the return of his short statement sentences said otherwise. Even his tone was different. If this is the way he wanted to play then she would certainly give him a run for his money.

He couldn’t hide from her in his own apartment.

With that in mind, Y/N created a plan. She wrapped up marinating the steak and washed her hands in silence. Her eyes flickered over to where he was standing, making sure she’d brush past him on the way to the bathroom.

“Tom’s gay by the way.”

It was simple, but the words lingered in the kitchen as Harry realized he may have shown his own hand.

It was too late for that though, especially after Y/N came back from her shower dressed in nothing but a tank top and tiny shorts. Yeah, it was a little bit evil, but she figured it was payback for the fact that he slept shirtless and in slutty grey sweats.

He’s been stewing on the couch when she came out of the room, and honestly? He nearly choked on his spit.

His reaction was internal, mostly, but he didn’t necessarily hide that he was looking at her. She was a tease. Was that what she was trying to do? Tease him?

The guy was gay, which was fine, but he had gotten jealous and let it overtake him a bit. Okay. But now he seemed to have cracked open a box that should have been closed shut and locked with a key and taped afterward. Something he shouldn’t have even touched.

Now he was going to pay.

—

It continued. Each day was similar for the next 4, a routine of sorts settling into the groove- but Harry was going out of his goddamn mind.

She got one kiss when he picked her up. One toe-curling kiss that he broke apart and never spoke about after. Her school week was going by and every damn day after, she would put on tiny shorts and little tank tops and prance around his apartment, touch him, sit a bit close to him, and giggle.

He was going insane.

He had been so good. Behaving, keeping his hands to himself, sleeping and keeping to his side of the bed- but each day, Bunny was fraying his final string closer and closer to snapping.

He hasn’t gotten laid in weeks, he had a woman he wanted but shouldn’t have under his protection, and now she was taunting him. There was no way she didn’t know what she was doing.

The final straw was when she came out in his tee shirt. No bra, nipples visible, and tiny shorts covered by the shirt hanging down, humming and shaking her hips as she placed something into the oven.

He had been out on the balcony when she had changed and didn’t see it until now- but seeing one of his Devil’s Keepers shirts on her and her nipples poking through the thin fabric, his jaw clenched so tight he thought a tooth may crack.

“What the fuck are you doing, Bunny?” He snapped, form tense as he slammed his phone on the counter.

Bingo.

“I’m roasting potatoes what does it look like?” She said as if she had no idea what he was talking about. Y/N was surprised it had taken him this long. It was actually pretty amazing that his self-control was this high considering his temper operated on a short fuse.

Y/N was used to men cracking quickly when she flaunted her body around. It was only natural, she knew she could use it as a weapon and she did. Harry on the other hand preferred to suffer in silence as she amped up the stakes with each and every day.

The kisses should have been enough to break him, especially when she tugged at his bottom lip with her teeth as she pulled away from their kiss this afternoon. She was sure that would do it. He left her no choice but to pull out the final boss.

He was possessive, of course, he liked her in his shirt.

“Not talking about the potatoes. You know better.” He clenched his teeth, crossing his arms as he approached her. His final attempt to keep his hands to himself, but he could feel himself failing.

“All fucking week… you’ve been doing this shit. Prancing around and showing off your body. Watching me. What’s your goal?” He stepped closer, watching her turn around and look up at him with those pretty eyes he always admired.

Only now they were hooded and moony, looking up with a little smirk. She was playing him. Obviously aware of what she was doing.

“Don’t play games with me.” His nostrils flared as she raised her brows at him. She was daring him to do something. The tension was heavy, his restraint nonexistent.

“Do you know how fucking hard I’ve been trying to be respectful? To be good?” He snarled, finally taking hold of her hip and anchoring her against the counter. “You’re going through a rough time, not trying to touch you, make this complicated, and what do you do?” He tugged on the shirt. “Go and do shit you know will get a reaction.”

Bunny had pushed him over the edge.

“Fine. What do you want?” He reached up, gently collaring her throat with his hand. Despite his harsh, almost mean tone, his grip was gentle. Trying so hard not to go too far without knowing what she wanted.

“Don’t just stand there. You’ve got a brain, sweetheart. Answer me.”

Most would be scared at this point, but Bunny was over the moon. His hand around her neck felt warm, secure, he was barely even pressing. He wouldn’t hurt her, but she wanted him to do something.

“I want you to stop pretending you don’t want me.” She couldn’t believe the words came out of her mouth, but she was proud she had managed to say it how it was. If she teased him for 5 days straight she knew she would have to take accountability. Would have to assert herself and let him know she could now read him just as well as he read her. His jealousy was her little glimmer of hope and she wanted him to give in.

“Just gonna kiss me once a day and let yourself, hmm? Said you wanted to make it believable, but you’re holding back.”

“I’ve been doing the right thing.” He grit out, his eyes dark and angry, but the arousal was there. She could see it, feel it. He kissed her every day and he let it linger just a bit too long, he couldn’t fake that.

“You’re driving me up a wall. What do you want me to do, Bunny?” He asked, exhaling harshly. “You want me to touch you? Want me to kiss on you? Have been leaving you alone because you’re a guest here, you’re supposed to feel safe and be protected from a stalker. Not getting felt up by the person you’re supposed to be protected by.”

It was something he’d been struggling with. He didn’t want to add in any sort of complication when it was already difficult, she was in a weird place- but she kept pushing him.

“Keep fucking pushing me, flaunting that perfect little ass and your tits? I’ve got incredible self-control, but you’re testing me and being a cockstease every damn day.” He released her throat, turning from her to the sink to try and catch himself.

Fuck. He shouldn’t. He shouldn’t be touching her at all. Shouldn’t comment on her ass, or her tits.

She could understand why he was holding back, but she had given him the go-ahead days ago. He had talked all this talk about touching her in public and kissing her and yet, the most they’d done was a kiss in her college parking lot. It was driving her crazy.

Y/N took a step forward and let her hands smooth over the plane of his back, nails scratching through the fabric of his shirt as they made their way down to the hem.

“You’re so tense…” She mumbled, hands creeping under his shirt to repeat her previous movements, except this time against his skin. “It’s okay, you know? To like it… to want more…” She was trying to make it easy, but he was still trying to respect her.

“Can’t kiss me like that in the parking lot and leave me hanging… that’s so mean.” She pouted, her hands moving to wrap around his front as she rested her head against his chest.

“Bunny…” his voice was hoarse. Did she really mean that? “You’re….” He felt lips press against him, right on his shirt as her hands ran over his stomach. Fuck. She wanted this? She really did… said he was mean?  Leaving her hanging….

Fine.

He turned around his body at its breaking point. He needed to touch her, god damn it.

“Mean?” He took her hands and placed them behind her back, keeping them there with one while the other went to her face. His finger dragged down her cheek, giving her a look over. She squirmed a bit but a look stilled her.

“You haven’t even seen mean from me. I’ve been so, so nice to you. What would be mean, is kissing you the way I wanted to before you left to go to school, let you walk around with an aching little cunt and wet panties all day. I can be very, very mean.” A feral grin rose on his face.

“You don’t want me to be mean, you want sweet. You want soft. Hm? A sensitive little bunny. Throwing tantrums because she wants… what? She wants me to touch her? That last person who should?” He shook his head, his finger burning a trail down to her lips.

“This fucking mouth is going to get you into so much trouble, baby. Keep taunting me.” He dared her. “Do it.”

With one swift motion, she sucked his finger into her mouth, keeping eye contact with him as she worked over his skin with her velvety tongue. Her movements were slow, noticing the same rage bubble up in him again before pulling away with a pop.

She kept her eyes trained on his, initially pressing soft kisses to the base of his finger before her tongue joined in the mix. Yes, she was fully sucking off his finger just to tease him. The curious side of her wanted to see just what he would do about it.

“Mmm… would feel so much nicer on your cock, don’t you think?” Bunny’s voice had changed, it had more of a raspy bite to it. Her eyes weren’t hiding much either, starting to droop from arousal.

“But you’re being good… so maybe you should eat me instead.”

“Fucks sake.” He whispered, smearing his finger back over her lips, wiping the spit back on her. “Would you look at that…” he pressed his finger back into her mouth, feeling her immediately suck back on it as she looked up at him.

“You’re a slut.” The words were soft but dirty, her mouth sucking him a bit harder as she nodded at him, taking his finger deeper into her mouth until she reached the knuckle. Trying to show him exactly what he could be doing if he just gave in.

“Act like such a good girl most of the time… but you’re gagging for it. Can’t fucking believe you.” He really couldn’t. Pulling his finger out of her mouth, he shook his head as she whimpered at the loss of it, the wet digit joining the rest to clasp under her jaw.

“You want my cock in your mouth?” He said it quietly, gently urging her mouth open. “You want to suck it and feel it on your tongue? I’m the last person you should be fucking with, Bunny.” He warned. “But you don’t care. Do you?”

Her head shook the best it could. Her mouth was watering at the thought of him, cunt sticky with how wet just his hold got her. “Say it then. Tell me that you want my cock in your mouth and I’ll consider it.”

Fuck it. He’s lost.

“Please sir,” Bunny let out a whimper, “I want your cock in my mouth…” Y/N couldn’t believe she had actually pulled this off, so close to getting exactly what she’d been craving.

Intimacy.

Sex was the perfect outlet for the two of them. Neither one of them was brave enough to share how they truly felt unless provoked, but sex would allow them to cater to each other's needs without the pressure of saying the right things.

Sex was primal, nothing else mattered then besides the connection they shared.

Y/N sank to her knees with his hand still cupped beneath her jaw. Nimble fingers began to play with his zipper, but she wouldn’t continue without a go-ahead.

“There. See? I knew you were a good girl with listening skills. You’re waiting for me to tell you yes, yeah?”

His Bunny looked up at him, nodding in agreement. She was listening very well now, not wanting to chance the opportunity being taken away. She would listen to Harry and do what he said so long as she could suck him.

“Go ahead. You can unzip, but not the briefs. You can kiss my cock over them. Feel it, but can’t touch it bare yet. I think you’re capable of doing that. Do you think you can, pet?” He stroked over her hair, feeling the zipper being pulled and the jeans being tugged down. “Remember what I said.”

Y/N tried not to be too rough, but she was eager. She felt a rush of excitement flow through her as she noticed just how hard he was, she felt proud. Bunny knew he was interested, but for him to be fully solid before she even touched him made her smile.

Not wasting another second, she leaned forward and pressed a few gentle kisses up his clothed cock looking up to see his reaction. Y/N was big on eye contact, the feeling of intimacy was addicting.

She let her tongue sneak out, placing kitten licks over his balls to see if he liked it, and hummed as she moved up along his shaft. If he wanted her to tease she would, it was much more fun this way.

“Does that feel good, sir?” Bunny’s voice was sickeningly sweet, lips sucking over his tip over the waistband. She knew his cock was big even before seeing it hard, but despite its size, she wasn’t intimidated at all. If anything it excited her.

“It does, sweetheart.” He murmured.

His mind was reeling. He never thought this would actually happen. Precious little Bunny on her knees for him, mouthing at his cock eagerly like his little pet. He was hard as nails, her willingness to please soothing a part of him he hadn’t been aware he had.

“Get the fabric wet. You’re so willing and eager to run this smart mouth all the time… I’ve got to wonder what else it can do. How I can use it.” He tugged her closer to him, rubbing himself over her face.

“Look so good down there. You’ve been dying to get there, haven’t you?” He had fully lost his composure. Giving in felt really damn good.

She nodded, a bit shocked at how he was. Bunny had only ever experienced Harry as a protective figure of someone who was stoic. He joked here and there but she never could have dreamed of experiencing him like this. A little unhinged from his usual composed and cool self.

Y/N let some spit collect in her mouth, wanting to get the fabric as wet as possible so he could feel every movement of her tongue. She wanted to behave. She wanted the praise. Wanted to show him all that he didn’t know he needed.

