#giving us all that relationship juiciness was a DELIGHT

[takaraphoenix]

I know once upon a time, you watched 9-1-1. Do you still keep up with it or did your interest in it die? I'm asking because I haven't seen you post or reblog anything about it recently but was curious if you've seen the news about it.

Due to the writer's strike, the break between seasons was so long, I decided to rewatch the last season first before starting the current season!

But yes, I'm still very much watching, I love that show. Rare for me to love canon pairings and I adore Bobby/Athena and Karen/Hen, so this show would have to fundamentally fuck up for me to drop it! (Still sad about Michael being written out, though I understand the IRL reasoning.)

I have seen the news about it though, or I think I know what you're referring to, at least, and I'm... already exhausted because the way I learned about it, of course, was by shippers treating this as Step One to getting their ship be canon. And I think that canon queer rep should be celebrated about being canon queer rep and not be used as stepping stones to get your non-canon ships canon. So that's, I don't know, disappointing behavior.

Can't attest to how well it was handled though because I haven't seen it yet. I hope it's actually handled. I hope there is actual... consideration. The character considering his sexuality, I mean. We so rarely get self-finding stories when it comes to queerness, too often we're just the side-characters who are already fully in their identity when they step onto our screen and considering that he has never shown any interest in men before, a retcon of "yeah no he's been bi all along" would be wild. Which, also, I hope that consideration of his sexuality leads to explicit labeling, something that's also too often hand-waved and you get to guess the sexuality by what partners a character is shown with.

So, yeah! Once I finish my rewatch, I'll get onto the current season and see how they handled it for myself and see if I like how they handled it. If I do, you can expect a delighted rant here. If I don't... well, I hope I do.

[redtsundere-writes]

Pillow | Cult Leader!Suguru Geto

cult leader!suguru geto x f!reader Sypnosis: suguru geto is your secret lover. Contents: Secret lover, i wrote this while listening lana del rey so yeah, that. Warnings: vaginal, raw, doggy, oral. Mdni. Minors Do Not Interact. +18 Word Count: 758 words. Author's Note: even tho my heart is owned by Sukuna (shame me i have an humiliation kink) this man makes me go ahasnhghsbdjs.

> Cult Leader!Suguru Geto was a busy man. Being the leader of a cult was not an easy task. Keeping a friendly mask on in front of his followers, preaching his message over and over again, ingesting curses to become more powerful, and leading a brainwashed crowd tired him every single week.

> Cult Leader!Suguru Geto could forget all about the cult once he came to your room every Sunday night. Geto had adopted you into his community when he first saw you tied up in that abandoned warehouse years ago. Your relationship had grown since then until you became his secret lover.

> Cult Leader!Suguru Geto knocked three times on your bedroom door. You quickly opened and he wrapped his arms around you in a tight hug. His hands lovingly ran around your waist to pull you closer to his warm and tall body. "I missed you" he whispered in your ear, an electric feeling ran down your spine. You hadn't gotten used to the idea that you meant everything to him.

> Cult Leader!Suguru Geto loved to lie on your bed while using your thighs as a pillow. He liked it when you braided his long jet black hair and placed kisses on his forehead. He loved to make you smile with funny comments. He felt like a naughty teenager breaking into his girlfriend’s room every Sunday night. 

> Cult Leader!Suguru Geto wanted to stay with you for the rest of his life, but he knew he had responsibilities to fulfill with his community. Luckily, you were always there to remind him that the next Sunday was always coming. You were the only thing that kept him “sane” enough during the exhausting week.

> Cult Leader!Suguru Geto kissed you passionately, his lips guiding yours to move in sync. Like every night, he wanted to make it clear how much he loved and desired you. His kisses traveled over your cheeks, your forehead, your neck and your shoulders being undressed little by little, causing your skin to feel the freshness of that night.

> Cult Leader!Suguru Geto moved towards you causing his body to gently push yours against the bed. His kisses traveled over your breasts, tummy, and down to your intimacy. Like Moses in the red sea, he opened you wide to taste the juices of your intimate secrets. He was a master at satisfying you, he knew every inch of your body and what left you trembling, begging for more.

> Cult Leader!Suguru Geto took his precious time licking and kissing your sweet folds while you let out soft moans, trying not to wake up the other members of the community. He always ate you as if he hadn't eaten all day, his desperation to taste you satisfied his lust.

> Cult Leader!Suguru Geto loves to fuck you hard and raw. He liked to lay you face down on the bed and hit you from behind so he could hold your hips firmly with his skillful arms signaling that your ass belonged to him. You loved it when he held you as if you were going to escape even though it was the last thing you wanted to do when his cock impacted all the way in you.

> Cult Leader!Suguru Geto moaned in delight at how good your tight, juicy pussy felt. He wanted to be with you forever, he wanted you to stay with him in the cult, he would do anything to keep you obedient. It didn't matter if he had to brainwash you, drug you or kill your family. He would do whatever it took to get his most beautiful follower to give him her soul and body.

> Cult Leader!Suguru Geto loves every part of your body. Your round tits, your greedy ass, your sensual curves and those lips his cock wants to dwell on for life. He was always rough when it was time for your mouth to suck his cock. Your teary eyes wanted him to stop but your lust begged him to continue dominating you. Suguru pushed your head all the way down so he could cum comfortably as he let out a satisfied moan from his lips while tilting his head back in pleasure.

> Cult Leader!Suguru Geto got dressed again to go back to his room while you watched him from the bed. "Stay the night," you requested. "You know the other girls will be jealous if they see I'm giving you special treatment. Think of your sisters," he explained as he did every Sunday. "Promise me you'll come back next Sunday" You begged along with a pout. He reached over to plant a simple but loving kiss on your soft lips. "You know I always come back" he promised you before walking out that door again. You really hated to see him go, but that’s how it should be.

Order your own fanfic!

Masterlist.

[mllekurtz]

shadowgast wip rec list part 4

(part 1 - part 2 - part 3 - part 3.5 - part 4 - part 4.5)

It's been a while since I've done a rec list of work-in-progress shadowgast fics, so here's a curated selection from my Subscriptions page (under a cut because there's a lot of 'em).

All of these works, listed in no particular order, are wips that have been updated recently or semi-recently, and have the only common denominator of being liked by yours truly. Feel free to reblog and add your recs (or better yet, make a rec list of your own! They're fun and make the day of everyone involved).

It goes without saying that these works are active wips at the moment of posting this list. Past lists may contain works that have been completed or abandoned since.

Lastly, a shoutout to @aeor-is-for-reccing and their weekly rec lists, which inspired me to put together a new one ♥ check them out for more recs!

zwiefacher (15/20 chapters, E, warnings: CNTW & Rape/Noncon) by VillainIHaveDoneThyMother/@villainihavedonethymotheronao3 - this fic juggles so many plates (t4t shadowgast, memory loss, extreme trauma, kidnapping, gaslighting, even more trauma, systemic racism, and lots of other fun things I'm forgetting) and does it incredibly well. Not a light reading, but if you want something substantial to sink your teeth in, I can't recommend this enough.

You Be You, And I’ll Be Busy (3/10 chapters, T, warnings: CNTW) by theprophetlemonade/@the-prophet-lemonade - top notch characterisation of both of them (but I'm especially in love with Essek's). The sexual, romantic and just plain tension are well executed, and while all the fics listed here are outstanding for their style and prose, this one is truly no exception.

Unfinished (5/? chapters, E, warnings: CNTW) by road_rhythm/@road-rhythm - read this with a notebook, some red string and a cork board. Roadie is so good at taking a premise and building a life-like, in-depth story around (under, over, beside, inside) it; both the prose and the content are sharp and unforgiving. And I know we're here for shadowgast, but this fic's Beau is the best.

Love Letters to Toss Into the Fire (10/? chapters, T, no warnings) by Anonymous - props to this fic not only for the excellent premise (Caleb and Essek secretly write letters to each other) but for keeping it up for so long while always making it interesting. The ciphers, spells, devices and tricks they use to send each other letters are always different, interesting and believable, and the relationship between the wizards grows in a delicate, emotional way.

The Chosen AU (18/? chapters, E, warnings: CNTW) by Anonymous - not a purely shadowgast fic since it starts as Verin/Essek, as in sibling incest, with Caleb joining their relationship later, so if that's not for you be warned (but honestly the relationship between the Thelyss brothers is wholesome and well-handled, so if you're on the fence because of that, you should definitely give this fic a try). When this fic goes dark, it goes dark; when it's lighthearted, it's deeply funny and sweet. Come for the blorbos, stay for the lovely OCs, the engaging subplots, the fleshed-out world-building, the very effective non-linear narrative and just an all-around riveting story that kept me glued to my kindle for a whole weekend as I was catching up with it.

all this, heaven never could describe (10/28 chapters, M, no warnings) by kaeda/@the-kaedageist - a sequel to the delightful More Things in Heaven and Earth, which you should definitely read (to understand this fic but also because, as I said, it's a joy to read), it follows the adventures of Alternate!Bren and Essek as they try to put their own version of the Mighty Nein together. The shadowgast dynamic in this one is juicy and fun and unlike anything you've ever read: they're competitive, they sleep together, they annoy each other, they're so obviously in love.

if you must live, darling one (3/11 chapters, M, no warnings) by essektheylyss (midnightindigo)/@essektheylyss - Megs is one of the (many!) writers in this fandom who are really good at conveying demisexual feelings in a way that's believable both for Essek's character and the demi audience, at least in my experience. This fic is very interesting in that regard.

Kintsugi (15/? chapters, M, warnings: Major Character Death) by Chekhov/@thechekhov - first of all, the major character death is temporary and integral to the foundational concept of the fic, which is brilliant; yes, there is a lot of heartache in this one, but the payoff is entirely worth it. You'll find Chekhov's trademark brilliant, clever, polished style in a story that doesn't pull any punches and will make you cry and crave for more after each update.

the fugitive's version of shelter (5/6 chapters, E, no warnings) by hanap/@callingvoicemail - the latest instalment in the here is a world where you love your executioner series, which is partly a retelling of the second half of campaign 2, partly set post-canon, with the variable of Essek being pregnant with Ludinus' child. The whole series is recommended, as well as necessary reading to appreciate this one; it's an original take on a will-they/won't-they dynamic that makes for some deliciously complicated shadowgast.

Hold Me Close, Cut Me Deep (1/4 chapters, M, no warnings) by CatgirlTheCrazy/@catgirlthecrazy - this fic is effectively summarised as "Essek has his own light 'em up, pretty moment." Do I need to say anything else?

presque vu (13/?, T, no warnings) by element78 - (also known as the fic that kept me sane while I was in work hell last summer) Caleb suffers from memory loss for mysterious reasons and doesn't remember being friends with the Nein or being in a relationship with Essek; the fic starts with an amnesiac Bren waking up and then proceeds with a slow, painstaking rebuilding of trust and relationships. The memory loss plot device coupled with Bren/Caleb's pov is great for narrative irony, the shadowgast dynamic is heart-rending, and everyone cares about each other so much (well, maybe not Kingsley, but he has his reasons).

The Devil's Hands are Idle Playthings (8/?, M, warnings: CNTW) by Sethrial/@rockshitty - I always love a good modern AU, and this is an excellent one with a supernatural twist. Seth is really good at including heavy plot points with the right dose of dark humour, and at writing realistic banter (the chats between Caleb's colleagues are a highlight). Being the demon that haunts night-shift worker Caleb, Molly features heavily in this fic, and he's an obnoxious, mephistophelian delight.

[ryuichirou]

Replies

A couple of replies! Starting with the one related to our Jamil art from yesterday hehehe.

Anonymous asked:

Scarabia n.1 boyfailure! You made him look so cool!!!!!!! I tend to rag on this design quite a bit, but I think Jamil's OB has become my favorite exactly because to me it's almost equally ridiculous and awesome. With the kind of life he has, he deserves to act a bit silly (violently attacking people).

Also I can't stop thinking about the jp fandom calling his outfit "ecchi". Honestly, I really can't blame them... I like the legs...

Yessss him!!! Thank you so much, Anon ❤️ Ah Jamil and his silly emotional self… laughing maniacally kicking people around lol

He really is ecchi, the legs are amazing. While it took us 4 days to finish this one and I’m very satisfied with it, a part of me wishes we drew his legs too, they are absolutely criminal.

Overblots are such a delight and a pain to draw at the same time. I’m very happy we finished Jamil… it’s been a year since our last OB boy…

irregardlessly-tish asked:

The headcanon about Ortho and Mira got me thinking about Ortho being rivals with a house Alexa and similar things. Ortho hating on commercial use AIs being all grumpy "you're giving the rest of us a bad name! >:["

(this is related to this post)

Omg YES Ortho and his surprisingly serious beef with all these AIs!! He is MUCH BETTER THAN ANY OF THEM, right? >:( !!!!

Anonymous asked:

So I saw that in a past ask that only two guys in Idia’s shippings is actually interested in becoming serious with him. How does Lilia see him then? As a friend with benefits? And is Idia aware of this or does he think they could become an actual thing?

The thing is, I don’t think Lilia is interested in having actual committed relationship with anyone at this point. I don’t know if he ever did (well, with one particular exception in his youth), but now he pretty much lives in the moment and enjoys human connections that happen to him right here and right now. Idia is pretty young, so Lilia wouldn’t want him to get too attached. While Idia isn’t a fae and his lifespan is much shorter than Lilia’s, Lilia is pretty old and yeeeeaah actually dating him would be rather cruel. I also think that Lilia probably considers himself not really... worthy of such a dedication? Idia is young and is going to change someone for serious relationships, and Lilia doesn’t see himself as someone who Idia would actually be in love with. Lilia doesn’t know how much he means to people around him, and Idia is no exception. So this approach would actually hurt Idia more in the end.

But another thing is, Lilia also hates having these conversations, so he isn’t going to have one lol To him he’s just having fun with Idia as long as it’s fun for them to be around each other. And since Idia is pretty young, Lilia also naively believes that whenever they stop spending time together, Idia will get over it. So yeah in a way he is still being cruel, albeit unintentionally.

Idia doesn’t know what their relationship is. He is a pessimist, and he just knows that something is unavoidably going to go wrong at some point, but he is also in love and really doesn’t want it to end. He probably tries not to overthink it to avoid getting too hurt and disappointed, but deep inside he would love to spend time with Lilia forever.

This reply ended up being not so funny, I’m sorry—

Anonymous asked:

Say, a quick question about fem Kalim, since she is the heiress of her family, would she be subjected to the same marriage law as Princess Jasmine where she has to marry by the time she turns eighteen?

Huh! 🤔 Good question, I haven’t thought about it.

It’s a bit tricky because the Asims aren’t really royalty + Jasmine was the only daughter and Kalim has 30+ siblings…  but for the sake of some juicy drama it could still be the case (being forced to marry during your 3rd year of college, yikes).

I guess it’ll depend on the scenario we’re going to go for any specific post or comic.

Anonymous asked:

hey saw you're getting into Treyvil! I read a really adorable fic on AO3 called Adequately Inadequate. I think the author was something like FabFoxFics or something like that.

Thank you for your recommendation, Anon! ❤️

While I don’t really read fanfics, I’ll still post it in case anyone is interested. Maybe I’ll check it out too…

[be-the-glenn-to-my-maggie]

Longass Crop Circles Notes (for Lately, I've Been Thinking and I Don't Think I've Changed Chapter One

Finally delivered to @spicymiilk our king. My apologies that these longass notes are not as detailed as last time. I shall endeavor to get more detailed as I read more of the fic. I will post my rage thoughts on chapter eight of for the nights and days of life by @mochalottie tomorrow though, and that shit will be novel length. Anyways:

Lately, I've Been Thinking:

-Me when Andrei says Spider will have a bad time: but does he ever have a good time for you??

-NORM CONTENT. *airhorn blares*

-I gotta love the tragic Shameless vibes you bring into my Spider fics, man. 

-Retweet, Spider, we all hate men. We are all scared of men. 

-Rip Paz, the fandom tries to tell me you weren’t a bitch but I don’t buy it. You totally were. Justice for Trudy, who was way cooler.

-Wait, did Spider do drugs too? The needles are around his bed? Or did he steal his moms bed?

-Lol, Paz is in and out, there is SO MUCH Shameless in this story. You can't hide from me, bastard.

-YESS, THE FAST FOOD AU. 

-Also, Andrei, what is it about beating the natural joy and zest for life out of Spider that gets u off?

-Neteyam will lOVE fixing this guy tho. Spider is his wet dream at this point. 

-I actually know a kid in my grade who was placed with one of my family friends when he was seventeen, he is fantastic. He’s the oldest of like, seven kids and the littlest ones go to the elementary school I work at now. My mom works there too and she always says you can tell when this kid is home because the little ones are showered and on time, and he takes them to get haircuts and stuff. He used to walk 45 minutes to work every day. He’s a great guy but he doesn’t stay. He doesn’t let them drag him down. :/

-Spider, on the brink of death, unloved and abused and neglected, dirty and with one single tangle of hair: hi

Neteyam: that is my soulmate. 

I Don't Think I've Changed Chapter One:

-WHATS YOUR DAMAGE THE FIC? That’s the one line I quote more from any other type of media. Every day I go “WHAT IS YOUR CHILDHOOD TRAUMA??” 

-N E T E Y A M VS SELF ESTEEM. MAN MANAGES TO HATE HIMSELF EVEN IN THE FACE OF SPIDER. 

-Also the fear I felt when I saw Miles and Norm are best friends actually, I’m comforting myself like “no no, he meant Spider it’s okay.”

