#goodbye my money but its worth it

[ryanthel0ser]

*does a little boogie dance*

[mush-dooms]

looking at flights and trying not to spend too much is soooo annoying. like. I need a fucking spreadsheet at this point. actually I HAVE made a spreadsheet for this kind of thing before and it should not be this complicated in 2024. I should be able to just plug in my start/end cities and a range of dates that would work and have an algorithm spit out what the cheapest options are instead of fucking around with the whole should I leave Thursday or Friday? come back Monday or Tuesday? but then I'd have to get an extra hotel night... or I could fly into a city two hours away and save $200 but then I'd need transportation and that might cancel out any savings.... and so on and so forth forever and ever

[trannyfaggotry]

Ok so í might get laid off soon so. Yeah

[bluejutdae]

best friend Stray Kids saving you (or being saved by you) from a bad date | Hyunjin x you

Chan , Minho, Changbin, Jisung , Felix, Seungmin, Jeongin.

a/n: finally I managed to write the last part of this series, the Hyunjin part! There’s not much “saving” here because I had this dramatic idea in my head and I didn’t want to renounce to it. Enjoy!

The rain outside has been incessant for days, so many that it started to be difficult to recognize the time of the day just by looking at the sky. Everything it’s gray, and you almost forgot about this date. The guy is the cousin of one of your colleagues, and you would have canceled it if only you had a bit more hope. Not on this date, you know it’s gonna end up with you telling the guy it’s not the time for you for a relationship or some other fake excuse, you’ll apologize for wasting his time and the truth is: you do feel sorry for wasting his time, but staying home knowing Hyunjin is probably out there kissing his girlfriend and having fun made you a bit selfish. You ignored him for the last 5 days, after he called you at 2 am and you couldn’t help it but hope it meant something. But what would it mean? You’ll never know, cause you didn’t answer.

Your heartache clings to you like molasses, covers you head to toes, you can feel it under your teeth. You’re so used to it, it doesn’t scare you anymore. But it’s so tiring to wake up everyday and do the same routine: wear your clothes, slip in your shoes, put on your grief, grab your purse. Day after day.

The restaurant you’re having your date at is a nice one, you often order takeout from it. The only downside is that it doesn’t deliver home, so anytime you want its amazing food, you have to get out of your house and come collect it. It’s worth it.

Shivering in your cute top, you nod to something your date just said and reach for the wine glass. You have nothing in common with him, you barely remember his name. Was it Minjoon? Minhyun? Once again something distracts you from the conversation (it’s a monologue, at this point) when you hear your phone chime, signaling a message. And since love is blind, and most days it’s also stupid, you can clearly recognize the tune you use for Hyunjin and Hyunjin only.

You have been ignoring him, but you were sure he didn’t even notice. Ten minutes pass and you’re on the verge of just leaving the date, apologize profusely and go home to cry. The bell on the door chimes as someone enters and, once again not paying attention to the man in front of you, your eyes wanders to look at whoever enters. It could have been a couple grabbing dinner, it could have been parents celebrating their kid’s success, it could have been anyone. But just as love is blind, so is luck. Because it’s Hyunjin who just entered the restaurant, and it’s Hyunjin looking directly at you, eyebrows knit in a frown and a sour expression distorting his lips. You’re frozen in your seat, watching him shaking his head, speaking with a waiter, collecting his dinner and leaving. You can't have him leave like this. Something in your gut is telling you it’s now or never, if you let him go now, you might as well let him go forever. And you’re not ready for that.

In a blur of apologies and confused sentences you leave your share of money on the tablecloth and, grabbing your purse, you flee the restaurant. It doesn’t matter that you left your jacket on the back of your chair, it doesn’t matter that’s it’s pouring outside, it matters only your voice calling his name.

He doesn’t turn, doesn’t stop, keeps on waking under the rain, head down and fast steps. You start doing that awkward running walk, reaching to grab his wrist. This effectively makes him stop, but he looks displeased.

“Why did you leave without saying goodbye?”