She flattened her tongue against him, slowly licking up the sides filthily. She was making a mess, both on his cock and between her legs. Spit was just getting all over her face, she hoped he liked it messy like she did.

Though she hadn’t had many sexual partners, she’d always had more taboo sexual fantasies. Of course, her boyfriends had always been into it, but never had she been with someone who met her match. Not just met, but completely exceeded her.

She didn’t have to sleep with Harry to know he was a freak. It was noticeable from the way he commanded her and cared for her. Y/N hoped he would show her more of this side of him, she wanted to see just how twisted he could be.

“Fucks sake…” he whispered, watching her do exactly what he had wanted.

Harry had particular tastes. He was dark and rough and a little mean… but with her, he knew there would be a sweet undertone to it. He had stayed away for a reason, thinking that a girl like her wouldn’t be into his brand of sex.

Bunny presented as someone sweet and soft. Perhaps a hint of a brat- but just seeing this, spit dripping down her chin as she licked up his covered cock, he had a feeling that she was a lot filthier than he had given her credit for.

“Messy little thing.” He pulled her back by her hair, a smirk lining his lips. “Fucking incredible. Do you want it in your mouth?” She has soaked the fabric and proven to him that perhaps she could take it. “I want to see what it can do. Already showed me you can be a messy girl…” he cooed. “Want to see it in on your tongue. Go ahead.”

“Thank you, sir.”

So polite. God, she was going to kill him.

Her fingers felt so delicate against his skin, teasing him while pulling his briefs down where his jeans sat below his bum. His cock twitched at the look on her face, her face lit up as if she’d been starving for it.

And she had been.

Bunny wasted no time diving right in, spitting on the tip and letting it drip down while so swirled her tongue around the crown on his cock. Flattening her tongue again, she let the weight of his cock lay flat against it as requested.

“So pretty like this…” Harry used his free hand to tap it against the wet muscle, groaning at the filthy noise it made. “Fucking love it don’t you?” She had the nerve to giggle. “Go on, suck it like a good slut.”

She didn’t hesitate.

Sinking her head down, the tip was engulfed in her mouth, his head tipping down to watch. It did something to him to watch her take it in, to feel her tongue stroke against the bottom of him.

Harry’s received plenty of head in his life, but none gave him the satisfaction this already did. It filled a piece of him that had been screaming to be seen, something he had been denying himself this whole time.

There wasn’t any part of her that seemed hesitant or embarrassed as she took more of him in, her hand holding him at the base and her eyes looking up at him. His long hair fell like a curtain as his head angled down, looking at her as she sucked him, the dark lust in his eyes fueling her to take even more.

“There we go… taking it in.” He muttered, her lips stretched around him. “You’ve no idea the shit I want to do to you. Probably would scare you away.” His hand stroked her wet cheek, smearing some of her spit over it as she bobbed her head. “Just keep sucking me with that hot little mouth.”

Bunny kept up her pace, letting out pleased hums with every moan he gave her. She hadn’t expected him to be so vocal and loud but was pleasantly surprised. It only egged her on, taking her deeper and deeper into her mouth with each bob of her head.

Harry’s jaw went slack the moment he felt himself hit the back of her throat, the most guttural groan following suit. It took everything in him not to thrust, instead his hand roughly grabbed a hold of her hair.

“You— tap my leg if it’s too much,” Harry said through his teeth, taking deep breaths to try and control himself. Holding her head in place he began moving his hips, pushing shallow thrusts into her mouth.

Bunny’s eyes teared up at the welcome intrusion, blinking them away as quickly as she could. She relaxed her jaw, taking deep breaths through her nose to keep her gag reflex at bay.

It felt so good, he felt tingles in his legs. Thrusting into her mouth, Harry let out a deep groan, feeling it reach her throat with one of the thrusts. She gagged a bit, making him ease up, but she didn’t tap his leg.

This wasn’t what he had imagined their first encounter would be- hell, he hadn’t even allowed himself to fantasize about it too much because he knew that it would open up a world that couldn’t be unexplored once stepped into.

But here he was, feeling her spit drip down his cock to his balls as he fucked her mouth. The slick, sloppy sound of his length gliding into her mouth over and over was filthy, spurring him on.

His hand fisted her hair, guiding her head further down him as he breathed heavily. “Who would have guessed you’d be a cockslut?” He grit out. “Letting me fuck that messy mouth. Fuck…” he pushed in deeper, feeling her gag again and pulling out a bit. “Love when you gag on it. That’s what you wanted, isn’t it? Been fuckin’ gagging for it.”

She was a mess. Tears slid down her cheeks from the gagging, spit down her chin, she looked filthy and messy and Harry loved every bit of it.

Y/N dug her nails into his thighs, enjoying the feeling of him fucking her throat a bit too much. She’d done this maybe once? But for Harry, she realized she’d do just about anything. Pleasing him was a turn on in itself, giving her a sense of power and control that she lacked in her day to day.

She let him continue his thrusting, wanting to make him cum. She wanted to know what it tasted like, what it felt like— as filthy as it was. Y/N had wanted him for so long that even the crudest of acts would make her cunt throb.

Her thighs squeezed together, trying to relieve the ache that was growing between them. He was far too gone to notice— at least that’s what she hoped. She just had to be good.

“This is what a good girl does.” He pulled out of her mouth, watching her pout up at him. “She sits on her knees and follows directions. Doesn’t talk back. It’s what I’d like. As sexy as the bratty act is…” he pulled his cock away, pulling the briefs back up. “You’re not going to get rewarded for teasing.”

The stupefied look on her face killed him. He wanted to laugh, also cry considering his cock was aching for a release and that had been the best head he had ever received- but she needed to learn.

“If you can continue to be a good girl, not tease me the rest of the week, Continue your check-ins, be as safe as you can, and stop the games?” He raised a brow. “I’ll give it to you. I’ll let you have my cum, I’ll make you cum. You’ll be rewarded.” His thumb brushed some of the spit from her mouth, reaching above her head to grab a paper towel and wiping up her face.

Bunny couldn’t believe it. She really couldn’t. What the fuck was this? One minute she was sucking him and he was moaning and the next- he was tucked away from her reach.

“And don’t even think about sneaking away to touch yourself. If you do, I’m not giving you shit.” He warned. It was unfair and mean and she wanted to cry- but for some reason, it made her even more aroused. His control over the situation and her… it was erotic.

Harry helped her back onto her feet, pressing a sweet kiss to her forehead. That was new. He’d never done that before. Her eyes were still glossy, lips swollen… she looked so beautiful staring up at him. He couldn’t help himself.

Brushing a few pieces of hair behind her ear, his fingers found their place below her jaw once again.

“Did so good for me…” He murmured, thumb rubbing at her dampened cheek. He only let a few more seconds pass before his lips were on hers, except this time was different.

Slow and tender, Harry’d never kissed anyone with so much intention before. There was so much he wanted to say but couldn’t, so he felt the kiss would tell her everything she needed to know.

The timer for the potatoes went off.

The shrill beep cut into their kiss, making her curse herself for putting it in so soon. She felt dazed as he pulled apart, the moment melting as he smoothed her hair back and took a step away.

What the actual fuck had just happened? Kissing her like that after denying her any more oral sex and making her feel special and cherished. Even just for that moment.

She blinked a few times as he handed her the oven mitt, the timer being turned off as he reached over her. “Time to eat properly, Bunny.”

[talesofesther]

play our record, just one more time | ch 1

Eddie Munson x Reader

Series Summary: Your dreams know the sound of his voice, even if you haven't heard it closely in years. His fingertips still tingle when they remember the feeling of your skin, like a poorly healed scar. Or, the story of how you and Eddie fell apart, and found each other again.

A/N: First part of… I don't know how many honestly, this story will literally be me going with the flow, mostly. I will try to keep updates regular, focus on try. In any way, really hope you like it, let me know. <3

Masterlist

1976

"You sure you got everything?" Wayne called out, leaning against the front door of his trailer.

A little ten-year-old Eddie came running from his new room, big backpack bouncing on his back, missing a tooth on his infectious smile. His dark locks just about started to curl around the shell of his ear; "yeah, I did."

Wayne frowned as he looked down at his nephew, one of his hands reaching out to tug on the sleeve of Eddie's shirt. "Did you… is this on backwards boy?"

Eddie glanced down at his chest, muttering a soft; "shit," he dropped his bag on the floor and quickly pulled his black shirt off and on again.

The morning sun stung Wayne's eyes, he rubbed at his lashes with his fingers, still exhausted from his night shift. "I'm not cut out for this," he grumbled to himself.

"Sorry uncle Wayne, I won't do it again," Eddie's small voice was quick to say, looking up at him with his big chocolate eyes.

"Nah it's," Wayne sighed, looking down at the boy, at how he already expected a scolding, "s'not your fault boy, come on," he ruffled Eddie's tiny dark curls and walked out to his car, Eddie tailing behind him.

It would take some time for Wayne to get used to dropping Eddie at school every morning before work, making him breakfast, or patching up his scraped knees and going to school meetings because he was now his legal guardian. He never wanted to be a father, but the poor boy deserved one for a change; plus it did feel nice to watch him run off to school just to turn back immediately because he forgot to say goodbye.

Eddie barged through the school doors with purpose, too focused on finding his best friend to notice the lingering looks of his classmates. He met you just about a year ago, after finding a little note on his backpack of you asking if he wanted to sit with you on lunch instead of sitting alone, and since then you'd been attached to the hip with each other.

He spotted you beside your locker, mismatched socks high on your ankles and a bright purple baseball cap on your head, waving frantically at him and already calling out his name. You always greeted him with a quick hug and a; you won't believe what happened this weekend.

More likely than not, it was just a tale of how your dog ate another shoe. But Eddie loved to hear about it nonetheless.

"So you're staying with your uncle now?" You asked, now walking side by side with Eddie, in no hurry to get to your classroom even though the bell had already rung.

Eddie nodded, hands clasping his backpack straps; "yeah, dad left with his friends one night, and uncle Wayne came to pick me up a few days later, he says I'll be staying with him until dad gets back."

You hummed, your sneakers scratching the recently mopped school hallway, "that's good, your dad was kinda mean, is uncle Wayne cooler?"

"Yeah he is," Eddie beamed, innocent excitement bouncing off of him, "he lets me stay up at night until whenever I want and doesn't cut my hair, he said I can let it grow if I want to. Oh and I think he likes good music too."

"Cool," you chuckled, "we should look through his tapes when he's not home to see what he listens to."

"You can come back with me tomorrow after school," Eddie smiled.

"I'll ask my mom, but I'm sure she'll say yes," your shoulder bumped his as you walked. "It'll be fun."

Eddie slowed his steps when he spotted your classroom door, his smile fading slightly. "I miss my dad though, he wasn't the nicest but I didn't want him to leave like mom."

You stopped walking just short of reaching your classroom, at a total loss of how you should comfort someone but wanting to do it anyway. "Um… I'm sure he'll be back, no one would want to leave you, you're too cool. You should write him a letter, let him know you miss him."

A familiar prickling feeling behind his eyes made Eddie bite his lip, "will you help?"

"Sure, we can do it tomorrow too," you agreed, turning to take a step toward your art class but a hand on your wrist stopped you.

Eddie's cheeks turned pink, he let go of you just as quickly as he had reached out. "We- we'll never stop being friends, right?"

"Of course not," you didn't hesitate, words slipping off your tongue easily, "you're my best friend, we'll always be together."

Pursing his lips, Eddie lifted his hand with his pinkie pointing to you. "Promise?" He asked, tone all too pleading for someone this young.

You hooked your pinkie with his, an oath as easy as breathing; "promise."

1977

Only almost a year after the letter was sent, that Eddie's father emerged from the darkness. Wayne was about to kick him out of the house when Eddie walked in. The happiness of seeing his father again spoke louder than the anger of being left alone for a year, louder than all the pain from before.