-The hilarity of getting rid of Lo’ak and Kiri who are the canonically closest to Spider and leaving us with Tuk and Neteyam and Jeytiri. That excited me lITERALLY SO MUCH. The fast food au did start with only Tuk and Neteyam, and that’s juicy. We are forced to develop and explore relationships that are underdeveloped in canon and are harder to justify as instant sparks. You took away his natural in canon support systems so he has to learn to develop even faster with the other Sully's and that is a banger idea.

-W H E E L C H A I R J A K E. God I love wheelchair Jake aus, I love making them positive because I don’t like the way the first movie just fixed his disability. Give me Jake Sully being a positive disabled male father figure in his kids lives, just as present and happy and in love with his wife while paralyzed then he would be with mobility. What creative stuff has changed in their lives to accomidate? I need to know.

-Delighted by this Neytiri pov, my god. I feel like less people than I need in my life just let Neytiri have no bad blood at all with Spider in modern aus. She would be all over a neglected child.

-GET THE STICKY TOYS, thats so cute. And useful, I need him to get the magnets some kids got stuck to the ceiling in the gym at my work.

-Tuk is already bullying Neteyam about liking Spider and he isn’t even there yet. I’m lOVING the little bits of the fast food au I spot. She is going to be a menace. And clearly Neteyam is a lovesick clown.

-He is indeed about to get the shit loved out of him, and that is what every Spider Sully writer says before writing their fic. 

-WHAT DID THE MCCOSKERS DO SPIDER, NORM SHOULD KNOW, THEN HE WON’T PLACE OTHER KIDS WITH THEM BUDDY.

-Love the descriptions of how Spider feels when Norm’s body relaxes, just noting the way he backs off. So specific and accurate to any abused child. That tension and hypersensitivity to anyone's emotions, even people you implicitly trust, like never goes away.

-Norm thinking someone didn’t let Spider pee in the bathroom is so tragic and funny I feel bad for laughing. 

-Spider: heart palpitations upon seeing Neteyam

Spider: NORM YOU DIDN’T TELL ME YOU WERE WINGMANNING ME?

I am picturing Norm and Tuk in the back of a Burger King setting up an elaborate plan while Neteyam sighs and watches Spider from a booth while writing Neteyam Socorro on all of his notebooks.

-i am cACKLING. You’ve never seen rizz as strong or as intense as “MILES??” and “WHOS THAT? WHAT’S SCHOOL, I DON’T KNWO WHAT THAT IS?” Their dumb clown asses belong together.

-In all seriousness though, I can't imagine how humiliating it would feel to Spider to know some random acquaintance at school was now privy to all your personal problems and business.

-I want to know how often Neteyam frequents the local Burger King. He's probably so embarrassed at how ready he was to big brother this kid. He's gonna be like "looking hot today, uh, I mean, did you need help with your homework champ???"

-This is now like To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, Neteyam can call Kiri and Lo’ak on the phone and gossip about boy problems

-JAKE INTRODUCING HIMSELF AS A MILITARY MAN TO EVERY CHILD THAT GETS BROUGHT INTO THEIR HOUSE, NO ONE VETOED THAT SHIT?? Kiri hasn't been like "sTOP TELLING EVERYONE YOU LOVE THE MILITARY, YOU ARE EMBARASSING US."

-Also wow does Norm not know Spider’s dad was former military and he way not vibe with that at all?

-The way that Neteyam is still stalking Spider at McDonalds Or Burger King we can’t be sure. The mention of both places has sent me to space because it makes it seem like Spider used to work at McDonalds and then switched to Burger King and deeply obsessed stalker Neteyam Sully switched establishments to frequent.

-Spider’s fear of Tuk is hilarious and deeply sad, that is your bestie. 

-I LOVE love the idea of Kiri and Neteyam watching video essays. I love video essays, I wish my brothers did gOD. Also love a late night owl Neteyam head canon.

-Spider really is a wet rat. Have you ever actually seen a wet rat? The saying is so accurate. Kid was fed properly for the first time in years and then it killed him. Love kills Spider at first, as we have learned from all Spider Sully fics. He's like a dog eating chocolate, it's good, but at what cost.

[nellie-elizabeth]

Grey's Anatomy: Walk on the Ocean (20x03)

Man, lotsa juicy drama in this one.

Cons:

I thought Winston having a subplot about giving up on his marriage with Maggie was a little weird and unnecessary. I legit hadn't realized we were supposed to think they were still trying to work on their relationship. Maggie left him and Winston seemed pretty firm on what that meant. Or am I misremembering?

The main catastrophe of this episode features a man who gets extravagantly injured trying to imitate the jet-setting adventurous behavior of his wife's ex-husband, in order to prove to himself and to her that he's cool enough. I felt like thematically this was kind of basic and didn't really connect to the characters as much as I wanted, and then the poor wife at the end when she shows up and learns that her husband is dead... she wasn't the strongest actor, unfortunately. The crying needed some work.

Pros:

I kind of love the Teddy and Meredith scenes because Teddy and Meredith aren't like... good close best friend family forever? They're just two people who have known each other and have people in common, and I felt like the actors brought that energy in a way that was refreshing. They're colleagues, and yet there's also that deeper level of camaraderie there. When Catherine shows up, Teddy covers for Meredith and then gets brought into the secret of the research Meredith and Amelia are doing. Looks like Teddy is going to be able to move some discretionary funds their way, so that's exciting stuff!

I'm loving Levi getting some screentime, especially because it also highlighted his friendship with Jo! That really is one of my favorite relationships on the show these days, and we truly don't see enough of it. I gotta say, Nico really behaves like a jerk for not telling his partner that Levi is his ex, but at the same time, I think Jo is right: Levi's hurt feelings aren't about having feelings for Nico, it's about seeing his ex move on and take these big steps in his life. Their conversation at the end was great, it had that difficult bittersweet intimacy of exes who used to know each other really well. Nico is able to tell the story of how they're having a kid, and they can joke around a bit, showing how well they still know each other. Two moments I really loved was Levi knowing how big a deal it would be for Nico to leave the pizza behind, and Nico's soft reaction of delight in learning that Schmitt is Chief Resident. Also... the "Levon" thing made me laugh. We need more Levi subplots please! Find him some love!

And then let's turn to the various intern plots.

I really liked Blue's story again this week, he's still shaping up to be a fave. This new surgeon lady looks like she might be a great mentor for him, and also maybe an enemies-to-lovers situation for Amelia? Jury's out on that, but I would not be mad about it, tbh. But I love that Blue needs to keep getting that lesson reinforced about his demeanor with the patients. He knows his stuff medically, but he also needs to listen. Working in pediatrics really makes the case for how these things all blend together. It was the young patient's mother who noticed something off and decided to take her daughter in, thus saving her life!

And then, Yasuda vs. Lucas... dang, Adams, I was rooting for you! Just last week, I was saying that his anger with Simone was totally justified and I got why he was being such a grump, but this week, he really crossed a line for me. I thought the moment when he failed to say something to Bailey was interesting, that felt like the kind of believable dick move that someone makes in the moment and then it's too late to change it, but for him to dig his heels in later with Yasuda, after being an asshole and leaving her on her own all day? Wow, seriously not the thing. I was totally on Yasuda's side and was annoyed at Simone for daring to accuse Yasuda of not trying to move on. She's the one who has been playing nice and trying to be everyone's friend! Yeesh!!

And then we see that Lucas has moved out of the house. I have a feeling we're going to have to deal with a certain threshold of moping Adams as we work out the issues going on here. I hope Yasuda just lives her best life and crushes it and doesn't let Lucas's nonsense slow her down. Or Simone's either, honestly. (As a side note, loving Simone's hair in this ep, she looked fantastic.)

I think I'll stop there - lots of moving pieces, most of them compelling enough to keep my interest. Loving the opportunity for more Levi, more of the interns, less Owen/Teddy, less Jo/Link... for those reasons, this episode is a win for me!

9/10

[michaelespositolarosa]

Michael Esposito Larosa: A Culinary Journey with La Rosa Chicken and Grill

La Rosa Chicken and Grill is a hidden gem associated with culinary arts. It has won over the palates and hearts of both locals and tourists alike. It is located in the centre of Staten Island. Michael Esposito Larosa is the head of this cherished establishment. A visionary businessman with a love for cooking delectable and healthful meals that unite people. Come along on a gastronomic adventure with us as we uncover the history of La Rosa and the guy who made it all possible.

A Visionary Entrepreneur

Michael Esposito Larosa's culinary career began with the aim of giving the neighbourhood fresh, delectable food. It was to be prepared with love and care. Larosa set out to create a dining experience. One that would both excite the senses and nourish the spirit. Drawing on his Italian roots and a great love for high-quality products. Thus, La Rosa Chicken and Grill was formed. Demonstrating Larosa's dedication to excellence and creativity.

Crafting Culinary Masterpieces

The commitment of La Rosa Chicken and Grill is to achieve the highest possible standards in the culinary arts. It is shown in the meticulous and enthusiastic preparation of each and every dish. Every bite is a symphony of flavours that leaves diners wanting more. From the iconic rotisserie chicken, marinated to perfection and grilled to juicy perfection, to the delectable sides and salads. All crafted from the finest ingredients, every bite is a meal that leaves customers wanting more. Every single person will be able to find something that they want to eat at La Rosa because the restaurant's menu features a wide variety of selections.

A Commitment to Quality

One of the most important aspects of Larosa's concept is its unwavering dedication to excellence. Every facet is imbued with a commitment to excellence, from the procurement of products from regional farmers and suppliers to the employment of professional chefs who take great delight in their trade. This meticulous attention to detail is what sets La Rosa apart from other restaurants, and it has earned the establishment a devoted following of discerning customers who recognize the difference that quality can make.

Community Connection

Michael Esposito Larosa and the rest of the crew at La Rosa are extremely devoted to giving back to the community. This commitment extends beyond the company's commitment to producing wonderful meals. Be it through the sponsorship of local events, the donation of meals to those who are in need, or participation in philanthropic activities; La Rosa is continuously working toward the goal of having a positive influence on the lives of others. When it comes to Larosa, community engagement is not only about business. It is about cultivating genuine relationships and a sense of belonging in the community.

A Legacy of Flavor As Michael Esposito Larosa continues, there is no doubt that his legacy of flavour and creativity will continue to live on. As Larosa has grown from its humble beginnings to become a beloved institution in the culinary scene of Staten Island, the neighbourhood has been left with an indelible impression as a result of the restaurant's commitment to offering excellent and healthy food.

[sleepsonfutons]

Trope Game

Oooh thanks for the tag @mentallyinvernation!

Gonna go on and do this before it falls out of my squirrel brain lol. I'll go in for most any fic regardless of trope if it sounds interesting and fits the mood I'm in honestly, but I reckon there are some I prefer over others 🤔

Rules: How much do these tropes affect your decision to click on a fic?

-10 -> very dissuaded

0 - don't care either way

+10 -> very enticed

nope -> if it's a hard no and you'd never click on a fic with that tag or or you even have the tag blocked or you'd insta click out of the fic if it wasn't tagged

Bonus points for explaining the rating and whether it's conditional.

Age gap: +2-3

Depends on the fic, but I've gotten sold on it in the Dreamling and Witcher fandoms by nature of the canonical ages of characters. In human au's though, if it ever involves an age gap with a minor that's a straight-up nope for me

Codependency: 0

It's not gonna turn me off from a fic cuz I don't mind a lil bit of that seasoning in my fic but I've got personal history with those dynamics so gotta be in the right mood for it and not gonna go looking for it

Obsession/Possessiveness, jealousy: +50

BRUH in my fic I am pure *grabby hands* for this shit!! They can't get enough of each other? Brilliant. They'll never give up looking/waiting for the other? Ded! You dare look at/come onto their partner?! Perfection!

Opposites (grumpy/sunshine etc): +♾️

something something opposites attract something! Legit, the whole world looking at them like "these two shouldn't go together" but they make each other the absolute happiest?!

Better bring a mop and bucket cuz I'm a fucking puddle on the floor 

Enemies to lovers, Enemies with benefits: +1000

Peak, superb, amazing! No notes

Friends with benefits: +3

Nothing I seek out pointedly, but pair this up with Fake dating/relationship and +100 Delicious!

Sex to feelings: -2

It's fine, I won't NOT read something with this trope but it can take me out of the story a bit cuz it usually reads contrived to me/hits like 'fake news'. Heyo cynicism 😅

BUT if there's legit ANY kind of pre-sex tension between them and it's not just like "cold"/"random"/"no reason" sex to feelings, that's a solid +5. The sex just acts as the cincher to the awakening

Fake dating/relationship: +100

*shoves this trope into my mouth* bruh, like bruhhh! guhhhh some much juicy angst potential I legit can not get enough of!! especially when paired with some other choice tropes? An absolute delight~

Friends to lovers: +5

Depends on the friendship dynamic but usually solid stuff.

Found Family: +10

Finding your people is always a good time

Hurt/Comfort: +10000000

BEAUTIFUL AGONY! Bitter before the sweet! I will never get tired of this shiz

Love Triangle: 0

Not gonna seek it out, not gonna write it off, but to gotta echo @mentallyinvernation on this one:

However, if it's a love triangle that turns poly, I fucking love that shit. Especially if they're all being idiots about it.

Gonna be a solid +10 from me then~

Poly, open relationships: +20

Alright so, amongst others, We Meet Again by round_robin (Witcher) and Beautiful, Strange, and New by @moorishflower (Dreamling) absolutely solidified my undying LOVE of this trope! Just hngggggggg so much love to go around~

Mistaken/hidden identity: +8

Bring on the intrigue!! Def can depend on the setting and context, but usually I'm fully here for this one

Monsterfucking: +♾️

Honestly have yet to come across one of these that I've not been here for

Pregnancy: 0/nope.

SOOOO this one is like playing russian roulette for me on if it hits squick, trigger, or oh yeah...

Give me Improbable Reality (aka can-only-happen-in-fiction, omegaverse, metaphysical/dream) MLM pregnancy as a trope? We're good! Anything remotely close to probable reality? nope nope nope, especially transmasc pregnancy or anything using the w-word that rhymes with "tomb" >.< brains are great >.<

BUT mysterious/magical/accidental baby acquisition can be a hella entertaining trope

Second Chance: +5

I do love me a solid redemption arc

Slowburn: +1000

AHAHAHA MAKE ME SUFFER THE WAIT!!! all that building anticipation and tension? yeah, that's that good stuff

Soulmates: +10

Ooof yes I am a sucker for soulmate au's BUT not all of them are it for me. I'll def be inclined to give a fic a lookie see though if it has this tag~

Hmmmm who to no-pressure tag... @spockandthings @thranduilland @phinofthestorm @beauty-of-nyx @serenailith @lostelfwriting @arialerendeair @landwriter @delta-pavonis @aquabluejay @amielot @teejaystumbles @moorishflower

[lindsaywesker]

Good morning! I hope you slept well and feel rested? Currently sitting at my desk, in my study, attired only in my blue towelling robe, enjoying my first cuppa of the day. Happy Hump Day!

I was listening to last week’s ‘A-Z Of Mi-Soul Music’ (and what a damn fine show it is) and I was listening closely to the lyrics of ‘Don’t Go Messing With My Heart’. It reminded me of this insightful thing that Bob Marley once said. He wasn’t just one of the greatest songwriters of all-time, he was also a very empathetic man. Marley once said, “The biggest coward of a man is to awaken the love of a woman without the intention of loving her.” Those words have always stuck with me. Cowards start something and, once the woman starts ‘catching feelings’, the coward backs away. In my past, I admit, I guess I’ve messed with women’s hearts, and I’ve certainly had my heart trampled on a few times! Listen, women can be clumsy and careless too! Why do we do this? Some people don’t give a damn, of course. Men, in particular, will say absolutely ANYTHING to get a woman into bed. Men will literally promise a future just to get their end away. A future! Men will literally lie about wanting a relationship and marriage and kids JUST to get inside a woman’s drawers! And this always brings me back to the words of another very wise person, legendary madam, Cynthia Payne. Ms. Payne suggested that men are a lot more considered and coherent once they’ve “de-spunked”. Until that physical reaction has occurred, men are just talking – not to put too fine a point on it – shit!

I don’t wish to put you off your breakfast but, amazingly, people use wet wipes and just flush them straight down the toilet. As you know, some people pour hot cooking oil straight down the sink. So, as you can imagine, this delightful combination of waste matter, wet wipes, food and cooking oil congeals together to make this ultra thick, ultra juicy ‘fatberg’ down in the sewer. Someone then has the unpleasant task of breaking down these blockages into smaller pieces, so they can float away into the sea (and we can swim in them!) What a great job! No, people, wet wipes don’t dissolve!

How very kind of City News to post a free ‘Special Coronation Edition’ through my letterbox! I’m supposed to get excited about a man that had an affair with his wife’s friend, failed to protect his wife from a paparazzi that ultimately hounded her and hunted her down until she was dead, paid no inheritance tax on his mum’s billions (in a time of hardship for many), and installed his mistress as the new queen. Even if he didn’t love Diana, Charles should have tried every member of the paparazzi (and their editors) for treason, protected his wife, and then at least William and Harry would still have a mother! No, I won’t be celebrating the coronation. This free newspaper will line my dustbin!

I adore chocolate and I know a bargain when I see one! My local Tesco is selling-off £4.00 chocolate Easter eggs for £1.00. That deal is too good to resist. My family are NOT impressed, though I suspect they pretend to be appalled at my greed. Thankfully, I have managed to convince that it is NOT me buying the chocolate eggs but that they are breeding in our dining room while we sleep!

Want to know what it’s like in my house? At lunch time, I said to The Trouble, “What do you want in your sandwich? Bacon or egg!” “BOTH!” she said. And, that’s what it’s like in our house! Just call me Cinderella! So, I grilled the bacon, scrambled the eggs and she had both! “I’m so lucky!” she said, as she chomped into her sarnie. Happy wife, happy life, innit?