His father stayed for a week, and even if Eddie's wrist was a little bruised from that one time he almost opened a bag he wasn't supposed to touch, the boy was happy.

He stayed for a week. And then he never came back again.

1978

You saw Eddie cry for the first time when your teacher suggested a father's day project. He had tears silently streaming down his face before he even realized it, you dragged him out of class before anyone could see and make fun of it. He bunched your shirt in his fists and soaked it in tears in the hallway.

From your insistence, Eddie made his gift for Wayne. That was also the first time you saw his uncle cry.

1979

Eddie formed a band with his new friends. You're sneaking into the cheerleading practice.

You don't miss a single one of his band's rehearsals. Eddie distracts the gym teacher for you and tells you to join the cheer team when you get to high school.

1980

You and Wayne put together enough money to buy the burgundy guitar that Eddie had been drooling over for months now.

Eddie gives you your first kiss. It tasted like ice cream, under the sun of a hot summer day and the low tune of I Was Made For Lovin' You playing on Wayne's car. You both laughed afterward, fingers all sticky and cheeks all hot and skin tingling even after you got home.

1981

You and Eddie have your first big fight after he insulted the basketball players. You had just made the cheerleading team; the rumors were already going around about the new girl who was friends with the troublemaker.

Later that day you found Eddie sulking at the lonely picnic table in the woods. You made up; with a bag of his favorite snacks and a cuddle session you never spoke about afterward. A weird weight sits in the air between you after that.

1982, January

A boy asked you to be his girlfriend. It wasn't Eddie. You said yes, because it felt exciting, and your new friends said he was the cutest boy in your class.

Your new boyfriend doesn't like Eddie, calls him a weirdo and a freak. The word has a bitter taste, you hate it. But Eddie's all black leather jackets, metal music, and long hair now; and you're all soft pink lipstick, plush cheer pom poms, and weekend partying now. You never tell your boyfriend or your cheerleading friends otherwise, even though you should.

Eddie doesn't like your new boyfriend. He says he's just a stuck-up jock and you can do much better. You don't ask him who would be the better option, even though you want to.

Eddie doesn't sit with you in the cafeteria anymore, he settles for a halfhearted nod whenever you smile his way. He does still give you a ride home and lets you in his room to hear him practice guitar though. It's like he's two different people inside and outside of school.

1982, August

Days in which you don't speak to Eddie at all are starting to become a new normal.

Eddie thinks you see him the same way everyone else does now. A freak, someone to coil away from in disgust. Of all people, you were the last one he expected would do this. Maybe that's why it was so painful. He feels betrayed, so he wears his armor around the person who's seen him in his most vulnerable more than once. It feels wrong. But that's all he knows.

You think Eddie is being petty. You think it's unfair that he can't accept your new friends, that he doesn't want you to hang out with other people or have a boyfriend who just so happens to play in the school's team. You can't help but think that the insults he throws at them, are meant for you too.

You two don't talk much anymore; except for birthday wishes and the few nights you go to watch him play at The Hideout.

Eddie doesn't tell you that he'd never say a single bad thing about you. Not you. Never you.

You don't tell him that he could never be anything other than the sweet boy with chocolate eyes for you.

1984

Eddie is more of a stranger than a friend.

It's foolish, because it's hurting both of you.

You graduated and he got held back, it didn't make much of a difference, you haven't spoken to each other in more than a year.

1986, March

"We have also identified a person of interest. Eddie Munson. We encourage anyone with information to please come forward."

Your spoonful of cereal stopped midway before reaching your mouth as you heard the voice of the chief of police on your television, saying the name of the person who once used to share all his secrets with you, and blaming him for fucking murders.

Before you register what you were doing, you were already dialing Eddie's phone number, your heart threatening to leap out of your chest every time the line rang and no one picked up. When you slammed the phone back on your wall, you felt sick to your stomach, almost puking the little bit of the cereal you managed to eat.

No one knew where Eddie was. You searched, even if you were probably the last person he wanted to see.

Only a couple weeks later, after the earthquakes, after Eddie's name was cleared, you finally had a glimpse of him. From far away you saw bandages on his exposed skin — you wondered what happened, part of you wanted to run to him — and even so, he was carrying a cardboard box over to the gymnasium, helping those who lost their homes in the destruction.

For the first time then, you could breathe again, knowing he was okay. Despite it all, Eddie would always have a piece of your heart.

1986, November

"Absolutely not," you said with an edge on your tone, carrying a stack of freshly returned movies in your arms as you walked around the counter to put them back in place.

Monday's were definitely the slowest day in Family Video, usually, the only thing happening was customers returning the movies from the weekend.

"Y/N please, I've already talked to Keith and after pretty much I and Robin begged on our knees, he agreed to it," Steve tailed behind you, the red neon sign on the back wall shining against his cinnamon hair and green vest, "under the one condition of you watching him for the first days, that's all I'm asking and I'll make it up to you I promise." He finished with a plead, clasping his hands together and giving you his best puppy eyes.

You groaned, leaning back against one of the movie posters on the wall, you did always have a weakness for a pretty boy with brown eyes, "Stevie, it's not that I don't want to help, I just have a lot on my plate already, with the arcade and here." It was true, because you happened to be Keith's cousin, you were the one he trusted most to overlook both places while he was absent, which honestly, was most days. But you didn't tell Steve that he was asking you to watch over the same boy who counted stars with you on an empty lot of the trailer park, the same boy who left a hole in your heart that was yet to be filled. It was all kinds of messy and all kinds of complicated and, of course, it was just your luck that your friends — and coworkers — were now also besties with him. But no one needed to know that, whatever it was that happened between you and Eddie, belongs in the past.

"I know, listen, I know. But Robin and I are gonna help however we can-"

"Why can't one of you do it, anyway?"

Steve huffed, placing one hand on his waist, "some bullshit about how our judgment won't be fair because we're friends, you know how Keith is with these things." He chewed on the side of his cheek for a second, weighing his words, "listen he- Eddie, he's been through a lot, and now that he finally managed to graduate he needs a stable job and… with his history, you can imagine how just about no one will hire."

The wound was still fresh in most of Hawkins, the murders, the false accusations that just about doomed the poor boy, plus the town was still rebuilding, still healing; Steve talks about it as if you didn't know, as if you hadn't seen and worried first hand about it. You don't let it show on your face how much his words freeze your insides.

"This fucking town," you grumbled.

Steve snorted, "tell me about it."

You nag on your bottom lip with your teeth, almost drawing blood. Your stomach is twisting and turning, you're in front of a crossroad and with no idea in which way to turn. But regardless of the road you take, you know it'll be a path you can't walk back from.

Somehow, you think, you've probably made your decision as soon as Steve first asked you. He's right, Eddie has already suffered way too much. You know he won't be happy to see you, let alone work with you, and you're not thrilled about it either. But you made a promise long ago that you intend on keeping.

"Alright, whatever, I'll do it." Damn you and your soft heart.

⋆*☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ

Read Part 2 here

Feedback and reblogs are very much appreciated. <3

Eddie’s taglist: @milkiane @bookfrog242 @alicefallsintotherabbithole @science--hoes @cherrypieyourface @tssf-imagines @astream-ofconsciousness @fentyreligion @fantasylovestoryme @justabeautiful-letdown @crazyrapunzel @yessica41 @dancing-hillary @bakugouswh0r3 @jakebasement @zervopoulouu @forverdaydreamer-blog @fromthedt @oeuryale @mcueveryday @witchbinchstories @call-me-magpie

@loveshineslikethesky @luvmybbies @tvserie-s-world @agirlsguidetolove @hallothankmas @sweetpeapod @forsaken-letters @hazydespair @fangirling-4-ever @electric-cabaret @ollyoxenfrees @twinkofmydreams @paola-carter @masterlistmanic @xceafh @andraimeide @esoltis280 @eddielives1986 @totallynotkaibiased @just-love-reading @murnsondock

[viathecloset]

Speaking of the military, idk how many platforms ive mentioned the same thing but here goes:

Do not engage in any kind of media or information that doesn't come directly from the boys themselves. Stop consuming every story and believeling all bs just cuz it's korean smh. Literally when jungkook was inactive we got both updates from jimin himself, Taehyung posts on insta stories, so does hobi and namjoon, jungkook is active on tiktok lately, Jin is on weverse too. Yoongi isn't updating cause of the nature of his job and respective restriction. So please don't go around spreading their squad pics, X runs fast, Y sleeps at 9:08pm only stories. Thats how akges get a plaform and eventually spew fake narratives and spread misinformation and eventual hate on any of them. They're not celebrities but regular citizen under the government at the moment. They deserve this moment of both privacy and respect while they serve their country. We don't have to know if they're eating apples for breakfast. It's unnecessary. They have music and other content They worked so hard for and exclusively prepared for this time period. Engage, stream and hype that. Rest is noise.

[houseofbrat]

If Kate was adamant she didn’t want this information out there before Easter, what strategies could’ve been deployed by their PR to prevent this mess? Hyperactive information environment or not, if she didn’t change that position, all the PR can do is follow the strategy and brief editors that there’s a very good reason for the radio silence and promise an update after Easter. The only thing I can think of is releasing regular ‘doctors are pleased with Kate’s progress and expect her to be back to Royal duties after Easter’ statements to manage expectations. Also presuming she didn’t want to take part in any ‘at home recovering’ style images or videos for social which given the circumstances is understandable. The big mistake was bowing to pressure and releasing an image on Mother’s Day that ended up blowing up in their faces. If they felt compelled to release something, an older picture with the caveat that it was taken last year as the Princess is still recovering and not posing for photos at this time would’ve been better.

If their hands were truly tied, then yeah, there's not a lot they can do. I think an important take-away is that we always need to be able to not only articulate what's going to happen in a given situation, but also explain why. In this particular case, by leaving an information vacuum, they created a much worse outcome. I hope someone explained that clearly to "The Firm". Of course we saw much worse with Andrew and his disastrous live interview where he wasn't able to answer basic questions, or even pivot to key messages. There is clearly a lot wrong with how the family handles the media - it's nothing new, but it is definitely broken.

Original statement should have given less detail. “Abdominal surgery”+10-14 day hospital stay+3 month recovery timeframe is just enough info to invite people to try to solve the puzzle. 

 2) Royal watchers twigged something was off early on because of KP’s unusual silence when they are known for being leaky as a sieve. Their usual MO is a constant drip of vacuous puff pieces by the Royal Rota. A good PR strategy would have been to continue feeding the Wales and Middleton happy perfect family stories (the kids have made their mum get well cards! Carole’s been by her daughter’s side! William is making breakfasts by hand!) This could have been done with no involvement on Kate’s part and a minimal burden on William to approve the briefs. Instead the absence of the usual drip drip drip got the public’s attention, especially in contrast to Buckingham Palace’s steady-on strategy for Charles’s procedure and cancer. 

 3) PR can only do so much about their principal’s demeanor and I can’t get too much on William’s case for his noticeably weird behavior while he’s been dealing with his wife’s cancer diagnosis. But at minimum someone should be empowered enough to look the man in the eye and had him practice saying “She’s recovering from her procedure, thank you for your concern” so that he could reel off that line when people or press asked him about Kate during his engagements. His pretending not to hear thing did NOT help.  

 4) I agree they should have never released the Mother’s Day photo. Nor the two car pap photos, which were obviously not candid but clumsy attempts to address speculation. Each one was fuel to the fire. The effort would have been better spent on a simple statement signed by Kate saying the PoW thanks the public for their concern, she appreciates the cards, and she reiterates her desire for privacy at this time. 

This woman was failed at every conceivable point.

Silence during a crisis breeds suspicion and speculation. Social media provides a broad, uncontrollable platform and rewards those who amplify the nonsense.

Mother’s Day presented a prime opportunity. An IG story with a carousel of past photos of Kate & the kids and a 15 sec voiceover of Kate saying:

”Thank you so much for all your well wishes. I’m looking forward to returning to my duties when I’m cleared to do so. I’ll be celebrating Mother’s Day quietly with my husband and children this year but I hope you all have a lovely day.”

There were any number of ways that Kate could have been briefly engaged without being intrusive or needing to show her face.

It should never have come to this.

Or a picture of her as a child with HER mom. Isn’t the point of Mother’s Day to honor your own mother, not tout your role as a mom? A nice post about her mom with some pictures of her would have been lovely.

My sense through this is that the PR people (who are professionals and handle sticky situations all the time) had their hands tied by what William and Kate did and did not want to do. Given the circumstances it is understandable that they would back down and follow the couple's script - even as they watched fires pop up all over that they were not allowed to address.

A lot of people on here who don’t understand there is a family of people who are “royals” and The Royal Family which is a public institution and has responsibility for public service and some constitutional duties, aka The Firm.

Does Kate deserve privacy? Sure.

Does, “The Princess of Wales” get to take 4 months away from her public duties without explaining why? No. It’s not how The Firm works. Does Kate get to approve PR about The Princess of Wales? Maybe, maybe not. That title belongs to the institution.

So these are two separate things. And this has been a great example of how digital and social media means carrying on with two distinct entities, is likely no longer viable.

The information that she was having surgery was already out. However, announcing that Charles had cancer as well while he was still being seen out was what led people to come up with wild theories. If the king can walk around with cancer then Kate can go out for a quick I'm ok wave was the thinking. And let's be real here, there is soooooo much more going on than they'll say. There was absolutely NO reason for a photo collage of a moment that never existed. She was already seen in the car with her mom -allegedly her because puffy faces don't go away that quickly - yet they felt the need to not say a darn thing. Either disappear until Easter with vague updates or quit with the pranks. I believe her when she said they weren't expecting cancer, and I'm sure there were already other high stake activities in occurrence, which led to them scrambling for cover. She's not the first public figure to get a life-threatening illness either. We all wish them the best as we would any mom with kids, but they're also living on public acceptance and dollars. They also threw her under the bus a couple times and it got RIDICULOUS.

They didn’t need to prove to the public that she was well. I know the monarchy has a history of hiding illness and I get that, but photoshopping a photo to prove that she is well went too far. The public isn’t dumb. She had major surgery she isn’t going to look herself. They should have posted a more simple statement for surgery, they should’ve posted a statement from her saying “thank you for your well wishes, I look forward to getting back to my duties when able” and then maybe a post on Mother’s Day of her children or her mother and sister.

VERY simple things would’ve prevented the fiasco and maybe given them more time to deal with this in private. They may have still made the announcement on Friday but all of this abuse could’ve been avoided. They made it seem like she was dead and The Firm was pulling a Weekend at Bernie’s.

Pull a classroom full of any PR majors from ANY school ANYWHERE and they all could’ve protected her and her family more than their freaking comms team. It’s an absolute abomination and embarrassment. I really hope they fire all the people involved. They brought so much shame and embarrassment to the crown.

I'm sure a lot of non PR professionals who have an understanding of the standard playbook for public figures and basic competence in business/personal communication could have done better than the "professionals" they hired. Some of it is ... not that hard. I mean, I'd have to think about Mother's Day - just the kids? W or C as kidlets with their moms or what? But thank early, thank often. Charles isn't spilling all his tea but he and his team have hit their marks and there is far less crazy chatter about him. If this is William's notion of "modernizing the monarchy" it's going to be a bumpy ride. As we used to say "don't throw the baby out with the bath water".

Why does a cancer patient need PR? There is nothing shameful about cancer. I get she needed time to process. There is still so much ambiguity around this. “Abdominal Surgery” “Cancer” but not specifying what type of cancer.

I don't understand why so many people are blaming their PR team or William ("he made her take the blame for the photoshopped picture!")

Kate is married to the future King of England. She has enormous power. She isn't Meghan Markle trying to adjust to life in the palace while married to "the spare." She isn't a mid level Royal. She isn't Andrew, Edward, Eugenie, Beatrice etc. People act like she has no power and influence over her team.

The reality is according to a post on X from a person who broke the news about her condition before the media did so apparently has some sort of inside information Kate has known she has cancer since January and started chemo after the surgery. She most likely did that at the hospital since it might be traumatizing for the younger children to do it at home and she didn't want to travel back and forth every day.

Kate didn't want to admit to the public she had cancer. In the initial statement they denied it was cancer. They had to admit it yesterday because unfortunately people got access to her records and it was being shopped around to media publications so she had no choice. According to "sources close to Kate" who spoke to US and People (they're not tabloids and usually have legit sources) she didn't want to tell even people close to her and decided to keep it private. She had no plans to tell the public that they knew about. Unfortunately Kate was being unrealistic. One of the most famous women in the world can't hide for several months without generating conspiracy theories. Kate has photoshopped pictures before. I don't know why so many people think it was Palace officials who forced her to photoshop the mother's day picture. It doesn't take much physical exertion to use photoshop. I believe she did and she apologized for it. She couldn't blame other employees when they didn't have anything to do with it. Nobody "forced her to take the blame" for the picture.

The point is her PR people can't divulge confidential medical information. The only way to handle this was to be honest from the beginning back in January. "The Princess of Wales had surgery and is undergoing treatment for cancer. Please respect her privacy." That's it. (Assuming the insider's belief that she knew it was cancer back in January is true but she seemed to be wearing a wig in the photo in the car so don't believe she is only now beginning treatment)

It's a horrible sad situation. But Kate is known to be stubborn and probably isn't the passive easily intimidated person people are portraying her to be. There is no way her PR team could have done anything differently when she wanted the public to believe it was simply "recovery from abdominal surgery" and nothing else.

Thank you! So glad other people are saying this!!! Can’t believe how many people have missed the point that she is literally one of the most powerful visible women in the world and you can’t just disappear without generating a frenzy. I agree if they’d been very simple and honest from day 1 they would have avoided this whole fiasco. They could have revealed even less as you note - not even mentioned “abdominal”!!

The problem started with the first statement that said her surgery was planned. The public already knew they had scheduled overseas travel/work during that time. Meaning this wasn’t planned in the typical sense and they were wordsmithing things. This set off people’s spidy senses. It was also proof that KP and Buckingham Palace aren’t coordinating between press offices. To have both health statements come out the same day was terrible practice. They should’ve coordinated both messaging, tone and timing.

Then it came out that someone was rushed to the hospital over the holidays.

Also, Will has been tied to Rose for years and there have long been rumors of his poor attitude as well as the family’s poor treatment of the women who have married into it. There were stories years ago that they used to throw pillows at each other during fights. It was natural rumors would start about her leaving him. For the past year they’ve been showing up to events separately- as if they live apart. The rumors have long been there. All the Harry and Meghan stuff confirmed some of the long-thought beliefs about Will’s handling of things.

When the AI photo came out, it was odd. But throwing Kate under the bus was wild. You know who approved that? Will. That made the public even more suspicious something was off about what was being shared.

Overall I would’ve handled this so differently. The balance of privacy and transparency is possible. I would’ve shared that Kate was taken to hospital over the holidays and underwent surgery, will be in recovery for timeline. Share flashback photos on holidays. Coordinate with Buckingham Palace on message timing. If she had been up to it, have her do Zoom calls with her charities and have the charity go on record about their interactions with Kate.

I think you're missing a step: the media went bonkers because social media lost its collective mind and MSM felt it had to respond to that hoopla, which was a palpable thing. I'm very much a student of PR, but I worked in journalism and I understand the impulse to have a line - any line at all! - on this thing people are apparently talking about. As somebody trying to learn the ropes, I'm very keen to know what a PR practitioner should do if the client says, "I pay your wages, and what's going on in my life is my business - I won't be adding to my previous statement until I'm ready."

[johannestevans]

Come see me in Leeds this Friday!

Good morning, good morning!

Remember you can sign up to get this update directly as an email. Anything that I can't promote or post as per Patreon's more stringent guidelines will always still be in my regular email newsletters.

First things first, in the aftermath of the piece I submitted to Trans_Muted late last year, I'm going to be at an event at The Bookish Type, a queer bookshop, in Leeds this Friday evening! Tickets are sold out online, but there will be more tickets available on the door at the £0-£5 range depending on how much people can afford.

It's going to be a Q&A and discussion sort of night, with some readings as well - as well as me, there'll be Dalton Harrison, the founder of StandFast Productions, a collective for ex-offenders to share art and stories; there's Loren Lepton, who does all sorts of rocking art across different disciplines and has published poetry in Trans_Muted; and of course there's Dorian Rose, the founder of Trans_Muted!

Here's the piece I'll be discussing and potentially reading from:

Questions You Wish You Could Ask A Gay Transgender Man — A tongue-in-cheek take on cisgender people’s frequently asked questions.

Read here in Trans_Muted!

Also On Medium / / On Patreon.

There will be books and such forth available from us, as well as the fact that the Bookish Type is an excellent queer-run bookshop that will have all manner of wonders for you to peruse as ever.

Great news for those who enjoyed my Minotaur talk a while back - Romancing the Gothic have invited me back to do another talk as part of a charity event toward the end of March!

On March 16th 2024, Goths for Breakfast is going to centre a variety of talks about gothic literature to raise money for hungry kids, and mine is going to be a presentation and dive into Crimson Peak (2015, dir. Guillermo Del Toro) and its appeal as a modern gothic romance, with a bit of examination about people's hunger for ~problematic~ themes in the age of BookTok, book bans, and rising puritan values and opposition to nuance. Title is yet to drop, but in the meantime, go sign up for Romancing the Gothic and check out their other events!

My plan is to write more non-fiction in the next few months as honestly, I need the money - I'm settling well into the new place but I'm getting used to balancing all my bills against furnishing everything, and I'm currently in need of some dental care. I've talked about it at length here, and there's two polls here and here at the moment about particular essays or non-fiction people would be most eager to see and read, but please let me know if there's anything you'd really like me to write about!

I have a few media recs this week - I already mentioned that I've been playing Dragon Quest XI and I'm now replaying Final Fantasy XV again, but onto some movie recs! A few of these fucking rock, and I definitely plan to write a bit more about them at length.

The Holdovers (2023, dir. Alexander Payne) - This one was good, not a new favourite of mine or anything, but it's well-paced and has a lot of well-done slice-of-life and character study, which I know people who like my work will undoubtedly appreciate! It's a loving and sensitive film - I found it to be a bit bland for my taste, but for being this sort of film it's not at all too saccharine, and it definitely might be worth a watch if you like nasty old men or nasty young men! I'll be honest, though, none of the men in this are particularly to my taste - I did love Da'Vine Joy Randolph's performance though, she really makes the whole film.

Demon (2015, dir. Marcin Wrona) - This film has been criticised a lot by genre horror fans because they're upset that it doesn't meet genre horror conventions: it doesn't. This is a real fucking horror film delving into the reality of living on haunted, bloodied land, and it's a modern retelling of The Dybbuk - gentiles at a wedding become haunted by the ghost of a dead Jewish bride, and horrors unfold for them. This film is beautiful, and I don't think I've ever seen a film that depicts gentiles grappling so much with the violence that's been done by them and their community to Jewish people, and then making the decision to turn away from it. The haunting of the pogroms in this film is visceral, and it feels all the more salient at the moment given the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the historical-to-now experiences of Palestinians in the face of that colonial violence.

Minyan (2020, dir. Eric Steel) - This is a super gorgeous film as well - I've watched a lot of coming-of-age flicks about young queer men coming to terms with their sexuality, particularly set in the 80s, but I've never seen one that has such a loving depiction of a man's developing sexual identity at the same time as his developing religious one and the relationship he has with his Judaism and with worship and religion, and other queer men in his community and how many there are once he knows how to look for and find them. I really love the undercurrent of his relationship with James Baldwin's work, especially a contrast at one point of a fellow young Russian Jew saying he's going to join the IDF, and then immediately jump to work from Baldwin. I would recommend Baldwin's short open letter on Zionism, antisemitism, and Palestinian liberation from '79 in The Nation, which you can read here.