Have a wonderful and well-endowed Wednesday. I love you all. Yes, a crazy, bald man loves and cares about you.

[pleasantanathema]

Pleasant’s Writer Recs!

I’ve gotten a few asks in my inbox over the past few weeks asking me for writer recs, so I thought the best way to do this was to compile a list of my fav authors on tumblr and rec my favorite fic of theirs! A lot of these amazing authors are moots—I’m very lucky to call many of them close friends. This list could be much longer, and I could go on for days about every single author, but I’ll try to keep it brief. Most all of these authors, like myself, write 18+ only content. Hopefully this can be a useful tool for authors and readers alike looking for amazing fanfic 💕

@bakatenshii | Angel is so phenomenal with her writing that I almost can’t put her style and amazing ability into words (but I’ll try). Angel’s work is beautiful, masterful, full of poetry, elegance, and smut that will all leave you gasping. Fav Fic: Blitz [Ushijima x Reader]

@blahkugo | Sunnt, Thunnth, Sunny, whatever you call her, she is brilliant. No one writes Tsukishima quite like she does. She is beyond creative and her writing style flows like the sexiest water, it’ll make you thirsty and quench your aches. Fav Fic: Tower [Tsukishima x Reader]

@deathcab4daddy | Tay is all about details, details, details. She fills in every gap and paints gorgeous, sexy pictures and situations for the reader to feel immersed in. Fav Fic: Cerulean Blue [Akaashi x Reader]

@dymphnasprose | Dymphna is all about fun, sex, and slowly filling out her holy bible of smut. She’s amazing at creating realistic sub/dom relationships and her smut almost always comes with a healthy dose of build-up. Fav Fic: Green Scrunchies [Ukai x Reader]

@enjifuckersupreme | Ketsl reigns supreme over pure, unadulterated porn. They are phenomenal at making me the reader wet, and every fic is crafted with so much care. Enji fuckers should bow down at their feet, no one loves and writes Enji like Ketsl. Fav Fic: Attitude Adjustment [Enji x Reader]

@hisoknen | Raph is one of the first dark blogs I ever started reading, and she never, ever disappoints. She writes pieces that chill you to the bone, but warms your sex- her writing is casual, smooth, and realistic, always giving you everything you need, but leaving you wanting a little more. Fav Fic: Sleeping Beauty [Dabi x Reader]

@hoe-doroki | Ana is one of the sweetest writers I know. Every time I talk to her, she’s working on comfort requests or beta-reading for other people. Her writing is such a pleasure to read, as you can tell she pours love and consideration into every fic for her readers. Fav Fic: Can’t Find My Breath [Bakugou x Reader]

@joyousandverywarlike | Zo...holy fucking shit. Zo is a writer who consistently blows me out of the water with her skill. This woman is a novelist blessing us with juicy, rich smut and love stories like no one else can. She is incredibly poetic and her writing is an absolute joy to read; she also writes amazing fics for black readers and has an amazing voice that she uses for asmr audios! Fav Fic: How We Met [Ushijima x Reader]

@lemonlordleah-shinzawa-kitten | Leah is an author who takes immense care with her work. She works incredibly hard to craft sexy, healthy bdsm fics for bnha. She is a great blog to go to for bdsm education, and she’s also got a side blog @lemonlordleah-extra-sour for all you extra naughty readers who like the darker side of fanfic. You should also check out her Patreon! Fav Fic: Between the Evergreen [Aizawa x Reader]

@linestrider | Nyki’s work is like smooth water, it’s calming, refreshing, but she also adds a nice, chill bite to it as well with her darker style. Nyki puts such an impressive amount of care into her work; a word is never out of place, every sentence has meaning, every paragraph gives you something new. It was very hard to choose just one fic to recommend. Fav Fic: What’s Said is Said [Hawks x Reader]

@lookslikeleese | Leese is one of the most fun writers on Tumblr, and by that I mean you just have a shitload of fun reading her fics. They are like little, sexy treats to take in right before bed and feel a little more full than you were before. She is also the Cucking Queen. Fav Fic: Cola [Enji x Reader] 

@messwriting | Lee is also another fun writer! Her writing is exhilarating to read, and you’d never guess she’s a sexy Brazilian whose second language is English based on how well she writes. She’s a little sex goddess who will give you everything you want and more in every fic. Fav Fic: What We Could’ve Been [Tsukishima x Reader]

@mindninjax | Marquie is a full on sweetie with a sexy side. She. Is. So. Creative. Every fic of hers is so unique and her masterlist is a whole reading experience. She writes Bakugou Katsuki so damn well, she’s a master at characterization, even in au’s. She also writes beautiful fics for black readers. Fav Fic: Bound to You [Bakugou x Reader]

@nekokoafanfictions | I first found Ai on Ao3, and then was fortunate enough to come across their blog here on Tumblr! I’ve said this before in previous rec lists, and I’ll say it again, I still read their fics some nights to fall asleep to, they are just that good, every fic will have you coming back at some point to read it again. Fav Fic: City Lights [Enji x Reader]

@present-mel | The. Queen. Of. Dialogue. Mel is a master at making her fanfic feel real, gritty, sexy, and beautiful all at the same time. This woman pours her heart and soul into fanfic, especially into her Erwin series Fragments of Memories. I was so captivated by her work that I just had to become her friend, her work is enchanting and thrilling. Fav Fic: Until the Fire Played [Enji x Reader]

@rat-suki | Annie makes me horny. Like, real horny. Her smut is fantastic and are often little thrill rides within themselves. Fuck rollercoasters, just go to Annie’s masterlist to find a joy ride. Fav Fic: Hell Fire [Enji x Reader]

@rivendell101 | I’m such a big fan of Alisha, that I sent her a request months ago before we even became friends. This author knows how to craft a story, her work is very meticulous with details and her plots are always so spot on. Fav Fic: Sweet Thing [Natsuo x Reader]

@smutbardpeach | Smutbard is the most accurate title for Peach, as her fics read like poetry and song, filled with beautiful language, imagery, and allusions to the brim. If you’re ever looking for something romantic, sensual, delightful, and just overall magnificent to read, this is the blog to go to. Peach’s work is like reading poetry and classics right off the shelf. Fav Fic: Truth in Wine [Hizashi x Reader]

@spicyness | Are you thirsty? Do you like fun, sexy headcanons? Ness is the author for you. Ness is so, so fun and sweet, and is active with her followers and is always posting something new and creative for us to nibble at. Her blog is full of fun thirsts and she’s always a joy to see pop-up on my dash. Fav Fic: Pride [Bakugou x Reader]

@sugardaddykenma | Lin has the most amazing brain. I wish I could just...see and understand how she thinks. Her blog is full to the brim with hilarious, iconic, and down right fucking true headcanons for haikyuu characters. Many nights I have stayed up laughing my ass off and saying “why is that so true?” while reading through her astonishingly creative work. Fav Fic: Haikyuu on Drugs

@thewheezingwyvern | Wyv is a writer who gets straight to the point; her words are poignant, meaningful, and always paint a very clear picture. She is a Shinsou and Aizawa lover/fucker all the way to her core, and she’s amazing at bringing those characters to life in her work. Fav Fic: Salt Lines [Aizawa & Shinsou x Reader]

@thisisthehardestthing | Claudia is one of the most talented writers I have ever met. Period. She has a vocabulary, a depth, an ability to craft the most intense, alluring, and magnificent fanfic you’ve ever read. Most of her work doesn’t even seem like fanfic, it reads like love letters stuffed into the pages of a book that stand the test of time with her marvelous writing abilities. She always awes me, as every single fic is unique and powerful it its own way. Fav Fic: Tocka [Tanaka x Reader]

@tomurasprincess | The Queen of Darkness herself, Mari is amazing at fulfilling all of your dark desires. I’ve never met anyone else who is as active as she is with her followers, as she’s constantly pushing herself to answer requests and give people exactly what they want to see. She has such an expansive masterlist, any dark fic lover can find something worthwhile from her! She’s almost made a Shigaraki fucker out of me, almost. Fav Fic: Wraith’s Touch [Shigaraki x Reader]

@undermattsun | Miki taught me what a skate rat is. Do I understand it yet? Not really, but I fucking like it. Miki is so much fun and is always active with her followers, giving out awesome thirsts, visuals, and headcanons for her fav haikyuu characters. Fav Fic: Flavor of the Month [Matsukawa x Reader]

@vixen-scribbles | Vixen is someone who cares about everyone around her, and her blog reflects that. Amongst all her amazing writing, you’ll always find her recommending her friends and supporting other writers. Her writing is fucking sexy, she knows her way around the bedroom when it comes to fics, and she’s got a lengthy masterlist to fawn over. Fav Fic: Take All of Me [Ushijima x Reader]

@whats-her-quirk | Truly, the best has been saved for last. June’s work is the heart and soul of classic, fucking amazing fanfic. I can’t even explain how much I love her fics, like they will put the biggest smile on your face and have your thighs rubbing together in anticipation. June is writing her fantasies and having fun, and we are privileged to enjoy the ride with her. She knocked kinktober out of the fucking park, with each fic being a new, fresh delight. Fav Fic: Once in a Blue Moon [Karasuno x Reader Gangbang]

This list could honestly be twice as long, and perhaps in the future I’ll make a companion to it as I meet new authors and read more amazing fanfic. Please give all these authors a follow or at least check out their blogs. 💖

[ambrossart]

PAPER MEN

— CHAPTER 23

SUMMARY: All Evelyn Tozier wanted to do was make Derry High School a safer place for her kid brother. Well, somewhere between kissing Patrick Hockstetter and telling the principal to go f*** himself, things got a little off track. Now she’s stuck in the middle of a bizarre love triangle with two of Derry’s most troubled teens while her little brother and his friends hunt down a creepy, child-eating circus clown. This year, summer can’t come fast enough. PAIRINGS: Henry Bowers x Tozier!Sister; Patrick Hockstetter x Tozier!Sister WARNINGS: violence, profanity, sexual content (not smut), bullying, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, all kinds of abuse, trauma, mental illness, implied/referenced self-harm, child death, angst, lots of angst, recreational drug use, underage drinking, love triangles, unrequited love, toxic relationships, slow burn, slow build

WORD COUNT: 5,027

MASTERPOST

When Evelyn woke up on Monday, Patrick’s violet was the first thing she saw. Somehow, it looked even less like a flower now—less like a flower, but no more like anything else. In the murky morning light, it could have just as easily been a spider or a scorpion or a coiled-up snake; and truthfully, any one of those would have been less alarming than the shapeless purple mass currently lying on her nightstand. At least then it would look like something. And it had to be something, right? If not a flower, then what?

Evelyn tried to throw it away twice: once out of revulsion and once out of sheer frustration. Both attempts ended with her shamefully digging through the trash like a dog. She hated it for taking up so much space—on her nightstand, in her room, in her life, in her mind. She hated how it hovered in the corner of her eye while she dressed for school and styled her hair, how it captured every third thought and refused to let go. It was offensively grotesque, whatever this thing was, but it possessed a peculiar, enigmatic quality that attracted her all the same.

She winced a little as she said to Hannah-Beth, “I think I’ve made up my mind about Patrick.”

The school bus rolled over a bump, making everyone rock back and forth. This, paired with Evelyn’s unexpected revelation, jolted Hannah-Beth from her rose-tinted literary world, where the Countess of Hornsby was beckoning the tall and brooding Baron Dumont into her bed. Hannah-Beth snapped her book closed and spoke in a groggy voice. “Oh?”

“Yeah.”

“And… what have you decided?”

Evelyn pursed her lips together, wondering—and not for the first time this morning—if she was making the wrong choice. “Well, I’ve decided to give in… but just a little. Like, I’m not planning on going all the way with him or anything.”

“And that’s totally fine,” said Hannah-Beth, “respectable even.”

Evelyn liked the sound of that. She was, indeed, very respectable. “I mean, I’m probably not even gonna kiss him.”

“Wait, you’re not gonna kiss him?”

“No… Why? Do you think I have to?”

“Well, no, of course you don’t have to. It’s just… well, what’s the point of even doing it then? I mean, that’s like buying a cake and never eating it, you know? It’s like, why bother? It’s just gonna sit on your counter all day and tempt you.”

Evelyn’s chest tightened. “You really think so?”

“You haven’t been tempted already? Not even a little? Be honest now.”

Evelyn didn’t want to be honest; she wanted to lie (convincingly) and bury the truth deep inside her. She puffed up her cheeks and blew out. “Well…”

“You have. I can tell.”

“I have not…”

“Well, your face says otherwise.”

Did it, really? Evelyn put her palm to her cheek and felt its betraying warmth. “Okay, fine, maybe I have,” she said, “but just once.”

That earned an excited gasp. Forget Baron Dumont, this was the juicy stuff Hannah-Beth had been waiting for! She scooted across the bench and dropped to a whisper level. “When?” she asked in a delighted voice.

“Last night.”

“Last night?”

“In my room.”

“He’s been in your room?”

“Twice.”

“HE’S BEEN IN YOUR ROOM TWICE?” Hannah-Beth pushed her hand through the air, as if she couldn’t take any more. “Oh, forget it, you’re not gonna last a week.”

Evelyn raised her chin in proud defiance. “I’ll last a week… I will! He’s not a cake, y’know.”

“Patrick? Evie, that guy’s a whole bakery, and you’ve got keys to the front door. If that’s not temptation, I dunno what is.” Hannah-Beth picked up her book and skimmed through it until she got to the right page. Under her breath, she said, “I can’t believe you let him in your room.”

Evelyn frowned. “You say that like I had a choice. Patrick does whatever he wants. If I hadn’t let him in, he probably would’ve broken in while I was sleeping or something.”

Hannah-Beth’s head turned slowly, as if on a swivel. “And what would he do while you’re sleeping, hmm?”

“Huh…?” Evelyn had a thought and gulped it down. “Well, I dunno.”

“You don’t?”

Evelyn rolled her eyes. “Oh, just read your book.”

Hannah-Beth simpered, looking very pleased with herself. “I am reading my book, and it’s a pretty racy scene, too. You wanna check it out?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Oh, I think you do.” Hannah-Beth buried her face into the crook of the pages and giggled. “One week, I’m calling it now.”

Evelyn brushed her off and turned her attention to the rest of the students on the bus. Not one of them had dressed up for Decade Day. Nobody, not a single one. Row after row, it was a sea of plain coats, sweaters, jerseys, and jeans. Where were the bold colors and the loud prints? The floral headbands and the tacky fringe? At the very least, somebody could have drawn a peace sign on some acid-washed denim, but no, even that was too much work for the too-cool-for-school students of Derry High.

Evelyn, now sitting uncomfortably in her yellow mini dress and white platform boots, let out an exasperated huff and said, “You know, the lack of school spirit in this town is an utter disgrace.”

“Oh, tell me about it,” said Hannah-Beth. Today, she was wearing a floral green dress with sheer sleeves that ballooned around her forearms. She was going for an elegant bohemian look, and even crocheted herself a matching headband to accentuate her loose blonde curls. When she left the house that morning, her mother said she looked like an angelic flower child. Now she just felt stupid… and itchy. She scratched the inside of her wrist. “I woke up two hours early to get ready today, and I spent half that time just trying to curl all this hair. Now watch, with my luck it’ll fall flat before lunch. I don’t know why I even bothered. God, I feel like such a doofus.”

Evelyn put her hand on Hannah-Beth’s drooping shoulder. “Aww, no, don’t feel that way, Hannah. You look amazing. They’re the ones who should feel like doofuses. Them, not you. They’re just a bunch of scrooges, spirit week scrooges.”

But Hannah-Beth was inconsolable. “Everyone’s gonna be staring at me now. And I always think I want people to stare at me, but I don’t. I really, really don’t. It freaks me out, Evie. Like that kid there—” She gestured toward Brian Fogarty, a freshman sitting a few rows down. “He keeps looking over here, and it’s driving me crazy. Like, what do you want already? I just wanna get to school in peace.” She slumped down as far as she could and threw her book over her face.

Evelyn glared at the freshman boy. “Hey, Brian, how ‘bout you take a picture?”

Brian Fogarty turned around in his seat. “Well, why are you two so dressed up?”

“It’s spirit week.”

“Oh… See, I didn’t know that. They should’ve put up posters or something.”

“They did put up posters. They’re all over the place.”

“Oh… Well, I didn’t see ‘em.” He sat back down.

Evelyn looked at the puddle that was Hannah-Beth. “Don’t worry, Hannah. Other kids will be dressed up. They will. And so what if people stare at you? Let them stare. If they do, I’m sure they’ll just be thinking about how incredible you look.”

“You look incredible,” Hannah-Beth grumbled underneath her book. Evelyn helped her sit up. “You look like you just stepped off a magazine cover.”

“You really think so?” Evelyn smiled demurely, fluttering a set of thick black lashes. “I’ve never teased my hair before, so I was worried it would come out looking too poofy.” She gingerly touched the side of her head, making sure her half-pony hadn’t come undone. (It hadn’t.) The rest of her hair cascaded down her shoulders in gentle waves. “And I didn’t have any fake lashes or anything, so I just put on a shit-ton of mascara. It turned out all right, but now I’m trying not to blink too much ‘cause I’m afraid my eyelashes are gonna stick together. Can that happen?”

“I don’t know,” said Hannah-Beth, a trifle worried herself. “I’m not allowed to wear mascara.”

“Well, you don’t need it anyway,” Evelyn told her. “Your eyes are gorgeous.”

Hannah-Beth blushed deeply and smiled. “Thanks.”

The bus pulled up in front of the school and all the students shuffled off. Halfway down the aisle, Hannah-Beth turned back and said, “You’re really not gonna kiss him?”

Evelyn merely pushed her along.