New Works Published

Serial Update: Powder and Feathers

Chapter Fifty-Four: Colm has a painful discussion with his granddaughter; Jean-Pierre bonds with his niece.

--

It seems to Aimé Deverell that there is very little point to life, except for what pleasures can be enjoyed before the grave. Life is short - thank God - but at least there's enough in the world to dull the senses in the meantime.

That philosophy shatters like glass when he meets Jean-Pierre, an angel.

Read on Medium / / Read on Ao3 / / Read on WorldAnvil

Erotic Short: Wine Barrel

The angel Jean-Pierre lets himself get caught by the all-too-friendly Dionysus.

Rated E, trans M/everyone at a party. Featuring object insertion, inflation with a womb filled up with wine, unsafe alcohol consumption, lactation, milking, public humiliation, voyeurism, transformation, very drunk sex, sadomasochism, free use, objectification, begging, multiple orgasms, overstimulation.

Read on Medium / / Read on Patreon / / Read on SubscribeStar / / Read on Ao3

Erotic Short: Window Trap

Jean-Pierre makes an unwise decision, and gets caught amongst the wrong crowd.

Rated E, 3.9k, trans M angel gangbanged by Greek gods, mostly by Hermes (Aetos Talaria). Doros is also here — Doros and Jean-Pierre both being characters in Powder and Feathers.

Dubious to non consent here after some pure hubris, with a gangbang, large insertions, come inflation, deepthroating, spitroasting, predicament bondage with Jean-Pierre stuck in a wall, humiliation, degradation, dirty talk, masochism, stomach bulges.

Read on Medium / / Read on SubscribeStar / / Read on Ao3

Non-Fiction: My Top 6 Films of 2023

2023 had a few knock-out hits as far as the cinema goes — obviously, people were very excited about the respective releases of Barbie and Oppenheimer, but my top films of the year were a bit different.

One  thing I do think unites a lot of these — and a trend I hope to see from  more films in the next few years — is a trend toward more earnestness  and sincerity in scripts and plot lines, and I’m hoping that trend  continues!

Read on Medium / / Read on Patreon/ / Read on Tumblr

Woe, Boypussy Be Upon Ye: Transing Characters in Fanfic & Fanart

What’s the deal with envisioning your blorbos as transgender?

Read on Medium in Prism & Pen / / Read on Patreon/ / Read on Tumblr

Erotic TweetFic: Building Stamina

A new addition to a band of mercenaries struggles to keep pace with them - but no worries. They've another role in mind for him.

Read on Twitter

[sk8termikey]

Chapter 14 of 21 Questions

better interface on wattpad + fanfic updated till chap 27

ATLANTA VERSUS TOUR DATE

The day had finally come: Lily and Alex were meeting the Sturniolo Triplets. Although it hadn't been long since they both started watching their videos together, they had been happily expecting this day for the past few weeks and in only a few hours, they would see them. Their flight would take less than two hours which meant that the girls would arrive on time to start queuing. Given that they were going to attend the Meet & Greet with the triplets before the show, they were supposed to arrive around noon which was perfect for them: their plane was landing at ten o'clock, it would take them an hour to go to their hotel from the airport and the venue was easy to go to by walking.

Although they had woken up at half past five, the two girls couldn't feel tired as the excitement was filling their brains. They were currently packing their clothes while dancing to songs from their collaborative playlist that was playing upstairs.

"Alex," Lily called from her room. "Which team colour are you gonna wear?"

"I mean, as a Chris girl I should wear orange but in case I feel a last minute decision, I packed all three colours".

"That's actually smart, thanks. I'm gonna do the same". Lily replied as she added an orange tank top and a purple sweater to the blue shirt that was already in her suitcase.

Luckily for the girls, they were only leaving for a couple of days which meant that they didn't have too much luggage with them, except for the "just in case" clothes that were mandatory for every trip – what if one of the girls suddenly was on her period or peed on herself everyday? As they finished packing, they didn't have anything else to do and decided to directly head to the airport so they could take their time through security and maybe have a small breakfast.

~~~

Atlanta, here they were. The sun was out and the excitement was high as Lily and Alex were leaving the airport to look for a taxi that would take them to their hotel where they would get ready for the show.

Once they arrived at the hotel, the girls checked in and went to their shared room to change.

As Lily was scrolling through Instagram, she stumbled upon Nick's Instagram story and let out a gasp. Alex peeked her head through the bathroom door and asked what was happening.

"I hadn't seen Nick's story," Lily started while rummaging through her suitcase. "He said to pull up to the Atlanta show in purple so now I wanna wear purple for him!"

As she found the purple sweater that she had packed earlier this morning, a smile grew on Lily’s face. This was truly one of her favourite articles of clothing and she wasn't regretting at all to have brought it with her. To confirm her loyalty to Nick’s team, Lily even asked Alex to try and draw some bats with her purple eyeliner.

Alex had decided on her favourite triplet’s team: Chris’s. She put on an orange crop top with a black heart on it and hoped to draw his attention with a deer themed headband she had found at the airport. To not exclude Matt by not having his colour on, Lily and Alex chose to wear blue jeans in order to express their support for him as well.

When they deemed themselves ready, the two Sturniolo Triplets fans left their hotel room and started getting to the venue which was luckily close by walking. When they arrived, they noticed that not many people were here until they realised that they were actually looking at the VIP queue and not the regular one. Indeed, the people who only had general admission tickets wished to come early to still get the best view possible even though they would be at the back of the venue.

Lily and Alex smiled at a few girls they passed and joined the end of the vip queue where they belonged, thanks to Alex’s brother who had managed to secure “Diamond Package” tickets. This meant that the two girls were going to meet the triplets before the show, get to “small talk” with them, take a group picture and finally see them again after the show in the backstages. They were forever thankful for this experience and knew to find the best birthday present for Alex’s brother when it would be his time to get older.

~~~

People were finally getting into the venue as it was time for the small talks to begin. Alex and Lily didn’t care to have been amongst the last ones to have arrived – only a handful of fans were behind them – as they were not in a rush to meet the triplets. It would still happen nonetheless so they simply used their waiting time to relax and be the least nervous possible. Although usually very emotional, Lily and Alex were surprised with the way they were handling the situation when they entered the venue and could see the triplets from afar. Turns out that their mind was just not accepting that it was real which therefore tricked their brain into thinking that it was a normal hangout with absolutely not famous people they admired.

When it was the girls’ turn to go meet the triplets, Lily let Alex go first just to see the excited smile on her face as her best friend walked up to Chris. The youngest triplet welcomed Alex with a hug and asked how she was doing. Lily exchanged a quick glance with Alex and watched them talk before the two took pictures together and it was time for Lily to take Alex’s place who then walked to Chris.

“Hi, how are you?” Chris asked as Lily came up to him.

“Heyy, I am feeling great! How is your day?” Lily replied as Chris pulled her into a hug.

“Great as well, your friend was funny,” Chris laughed. “She was close to freaking out but saw you being all smiley at her and immediately calmed down.”

“She’s so cute,” Lily said as she quickly looked at Alex who was talking to Matt. “Girl is meeting her fave and she’s caring about me.”

“Glad to know I'm at least one of yours’ favourite”, Chris joked as he had noticed Alex's orange outfit and complimented her on it

During their quick chat, Chris signed a photocard before taking pictures with Lily. She thanked him before saying goodbye and moving to Matt’s table.

“Hey,” Lily said with a sudden soft voice as she was kind of intimidated by Matt.

“Hi there, how are you?” Matt asked with a soothing voice to make her comfortable, which worked.

“It feels surreal to meet you guys but such a great experience so far, are you good as well?”

“Yeah I am too.”

Lily didn't know why she ever thought Matt would be the hardest to talk to as he was actually the kindest human being. She thought about how calm he was and was impressed with the way he was able to do all of those shows despite his anxiety.

“Sorry my friend and I are not fully clothed in blue but we wore blue jeans to show appreciation and support for the sharks!” Lily explained as she put her hand on Matt's shoulder.

As Matt quickly looked at it, Lily thought she had done something wrong and removed her hand when Matt had only been surprised by how outgoing the girl was. It was refreshing to see someone close to his age – he assumed – that was acting like she was friends with all of them.

“You're good, don't worry.” Matt reassured Lily with a genuine smile. “Pictures?”

Lily nodded and Matt thus took their pictures after signing the photocard like Chris had done. They then said goodbye and it was now time for Lily to meet the last triplet as Alex went on the side to wait for her.

“Helloo! How are you doing?” Nick joyfully asked.

“Hi, I’m awesome! How are you?” Lily was reciprocating the same energy which Nick looked happy about.

“Great as well.” Nick pulled Lily into a hug before double checking her makeup. “I. Absolutely. Love. The. Bats.”

“Thank you! My best friend, whom you just met, drew them for me. I had to show everyone who I’m rooting for. And I love you guys’ outfits by the way, I didn’t tell the others but you’re all showing your colours today.”

Nick thanked her for noticing and complimented her again on her makeup while he signed the photocards. Nick then offered to take pictures to which Lily agreed.

“We both do photography but I trust you so much more to take a decent selfie.”

“No problem, don’t worry I got you,” Nick replied with a smile as he took multiple selfies and 0.5x pictures of him and Lily.

“Thank you so much. I’ll see you later, bye!” Lily waved at Nick before joining Alex who was waiting for her a few metres away.

The two girls directly hugged and fangirled about how nice the triplets were, as well as how easy it had been to talk to them – despite the stress felt from the security hurrying them to move.

“Girl, I managed to record you and Nick!” Alex excitedly said. “So cute, you guys seemed to vibe a lot.”

“Yeah, he is such a mood. Love that guy so much.”

They kept talking about their first VIP experience as they moved towards the line that would allow them to take group pictures with the triplets when the small talks were over.

While waiting, Lily and Alex got to meet another pair of best friends a bit younger which led them to immediately wanting to adopt the two middle schoolers. The line was starting to move when the four girls were exchanging about their favourite videos. They didn't see the time passing by as it was almost time for the two duos to have their picture taken.

“Which pose do we wanna do?” Lily asked Alex.

Because the girls had two tickets allowing them to take pictures, they had decided to both be in each instead of having their own solo picture with the triplets after asking if it was possible.

“Hmm, we can do one with hearts and then let them do whatever they want for the second?” Alex suggested an idea which Lily agreed on.

For the second time today, Lily and Alex hugged the Sturniolo triplets. Lily took this opportunity to give them the friendship bracelets she had made a few days prior as she wasn't sure whether she could have given them during the small talk – she had seen that most people gave their gifts during the group picture time and preferred to do the same. As they thanked her, the brothers asked how the girls wanted to pose. Given the colours that they were wearing, it felt obvious that Chris would be on Alex's side while Nick would be on Lily’s and they asked Matt to be in the middle. They all did hearts with their hands and Alex then told Nick, Matt and Chris to choose for the other picture. They all simply decided to smile and Lily held up a peace sign as her signature move which made Alex smile at how her friend could never take multiple pictures without making a peace sign in at least one of them.

The girls then thanked the triplets and they all told each other to enjoy the show. They left the photography area and were guided to the pit so that they could wait until the show started.

Dads. People's dads were currently on stage with Nick, Matt and Chris. It felt hilarious in the moment as no one had been expecting the triplets to switch up who they were bringing with them on stage. It had only been young fans until that point and seeing three grown adults enjoying the games was wonderful in Lily’s eyes. The girls had a pretty good view due to their VIP tickets and Lily could see Alex’s smile stretching to her eyes, which made Lily even happier to be able to share this moment with her.

Although Matt had won the popular vote and the painting game thanks to his teammate Mark, Chris took the lead during the Trivia game and was ready to win his nth basketball game. Then, as it was time for the last game of the show – Jenga, Chris was on the verge of victory and it got confirmed when Matt, once again, knocked down the tower. As the show was over, there was a round of applause for the triplets’ teammates and the coronation of the winner started. Each team received a medal and took pictures before Chris eventually got crowned for the fifth time since the tour had begun.

As Nick was concluding today’s show, Matt threw his shoes into the crowd which made all the fans cheer. Finally, Chris asked for everyone to call out Tril’s name. Tril – also known as YSB Tril or Trilly – was the triplet’s friend and a singer who had been invited to do a small concert at the end of some of the shows as he was living on the East coast. While Alex knew a couple of his songs, Lily had no idea that he was going to be here today but the two girls enjoyed it as the atmosphere was incredible.

~~~

Both the show and concert were over, but it wasn’t time for Alex and Lily to go back to their hotel room as they had backstage access and were currently being guided there where they would see the triplets for the third time today.

“That shit feels kinda sketchy for real”, Alex started. “But after everything we’ve experienced today I don’t care like– we could be kidnapped or murdered, I can die happy.”

“Damn bro, I wish I could say the same but we only lived twenty years so I hope we get a bit more”, Lily objected while laughing.

They were now waiting in line to go talk to the triplets and realised that they were the last ones, which made them hope that they could maybe get more time as no one would be waiting behind them. When there were only a handful of fans left in the room, Lily and Alex were called to start a conversation with any of the brothers. While Alex directly went to Chris to congratulate him on his victory, Lily decided to go see Nick as she saw that Matt was still talking to two girls.

“Nick heyy! How’s it going since earlier?”

“Bats girl hi! Awesome and you?” Nick was absolutely digging Lily’s energy.

“Quite sad purple team didn’t win but I got to meet you guys so that’s enough for me. And I got your merch so I’ll remember this forever!” Lily unfolded the purple shirt to show it to Nick.

“Great choice, I obviously approve,” Nick nodded as he took the shirt to sign it. “Are you still in need of a photographer?”

“Oh my god yes, a hundred percent still trusting your skills.” Lily laughed as she gave her phone to Nick so that he could take pictures.

“Thank you so much,” Lily said as she got her phone back and hugged Nick. “I hope you enjoy the last shows and that you win at least one more time!”

“Let’s hope so yeah, byye!”

The two new best friends waved at each other as Lily went to take Alex’s place with Chris while the blonde walked towards Matt.

“Hi again!”

“Hey, have you realised now that you should have chosen the same team as your friend?” Chris teased as he pointed to his crown.

“Hmm,” Lily feigned to think. “Maybe but I have faith in Nick, he gotta come back.”

“Fair enough but I won’t give up easily.”

Lily felt really happy that Nick and Chris were able to remember fans they had met earlier and that they were still as outgoing as they were before the show even though they must feel really tired. As Nick did, Chris took pictures of him and Lily before she thanked him.

“If you win tour, I’ll name a dessert for you at my café”. Lily said as she extended her hand to Chris.

“Bet”, the youngest triplet agreed as he dapped Lily up and hugged her quickly. “Gotta taste like orange, remember?”

Lily nodded and laughed as she bidded Chris goodbye before going to where Matt was standing.

“Hi Matt!”

“Hey, everything good?”

“Yeah, how about you? Still the most popular I saw?”

“Always, I guess it’s easier for people to dress in blue.” Matt reasoned as most people did own more blue – it being a primary colour – compared to purple or orange.

“I promise next time I’ll come in a full blue outfit!”

“You’re coming to see us again? Which show?” Matt asked as he felt comfortable talking to the girl.

“Well… I don’t know yet but I’ll try to get tickets for at least another show because I need to enjoy another one with my friend!”

It was true, Lily now wanted to find tickets for one of the Florida shows she had failed two months ago with her friends. She was thinking that the dates being so close now meant that she might have more chance at getting resale tickets, which always happened right before concerts for instance.

“Good luck then, and I hope to actually see you supporting me if you guys do come back. Also, don’t hesitate to bring other gifts.” Matt playfully said.

“Oh yeah, did you see the one we brought?”

“Yes and it looks incredible to be honest, can’t wait to get it from the box when we leave”.

Matt was being a hundred percent genuine as he thought of the picture he had seen on Alex’s phone. She had made a painting depicting the triplets as Pokemon trainers, each with a pokemon of their team colour next to them. Matt had a Piplup, Nick had a Sableye and Chris had a Buizel at his side. Lily was amazed with Alex’s talent and had always found her artstyle breathtaking, whether she was painting abstract things, landscapes or people.

“I hope the others like it as well, she was so happy to paint this for you!” Lily was Alex’s first fan since the blonde became interested in art towards the end of middle school.

“Well it was nice to see you again”, Matt started saying goodbye as he was going to take Lily’s last pictures of the day. After he did so, he and Lily hugged for the third time today. “Get home safe and have a good night.”

“Thanks, you too Matt.”

As Lily and Alex had indeed been the last fans in the backstage area, the three brothers guided them back to the exit before saying a definite goodbye and thanking them for coming.

“Wow,” Alex started as she and Lily were outside the venue. “I don’t know how to describe today.”

“Magical, unreal, amazing?” Lily rhetorically asked. “I’ll never forget that day.”

Alex agreed and the girls began to walk back to their hotel. When they arrived in their room, they ordered food and Alex went to shower while Lily immediately grabbed her computer. The brunette had grabbed her camera so that her friend would think she was going to look at the pictures she had taken today, but Lily actually wanted to look for resale tickets so that they could go to another show.

After twenty minutes, Lily had managed to find someone who had been reposted on Instagram by sturnioloteam and was wanting to sell two Silver tickets for the Orlando show as she couldn’t go anymore. Lily had just sent a message to the person and closed her computer as Alex was done showering, meaning that Lily could go while waiting to get a reply.

When she got out of the bathroom, Lily was surprised at how quick she had received an answer and was delighted to see that it was positive. The girl, although living in Orlando, was not able to go see the Triplets as she got sick with her sister who was supposed to go with her. She was selling the tickets for almost half of the original price as she just wanted someone to enjoy the show instead. Lily immediately replied that she was buying the tickets and the two girls agreed on the sale.

It was happening: Lily and Alex would go see the triplets for a second time in Orlando. However, only one of them would be aware as Lily decided that she was going to surprise her best friend with a secret road trip in three days – it was enough time to prepare everything. In the meantime, Lily would obviously still try to find tickets for maybe one of the two other shows in Florida as they wouldn’t be that far from home in any case – at least they were in their state.

“By the way, please send me your pics from today when you’re done editing them.” Alex interrupted Lily’s daydreaming. “I know your cam is a thousand times better than my phone.”

“Of course babe, we can look through them together so that I can edit your favourites in priority.”

This was thus how they spent their evening: admiring Lily’s pictures of the show and eating the most delicious fries they ever had. Now, only a few more days remained before the girls would live almost the same day once again and this time, a pleasant twist would be added to the Versus Tour experience.

Thank you for reading. Votes and comments are always appreciated if you like this story :) The story is co-written w @/little_grapejuice on wattpad

[addledmongoose]

Good Omens Fanfic Friday (09 Feb 2024)

Long list today. Lots of T-rated stories in this week's list if you're looking for less in the smut department.

The Cleaning Roster (1.7K; Rated G)

Pre-Fall bit of fluff in a Heavenly broom closet.

***

A Narrow Escape to the Country (11K; Rated T)

Crowley and Aziraphale appear as house hunters on a reality house hunting show and are really annoying to the poor producer having to deal with them. It's partially told from the producer's POV. It's funny and adorable, and you don't need to know anything about the show to read the story. This one isn't human AU, to be clear.

***

What Are You Doing Here (55K; Rated E)

By @alphacentaurinebula. Two chapters away from the end, so I'm willing to recommend it now. It gets regular enough updates I'm confident it'll be finished. Post-S2 that started out as PWP and ended up with a world-saving plotline.

***

Is It Raining on Alpha Centauri Too? (4K; Rated T)

Quick one-shot with Crowley and Gabriel having a nice heart-to-heart post-S2.

***

These next four are all by author, curtaincall. I was surprised to find I've already read and recommended several others in the past (like "Fighting Dirty" and "The Fine Print" so definitely check out their backlist).

the many-venomed earth (37K; Rated T)

Human AU. Set in the 30s or so. Murder mystery writer Anthony Crowley is on trial for the murder of his former lover. Lord Aziraphale Eastgate is a nobleman/amateur detective who believes in Crowley's innocence and works to solve the mystery of who really killed the man. This is the first of two in a series. It's similar to murder mysteries of that time period (Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, etc).

***

such rebel blood (60K; Rated T)

Human AU. The second of the series. Set six months after "the many-venomed earth," Crowley gets hired by an American family to write a murder mystery game for their 21yo son's birthday party. Aziraphale arrives as a guest of the family. Another murder mystery inspired by the murder mysteries of old.

***

muddle through somehow (27K; Rated T)

Human AU/Fake Marriage. Aziraphale runs a food blog where he shares heartwarming stories of his husband and son in their lovely cottage. Problem is, Aziraphale is a single man sharing a flat in Soho with his cat. When his publisher runs a contest for one lucky fan to spend the holidays with Aziraphale and his lovely family, he has to find a cottage, a husband, and a son fast. Luckily for him, his handsome neighbor, Crowley, is babysitting his nephew for a few weeks. Cue fake marriage shenanigans.

***

No Such Thing as a Free Breakfast (5.8K; Rated T)

Crowley needs to peer-review a fellow demon's timeshare-selling setup and convinces Aziraphale to come to the presentation as his husband. Light-hearted and humorous. Zero angst. I wouldn't really call this one fake marriage since they're only really trying to fool one unimportant salesman, but it's sort of fake marriage anyway.

[skymaiden32]

Mariana Trench

Fandom: Stingray

Tagging: @dragonoffantasyandreality @thundergeek59 @janetm74 @katblu42 @liseylou @amistrio @uniwolfcorn (Please ask if you would like to be alerted when I update or write new stories)

Bit of a shorter chapter today...

Also, it's a bit slow at the moment, but next chapter is when stuff gets messy, so get ready! >:3

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4: Deep Search | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9

------

Scientists and archivists, human, Pacifican, and even some other underwater allies of WASP alike, had been analysing the tablets the crew had found for just over two months now. Few had recognised the language. Even fewer knew how to translate it, and based on how old they had claimed it to be, a full translation of every tablet would take a long time.

In between regular missions, Phones and Marina would frequently take Stingray out to assist in the search for their friend. So far, they had had no luck. There wasn’t a single trace of Troy or his captor, and everyone was starting to fear the worst. Today, they would take Stingray out further than they ever had before. Meanwhile, Commander Shore was consulting the World Security Council on what WASP’s next move should be. Phones wished he were a fly on the wall for that particular conversation…

------

To say Shore was surprised to see that many dignitaries and representatives in the room was an understatement. He wasn’t sure the entire Council was here, but it certainly seemed that way. He swept his gaze over the sea of people to see if there were any familiar faces, breathing a sigh of relief when he spotted Admiral Denver in the crowd. As much as they argued, Jack was still a good friend, and his presence soothed his nerves a little.

“Commander Shore, we’re ready for you.” The nervousness came back in spades when he was called forward to say what he needed to. Hopefully, he would convince them to give Marineville the help they needed to locate their lost enemy and missing Captain.

------

Phones listened intently on the hydrophones, investigating the slightest abnormality as Stingray sped along the seabed around Point Nemo, the furthest you could possibly get from land. After yet another false alarm, he sighed, pulling the headphones down around his neck. He glanced over at Marina next to him, who’s eyes were narrowed to see through the graveyard of sunken satellites and the occasional ship. Maybe Titan had set up here, given how far from the surface it was, but it also seemed too obvious. After a few more minutes of ducking around the wrecks, Phones gave her a hopeful look. “Any luck?”