Grant Elmhirst, dressed all in black with a matching beret, was standing in front of the school with his camera ready. He dismissed all the plainly dressed students with a curt nod.

“Love the effort, guys, really. Nobody bothered to dress up today, huh? No one? No? Seriously? What the hell’s wrong with you people? Did everyone forget it’s spirit week? Oh, come on, you guys are killing me here… No, don’t smile, I’m not taking your picture. Yeah, like I’d waste the film on your ugly ass… Oh yeah, Becca, you want me to take your picture? Is that what you want? How ‘bout you go fuck yourself? You bitches aren’t worth the yearbook space… Yeah, that’s right… Follow the damn theme and I’ll put you in the yearbook… You guys suck. All of you suck. I’m gonna be stuck doing this all damn—HEY!”

Grant jogged across the lawn to Evelyn and Hannah-Beth, who were carefully unloading their fundraising supplies from the bus.

“Hey, you guys look great!” he said. “Mind if I get a quick picture?”

Hannah-Beth grimaced. “Why?”

“It’s just for the yearbook, Hannah. Gimme one second, Grant.” Evelyn propped her sign against the bus and then positioned herself next to Hannah-Beth, who stood as rigid as a pole. Evelyn pulled her into a one-armed hug and gave her bicep a comforting squeeze. “Relax,” she whispered to her, “it’ll only take a second.”

To Grant, she said, “Nobody dressed up, huh?”

“Are you surprised?” Grant crouched down and raised his camera.

Shutterclick. Shutterclick.

“Not really,” said Evelyn between smiles. “They didn’t put up enough posters.”

“Yeah, they never do.” Grant squinted behind his viewfinder. “Umm, can I get a peace sign or something?”

“Are we sure that’s even sixties?”

“I dunno,” said Grant, “and at this point, I don’t really care.”

The girls did it anyway. Hannah-Beth’s pose was weak and unconvincing.

Shutterclick. Shutterclick.

Paul Colborne yelled across the lawn: “Is that for your personal collection, Grant?”

Grant seemed not to hear him. He took his last pictures, gave his sincerest thanks, and peddled away from the girls with a cordial smile. “I’ll see you at the next meeting, Evelyn.” Another smile. A quick wave goodbye. Then he whipped around and bellowed with unseemly rage: “KISS MY ASS, COLBORNE! YOU’RE JUST JEALOUS YOU’LL NEVER BEAT MY SCORE.”

Paul and Lenny tittered behind the folding table. Then Paul hollered back, “Yeah, well, that’s the only scoring you’ll ever do,” and that had the boys in stitches, with Paul close to tears and Lenny cackling with his cap over his face.

Evelyn told them both to quit it. “Oh, leave Grant alone. This is a very stressful week for him.”

“Eh, he brings it on himself,” said Paul, while Lenny pushed his hair back and covered it with his hat. “The guy’s a certified Grade-A asshole, and he knows I’ll beat his score one day.”

Lenny said, “No, you won’t, dude. You suck at Street Fighter.”

“Oh yeah? Well, I’m still better than you.”

Evelyn said nothing as she gave their outfits a disapproving glance. All student council members had to dress up for spirit week. It was kind of like an unwritten rule. When they signed their official oaths of office (which were really just generic pieces of paper, but that’s beside the point), they promised to represent the values and virtues of the school and to serve as leaders in their respective classrooms. That meant dressing up for spirit week, no matter how silly or stupid the day’s theme was. Sadly, this was Paul and Lenny’s maximum effort. Today, they were wearing matching tie-dye shirts over plain blue jeans. They had worn those same shirts for last year’s Tie-Dye Tuesday and would likely wear them again for this year’s Twin Day. That’s how little they cared.

Evelyn, who had carefully coordinated all her outfits, held in a sigh while she arranged her T-shirt display. Don’t let them get to you, Evie. You have more school spirit than both of them combined, because you’re a spirit week warrior. That’s right, you are. You look great. Your sign looks great. And, god dammit, you’re gonna sell a bunch of shirts today.

She cupped her hands over her mouth and shouted, “COME SUPPORT YOUR SOPHOMORE STUDENT COUNCIL!”

As promised, Scott Kellerman was Evelyn’s first customer.

In honor of Decade Day, Scott had traded his signature skateboard for a surfboard, a yellow one with two blue vertical stripes, although much of the paint had been scuffed by the time Scott brought it to school. Yeah, that board had certainly taken a beating—from waves, walls, as well as several parked cars as Scott made the long trek from his house on Jackson Street. Scott always made sure to leave a note, though. For every little ding, he would stop, dig into his backpack, rip out a piece of notebook paper, and scribble out a most heartfelt:

sorry, dude my bad

He strolled over to the table in faded jeans and an oversized Pendleton wool plaid shirt. The surfboard went down first, burying its nose deep in the dewy grass. Scott propped it up with his right hand; then he flipped his sandy blond hair out of his eyes and proclaimed with a self-amused chuckle, “I’m a Beach Boy!”

“You sure are,” said Evelyn, as Scott flashed a stupid, goofy grin. It was so endearing she couldn’t help but smile back. “You look great, Skelly!”

Scott pointed a finger gun at her and fired. “Hey, thanks, Tozier! Mom’s a Cali girl at heart and The Beach Boys have always been her favorite band, so I figured I’d pay tribute.”

Evelyn, who always sang along whenever one of their songs came on the radio, thought his outfit was spot on and a refreshing contrast to all the half-assed hippy looks she’d seen from the handful of students who bothered to dress up.

Even Paul, one of those half-assed hippies, was all smiles. “Man, Kellerman killin’ it as usual. C’mere man!” He put out his fist for a knuckle bump, which Scott enthusiastically accepted.

“Yeah, buddy!” Scott cheered, and giggled at himself for a good minute. “All right, guys, hook me up with some of those sweet shirts. I’ll take… uhh… well, I’ll take a large for myself. Yeah, this one looks nice. And then I’ll take, uhh, I guess I’ll take a medium here for my buddy. Yeah, that should fit him.” Scott handed Lenny six dollars and stuffed the shirts into his backpack. “Pleasure doing business with you guys. Keep up the excellent work, okay?” He picked up his surfboard and wedged it under his right arm, then took a couple steps and did a half-turn. “Oh, and Tozier: lovin’ your look, by the way. It’s very Brigitte Bardot.”

Evelyn said, “I don’t know who that is.”

“No? Well, you should definitely look her up. She’s a total babe.” Scott whipped around and smacked a freshman girl with his surfboard. “Oh, dude, my bad! Are you okay? Are you okay? I’m so sorry!”

Evelyn cringed while watching him dust off the girl and continue on his way. “That thing’s gonna get confiscated before the end of the day, isn’t it?”

“Before lunch,” said Paul.

The next wave brought a small group of seventh- and eighth-graders to their table. At first, Evelyn didn’t find this particularly unusual, because underclassmen often browsed her shirts and complimented their design. They never bought them, though, which is why it became so concerning when they all started forking over their lunch money. Evelyn asked one of the boys why he wanted a shirt made specifically for another class. The boy shrugged and said, “Destiny said we had to.”

Evelyn immediately told Lenny to stop accepting cash.

“Why?” he asked.

“Because this is dirty money.”

His eyes bulged wider than Evelyn had ever seen them. “You mean it’s drug money? Oh shit.”

“What? No, it’s not drug money… Do you know a lot of twelve-year-old drug dealers, Lenny?”

“I know a couple,” he said, but Evelyn ignored him.

“Look, the money’s dirty because Destiny forced these kids to buy our shirts. This is coercion, guys! If we accept this cash, we might as well be accepting blood money. Our whole fundraiser will be forever tainted by this immoral act.”

Paul thought she was overreacting. “You make it sound like Destiny’s busting kneecaps behind the school. So she persuaded a couple kids to buy our shirts. Who cares?”

Evelyn said, “It’s unethical, Paul.”

And he said, “It’s a three-dollar shirt, Evelyn. Nobody’s going to prison over a three-dollar shirt. Chalk it up as a win and take the damn money.”

Evelyn opened her mouth to further protest, but closed it when she caught sight of something blue in the distance. Paul noticed it, too. He put his head between his hands and groaned. “Great, just great. As if this day couldn’t get any worse.”

Belch Huggins’s Trans Am was rolling down Pasture Road, the morning sun glinting off the blue paint, off the windshield. Seeing it made Evelyn’s breath catch in her throat. She fought back a smile and lost immediately, the corners of her lips raising white flags of surrender. Screw it, she thought, and let them rise. She was going to relish in this victory because she didn’t get a lot of them. So while Henry Bowers climbed out and slammed the car door, while he stomped across the lawn and scowled at every person he passed, while Paul Colborne and all the students of Derry High School shared a defeated sigh, Evelyn sat there thinking things were finally looking up.

Sorry, guys, I know your lives are about to get a lot more annoying because of me, but… I really needed this win.

“Lenny,” she said, “take the money and go.”

When they arrived at school, the first words out of Belch Huggins’s mouth were “How does it feel to be back, Henry?”

And maybe it was the way he said it, in that congenial yet slightly condescending tone, as if he was really saying, Hey, remember you almost got kicked out, Henry? Huh? Do ya? You almost got expelled. Yeah, Hellraiser almost kicked you out for good. Remember that?

(as if he could ever forget)

Or maybe it was the smile he gave afterward, that impish curl of the lip that belied the sincerity of his words. Henry couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but something—maybe that, maybe nothing at all—made him want to punch Belch Huggins square in the jaw.

How did Henry Bowers feel about being back?

“Fine fucking dandy,” he muttered before putting a cigarette between his lips and lighting it.

A group of eighth-graders scurried past. One of them, he saw, was wearing a suede fringe jacket, oversized sunglasses, and bell-bottom jeans. Boy, did that kid choose the wrong day to play dress-up. Henry could have easily singled him out as the first victim of the day, could have burned the kid’s jacket and stomped on his sunglasses, given him a wedgie or a swirly, thrown him into one of the dumpsters out back, as Henry was often apt to do.

Or he could have taken Grant Elmhirst’s camera, ripped out the film, and smashed it to pieces.

He could have tracked down Tommy Aronson, who had been talking a lot of shit during Henry’s suspension, and shown him who the real bitch was.

He could have taken the air out of Principal Hellyer’s tires.

Or keyed Mrs. Lafferty’s car.

Or settled any one of his outstanding scores.

But how was Henry supposed to do any of that when Evelyn Tozier was standing over there looking like that?

Folding up those shirts, stacking them, bending over to put them away, while looking like that?

Smiling, laughing, chatting with her friends, while looking like that?

Evelyn always went all-out for spirit week. She would show up to school in pajamas and bunny slippers, twist her hair into this wild, ornate designs, glue on fake mustaches and beards, even paint tiger stripes across her whole body (Spirit Week 1986, Show Your Stripes Day), but she never dressed like this.

When Henry first saw her, he had to do a double-take. Images flashed through his head like reels on a View-Master: Evelyn in knit sweaters and sweater vests, in striped tees and light-wash jeans, in baggy spring overalls and puffy winter coats, with mittens, scarves, and stocking caps, because she didn’t care how dorky she looked when she was trying to stay warm. Henry tried to reconcile those images with the new image in front of him, of Evelyn with big hair and a full face of makeup, in a short yellow dress with a flouncy little skirt that went whoosh-whoosh every time she moved her hips (and she had hips now—the dress made that more apparent than ever), but he couldn’t reconcile them at all. This new image sent Henry’s brain into overdrive. All at once, his body felt hot and tense, and there was an uncomfortable tightness in his jeans. He threw down his cigarette and stormed across the lawn, intending to

(bend her over the table and)

“What the fuck are you wearing?” Henry growled, yanking Evelyn toward him by her elbow.

Evelyn made a sound, some sound, and raised her head to look at him. Pink-blushed cheeks deepened in color. Light brown eyes met his in a timid stare and wavered uncertainly beneath thick black lashes. When she parted her mouth to speak, all Henry could think about was how soft her lips looked.

“It’s Groovy Monday,” Evelyn said in a quiet, confused voice.

Groovy Monday.

Monday.

Yes, today was Monday.

Henry was back in school, and now the first warning bell was ringing.

Just like that, Henry snapped out of his frenzied state. His shoulders relaxed. His breathing returned to normal. Then, like an addict rousing from a drug-induced stupor, he became acutely aware of himself and his surroundings: of Belch Huggins standing at his side, his expression nervous and unsure; of Evelyn’s scrawny arm trapped within his grasp, of the unnecessary amount of strength he was using against her—still using against her.

His grip loosened with a sudden jerk that sent Evelyn staggering backwards.

The Colborne kid was standing off to the side with his mouth wide open, looking like he desperately wanted to say something, like he felt obligated as a man, as Evelyn’s vice president, as her friend, to…

Henry squared up to him. “You got something to say, Colborne?”

The kid winced like he’d just taken a punch to the stomach. He stepped back, dragging his right foot, then his left, and shook his head.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

Meanwhile, Evelyn’s other friend, the mousy one who had one of those real southern-sounding double-barreled names, like Holly-May or Helen-Sue, had rushed to her side and was fawning over her injured arm. Henry fought back the urge to yell at her.

Oh, come on, quit acting like I broke her arm. She’s fucking fine!

Evelyn was telling her that too, in a much kinder voice. “I’m fine, really,” she said, her eyes occasionally flicking over to Henry. “It doesn’t even hurt.”

She said that, but Henry caught her rubbing her arm several times throughout the day, and sometimes pushing up her sleeve to check for a bruise. Henry hoped she never found one. If she ever did, well, he would probably never forgive himself.

He gave Belch a shove that nearly put him on his ass.

“Let’s go,” Henry said, and they left.

For Hannah-Beth Stokes, the walk to the sophomore locker area felt unusually long and unbearably tense.

She lingered a few steps behind her friends, like she always did, with her pink Trapper Keeper pressed tightly against her chest: a flimsy form of protection against everyone’s unwelcome stares. And people were staring. Hannah-Beth knew they would.

Let them stare, Evelyn had said. They’ll just be thinking about how incredible you look.

Hannah-Beth hoped that was true.

A cheery homecoming banner passed overhead. The other one had been ripped down by a group of rowdy seniors and was currently being trampled by a stampede of incoming students. Who had school spirit? Nobody here, apparently. Crooked posters hung on this wall and that one, but none of them grabbed anyone’s attention.

SHARPEN YOUR CLAWS, TIGERS! LET’S HEAR YOU ROAR!

They liked to shout that phrase at all the games and pep rallies. Let’s hear you roar! Yeah, they probably thought they were being terribly clever with that one. Tigers roaring, how inventive. Of course, Hannah-Beth would never roar. No, that would be too embarrassing. Imagine if someone heard her, if someone singled out her voice among all the other voices, and they looked at her and thought, Jeez, what a weirdo.

Why, Hannah-Beth would just about die if that happened.

In the eighth-grade locker area, Hannah-Beth saw Grant Elmhirst raise his camera toward a group of nearby students and felt like a helpless deer trapped in a hunter’s scope. She let out a panicked squeak and ducked out of frame.

Months later, while the eighth-grade girls squealed and pointed at their picture in the yearbook, they would notice a strange, phantom-like blur hovering in the background, and they would forever wonder who ruined their photo.

Hannah-Beth, the frightened little ghost, hurried to catch up with her friends as they rounded the corner.

Finally, after glancing at Evelyn twice, Paul said, “How’s your arm?”

“I already told you, it’s fine.”

“Don’t lie…”

“I’m not lying,” Evelyn said. “It really doesn’t hurt at all.”

Paul nodded, seeming to accept her answer, but he didn’t drop the subject entirely. “I can’t believe the school board actually voted to keep him in school. What, are they all on crack or something? Is this some kinda conspiracy? It has to be, right? Because who in their right mind would look at someone like Bowers and think it’s safe to have him around other kids? I mean, it’s beyond insane! It’s practically criminal, what they’re doing. And now look: the guy’s back for five seconds and he’s already committing assault.”

Evelyn turned toward him with a somber smile. “I’m not mad at you, Paul.”

“Huh?”

“I’m not mad, okay? I’m glad you didn’t try to stand up for me. It would’ve only made things worse.”

Paul looked offended. “Is that what you think this is about? Evelyn, did you see what happened back there? The guy totally wigged out. He was like a split-second away from raping you.”

Hannah-Beth squirmed at that word. Evelyn’s jaw fell open in disgust.

“That’s not funny, Paul,” she said with a glare.

“I’m not joking! Look, you and I might not see eye to eye on most things, but I’m still your friend, okay? And I’m starting to get a little worried here. Because you tend to push his buttons a lot, Ev. You know you do. And if you’re not careful, one of these days you might find yourself trapped in a really dangerous situation. I mean, who knows what that guy’s capable of…”

“He’s not capable of that.”

“Yeah, well, don’t be so sure.”

Evelyn’s steps slowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?

“I dunno,” said Paul. “I’ve just heard some stuff, that’s all.”

“What stuff?”

“Just stuff.”

Paul tried to walk away, but Evelyn yanked him back.

“What stuff, Paul? You can’t just throw out an accusation like that and not back it up with evidence.”

“Well, I didn’t realize I was in a fricken courtroom, Evelyn! What are you, his lawyer now?”

“Paul…”

“I suggest you get a new client, counselor.”

“What stuff?”

“I heard some stuff,” Hannah-Beth blurted out, but she immediately wished she hadn’t. The wounded expression on Evelyn’s face was absolutely heartbreaking.

“What did you hear, Hannah?” Evelyn asked. Her voice was high and unsteady.