Marina shook her head sadly. Phones’ hope dissipated. “I didn’t think so…” He glanced at the time. “We may as well just go home. No point sticking around if there’s no sign of ‘em…” 

No sooner had he said that, the radio flared into life, Atlanta’s voice flooding the cabin. “Marineville Tower to Stingray.”

Phones answered diligently. “Marineville from Stingray. We’re just leaving now. ETA, just over three hours…” He reported.

“Good.” Atlanta replied. “I was calling to tell you to come back immediately, anyway. My father’s come back from the meeting.”

The hydrophones operator froze. “Did he say how it went?”

“Unfortunately, no.” Atlanta admitted. “And from the look on his face, I can tell it’s not good news.” Phones grimaced as his colleague continued. “He’s scheduled all Marineville personnel to meet in the auditorium at 1900 hours this evening. He’ll tell us then…”

Phones looked at the clock once more. If they went at top speed, they would have more than enough time to get home. Maybe even change or grab something to eat. Phones had skipped both breakfast and lunch today, and he had to admit the hunger was getting to him. “PWOR. We’ll see you soon, and give an update on our position in an hour…” Atlanta muttered an affirmative, and Phones glanced over towards Marina. “Flood her open, Mari. All the way to rate six. Let’s get her home.”

Marina was more than happy to oblige… 

------

Shore would replay the scene in his mind for the rest of his days…

“What do you mean, call off the search?!” Shore frowned when a verdict was reached, face furious. “That’s one of my best men out there! I’m not just gonna-”

President Younger held up his hands in a placating manner, trying to calm the Commander down. “And no-one outside WASP knows that better than I do, Commander Shore. From the little time I spent with Captain Tempest, I could tell he was Stingray’s Captain for a reason.” Shore was surprised when the other man opened up about his personal experience with Troy, but it didn’t do much to diminish his bad mood. “He was kind, brave, determined, and more than a worthy opponent for Titan. I still can’t believe just how low Titan was willing to stoop to carry out his plans that day…”

Shore growled. “You’re talking as though he’s already dead.”

“I assure you, I’m not saying he is.” Younger frowned, putting his hands behind his back. “What I am saying is that he’s the kind of person who would give his life to protect those he loves. Are you sure he would want the WASPs tearing themselves apart to find him?”

The Commander froze. “No. He wouldn’t…” He sighed. “He’d want us to go on as if nothing happened. But I’m not sure we can give up on him just yet.” Murmurs spread around the room. Commander Shore ignored them.

“We’re not saying to give up the search completely, Commander.” One voice rose above the rest. Shore recognised him immediately. “We’re just saying to put it on the backburner. I am more than familiar with what it feels like to lose the most loyal of us all, and it is not a good feeling…”

“That’s good to know.” Shore nodded at the man, noticing the way the Admiral was glancing at his wheelchair. He was talking about the Commander’s accident. “Thank you, Admiral Denver.” 

President Younger coughed, grabbing their attention. “Now that that’s been cleared up, is there anything else anyone would like to add?” The room fell into a strange kind of silence. You could hear a pin drop. “No? In that case, this meeting is adjourned…”

[always-angelic-aspie-alice]

Fantastic Friday Update: Embracing Imperfection and Celebrating Progress ✨️

Hey everyone!

Welcome to my Fantastic Friday Update, where I share my thoughts, feelings, and lessons learned from the week. I might make this a regular blog post every day, or this post might just be a once-off.

But today, I want to talk about embracing our unique imperfections and celebrating the sparkly moments that make life special.

Self-Care and Me-Time 🧋

This week, I made time for the things that bring me joy:

- Getting lost in lovely books (currently reading Happy Place by Emily Henry and Deep South by Paul Theroux)

- Writing short stories that glimmer with possibility

- Cosying up with Netflix and a warm cuppa (loving Nescafe Instant Coffee Blend 43 and Twinings English Breakfast Tea)

These moments helped me recharge and find hope in the midst of chaos.

Embracing Our Quirks 🌈

I've been thinking a lot about the importance of embracing our individuality. We're all unique, special, and sparkly in our own ways. Let's celebrate our differences and reject the pressure to conform.

Achievements and Progress 💗

This week, I achieved small goals, such as:

• going to my careers counselling appointment on Monday

• using Finch every day to help with my self-care goals

• practicing German every day with Duolingo

• list any more here if there are others I'm proud of, a maximum of five

I'm proud of myself for taking steps towards my goals and overcoming obstacles.

Lessons Learned 🗝

One key lesson I learned this week is that progress is not always linear. Some days, I felt motivated and productive, while others were challenging. But that's okay. It's essential to acknowledge and accept our fluctuations.

Gratitude ❤️

Even though I struggle with the concept of gratitude, I'm grateful for:

- Lovely loved ones who support me

- Inspiring books, podcasts and videos that fill me with hope (listening to Mamamia Out Loud on Podbean and Kati Morton on YouTube)

- Opportunities for growth and learning

Exciting News! 🦋

Get ready for our upcoming podcast episode!

Season 5, Episode 7: "R U OK?" will be released this Sunday!

In this episode, we'll dive into mental health, self-care, and the importance of checking in with ourselves and others.

Listen to the latest episodes on our Podbean account: https://alwaysangelicaspiealice.podbean.com/e/s5e6wakeme-up-when-september-ends-%e2%80%a2-with-george%e2%80%a2-the-mentalhealth-%f0%9f%a9-pas-depauxnavigating-life-schallengeswithstrengthin-ad/

Subscribe to stay updated and join the conversation!

Wrapping Up 🫶

Remember, you are unique, special, and sparkly just the way you are. Hold onto hope, and know that you're not alone.

Stay lovely, and I'll catch you in the next post!

Kind regards, Susannah from Always Angelic Aspie Alice 🦋

[Credits: photo of sticker courtesy of Always Angelic Aspie Alice at Kensington, Sydney]

[primroseschools]

4 Things a Parent Can Do to Stay Connected with a Preschooler

As a parent, you may find yourself wishing that you could be more involved in your preschooler's life. But the world of children is broad, and as they get older, new settings are included within their world along with new experiences at Hingham daycare. How can you keep up as a parent in this time of change?

Here are four tips to help you make sure you stay a big part of the life of your preschooler:

Building a Regular Schedule

Children like security in their homes and schools. Establishing routines between a parent and the child can help increase their bond. You can establish routines like having breakfast together while listening to an educational podcast. Or you can do a math puzzle together. Or you can share some bedtime conversations about stories from the books and real life. These times spent together will become treasured memories in the future.

Talk About Important Things

Give your preschooler some time to have deep talks. Let your child ask questions, and make sure you ask them open-ended questions about the activities done in the day. Pay close attention to what they have to say. Express sincere curiosity in their stories, no matter how short or long it may seem. These deep talks can spark meaningful conversations between a child and a parent, improving their abilities to understand each other.

Join them on the Educational Path

Rockland MA preschool love it when parents are active participants in their educational curriculums. When at all possible, you should try to get involved in parent-teacher conferences and school functions. Many preschools offer websites where parents can see the latest updates about their child’s class, activities, and daily schedule. Track the progress, get involved in the daily activities, and take home questions of the day.

Talk About Playtime and Activities

Preschools in Hingham MA include play for the overall development of the body and the mind. Creativity, problem-solving abilities, and emotional control are all cultivated within the first 5 to 8 years of life. Playtime and activities are a great way to stay in touch and help your child grow. Play puzzles, games, or do crafts that they like. Playing in the park or taking nature walks together outside offers physical activity and socializing opportunities. Playing helps you to strengthen your bond and make happy memories.

Explore creative preschool programs for your child by visiting https://www.primroseschools.com/

Original Source: https://bit.ly/3VS343n

[olko71]

New Post has been published on All about business online

New Post has been published on https://yaroreviews.info/2024/01/royal-mail-could-deliver-on-three-days-regulator-says

Royal Mail could deliver on three days, regulator says

Getty Images

By Michael Race

Business reporter, BBC News

Royal Mail could reduce the number of days it delivers letters from six per week to five or even three, under proposals to reform the service.

A report from the regulator said the postal service was “getting out of date” and action needed to be taken.

Ofcom said another option would be extending the number of days it takes for most letters to be delivered.

Royal Mail said its current delivery network was “not sustainable” and that reform was “urgently needed”.

The company, which was split from the Post Office and privatised a decade ago, is legally obliged to deliver a one-price-goes-anywhere universal service, which means it has to deliver letters six days per week, Monday to Saturday, and parcels Monday to Friday.

In recent years, the volume of letters being posted has plummeted, with half the number being sent compared to 2011 levels, while parcel deliveries have become more popular – and more profitable.

Royal Mail’s performance has also deteriorated, with customers regularly not receiving letters about medical appointments and legal documents on time.

Dame Melanie Dawes, Ofcom’s chief executive, said the regulator was sharing options for reforming the service, putting them out for “national discussion”, with an update scheduled for the summer.

“Something’s got to give, or the service is going to be too costly, and either stamp prices will go up or it will become unsustainable,” she told BBC Breakfast.

‘Saturdays sacrosanct’

The government has said it does not support the idea of scrapping postal deliveries on Saturdays.

Kevin Hollinrake, the postal services minister, told the BBC Royal Mail needed to “up their game” and that the government was “happy to have a conversation” about reforms.

But he insisted that Saturday deliveries were “sacrosanct” and that a six-day service would remain.

On Wednesday the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, said the government was “absolutely committed” to ensuring the Royal Mail’s universal service obligations remained as they were.

Saturday post should stay, government says

Ofcom estimated the company could save between £100m and £200m a year if delivery days were cut to five per week, and between £400m and £650m if there were just three postal days.

However, reforming the postal service by cutting delivery days would require the government and parliament to change the current legislation.

Are you affected by the issues raised in this story? Get in touch.

Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803

Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay

Upload your pictures or video

Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

An alternative option would be to to reduce the speed of delivery for most letters to within three days. That would save £150 to £650m, Ofcom said, but the regulator said there would still need to be a next-day service available for any urgent letters.

Under Ofcom’s current rules, each year Royal Mail is required to deliver 93% of First Class post within one working day and 98.5% of Second Class within three working days, but in 2022/23 the company only delivered 73.7% of First Class and 90.7% of Second Class mail on time.

That has left many customers dissatisfied, among them Peter Rimmer, from Ormskirk, Lancashire, who told the BBC he already only seems to get post once a week.

The former communications director, 78, said his post arrives in a bundle from a different postie each time.

Last week a Christmas card arrived that had been posted on the 8 December with the correct address and first class stamp on it. “It’s not a regular service,” he said.

Peter Rimmer

Royal Mail has previously made clear it would like to shift from delivering six days a week to five, from Monday to Friday only. The business, which is owned by International Distribution Services plc, posted a £319m loss in the first half of the current financial year.

Martin Seidenberg, Royal Mail’s group chief executive, said a “lack of action” on reforms before, now meant the business faced a “much more serious situation”.

But the Communication Workers Union (CWU), which represent posties, said the union would not sign up to a three-day delivery service, claiming it would “destroy” Royal Mail and “impact thousands of jobs”.

‘No easy pass’

The UK was “not alone” in needing to reform its postal service, Ofcom said. It noted Sweden, Belgium, Norway and Denmark had either reduced delivery days or extended delivery times for letters in recent years.

But Dame Melanie said neither reducing delivery days nor extending delivery times would represent an “easy pass” for the company as it would still have to meet set delivery targets.

Ofcom said the company’s recent poor performance, which led it being fined £5.6m for missing its delivery targets, showed that people were not currently getting a reliable service. The regulator said its research showed people valued affordability and reliability the most when it came to letter postage.