“I dunno,” said Hannah-Beth, doubting her memory for a second, “I just overheard some senior girls talking in my study hall. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop or anything, but they were right next to me, and they were talking really loud, so I kinda couldn’t help it. Anyway, they were talking about this bonfire over at the quarry. I guess a whole bunch of people were there. And there was this girl—umm, Manda Bosch, do you know who that is?—and I guess someone saw her going off into the woods with Henry Bowers. Well, the girls confronted her about it in the middle of class, and Manda got really mad and denied the whole thing. She said she wouldn’t touch Henry Bowers with a ten-foot pole. But they kept saying they saw her with him. So then Manda got really emotional and said she didn’t wanna do anything, that Henry forced her to… well, you know… do stuff. And then he got super violent all of a sudden, so she left, and now she might press charges against him. And then it became this whole other thing because none of the girls believed her. They said she was just embarrassed because she got caught and she was making it all up. And I’m just sitting there listening to them. I mean, the whole thing was just wild. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Paul motioned toward Hannah-Beth with his hand, a boastful smile on his face. “Well? That enough evidence for you, Evelyn?” He walked away, shaking his head.

“That’s not evidence,” Evelyn said in a small, faraway voice. “It’s just gossip.”

Then, to herself, she whispered, “He had a cut on his face.”

Hannah-Beth didn’t know what that meant, but Evelyn sounded utterly devastated when she said it.

At that moment, Hannah-Beth wished she had just kept her mouth shut.

______________________

PREV // CURRENT // NEXT

[someonestolemyshoes]

Off the Record

Hello!! I am super excited to finally post my entry for @levihan-drabbles competition :D The prompt was super interesting and I had a tonne of fun writing this one! 

The prompt I received was: Hange posts a picture of Levi somewhere and it becomes a meme.

(For those curious, this is the meme I used for inspiration) 

Hange pushed her plate across the table and grinned at him. "Levi! Fancy seeing you here! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Levi's lip curled.

"You know what," he said. Hange braced her elbows on the table and rested her chin atop her knotted fingers.

"Enlighten me."

Colour rose in Levi's cheeks. For a moment, Hange felt a little guilty. For all Levi's grumbling and grunting, Hange had never seen him angry before.

"That bullshit article."

"Ah. Was there a problem?"

Hange met Moblit in a small cafe a little way down the road from the newsroom. She was in good spirits—her morning had been productive; she'd made steady headway with research for her next interview, finished the final edits for a few smaller tabloid pieces she'd been meaning to brush up, attended three short, perfunctory meetings on tedious company policy, and laid the groundwork for another exciting interview opportunity.  

She felt good. And now she had the pleasurable prospect of a hearty lunch, a passable cup of coffee, and perhaps best of all, Moblit's company. His company, and his camera.

Hange threw herself into the seat opposite Moblit the moment she spotted him, hunched over his laptop in a corner of the cafe. He lifted his coffee cup just in time for Hange to clatter against the table, the thin metal frame rattling precariously. She offered him a sheepish grin.

"Sorry," she said, and then, "got anything exciting?"

"I don't know about exciting. Interesting, maybe, but no breaking news."

Hange flagged down a passing waitress with one hand, and waved Moblit off with the other. "Doesn't matter, doesn't matter," she said, then paused to order a drink and her favourite sandwich. "Tell me anyway."

"I got a tip-off from a waiter at Sina's."

Hange's eyes sparkled behind her glasses. She sat forward in her chair, folding her arms on the table top as she leaned closer. "Who?"

"Take a guess."

Hange grinned at him. Moblit was not one to play coy; he did his job and did it well, and reported his findings efficiently. To leave her to question it meant one of two things; he had photographed someone very high profile indeed, or it was somebody Hange was, for better or for worse, well acquainted with.

Or perhaps, if she were lucky, it was both.

"Let me see him, then."

**

Hange had taken far too much time in the cafe with Moblit. He had given her a rundown of all the details he'd gathered during his field work that morning, and shown her through his extensive photo gallery. It was impressive, the kind of archive Moblit could cultivate with only a 45 minute breakfast window.

Hange had been delighted. Moblit was right; it wasn't breaking news, nothing particularly thrilling, but there was a corner of the Internet, Hange knew, that would delight in a trashy little article just like this. Something quick and simple to bulk up the social media feed for the afternoon.

Plus, there was a series of pictures Moblit had snapped, a cluster he'd thought to be of no real merit, that Hange simply could not pass up.

She could lay down no facts with a story like this one. There was no hard-hitting investigative journalism to be had, but she could at least offer some speculation based on her knowledge of the subjects involved, and spin a tale juicy enough to get people talking.

It took little time at all to put the article together. Hange scribbled up an outline for the contents—the location; Sina's in downtown Hizuru, a luxurious restaurant serving five star meals at every hour of the day. High in quality, sickeningly steep in price. The time of day; 9am. To the best of Hange's knowledge, this was rather out of character for the subject. He was an early riser, but according to their interview last March pending the premiere of his newest movie, he wasn't the type to eat much at all before lunch time.

And then, the company. Eren Yeager was a relatively well-known actor, barely an adult at nineteen. He starred in his first role a decade earlier, and had seen commercial success in multiple movies and TV shows ever since. He had been something of a prodigy in his younger years, bold and precocious, possessing a natural talent many actors years his senior couldn't even hope for. As Hange understood it, he had recently hit a rather troublesome phase. An interesting line of inquiry, but despite his talent and his fame, Eren's presence was simply a cameo, compared to the subject of the article Hange was drawing up.

Levi Ackerman.

Levi is a fan favourite and a media delight. He's attractive no doubt, and his performance in any and every role is almost always met with critical acclaim. Outside of his career, however, he's an elusive thing, silent in any matters pertaining to his private life. He avoids any public event like the plague, and rarely shows his face at premieres or award ceremonies if he can possibly avoid it. He gives interviews only when required by some contractual obligation or other, or else when the journalist in question is so painfully persistent that it is simply easier to give in than to keep fighting.

Little of his personal life is known, but it is impossible for someone in Levi's position to avoid interacting with anybody at all, and even the great Levi Ackerman is not above scrutiny.

There are rumours. Several of them, accounts from fellow cast members, from staff, from directors, and even Erwin, his manager, has alluded more than once to Levi's sour disposition. He is prone, Hange has heard, to fits of anger, and is easily disgruntled by minor inconveniences. His dislike of anything unclean or untidy is the stuff of legends—Hange has seen this first hand, at their very first interview. He had entered the room, scowled at the chair before sitting in it, and given Hange a thorough once over before announcing, with no hint of humour, "your glasses are filthy."

Hange had found him both fascinating and quite delightful, in his own strange way. When he acts, Levi sounds eloquent; he is a master of emotive performance, wringing the last drops of anger, despair, or grief out of each and every word, or else injecting the perfect giddy jitter, or a tremor of humour when the scene called for it. As soon as the cameras stop rolling, though, Levi's tone becomes flat, and without a script, his words are clumsy and crass. He communicates poorly, quick to throw insults and crude remarks. Hange has interviewed him a number of times—she counts herself very lucky that Levi will consent to her requests without too much fuss, these days—and each time she finds herself spending half of their time together translating his answers into something a) family friendly, and b) understandable to the everyday reader.

There is nothing for Hange to translate this time. Moblit managed to speak to the waiter after Levi and Eren had vacated in hopes of gleaning any small tidbit of knowledge regarding their conversation, but the venture had been hopeless. The pair had grown silent upon the approach of any staff member, and spoke in tones too hushed for anyone nearby to hear. They learned nothing they couldn't extrapolate for themselves from Moblit's pictures; Eren looked sheepish, avoiding Levi's gaze in favour of staring into his drink, while Levi—

Levi looked furious.

Every picture featured his signature frown, which, in and of itself wasn't enough to assume Levi to be in any mood besides neutral, but some of the photos show a hint of bared teeth or pursed lips, with his brows pulled lower than normal, the space between them deeply creased. Hange found herself curious as both a journalist and as an acquaintance. They may not be friends, but Hange liked to think she knew Levi a little better than most people, at least. She could find nothing in their past interactions to suggest any relationship with Eren beyond the strictly professional. They had over a decade between them, and though they had worked together on more than one set, neither party had ever said anything to insinuate so much as a friendly attitude between them.

There was no resolution to her queries to be easily found. And luckily for Hange, this particular piece didn't require any. It was a gossip article, something spicy, jam-packed with buzzwords, what-if's and more questions than answers, designed to make people wonder. Levi's name in the title would be enough to draw people in; Eren's name was an added bonus. But the star of the show was Moblit's photography. Hange arranged the images she had chosen in a grid. In context, the pictures were intriguing, depicting a particularly ferocious part of Levi and Eren's exchange. Out of context, they looked a little ridiculous. Both would bring readers onto their home page.

Satisfied with her work, Hange queued the finished article for review, and turned her attention back to her schedule.

**

The article launched mid-afternoon. Hange watched, somewhat satisfied, as it was received much as she had expected it to be. The activity on their Twitter account skyrocketed, the tweet in question garnering more likes, retweets and replies in the hour after it's post than any other they’d dropped in the last month.

Hange had allowed it to slip from her mind after the first hour or so. She received praise from her bosses, and a text from Moblit, jokingly demanding she pay him even more handsomely for his work than she already had, and her cousin had called her in the evening on a quest for insider gossip she could share with her friends, but that had been the end of it. Hange thought of it no more until early the following morning, when she had stopped by the quiet little cafe beneath her flat for breakfast and her favourite coffee.

She had been polishing off her pancakes when the bell above the door chimed. She had paid little attention to the newcomer, until a shadow passed over her table, and a familiar voice said, "Oi, shitty glasses."

Hange looked up to see Levi Ackerman himself standing over her, his face twisted in a scowl.

There are perks of being reasonably acquainted with Levi. Hange always gets to conduct his interviews, and Levi only ever turns her down if her request is unreasonable. Like that time she demanded he meet her at this very coffee shop for "just a quick piece, about the cameo you did for the new season of Titans", only to show him she'd bought a new pair of glasses—"look, all clean!"—and, when pressed, admitted there was no interview at all. He had been far more hesitant to indulge her in smaller affairs after that, but Hange was still lucky enough to be his only regular interviewer after big releases.

More interviews means more commission for Hange, and more high profile work with other celebrities. Yes, being acquainted with Levi has its bonuses.

But it also has its downsides. Namely, that Levi will not hesitate to turn up at her regular coffee shop to berate her after she has posted some complete and utter wank at his expense.

Hange pushed her plate across the table and grinned at him. "Levi! Fancy seeing you here! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Levi's lip curled.

"You know what," he said. Hange braced her elbows on the table and rested her chin atop her knotted fingers.

"Enlighten me."

Colour rose in Levi's cheeks. For a moment, Hange felt a little guilty. For all Levi's grumbling and grunting, Hange had never seen him angry before.

"That bullshit article."

"Ah. Was there a problem?"

"You're a piece of shit, you know that?"

Hange sat back in her chair and sipped at her coffee. Levi's face was full colour now, a pale pink flush from his neck right up to his hairline. Hange gave him a measured look, then kicked out the chair opposite her.

"Sit," she said. "If you have issues, I'd be happy to discuss."

Levi looked for a moment like he'd like nothing more than to strangle her. Then he pulled out the chair the rest of the way, and dropped himself into it.

"I don't give a fuck about the article," he said. "It's shitty gossip anyway."

Hange raised a brow at him. She opened her mouth to continue when, without prompt, a young waitress approached their table, practically bouncing on the spot as she stopped and gave Levi a dazzling smile. Her cheeks were flushed prettily, and Hange would have thought she were simply starstruck, if it weren't for the light of mirth in her eyes.

"Good morning, sir. Can I get you anything?" She gave Levi no chance to respond, before plowing on. "Water? Or tea, perhaps? Forgive me, but you seem a little upset. Might a nice tea calm you down?"

Levi grit his teeth. "No, thank you."

Hange almost apologised to the poor waitress on his behalf, but she didn't look bothered at all by his rudeness. In fact, she had barely turned from the table before she snorted in laughter, and caught her giggles in her hands as she scurried back behind the counter. A second passed, before all three waitresses snickered.

"That," Levi hissed, "is your fault."

Now Hange truly was confused. She furrowed her brow at him. "How does that have anything to do with me?"

"You and your stupid article," he said. Hange looked back to the waitress, who looked to their table again before falling into a fresh fit of giggles. Hange turned back to Levi, a little sympathetic.

"I think she just fancies you."

"You're trying to tell me you really don't know the mess you've caused?"

Hange shook her head slowly. Levi watched her closely, searching for proof of the lie, but Hange's earnestness must have shown through, for Levi's anger abated a little, and he slumped back on his chair.  

In lieu of a verbal explanation, Levi pulled out his phone. He tapped the screen a few times, typed something out, and scrolled a little way, before placing the phone on the table and sliding it towards her. Hange pulled it closer with a frown.

The screen displayed Twitter, and showed the feed beneath the search for Levi's name. Hange scrolled a few posts, eyes widening little by little as she went.

Levi was right. The contents of the article were of little significance at all. The photo grid, however, had gone viral overnight.

It showed four pictures of Levi and Eren, taken in succession. Each one showed only a portion of the back of Eren's head, but Levi's expression in every frame was more animated than Hange had ever seen him outside of his movie scenes, and each was more distraught than the last. Face tight, jaw clenched, teeth bared, with his finger pointed condescendingly in Eren's face. The second last picture shows his brows arched and his lips pressed into a thin line, and the final one—

Hange had laughed at it in isolation when Moblit had shown her. She had fully expected it to garner a few laughs, but she hadn't expected a photograph of Levi furiously slurping his tea to become a meme in less than 24 hours.  

"I see," Hange said, as she calmly slid the phone back to him. "In my defense, you don't help yourself. It wouldn't be half as funny if you didn't hold your tea cup so weird."

"In my defense," Levi snapped, "If you didn't post it online nobody would have anything to laugh at."

Hange crossed her arms on the table and leaned towards him, smiling pleasantly. "In your defense, you wouldn't have been so angry in public if it weren't for whatever Eren had to say. What was that about, by the way? I'm terribly curious."

Hange expected a very Levi response to her prying; a scowl, perhaps a quick kick under the table, an 'It's none of your damn business, four-eyes', if she were lucky.

What she got instead was a haughty sniff, and a gruff, "He's fucking my cousin."

For a moment, they were silent. Either Levi's anger at his new meme status had temporarily disabled the part of his brain that blocked any mention of his private life from slipping past his lips in the wrong company, or something about Eren's indiscretion had rattled him so much, he couldn't keep silent about it. Either way, he looked increasingly surprised—and horrified—at himself for saying it out loud. Hange's eyes were wide, and Levi's were growing wider by the second. Of all the people to slip up to, he had slipped up to her. An entertainment journalist, the one person in his life who thrived on this kind of insider knowledge.

Hange swallowed. Levi was still staring at her like a deer in headlights, no doubt painfully aware that there was no taking back what he had said now.

Hange doesn't take a great deal of pride in what she does. She feels satisfied when her stories receive the reception she'd predicted, validated in her ability to analyse their consumer base and make accurate assumptions about what will hit and what won't, but the work itself feels dirty, at times. An opportunistic scavenger feeding on whatever carrion they can find, no matter how rotten it may be.

This is a perfect opportunity. Salacious details of Levi's interpersonal relationships, right from the horse's mouth. If it were anyone else, Hange would be scribbling every word verbatim in her notebook.

But this is Levi. Levi, who seems jarred by her last article (though Hange will maintain this, at least, is no real fault of her journalism, and also, absolutely hilarious) and was clearly, for whatever reason, incensed by Eren's actions.

Hange brushed her palms over her thighs, and picked a speck of lint from her trousers.

"This is nice, isn't it?" She said, "having breakfast together. We should do it more often. It feels good to just talk, sometimes. Off the record."  

Levi blinked rapidly at her. He opened his mouth, but, still too shocked by his own loose tongue to speak, he said nothing. Hange pulled her phone from her bag and fiddled around with it some, tapping here and there, until she found what she was looking for. She turned it to Levi, and said, "I think this is my favourite edit so far."

Levi finally pulled his gaze from her, and looked down at the screen. It was truly something, the way the picture snapped him out of his stunned silence. Hange had never seen someone's face pinch up so rapidly.

"Come on, it's kinda funny. And look! That's Tony Stark, right? People are so creative. And maybe, if we're really lucky, Buzzfeed will do a compilation article of all the best ways people have used your new meme."  

Levi rolled his eyes at her. It looked strange, with his face so tightly twisted. Hange chuckled at him.

She nudged his ankle beneath the table with the toe of her shoe. "Lighten up, you look constipated."

"Oi, out of the two of us I'm not the one who's full of—"

"—Full of shit, I know, I know. That honour is all mine."

They lapsed into another silence, this one marginally more comfortable than the last. Hange finished the last of her coffee and checked her emails, while Levi tortured himself some more by scrolling through his Twitter feed. After a short while, he spoke again.

"That...doesn't sound bad," he said.

"Hm?"

"What you said about talking more. Off the record. It doesn't sound bad."

It was Hange's turn to flush. Heat rose in her cheeks, and she occupied herself by rifling through her bag in search of nothing.

"Yeah?" Her voice, an octave higher than usual, cracked around the vowels. She cleared her throat, "will you have more gossip for me? It's almost painful that I can't share it, you know."

"Good. I'll share as many secrets as I've got, if it'll bother you that much."

"Sounds terrible," Hange said. She tore a clean corner off her napkin and scribbled her personal number onto it. She slid it over the table to him. "Text me."

Levi pulled a face at the piece of napkin. "Is that used? Gross, shitty four-eyes." He pocketed it anyway.

Hange didn't know what else to say. Levi didn't seem to either, and so he stood, and tucked his chair back in. Hange turned her eyes down to her empty plate. Her stomach and chest felt strange, almost sickly, but in an oddly pleasant way.