Morgan Wild, interim director of policy at the charity Citizens Advice, said any changes to the universal postal service must prioritise consumers, “not Royal Mail’s bottom line”.

“We agree that improving reliability is essential,” he added. “Cutting services won’t automatically make letter deliveries more reliable, so we must see proposals to tackle the cause of Royal Mail’s persistent failings.”

Related Topics

Ofcom

Royal Mail

More on this story

Saturday post should stay, government says

2 days ago

Ending Saturday post among Ofcom Royal Mail options

3 days ago

[travelwithliliana]

About Me

Liliana, a vibrant and adventurous soul, has carved a niche for herself in the world of travel blogging. She explores the hidden gems of the world, sharing her unique insights and experiences with her readers.

Born with an insatiable wanderlust, Liliana's journey began at a young age when she started exploring her local surroundings. Her curiosity soon led her to venture beyond her hometown, and she found herself falling in love with the diverse cultures, landscapes, and cuisines that the world has to offer.

Liliana's writing style resonates with her readers because of its authenticity and vivid imagery. She doesn't just describe a place; she takes her readers on a journey, allowing them to feel the breeze, taste the local delicacies, and hear the bustling sounds of the markets. Her blog posts often include detailed itineraries, travel tips, and recommendations that cater to both seasoned travelers and those new to exploring.

Her association with Otels.online and AmericanHotels.co has been a fruitful collaboration. Otels.online, a platform that offers a wide range of accommodations, benefits from Liliana's in-depth reviews of various properties. She provides her readers with honest feedback, focusing on the ambiance, service, and unique features of the hotels she stays in. Her insights help travelers make informed decisions, ensuring a comfortable and memorable stay.

AmericanHotels.co, on the other hand, focuses on the hospitality industry in the United States. Liliana's contributions here are more specialized, highlighting the best that American hospitality has to offer. From luxury resorts to quaint bed-and-breakfasts, she covers a wide spectrum, offering readers a glimpse into the diverse options available across the country.

Liliana's work also emphasizes responsible and sustainable travel. She encourages her readers to be mindful of their impact on the environment and the communities they visit. Whether it's promoting eco-friendly accommodations or advocating for supporting local businesses, Liliana's voice is a strong one in the travel community, urging others to travel with a conscience.

Her social media presence complements her blogging efforts, providing a more interactive platform for her followers. Through Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, Liliana shares snippets of her travels, engages with her audience, and collaborates with fellow travel enthusiasts. Her followers appreciate her regular updates, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and the personal touch she adds to her online persona.

Awards and accolades have come Liliana's way, recognizing her contributions to the travel blogging industry. Her work has been featured in various travel magazines, and she often gets invited as a guest speaker at travel conferences and workshops.

In a world where travel blogging has become highly competitive, Liliana stands out with her genuine passion, in-depth knowledge, and commitment to her craft. Her exclusive association with Otels.online and AmericanHotels.co has not only enriched these platforms but also provided her readers with valuable content that inspires and guides them in their travel endeavors.

Liliana's blog is more than just a travel guide; it's a testament to her love for exploration and discovery. Her words inspire others to break free from their comfort zones and embark on journeys that enrich their lives. With every new destination she explores, Liliana continues to weave stories that captivate, educate, and motivate, solidifying her place as a prominent figure in the world of travel blogging.

[its-a-pandamonium-in-my-brain]

The Storm

so, a while back, i had to write some short stories for school. which obvi i wrote about my ocs. so anyway, here's the first one. (i have no idea how much of this is canon still but i thought id share it anyways :))

Warnings: Violence and Non-explicit references to past child abuse

“Up! Up! Up!” As usual, Lafayette stood in the doorway of the crew’s quarters, banging pots and pans together.

I groaned and sat up. I’d only been on The Guardian Angel for a month, and I already knew that the second Enia’s rays of light breached the dark blue of the night sky, the crew was supposed to be waking and readying themself for another day at sea.

“Ayra, Tytham wants to see you in the kitchen.” This was also a regular occurrence. I wasn’t supposed to be on this ship, but Captain Jalana was nice enough to agree that I could stay as long as I carried my own weight. Which, according to the first mate, meant I had to be up at dawn and help cook the day’s meals.

I watched as the rest of the crew got up off their bunks and get to work, counting each person as they went—Kieran, Tsarra, Liyana, Gilvyre, Bryce—and then I felt hands grab my ankles and pull me off the top hammock.

“Hello Ayra! Just wanted to make sure you’re awake!”

“Malo, leave Ayra alone and get onto the quarter-deck!”

Malo pats my knee, jumps up, and turns to walk to the door, “Goodness gracious, Lafayette, don’t you ever have fun?” He flicked Lafayette’s forehead.

“Can’t you ever do what you’re told?”

“Nope!”

Rolling their eyes and handing me the pans, Lafayette said, “Ayra, get going. I want to have breakfast in an hour.”

In the corner of my eye, I watched as Malo mocked Lafayette, then wink at me.

“Yes, Lafayette.” They nodded at me, then they turned and walked away.

I grabbed my viola case and my boots in one hand, and the two pans in the other as I made my way to the kitchen.

-+-

In the kitchen, Tytham and I worked together to prepare breakfast. Sibas, the tall half-orc, stopped in to pick up some bread and to update Tytham.

“How was your watch last night, Sibas?”

“Well enough. Saw some storm clouds on the eastern horizon. They’ll probably be on us tonight.”

“Wait. We have to sail through the storm?” That made me nervous. I was still finding my “sea-legs,” as Malo called them, and I often got sea-sick.

“What else are we going to do, Ayra? Wait like sitting ducks ‘till it’s over?”

“Well, no, but-”

“You’ll be okay, kid. You can stay in the crew’s quarters when the storm hits.” It felt strange that this 40-something year-olf half-orc was calling me “kid,” but I suppose in his eyes, I am. Elves reach adulthood around when they turn 100, and I was 88 years old.

“He’s right. I doubt Captain Jalana would want someone new to sailing on the main deck during a storm.”

I nodded but still unsure. Either way, the conversation moved onto a different topic, leaving me behind, lost in my thoughts.

-+-

Around 10 in the morning, Captain Jalana pulled me aside in her office.

“Ayra, I am sure you have heard the news by now.”

I laughed nervously, “What, that I am going to brave my first storm on the sea?”

She narrowed her eyes at me, “Yes, well, that’s part of it,” Captain Jalana took a key out of her pocket and unlocked a drawer, pulling a smooth, clay- colored pebble out from it. She placed it on the desk, where the side facing me had a glyph painted on it with white paint. “What do you think this is, Ayra?”

I picked up the stone and ran a finger along the glyph, “It’s a sending stone, Captain.”

“Good. I have heard news from the Lucent Throne,” My mother, Anitua Amastacia, holds the Lucent Throne and is one of the most influential people in the country of Sirion. If Captain Jalana had contact with her, I was sure that this boat would have turned right around and returned me to that awful woman. “Her child, Akira Ayra Amastacia, has run away from home. Do you know this person, Ayra?”

“Haven’t a clue, ma’am,” I stuttered. My eyes darted to the window behind Jalana. I thought I could probably get there and jump away, or I could run across the ship away from her.

Jalana sighed, “Ayra, I wanted you to know, that if you do know anything about this Akira person, I won’t pass along the information. I’ve heard stories of Lucent Amastacia, and none of them good ones. You are safe, Ayra. Both the crew and I trust you. We won’t send you back. Nor would they be mad at you for lying about who you really are.”

I looked up at the Captain, eyes wide. “Uh, thank you, Captain.” She nodded and put the sending stone back in the drawer.

“Your thanks is not needed, Akira, if that is what you wish to be called. That woman shouldn’t be a mother. Now, the winds have gotten stronger since Sibas was on watch. The storm will probably hit us around noon now. Unless you wish it, you can stay below decks until the storm has passed.”

“Thank you, Captain. I appreciate it.”

-+-

It was hard to tell, at first, whether I was dreaming, it was just the storm, or the ship was being attacked. I was hiding in my hammock, writing lyrics to How the World Began, a song for tutors to teach students about how Everania came to be, when I heard the faint sounds of metal against metal.

Startled, I sat up straighter and put down my notebook. “Hello?”

No response. I settled back down into my hammock when I heard a loud, inhuman screech.

“Hello? What’s going on up there?” I yelled as I fumbled to get out of the hammock. I doubted anyone could hear me, let alone responded, so even though it terrified me to do so, I stood up on shaky legs and made my way to the deck.

As I got closer, I could hear Malo, Jalana, Lafayette; I could hear the crew screaming out to each other. Some were in pain, others were orders, and others were pleas for help.

Just as I reached the door, Lafayette shoved it open.

“Can you fight?”“Uh, yes? Kind of?” But before I could finish speaking, Lafayette pulled me out into the rain.

“Then fight, unless you want us to sink,” and they ran down towards the gun deck.

-+-

Immediately, my eyes were drawn to two large claws off the starboard side. They were a sickly green color, with barnacles stuck to them. Clasped in one claw, was Malo, blood dripping down his forehead.

Drawing my eyes away from the monster, I ran to hide behind one of the pillars that supported the upper deck, running through the list of spells that I knew. I didn’t know any spells that could harm, and no way did I want to get up close and personal to that thing to attack it with my swords.

My swords! I left them down with my backpack. Fortunately, I put my boots on, so I do have my dagger…

I heard the boom of the cannons firing and that terrifying screech of the monster, watching in horror as it let go of Malo and he fell into the water.

I ran over to the starboard railing and lifted my viola to my chin, playing a couple of notes. The monster started to glow slightly with a dark red light. I turned my attention to the shifting waters below me, searching for Malo.

There, far off to the left, Malo was swimming towards the ladder. He was having trouble with the waves crashing against the ship, the giant monster, and from the gash in his forehead.

I glanced around, looking for rope when Captain Jalana came up behind me.

“Akira, here. We need to pull Malo back onto the ship before the chuul’s head breaches the surface,” I nodded, and together, we managed to pull Malo out.

“Wow, thankth Ayra, I didn’t know you were tho thtrong,” Malo slurred, trying to pat my forearm, but ended up patting the ship’s railing.

“Tytham! Malo needs healing!” Jalana yelled out as she helped me drag Malo far away from the edges.

“Oh, I can help with that,” I hummed gently, and Malo’s injuries heal a bit. Captain Jalana gave me a look of thanks and ran off to continue helping the rest of the crew.

After that, it was a blur. With the adrenaline pumping, I moved faster than I had ever moved before, helping Tytham heal the crew’s injuries. When we were out of spells, Tytham handed me some of his supplies from his medicine kit, and we continued.

It felt like days, running back and forth across the ship, staying out of the way of the chuul’s giant green claws. The worst part was when the head finally emerged. Its head was a slightly darker green than its claws, with massive, red tentacles that spilled out of its mouth that would paralyze anything it touched.

As I was quickly bandaging up one of Taulath’s injuries, the chuul managed to grab Captain Jalana in its claws.

Taulath, who was watching the chuul as I bandaged him up, tensed. “No!” He wrestled to get away from me, and me being much weaker than him, succeeded. He rushed to get to the claw that held Jalana, but it was too late; it lifted and grasped onto her with its tentacles. Everyone, including Malo who was delirious, rushed toward the chuul and attacked. Even the gunners, who couldn’t see what was happening, seemed to fire with a higher frequency. Together, we finished off the chuul.

Lafayette, who I thought I would never see willingly in the sea, jumped straight in when they realized that Jalana was still stuck in that monster’s mouth.

With the captain incapacitated, Lafayette took control, bringing us out of the storm in record time. They ordered anyone who had the spell, to take turns casting Control Water to help speed us along, and Tytham and I to work as quickly as possible to return Jalana to consciousness.

Around sunset, the poison that caused the paralysis on Captain Jalana wore off just as we managed to leave the storm.

Tytham and I spent most of our time in the battle with the chuul and healing the captain, so we couldn’t have made dinner. Fortunately, we still had lots of hardtack that we could hand out to the crew.

After dinner, it was Arenna’s turn for the night watch, so they climbed up the mast to the crow’s nest. The rest of us went back down to the crew’s quarters and went to bed.