Levi rapped his knuckles on the table. Hange jumped, startled, and looked up at the sound.

"This part is on the record," he said. The corner of Levi's mouth quirked into a small, barely there grin. "I heard from a reliable source that Eren was so scared on the set of Last War that he pissed his pants. Twice."

[buttherainbowhasabeard]

Promising Young Woman (2021)

*contains spoilers*

Revenge is a dish best served stone-cold sober…

Delightful and dimpled British star Carey Mulligan has had a successful career to date, playing alongside leading men such as Leonardo DiCaprio (‘The Great Gatsby’), Ryan Gosling (‘Drive’) and Michael Fassbender (‘Shame’). Despite not always being centre stage, many of Mulligan’s film choices have been eclectic in terms of genre, and it seems this winning combination of offbeat and orthodox have all led to her explosive lead role in the indie assault on the senses that is ‘Promising Young Woman’.

Carey is Cassandra Thomas, a 30-year-old whose promising career as a doctor went into a tailspin when she dropped out of medical school following the rape of her best friend Nina Fisher at the rough hands of their classmates. It’s implied that Nina – overwhelmed by what happened to her and the lack of support or investigative interference – committed suicide, and in the years since, Cassie has dedicated her life to avenging her friend’s death. Rather than continuing to try to take the claims up with police, Cassie turns unconventional vigilante and offers herself up as hot-mess boy bait, spending her nights fake falling-down drunk in bars and clubs to see and document how many men attempt to take advantage of her. Going so far – arguably stupidly so – as to let them take her home, Cassie abruptly reveals her sobriety to shock them into acknowledging and lamenting their predatory behaviour.

These scenes in particular are deliciously satisfying – that moment the self-proclaimed “nice guy” realises his unwilling date is more than aware of her surroundings and is going to confront him about them. The genius of these moments is in the power of Mulligan’s swift and drastic transformations. She doesn’t need to threaten or produce a weapon to take control, her stark sobriety is enough.

Making her feature filmmaking debut, director Emerald Fennell has had her fair share of femme fatale experience as head writer on Season 2 of TV’s addictive ‘Killing Eve’. Her love of strong, clever but chaotic women are all bundled into one with the creation of Cassie. She’s a Villanelle-esque sexy sociopath with a skewed moral compass, complimented by a noughties heavy soundtrack featuring a screechy orchestral remix of Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic’, a rom-com inspired routine to Paris Hilton’s ‘Stars Are Blind’, and DeathbyRomy’s cover of the Weather Girls’ ‘It’s Raining Men’.

‘Promising Young Woman’ could just as easily be called Privileged Young Men. With a narrative that draws on #MeToo, toxic masculinity and on campus rape culture and rituals, this is a film that is unapologetic about its subject matter and in your face about its opinions on it. There are not-so-subtle traces of trends that are played out in real life today, like dismissing women’s allegations to protect men’s reputations. Whilst Nina’s life was destroyed and her credibility doubted, male peers like perpetrator Al Monroe (Chris Lowell) and his sleazy friend Joe (Max Greenfield) were given glowing references, advanced to the top of their fields and became popular pillars of their communities, industries and social circles.

Although predictable for me, the eventual reveal of the one good man from Cassie’s past being complicit in Nina’s rape (her happy-to-take-it-slow boyfriend Ryan played by a charmingly goofy Bo Burnham), is a gasp out loud moment. Her world is once again shattered beyond repair when she realises the relationship that has made her happy for the first time in a long time was built on a lie (or to give him the benefit of the doubt, a very bad mistake). He is the first man she felt she could trust, be herself around, and fall in love with, but she discovers that underneath he was at worst, another one of the guys, and at best, an indefensible bystander.

You’d be forgiven for thinking ‘Promising Young Woman’ is all anti-men. Everything about it - on the surface and in the trailer - screams angry, bra burning feminist. However, it’s more nuanced than that and takes more of an anti-bad men, anti-bad women and anti-bad behaviour stance, as many of the movie’s female characters also have to confront the fact that their refusal or disinterest to speak up and call out abuse has enabled criminal conduct to set in, rot and spread. Cassie - an anti-hero herself - holds a grubby mirror up to the faces of the women from her college days with varying degrees of cunning and callousness, from feigning the abduction and pimping out of the University Dean Elizabeth Walker’s daughter, to tricking an inebriated former classmate (Alison Brie) into thinking she was unfaithful, or worse, sexually assaulted, in a hotel room.

Cassie’s methods are extreme and quite frankly mad, but her motives are steeped in an obsessive desire to do right by her friend and seek justice whatever the cost (the latter playing out in tragic but successful fashion in the finale). She is an intentionally entangled fly, luring spiders of all shapes and sizes to the centre of the web, daring them to do their worst. Most times she is well prepared, and even when it seems like she’s bitten off more than she can chew, another dose of vigorous vengeance is plunged in (even if it has to be done posthumously!)

Physically too, she’s a calculating chameleon. From pigtails, flowery blouses and flats for a girl-next-door look, to blow-job blotted lips, tight dresses and skyscraper stilettos to give off a late-night pick-up vibe, every element of her outfit is deliberate and devious. Dressed up in a wig the colour of a Rainbow Paddle Pop and sexy stripper nurse outfit in the film’s final act, Cassie is the literal sexual objectification of the promising young medical practitioner she could have been. Instead, she’s a practitioner of pain, turning Monroe’s bachelor party into her plastered patients.

Handcuffing Al to the bed upstairs, it looks like she’s reeled in her biggest fish to date. “It's every man's worst nightmare, getting accused of something like that,” Al cries, to which a deadpan Cassie replies “can guess what every woman's worst nightmare is?” But soon the tables turn when he breaks free, overpowers her and smothers her to death with a pillow. It’s a brutal and distressingly drawn-out scene, and it takes a while before it hits you that she really is dead and this is where her sad story ends. Joe and Al burn her body. It’s all over. Or so you think.

We cut to Al’s wedding, and as Juice Newton’s ‘Angel of the Morning’ plays, Ryan begins to receive scheduled texts from Cassie, taunting him from beyond the grave with a juicy contingency plan. Using Al’s ex-attorney Jordan Green (Alfred Molina) and his regret and grief over representing the wrong party to her advantage, Cassie had sent him incriminating evidence about Nina’s assault and her own demise in advance. “You didn't think this was the end, did you? It is now” the first texts read, as police sirens wail and officers emerge from the woods to arrest Al for murder. “Enjoy the wedding! Love, Cassie & Nina” the final messages say, followed by a perfectly placed winky face emoticon as Fletcher’s ‘Last Laugh’ cues the end credits. It’s a gratifying water cooler moment, bona fide badass yet bittersweet, but you’re still left wondering if it was all worth it.

‘Promising Young Woman’ could be cut from the same tortured heroine cloth as ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’, ‘Kill Bill’ and ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, with Nina and Cassie’s friendship rivalling ‘Thelma & Louise’. It covers a lot of taboo territories and topics, from slut shaming to consent and coercion, and evokes the harrowing Margaret Atwood quote “Men are afraid women will laugh at them. Women are afraid men will kill them”.

‘Promising Young Woman’ is not for the faint hearted, and anyone who fears the film may be triggering should stay well clear. It’s not always easy viewing and it’s not always fair, however it’s more than just a pitch-black comedy or clear-cut tale of rape-revenge. It’s a brave, bold and original satire with bite and brains.

4/5 stars.

[theanoninyourinbox]

Longstar Au Thunderclan Boogaloo

First, i’d like to thank all of you for your support of my au, I was really surprised at the support!  Seriously thank you!!

Second, some details I forgot to mention last time.  Cinderpaw still gets hit by the car, but instead of being forced into being a medicine cat, she genuinely enjoys working with Fireheart and Yellowfang.  Flamewish makes a bunch of jokes about how her brother stole her apprentice, but she’s just glad Cinderpaw survived.  And Longstar still gets kicked in the face by the rabbit, but manages to turn his head at the last second.  He still loses some of his vision, but only about half - as he ages it gets worse, but by the time he goes completely blind, he’s got a grandkit that helps him work through his struggles.

Anyway, onto the next part!

In the space between book canon, Longstar is out looking for a juicy mouse for his hungry wife, who’s caring for their first kits, when he’s caught off guard by the scent of dog.  To his dismay, he finds a ravaged dead dog with a large grey molly breathing her last nearby.  She rasps out for something in the dark, and passes.  Longstar looks around, and finds a terrified kit hiding under a nearby bush, bleeding from a paw.  After a rushed run back to camp, the kit is treated by Fireheart and Cinderpelt, and Flamewish scoops up the traumatized kit to snuggle with Swiftkit and Foxkit.  It’s quickly agreed he’s staying with Flamewish, and Longstar deduces he’s the Dark that the molly was referencing, and Dark-kit is officially adopted by the leader of Thunderclan.  Canon continues until...

 Swiftpaw comes to her father, worried that her problems hunting and anxiety outside of camp will keep her from being a warrior.  Longstar remembers a tale about a warrior who guarded the camp after an injury crippled him, and works with her mentor Mistlenose to get her up to speed on hunting, while working with Fireheart and Cinderpelt with her anxiety.  Foxpaw and Darkpaw join her to be supportive, and Darkpaw discovers a love of healing, leading to him apprenticing under Cinderpelt.  Canon continues until...

Ashfur!  He has zero romantic intentions towards Foxfur - for one, she’s his niece!  Ew!  Also he has a mate - Flyshadow, Frostfoot’s daughter.  They’re holing off on having kits for now, but are absolutely smitten with each other. Flyshadow’s brother Coldlight has a crush on Sandstorm, but with his selective mutism and shyness, he’s never told her.  Canon continues until...

Brambleclaw!  Foxpaw absolutely bothers the snot out of him, but he has a plan - he hates the leaders of Thunderclan, despises Whitestorm for betraying his old friend, and Longstar for usurping his father’s rightful place.  That's right, Brambleclaw is a Tigerstar apologist.  His mother and sister have no idea how much he idolizes his father, or that his ghost has been visiting him in the night.  His plan is to use Foxpaw to get close to Longstar, and eventually usurp the old foxheart Whitestorm, then murder Longstar and return Thunderclan to a pure, kittypet free clan, feared by the other clans.  So he puts up with her, hoping to get closer so he can enact he and his father’s plan.  Canon continues until...

The new Prophecy!  Fireheart has a vision of a flaming cat and a shadowy tiger. and Foxpaw starts having strange dreams.  She meets up with the others, with Brambleclaw following behind, claiming she needs “a real warrior” to back her up.  Tawnypelt is happy to see her brother, but a bit suspicious - he seems like he’s hiding something.  Foxpaw and the older Crowpaw bond over their status as apprentices, and after a while, Crowpaw opens up about his phobia of water.  He tells Foxpaw and a supportive Feathertail about his adoption into Windclan, and how the first thing he can remember is drowning, and then being dragged out of the water by twolegs.  He fled, and was found wandering Windclan by Deadfoot, and adopted.  The three create a strong friendship, which continues canonically until...

The Tribe! Feathertail is still the silver cat of the prophecy, but survives just barely, breaking her back and becoming paralyzed.  Stormfur promises to come back for her, plus he still falls for Brook.  The rest of the gang continues on by canon until...

The trapped cats and Shrewpaw!  Sandstorm is the one who gets driven off instead of Graystripe, and the clans all mourn her as if she died.  Shrewpaw manages to yeet himself farther than canon, getting clipped on the hip and spun across the road.  He drags himself back to Thunderclan, pheasant clenched in his mouth.  His hind leg never fully heals, but he throws himself into cat-physical therapy with Cinderpelt to get back on his feet. Canon continues until...

The return!  The cats are greeted lovingly by their families if not the rest of their clans, and Foxpaw and Crowpaw become Foxflight and Crowfeather.  Shrewpaw, now Shrewleg, and Ashfur help Foxflight mourn for Sandstorm, her mentor.  Brambleclaw sees this, and feels a surge of jealousy - that’s HIS Foxflight, his pawn!  But he holds it together, fake consoling Whitestorm.  Canon continues until...

The elders!  Mudfur is still ill, and Frostfur, Speckletail, Loudbelly, and Shadepelt decide to stay with him.  However, Flamewish insists in giving them a chance, and convinces them to go to her previous Twolegs home, where they’re taken in and cared for like kittypet royalty by the twolegs and their neighbors, as they deserve.  Canon continues until...

Smokepaw falls!  Russetfur spots him clinging desperately to a root, and Mudclaw bravely climbs down, retrieving the terrified apprentice from his certain doom.  Everyone breathes a sigh of relief.  Canon continues until...

The Tribe again!  Graystripe is reunited with Feathertail, who’s flattered by Crowfeather’s requested name.  Darkpaw has the vision of Spottedleaf, and the clans marvel at the Lake Territory. Canon continues until...

Hawkfrost and Mothwing finally meet up with Brambleclaw, but their conversation is interrupted when Mothwing spots Crowfeather, and thinks she’s seeing a ghost - but then Hawkfrost is like, wait, I see him too?  And Crowfeather is startled, but, do I know you?  And it’s officially revealed that Crowfeather is Tadpole!  A joyous, if slightly confused sibling reunion takes place, and Crowfeather gets to introduce his adopted family to his missing siblings!  The only one not delighted is Brambleclaw, furious at being upstaged.  But he feigns delight at the events.  Canon continues until...

The death of a leader.  Tallstar passes, but with Mudclaw at his side.  He begs his Deputy to treat the other clans with kindness, as he treated Smokepaw.  Mudclaw is fervent in his promise to be a better leader than he has been a Deputy. Onewhisker is seen talking angrily to Brambleclaw, but Brambleclaw dismisses suspicions by claiming to be trying to calm his fellow warrior down. Canon continues until...

The moonpool!  Darkpaw follows the spirit of Spottedleaf, and finds the Moonpool.  At the next half-moon, he’s named Darkmoon.  Canon continues until...

The Windclan Revolt! Onewhisker attacks Mudclaw on his way to becoming leader.  Things go mostly the same, with Swiftpool being saved by Crowfeather and the following Feelings Confession, but this time it’s Foxflight and Longstar chasing down Onewhisker.  He’s nearly crushed by the tree, but instead is knocked clear, breaking his hind legs and cracking him on the skull.  Mudclaw calls for the medicine cats, and when Onewhisker wakes later, he has no recollection from the start of the Journey onward, and professes no animosity towards Mudclaw. Now Mudstar chooses to spare him and he is confined to the medicine den until he heals. Canon continues until...

Way different romantic drama!  Foxflight and Shrewleg fell hard for each other on the Journey, and Ashfur and Flyshadow just decided to start trying for kits.  It’s too bad Brambleclaw keeps starting rumors about secret relationships.  They go nowhere fast, and Brambleclaw scrambles to keep a hold of his plans.  Crowfeather and Swiftpool keep meeting up in secret, and consider running.  During this time, Darkmoon finds out about the Tigerstar training program, and warns not Brambleclaw, but Hawkfrost, about the consequences of his actions.  Hawkfrost mulls over when he tried to drop a moth wing by the medicine den, but one was already there.  Canon continues until...

The Badger attack!  Midnight warns the runaways and they return, but not in time to save Cinderpelt.  Flamewish spots Crowfeather, does that math-circling-the-lady meme, and drags Crow, Swift, Fox, and Longstar into the den after the fight, and commands the nervous duo to spill it right now sO HELP ME STARCLAN!  And they spill it, the whole secret romance. There’s a moment of silence, then Foxflight starts the Traditional Thunderclan Threats to a Siblings Datefriend, Lonstar assures Crowfeather and Swiftpool he isn’t angry, while Flamewish demands details of the love confession, was it passionate?!?!  This leads to Longstar and Mudstar hashing out a deal - as long as their clans are at peace, the two can be in a relationship.  This deal eventually spreads to the other clans, allowing more cross-clan relationships. (Deadfoot is simultaneously disappointed and impressed by his son, Mudstar can’t stop laughing) Canon continues until...

The blood on the lake.  Brambleclaw snaps, and lures Longstar to the lake, where he’s foxtrapped.  Hawkfrost is visited in his dreams by Yellowfang, who yells at him to wake up and stop his idiot half-brother gET UP OR SO HELP ME STARCLAN!!! (Yes this is exactly where Flamewish gets it from)  Hawkfrost makes it to the shore as Longstar falls, and knocks Brambleclaw off the Thunderclan Leader.  The two tussle, and Hawkfrost frees Longstar, killing Brambleclaw with the stake. 

Sometime later, Swiftpool tells Crowfeather she’s pregnant.

And that’s it for the moment!  Next up, the Three, the return of Sandstorm, and Sol that smarmy heretic.  Thanks for reading, and I appreciate your support!

[devendrasbeard]

Marry me Once, Marry Me twice, Marry Me Six Times

Prompt: Getting Engaged Relationships: Eskel/Jaskier Rating: M Content Warnings: Alcohol, Drunk Sex, Accidental Sugar Daddy Acquisition (through marriage xD) Summary: Five times Jaskier has proposed to Eskel (more or less as a joke) and the one time Eskel has proposed to Jaskier (for real). Coffee shop AU!

Also on ao3!

The first time Jaskier has proposed to Eskel was only a few days after he'd moved to Rivia all the way from Lettenhove.

He reached out to his old college friend, Geralt, who he knew lived in Rivia, and asked him for help with the move. Even though they haven't seen each other in almost ten years, Geralt was more than happy to provide help not only with bringing all of Jaskier's stuff to his new place, but he was also determined to make Jaskier's start in the new city go as smoothly as possible.

And so, he offered Jaskier a job in his coffee shop, so that he didn't have to worry about money right after having moved across the continent. When Jaskier would settle down and think of a plan for his next moves, he'd look for other job opportunities.

It was his third day in "Deja Brew", but Geralt was already convinced he'd made the right decision by hiring his old friend. Jaskier's outgoing personality and clever, witty comments already earned them much higher tips. Little to no customers could withstand Jaskier's charm when he described their cookies and special lattes with flowery words, so their order values also increased immensely.

It was close to lunchtime, so the coffee shop was almost empty. Jaskier was stacking up some paper cups and reorganizing the paper straws by color, with his back to the front door, when he heard the familiar ding of that tiny bell installed just above the door. 

He turned around to greet the new customer but got tongue-tied after seeing the person who entered. It was a very tall man, taller even than Geralt, with shoulders ridiculously broad, gorgeous olive skin and longer dark hair. He was wearing a leather jacket over a red skin-tight t-shirt, and a pair of black jeans. What caught Jaskier's attention were the bits of tattoos poking out of the shirt's v-neck and a piercing on the bridge of the man's nose.

"Fuck me sideways..." Jaskier whispered a tad too loud as the man approached the counter.

"Hey, no swearing in front of the customers!" Geralt shouted from the storage room.

"No worries, I'm no customer," the man smiled softly and winked at Jaskier. "I assume Geralt's around?"

Jaskier pointed to the back door not saying a word, too busy biting his lip and ogling the gorgeous man in front of him.

"Oh, hey, Eskel," Geralt appeared next to Jaskier and greeted the man. "Did something happen? You usually don't come here after work."

"Nah, it's nothing. I left in a rush this morning and forgot my keys. If you could give me yours I'll make dinner tonight," he casually leaned over the counter and Jaskier couldn't help but stare at the chest hair poking out of the shirt and those goddamn tattoos.

"Yeah sure, I'll get them," Geralt replied and patted Jaskier on the shoulder. "By the way, this is my old friend Jaskier, you should remember him from my college stories. Jask, this is my brother Eskel."

Jaskier's eyes widened even more. "Brother?!" He shook his head. "You have a gorgeous, sex-on-legs brother and you never cared to tell me?"

Geralt chuckled. "Of course I told you, back in college. Baby Esk? Little brother did grow up a little in the past ten years."

Jaskier swallowed thickly and eyed Eskel, who was grinning at him with a mysterious spark in his eye. "Gods above," Jaskier sighed. "You're even more perfect than Geralt. I'm sorry, but will you marry me?"

Eskel laughed loudly, a low baritone sound, but so soft on the edges. He patted Jaskier on the shoulder and winked. "I like you, Jaskier. We'll need to get to know each other better if you'd like to marry me, so I'll see you around?"

Eskel left, leaving Jaskier feeling very fuzzy inside, knees wobbly, leaning on the counter to steady himself, and Geralt rolling his eyes at him and asking the gods if it really was a good idea to hire him.

*****

The second time Jaskier has proposed to Eskel was about a month later.

He stayed in "Deja Brew" for a while longer than he and Geralt had planned initially, but they both agreed that Jaskier just fit into that place perfectly. His new ideas for special drinks and clever names for desserts helped Geralt's place make a name for itself. 

Jaskier's newest addition to the menu was the "Unicorn Fart" - a caramel cocoa drink with rainbow colored whipped cream and a ridiculous amount of sprinkles on top. Kids would buy that in bulk and parents would roll their eyes at Jaskier when he'd hand the drinks to the delighted kids while making farting noises.

Eskel was a cook in the vegan diner just across the street and he used to pop in every now and then after work or before his late afternoon shift, grabbing a coffee before he went back to his daily activities.

Jaskier would eye him very carefully and absolutely not as sneakily as he thought. It's been a really long while since Jaskier has been with anyone, and Geralt's brother sparked that long forgotten interest in him. Now and then Jaskier would ask Geralt casually about Eskel - how old he exactly was, what he liked to do in his free time - feeling more comfortable talking to his friend about him, than ask Eskel himself.

One evening Eskel came into the coffee shop right before closing time, carrying two takeaway bags and placing them on the counter. "You need to try this!" he said enthusiastically, crossing his arms on his chest. "I've finally managed to make the perfect dumplings."

Jaskier peeked into the bags with interest and took out two containers with wonton soup and a tray with some kind of stir fry. Eskel grinned at him, his face an example of sheer satisfaction.

Geralt emerged from the storage room and grabbed one soup from Jaskier. "It smells great," he smiled at his brother.

Jaskier eagerly grabbed one wonton with his chopsticks and ate the whole thing at once. It was delicious - hot, juicy, full of tasty vegetables - and his eyes rolled back into his skull as he hummed with contentment. He pointed his chopsticks at Eskel, mouth still full, and let out a few appreciative grunts. "This, my guy, is orgasm in the form of food."

Eskel laughed and scratched the back of his neck. Jaskier didn't miss the way his bicep bulged, his shirt almost bursting at the seams. "I'm glad you like it, I'm really proud of this."

"You should be!" Jaskier put away the soup and reached for the stir fry. "Gods, I would give you foot massages at every occasion if you promised to cook it for me everyday."

"You know where I work, Jaskier, you can come by whenever you like."

"I would much rather marry you and enjoy this orgasmic food in the privacy of our home," Jaskier said lightly, while looking Eskel deep in the eyes at the same time. "Could also use some different kind of orgasms you wouldn't be able to provide me with in your diner."

Geralt choked on his dumpling, looking daggers at Jaskier, while having a coughing fit. "For gods' sake! Can you try being less blunt with your flirting? It's my little brother."

"I don't see any flirting," Eskel laughed, sending Jaskier a wink. "I've only been proposed to twice, that's quite serious, my old guy, don't you think?"

Geralt huffed, rolled his eyes and left for the storage room, hugging the soup container to his chest. "I need to place some orders for tomorrow. Behave, you two."

Jaskier leaned casually on the counter, popping another dumpling in his mouth and grunting with pleasure again. "I've proposed twice, yet I haven't heard an answer from you, Esk."

"I like you, Jaskier, you're more than cute," Eskel winked at him and moved to the door. "Gotta do better than that to get a yes, though. See you around!"

*****

The third time Jaskier has proposed to Eskel was on the night of Belleteyn.

As a promotional stunt, Jaskier offered their coffee shop customers a pair of limited edition coffee drinks - one infused with rose and the other with lavender extract - along with a big heart-shaped cookie. When couples ordered the set he would also give them plastic flower crowns that he'd bought in bulk a few weeks earlier at a super cheap price.

Geralt was amazed at Jaskier's ideas and kept shooting him appreciative looks, as they both worked fast and agile to get all the incoming orders ready. He even gave in and let Jaskier put one of the flower crowns on his silver hair, "for promotional reasons only, of course."

When the last customers for the day left, carrying two coffee cups each and trying not to drop their flower crowns, Eskel walked into the place, his signature grin plastered on his face.

"Ready to get absolutely shitfaced tonight?" he asked, holding up a bottle of red wine. "I like how cute you both look," he smiled pointing at the now crooked flower crowns on their heads.

"You'll get one too," Jaskier chirped, reaching under the counter and placing the wreath on Eskel's head and pursing his lips. "Absolutely gorgeous!"

"Nice!" Eskel smiled. "Are we going to see the parade or do you guys want to get straight down to business?"

"And by 'business' you mean...?" Jaskier leaned forward on the counter, grinning at Eskel, completely disregarding Geralt's exasperated huff. Jaskier was like a horny, hyperactive little puppy that Geralt had absolutely no control over. 

"It's up to you, Jaskier," Eskel smiled, absolutely unfazed by his friend's innuendos. "Geralt and I have seen the parade more than a dozen times, so if you'd rather hit the pubs already, then I'm game."

"Let's hit the pubs then," Jaskier commanded. "But the flower crowns stay on!"

A few hours and three visited pubs later, Geralt has called it a day and went home, leaving Jaskier and Eskel sitting alone at the bar, telling them to not do anything stupid while he's gone. 

"Sigh, Eskel, you're really handsome," Jaskier whispered, propping his chin on his hands.

"Did you just say 'sigh' out loud instead of actually sighing?" Eskel chuckled.

"I might have," Jaskier tried for a seductive smile. "You're still handsome." He reached out to pat Eskel's cheek, but miscalculated the distance and launched forward, his hand landing on Eskel's thigh and his forehead on Eskel's chest.

"Okay, how shitfaced are we?" Eskel asked, helping Jaskier find his balance.

"Well, I'm pretty hammered for sure. Time to go home?"

"Can I walk you home?" Eskel asked, still holding Jaskier's arms in his grip.

"Only if you stay the night," Jaskier went for a wink but ended up closing both his eyes several times. 

"You're absolutely not subtle while flirting," Eskel laughed, leaning forward and almost bumping their foreheads. "But you're incredibly cute and I'm terribly horny, so I'll take it."

"Talk about subtle," Jaskier snickered.

Before he could find another witty comeback in his alcohol-dazed mind, Eskel's lips were on his. They were soft and plush and very wet, and the kiss caught Jaskier off guard. He wrapped his hands around Eskel's neck and leaned into the kiss.

"Hey, no tongue wrestling at the bar!" the bartender swatted them with his towel. They laughed softly, muttering out apologies and left the pub, hips bumping against each other and legs wobbly.

They stumbled into Jaskier's apartment, Jaskier hugging Eskel's waist, Eskel's arm slumped over Jaskier's shoulder, laughing at something they have long forgotten about.

Jaskier pushed Eskel against the wall as soon as he closed the door behind them. "Okay, are we doing this because we're super drunk, super horny, or do you really really reallyyyyy fancy me?" he asked, propping his arm against the wall and looking up at Eskel's face.

"I like you Jaskier," Eskel said firmly, giving him a quick kiss. "And I'm also super horny, so I hope that's enough a reason for you?"

"Your hot-ass... ass is reason enough for me," Jaskier chuckled and pulled Eskel in for a kiss. Eskel was warm on his lips and his hot tongue in Jaskier's mouth was already driving him crazy.

"Bedroom," Eskel panted. "Quick, before we pass out from all the tequila shots we had tonight."

So Jaskier laid back comfortably on the bed, having already dropped his shirt and pants and he watched Eskel undress. Eskel didn't waste any time, pulling his shirt off in one swift motion and sliding his pants off together with his boxer shorts.

"What the fuck? What the... Shit, fuck, Eskel?!" Jaskier sat up on the bed, eyes wide with wonder.

"You okay, Jask?" Eskel turned to him, brows furrowed with worry.

"You walk around carrying this marvel of a dick in your pants and you didn't tell me?!" Jaskier gasped, his voice reaching incredibly high notes.

"When do you think would be the right time to tell you?" Eskel laughed, crawling up the bed and into Jaskier's arms. "'Yo, I'm Eskel, wanna see my marvelous cock?' This doesn't usually work out well."

"I usually don't propose to people immediately after seeing them, so I guess this could've actually worked," Jaskier replied with a seductive wink, his hands already roaming across Eskel's tattooed chest. His eyes, however, were fixed at Eskel's cock. "Gods, dick so bomb I will really have to marry you! I want to feel that between my legs every day for the rest of my life!"

"Watch out what you wish for," Eskel whispered in his ear, causing goosebumps on Jaskier's skin. "Or you might actually get it."

*****

The fourth time Jaskier has proposed to Eskel was when he caught a nasty cold in the middle of summer.

Jaskier was sitting on the couch, watching reruns of "The Great Cintran Bake Off", a cup of now cold tea in his hands. He scolded himself for having worn flip flops to work the other day - a heavy rain had caught him when he was going home in the night and he was soaking wet when he had finally reached his place. The next day he woke up with a throbbing headache and runny nose and had to call in sick.

There was a knock on the door, but Jaskier waved it off. If it was the postman, he'd leave the parcel or letter at the door, and Jaskier didn't expect anyone else.

A moment later there was another, louder knock, followed by Eskel's soft baritone voice. "Jaskier, are you home? It's me."

Jaskier slipped off the couch, wrapped a blanket around his shoulders and shuffled to the door to open it.

"Aww man, you look like shit," Eskel said when Jaskier let him in.

"Good to see you too, Eskel," Jaskier replied weakly and shuffled back to his living room to plop back on the couch.

"Geralt has told me you called in sick and asked me to come over and check up on you," Eskel followed him into the living room, placing takeaway bags on the table next to the couch. He put a hand on Jaskier's forehead, worrying his lip between his teeth. "Good thing I have the whole day off. Someone needs to take care of you."

"I'll be fine," Jaskier mumbled from under the blanket.

"What did you eat today?" Eskel asked, eyeing the half empty tea cup on the table.

"Some Aspirin. Butter toast."

"Yeah, thought so," Eskel shot him a condescending look and grabbed the takeout bags. "That's why I came prepared."

He pulled out a container of hot chicken soup and another one with gyoza dumplings. He helped Jaskier sit up and wrapped the blanket around Jaskier's shoulders, so that he could eat comfortably on the couch.

"The chicken soup is what my grandma used to make whenever we were sick. She taught me how to prepare it," Eskel said with a hint of pride. "Eat it hot, you'll feel better in no time."

Jaskier ate a few spoons of the hot broth - it was deliciously salty, with lots of carrots, onions and noodles. He felt a pleasurable warmth already spreading around his stomach and he hummed softly. "Thank you, it's delicious."

"Now, eat it all up and go to bed. You need sleep," Eskel rubbed his back and Jaskier leaned in to rest his head on Eskel's shoulder. "I'll look after you today."

"You don't have to," Jaskier looked up at him, eyes fogged. "I'll take a nap and will be fine. No need to stay around and waste your day off work on me."

Eskel cleared his throat before placing a quick kiss on Jaskier's forehead. "It's... It's not a waste of time to be around you." He lowered his gaze and fixed his eyes on the floor. "You're my friend."

"... with benefits," Jaskier chuckled, then got a coughing fit. "Sorry."

"Let's get you to bed," Eskel commanded with a light smile. "You need to sleep for the soup to work its wonders."

Jaskier slept for over four hours. He was woken up by a warm hand on his forehead - Eskel checking his temperature. He sat up with a groan, but he was relieved to find that his head didn't hurt anymore.

Eskel put a tray with a bowl of steamy hot dumplings in Jaskier's lap and sat next to him on the edge of the bed. "Time for lunch," he smiled. "I also made you some ginger tea with honey - it's much better for your health than that generic supermarket shit you had earlier."

"I don't know if I should thank you or feel fucking offended," Jaskier narrowed his eyes. He then tried one of the gyozas and let out an appreciative hum. "Okay, I've decided to thank you, cause these are fucking delicious! Did you made them yourself?"

Eskel nodded with a smile.

"Gods, I'm so lucky to have you," Jaskier whispered between bites. "Fucking handsome, so caring, great cook, dick so bomb it leaves me breathless... Eskel, I'm going to-"

"Yes, I know, you will ask me to marry you," Eskel cut him off, letting out a breathy laugh.

"I wanted to offer you a blowjob once I get better," Jaskier retorted with a grin. "But marrying you would come with the same benefits, so I guess I should actually ask you to marry me one day."

"Who knows," Eskel replied, eyes unfocused and looking at the wall with a soft smile. "Maybe one day I will actually accept your crazy proposal. Now finish your food and let me get you some more Aspirin."

*****

The fifth time Jaskier has proposed to Eskel was when Eskel saved his life.

It was a chilly night at the beginning of autumn. Geralt has left earlier to run some errands and Jaskier was closing up the coffee shop by himself. Having worked there for over half a year now, he knew exactly what to do and it didn't bother him to be left alone for the last hour of work every now and then. He closed the front door, swept the floors, counted the money and put it away into the little safe in their back room. He turned off all the lights and went out, closing the back door behind him.

"Your wallet and phone, pretty boy," he heard a hoarse voice behind his back. 

He turned around to see a man, hiding his face under a big hood, both hands kept hidden in the hoodie's vast pockets. Jaskier shook himself out of the initial shock and looked closer at the person - it wasn't a man, more a teenager, sixteen years old at best. He was grinning awfully at Jaskier, eyes mad and darting, probably on drugs.

"Okay, let's take it easy," Jaskier held his hands up, shivering a little. "I don't think you want to do this."

"Shut the fuck up! Wallet." The guy moved closer to Jaskier pulling a small knife out of his pocket. 

Jaskier instinctively scooted back, his back bumping painfully against the cold door of the coffee shop. This was getting serious and he was sure even his wit wouldn't help him get out of the situation. He looked at the knife's blade shining in the weak light of the few street lamps, took a quick glance at the guy's wild eyes and gritted teeth - he was definitely under some substance's influence, so Jaskier convinced himself that arguing with the guy or trying to talk some reason into him would make no sense. He exhaled slowly, trying not to shake too much while still eyeing the sharp blade in the guy's hand. He tried looking around without acting too obvious - but there was nobody in the street.

"Okay, I'm gonna reach into my pocket and take my wallet out," Jaskier said weakly, trying to sound as calm as possible. "No need to use the knife, okay?"

"Don't tell me what to do!" the guy shouted at him, waving the knife around. 

Jaskier looked up and prayed silently to the gods. He hoped that as soon as he'd handed the guy his stuff, he'd be gone and leave him alone. All he heard was the annoying sound of his teeth clicking and his rushed heartbeat ringing in his ears.

"Leave him alone!" Jaskier heard a growl coming from the end of the alleyway. Before Jaskier could recognise Eskel in the dark figure, he rushed at the robber, knocking him down. The guy fell on his back, losing the knife and groaning painfully. He scrambled to his feet and launched at Eskel, clearly going for a fight. Jaskier watched him lose his balance and fall on his back again, after Eskel had punched him straight in the face. "Get the fuck out of here!" Eskel's voice was dark and threatening, nothing alike the soft baritone Jaskier was used to. Eskel kicked the guy once, before Jaskier grabbed his arm and pulled him away.

"It's okay, Esk," he said quietly. "I'm okay. It's okay."

"If I ever see you around here again, I swear to god..." Eskel started, teeth gritted and jaw clenched. He watched as the guy got up as quickly as he could and limped away, leaving him panting and with a very scared Jaskier clinging to his arm.

Jaskier let out a deep breath, steadying himself on Eskel's arm. Eskel turned to him and grabbed him in a tight embrace. "I'm okay, I'm okay," Jaskier kept repeating, even though his legs felt weak and his teeth were still clicking a little.

"Gods, I'm so glad nothing happened to you," Eskel breathed and kissed Jaskier's forehead. Then he kissed his cheeks and left a soft kiss on Jaskier's lips. He was shaking a little too. "If he'd hurt you, I swear to god..."

Jaskier put a finger on his lips to shut him up. "Thank you, Eskel. I'm so glad you were here."

Eskel huffed. "Good thing I came over... Wanted to ask you to go out and grab a beer with me, but now..." he gestured around, while giving Jaskier a worried look.

"Eskel," Jaskier hugged him, hiding his face in Eskel's broad chest. He felt the stress leave him, as Eskel's strong hands rubbed circles on his back. He let out another deep breath, held back the tears prickling at his eyes, smiled faintly. "You saved my life, quite literally. So, since I now owe you my life, will you marry me?"

"Ahh, there it is," Eskel let out a breathy laugh, placing another kiss on Jaskier's forehead. "I will take you out tonight first."

*****

And then Eskel has proposed to Jaskier.

"Hey, Jaskier," Geralt looked up from the delivery boxes and greeted him when he entered their coffee shop. "Before you change into your work clothes, can you go over to Eskel's diner and pick up a parcel for me? He said he grabbed it for me this morning."

"Sure thing," Jaskier replied, putting his jacket back on. "Be back in ten."

"Yeah," Geralt nodded towards him with a soft smile tugging at his lips. "No rush."

When Jaskier entered the diner, Eskel greeted him at the door and took his work apron off, throwing it to a coworker. "Good to see you, Jaskier," he said eagerly.

"Hi, Geralt said I was supposed to pick something from you for him?"

"Uh yeah... I don't have it," Eskel grinned with an apologetic look on his face, rubbing the back of his neck. "But you can come with me, I have something to show you."

"How long is it gonna take?" Jaskier hesitated at the door. "Told Geralt I'll be back in a minute."

"You don't really have to," Eskel smiled at him. "Asked Geralt for a day off for you today, he's already got someone to cover today's shift for you."

Jaskier propped his hands on his hips and eyed Eskel suspiciously. "Okay, what is going on?"

"Can't tell ya," Eskel reached out and grabbed Jaskier's hand. "Come with me."

They strolled slowly through the city's streets. Eskel was holding Jaskier's hand all the time, rubbing small circles on it with his thumb every now and then. Jaskier looked down at their intertwined fingers and smiled. Eskel's hand was strong and warm, his olive skin soft under Jaskier's touch.

"How come your skin and your hair are so much darker than Geralt's?" he wondered aloud.

"Geralt's a weirdo," Eskel blurted out without thinking, causing Jaskier to chuckle. "Also, he's old."

"Mind you, I'm the same age as him," Jaskier stuck his tongue out.

"Technically, yes. But you're different," Eskel smiled. "When I'm around you, I feel like you're more my age, while Geralt is already like our dad."

"I'm really glad he doesn't hear us now," Jaskier laughed, squeezing Eskel's hand tightly. "Okay, where are you taking me and what is going on?"

"Ah, we're here," Eskel stopped them. "You'll find everything out soon enough."

Jaskier took a look at the heavy steel gate they found themselves in front of. Botanical garden. Jaskier has always wanted to go there but never found the time to do so. He smiled fondly at Eskel and squeezed his hand. So it was a surprise date, a nice walk through the narrow paths between colorful flowerbeds. There were little to no people, since it was a weekday before noon - everyone was either at work or in school and they could enjoy their time together in privacy. A fuzzy heat spread through his chest and he gave Eskel a wide smile. "Thank you for bringing me here, I love it."

"You ain't seen nothing yet," Eskel grinned, grabbed Jaskier's hand and led him inside.

After a while of walking around, Eskel sat Jaskier on a secluded bench in front of a weeping willow tree. On both sides of the bench were flowerbeds of blooming autumn flowers - cyclamens, russian sage, and marigolds. Jaskier turned his face to the sun, letting it warm his skin, and inhaled the mix of strong flowery scents. "It's beautiful," he sighed. "But what's the occasion? It's neither my birthday nor yours... So what's the deal here?"

In reply, Eskel grabbed Jaskier's face and pulled him into a passionate kiss. His lips were warm and plush and so soft on Jaskier's and Jaskier immediately sunk into the sensation, slumping in Eskel's arms. Eskel was holding Jaskier's face firmly, kissing Jaskier so deeply, hungrily, as if he was afraid Jaskier would never want to kiss him again. But Jaskier leaned into the kiss, pressing his body flush to Eskel's, wrapping his arms around his broad shoulders, opening his mouth to welcome him.

"Jaskier, listen," Eskel grabbed his hand and exhaled deeply, when they parted their lips. "I know we're not technically together, like we never put the 'boyfriends' label on ourselves, but I feel that we have a strong connection going on between us anyway. And I know that you're much older than me, but I don't really mind, and if you don't mind, then..." He stopped for a moment, worrying his lip between his teeth, trying to find the right words.

Jaskier stared at him with interest and a hint of worry, looking between their intertwined fingers and Eskel's face.

"I've never met anyone like you, Jaskier," Eskel continued, squeezing Jaskier's hand between his strong fingers. "You're funny and smart, you're like sunshine embodied. You're so beautiful and so confident in who you are and I admire you and... I love you."

Jaskier felt tears already brimming at the corners of his eyes and he exhaled deeply, trying not to burst out crying at the very moment. But then Eskel slid down from the bench and got on one knee, causing Jaskier to gasp loudly.

"Marry me, Jaskier," Eskel said, expression serious but eyes hopeful. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small dark blue box, and pressed it into Jaskier's hands. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You might think I'm crazy but I've really thought it through and if you're ready to take that leap of faith with me, then I'll be the happiest person in the world."

"You mean it." Jaskier's voice was as quiet as a whisper, as he looked at the little box in his hands and then at Eskel's face. "You really want this?"

Eskel nodded, his throat too tight to speak. He squeezed Jaskier's hands between his a little bit tighter.

Jaskier opened the box. He found a small simple ring in white gold inside, holding a tiny aquamarine at the top. He let out a whimper, before pulling the ring out and placing it on his finger. He pulled Eskel up from his knees and into a kiss. "I knew from day one we're gonna end up like this!"

-----

@witcher-rarepair-summer-bingo

[excusemin]

aftermath | jhs (m)

Pairing: Hoseok x female reader

Rating: +18, M (mature)

Genre: established relationship, smut, a dash of fluff

Warnings:  teasing, mentions of sweat, daddy kink, soft dom!Hoseok, sub!reader, slight biting, slight food play, nipple play, unprotected sex (play it safe bro), creampie, Hoseok is a sweet attentive baby.

Word count: 2.3k 

Summary:The aftermath of a long competition can be very sweet and sweaty.

A/N: Hello, I’m back with another smut. This is pretty much a second part to ‘Just Dance’. Legit the aftermath of what happens after the little competition. I listened to Harry Styles ‘Watermelon Sugar’ while reading this.   Anywho, if I’m missing any warnings, please let me know. I’d be happy to make any adjustments needed. Enjoy :)

After hours of playing, your bodies fell limp on the couch behind you. Who knew your competition would be this long? 

You both did.

You let your body mold into the comfort of your beloved couch as you shut your eyes. Your boyfriend’s eyes were anything but closed. His eyes were glued onto your body sprawled right next to him.

Groaning, you tilted your head backwards to let your body cool down faster. The sudden noise caused Hoseok’s cock stir in his pants. Hoseok gulped at the view of your body dripping with perspiration. His eyes followed the trail of sweat slowly dripping down your neck. He watched as it went in between your heaving breasts causing the shirt you were wearing to have a slight damp patch. So entranced with your chest taking in shallow breaths, he failed to see that your eyes were on him.

It didn’t take long to figure out what was going on in his mind. The hungry look in his eyes and the brief glimpse of his honeyed tongue brushing past his lips gave him away. 

Trying to keep a neutral face, you decided to put on a show for him. Slowly, your fingertips trailed your thighs until you felt the hem of his shirt you were wearing. Pulling the shirt off from your body, you let out a delighted sigh at the new freshness you felt. You arched your back slightly as you bunched the shirt up in your hands to dry off any sweat you felt on your body. Your hands purposely groping your breasts knowing he was definitely going to enjoy the view. 

Feeling his eyes burning onto your body, your mischievous mind decided to go the extra length that will make him break.

“You know what? Let’s go get refreshed Hobi.” A new wave of energy flowed through your body as you tossed your shirt at your aroused boyfriend. Before he could say anything, you dashed to the kitchen to continue your plan.

Hearing Hoseok get up from the couch with a groan, you quickly reached for your ultimate weapon, watermelon. Taking it out of the refrigerator, you placed it on the marbled counter but confusion rushed into your mind when your hand reached out for the plates you previously used, only to be met with nothing.

Eyes rolling to the back of your head as your hands opened the cupboard in front of you to find out that Hoseok had put them on the very top, again. Bracing yourself for the ache of your thighs from playing ‘Just Dance’, you placed your hands on the counter as you lifted your body on top to retrieve the plates.  

 Once you were able to get a hold on the plates, you placed the plates on a clear space on the counter before you were able to get off from it. Placing the palms of your hands on the counter to ease you down the counter, you weren’t expecting for your back to hit anything, much less the front of your boyfriend’s chest. A slight panic flooded through your body as you stumbled onto your feet.

Hoseok’s hands moved to your hips and moved you back to his body to keep you still. You felt his breath fanning over the crook of your neck causing your breath to hitch. He started placing kisses on your neck, moving up until he was right next to your ear.

“You know sweet pea, I love how you think that you are slick. What is it that you want?” Your body stilled as his husky voice spoke into your ear. The heat from his body behind you and his husky voice sending a wave of arousal down your body. 

“I-” You wanted to answer, the answer was on the tip of your tongue yet no words were able to come out from your mouth.

“Tell me baby, what were you aiming for with this teasing? To get me all riled up? Answer me baby.” He nipped on your ear to get you to release any sound.

“Yes Hoseok.” A choked moan slipped from your lips and Hoseok came close to your face. Lips brushing against yours as he brought his thumb in between to toy with your bottom lip.

“Well, congrats. You riled me up baby. Now, what are you going to do for daddy?” The tip of his index finger lifted your chin to have you meet his gaze. 

“Anything daddy.”

“Anything?” His raised eyebrow should have been enough to send you a warning signal but your lips had a mind of their own.

“Anything.” The desire laced in your breathy voice made Hoseok chuckle.

“Good now, I want you to sit here and eat some juicy watermelon.” You wanted to wipe off the smug look from his face but you knew better. His hand patted the counter you were on just a few seconds ago. Nodding, you backed up to the counter and placed your palms once more on it only to be stopped by his disapproving tone.

“Strip for me sweet pea.” He took a few steps back to rest against the counter across from you to fully absorb your image, his gaze never faltering as you took off the remaining clothes. You bit your lip to keep any sounds from spilling out from your mouth as you took off your dampened panties. Hoseok groaned as he saw your soaked panties clinging to your glistening pussy.

Refraining from any more teasing, you looked right into his lustful eyes as you finally raised your body on the place Hoseok patted seconds ago. You winced as your heated pussy made contact with the cold marbled counter. The contact made chills form all over your body. Trying to keep your warm core from touching the cold counter, you tried to lean back onto the wall and moved your hands to cover your chest.

"Color?" Hoseok's eyes flashed a glint of concern as his eyes searched for any trail of discomfort written on your face.

"Green." You flashed a bright smile as you answered Hoseok. He always made sure you were comfortable during any given time. It made your love for him grow as he always ensured your comfort before anything else.

"Good girl. Now, sit up straight baby and let me see those gorgeous tits of yours."

"Yes daddy." Sitting straight, you let your hands fall right in your lap as you looked at Hoseok for the next instructions. Hoseok pushed himself from the opposite counter and walked with you with a hungry look on his face.

"Spread yourself open for me sweet pea." Nodding, you spread out your thighs with your hands to grant him full sight of your glistening pussy.  

Once he neared your body, his fingers ghosted on your spread out thighs. The mixture of the heat coming from his fingers and the cold air hitting your spread out pussy caused your arousal to pool down onto the marbled counter.

“Would you look at that! You’re so ready for my cock but it’s time to give you a taste of your own medicine baby.” Your teeth caught your bottom lip in its grasp to stop any sounds from coming out but your boyfriend’s thumb gently rubbed on your lips.

"I want to hear your every sound baby. Come on, let me hear you." Nodding your head, his hand reached out to pick up a piece of watermelon that you had cut the day before as he slotted in between your spread thighs. 

"Open that pretty mouth of yours for me." The piece of watermelon was gently pressed onto your lips as he waited for you to part them. His slender fingers spread the juicy fruit around your lips causing the juices to trickle down your chin. Hoseok's lustful eyes followed the liquid flow down onto your chest.

"Eat up baby." His fingers pushed in the piece of fruit into your mouth as he pressed open mouthed kisses down your neck and stopped right at your glistening breasts. Hoseok's breath was right over your erect nipple and poked his tongue out to lick up all the sticky liquid. His hand slowly traveled from your lips to your neck, from your neck to your chest and firmly grasped onto your neglected breast. 

Whining into his grasp, your core was now throbbing from how aroused you felt. You needed to feel something, something to ease the slick mess in between your thighs. Your hips started to move on their own to relieve yourself on the marbled counter. The cold marbled counter bringing a shock of pleasure all over your body. 

So entranced with getting relief, you missed Hoseok's hand sliding onto your hips to stop them from moving. A whine escaped your mouth as your hips could no longer move. Hoseok harshly sucked your nipple as he brought your hips closer to his. Releasing your nipple, he pressed an open mouthed kiss on it soothe it down. Pressing your chests together, he brought your lips together and slipped his honeyed tongue past your lips.

In between tongues clashing against each other, your hands feeling each other's bodies, hips grinding against each other to provide just about enough friction to feel pleasurable, you needed more. You wanted more. You needed to feel him. All of him. Not wanting to waste anymore time, your fingers desperately ran up from his chest to get a hold on his face to slow him down.

"Daddy... please... need you." Your words coming out after each heated kiss. His hands peeled away from your body to discard his sweater and your hands helping him out. You needed to feel all of him and he was willing to give it to you, always.

“I got you baby." You whined as he moved away to peel off the last of his clothes. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he freed his hardened cock from its restraints. Your eyes dropping down to admire his cock. It was the most beautiful cock you've ever seen, not that you've seen many but his suited him in every way. Your pointed tongue poking out to wet your lips as you thought of how your pussy would deliciously stretch out around his thick length.

"Ready sweet pea?" Your mind distracted you from noticing him right in between your thighs. The tip of his cock brushed against your slick lips as he waited for your answer.

"Ready daddy." Pushing past your folds, Hoseok sank his thick length in you. A mixture of moans slipped from your lips as Hoseok bottomed out in your warm core. His cock twitched in you causing your pussy to clench around him. He pressed his lips against yours to silence your moans as he patiently waited for your body to relax for him. His hands molded onto your body, soothing you as he brushed them along your body.

Once he felt your body relax against his, he slowly pulled out until the tip of his cock was all that was inside your heat and thrusted back into you until he built a steady pace. Every snap of his hips against yours made you feel full and satisfied. Wanting him closer, you wrapped your legs around him causing him to hit that sweet spot that had your toes curling.

As the need of feeling him close grew, you pressed your chest against Hoseok's and another spark of pleasure spread all over your body as your swollen nipples deliciously rubbed against his chest. His arms wrapped around your body as he switched from thrusting in you to rolling his hips against yours. The rolling of his hips provided the extra stimulation you needed on your swollen clit bringing you closer to the edge.

Your pussy started clenching repeatedly as you felt your high near. The control you had over your moans completely disappeared as you heard Hoseok moan out curses laced with your name right next to your ear. Your orgasm blinded you as Hoseok's pace picked up. His cock hitting every sweet spot just right. Your own orgasm caught Hoseok by surprise as well as he filled you up to the brim. His hips slowly continued to move as he rode both of your highs.

Coming back to your senses, you felt Hoseok press soft kisses wherever he could reach. The slight movement caused his cum drip out of your swollen pussy. His lips finally met yours and placed a sweet kiss on them, making sure you felt every ounce of his love for you. He pulled away to place his forehead on yours, a worried look plastered on his face.

"Did I go too rough? Are you okay sweet pea? Does anything hur-" You silenced his rambling with your index finger. His eyes widening at the action.

"Everything was perfect, Seokie. I love you." You brushed your nose against his as you felt your cheeks heat up once more.

“I love you too sweet pea. Wanna take a bath together?” 

“Lead the way Seokie.” With no energy to complain, you let Hoseok carry you all the way to the bathroom. As soon as your bodies entered, he set your body next to the bathtub to set up the perfect bath for the both of you. He settled in for a warm lavender bath tonight, the scent of the lavender instantly relaxing you. 

Once the bath bomb set, he set you in the bathtub first and slotted himself right behind you. Hoseok wrapped his arms around your body and brought you back to relax on top of him.

“I love you so much baby.”

“I love you too Hoseok. Thank you for being so amazing.”

“For you, always baby.” He pressed one little kiss on the back of your ear as you slowly drifted to sleep in his arms. He was sweet indeed.