“You’re on a date.” He frees himself from your grasp, almost like your touch burns him.

“So?”

“So you’re having dinner with another man. Why would I interrupt?”

“Because you always come say ‘hi’ when you meet me by chance.”

“Not when you’re on a date!” He snips. You’re still both under the rain. For a moment you wonder why he hasn’t insisted on moving under a covering. You haven’t because the cold rain is soothing your nerves, soothing the pain you feel anytime you’re too close to him. Did Icarus feel like this when he was soaring too close to the sun? Did he wish for the rain when the scorching wax burned his skin? Did he love the freedom so much he reveled in the pain, hating it at the same time?

“I never go on dates!”

“Clearly, you do.”

You sigh, “this was my first date in 4 years, Hyune.”

“And I didn’t know you had a date, wanna guess why? Because you ignored me for days!” He uses his free hand to push back the strands of hair that fell on his face, dripping wet.

“I thought you were busy. Last time we talked you were really focused on getting ready to meet your girlfriend. Why would I interrupt that?” He’s baffled, and rightly so. In the past, you had no qualms about texting him at all hours.

“Well, I was focused”, you can hear his mocking tone. When did this transform into a fight? “because I was meeting her to put an end to our relationship, because I realized I’ll never be in love with her because I am crazy in love with you. And I tried to call you because I needed to tell you so, I needed to know I did the right thing. I thought this wasn’t one sided. And yet you ignored me and- fuck” he laughs disheartened. “-and went on a date with another man.”

“I- you, what?” You blink rapidly, drops of rain blurring your sight. “You broke up with her? For…” you can’t say it. You can’t bring yourself to say ‘for me’, because it’d make it real. And it could be the best thing or the worst thing. Or both, at the same time. Did Icarus ever think he’d succeed? Did he ever consider he could fly, escape and be free; or did he -like you- only ever imagined failure in front of him? Was he like you, swimming stroke after stroke towards something, wishing for the best but never thinking it could come true? There’s a certain push that animates the despairings, there’s no fight or flight response. There’s only the pilgrimage towards the unreachable goal.

“For you.”

A beat passes. Another. Another one.

“Since when?”

“Since you held my hand after that nightmare. Since I realized I'm not scared when I’m with you.”

There’s something they don’t tell you about desperation, about wanting something so bad that you can feel it missing from your own body. For weeks, for months, you get used to the longing, the yearning. When you can finally wrap your hands around his shoulder, when you can press your lips against his and hear him utter a soft groan, all that you used to feel transforms into electricity, it runs through your whole body and sets you aflame from the inside. This kind of burning, though? It’s a welcomed feeling.

[cleolinda]

I’ve read a few of the umpteen thousand upset comments about the paid Watcher service, and I’ve read comments angry about the upset comments. There’s one thing I want to point out, and it’s that this isn’t, or shouldn’t be, “You’re saying people don’t deserve to earn money for their work.”

The Watcher guys do deserve to earn money. I already give them money. I give them $5 a month on Patreon, not because I think they do or don’t give me $5 worth of media, but because I want to support them. I canceled Netflix for pissing me off with its price hike/ad tier, but I give Watcher Entertainment money.

They’re saying now that the Patreon will be solely about the podcasts, and they understand if people leave. I’m perfectly happy to switch the support I can afford to the streaming service. With the early adopter 30% discount, I’d actually save money. In fact, I tried to subscribe, but the site didn’t work.

Watcher wanting to profit from their shows isn’t the problem. It’s that they’re now discovering that their fanbase is young and broke in a terrible economy, judging by tens of thousands of comments on multiple platforms. I can throw them $5/month, so I do. But the Patreon only has (checks notes) 5874 paying followers, and there’s a reason for that. $60/year upfront would not be “accessible.” Patreon is literally patronage from the people who can afford it.

If the guys had said up front, “ONLY new shows and episodes will be exclusive to the service,” I think we’d be having a different conversation right now. But at first they did say, “We’re pulling all our content from YouTube,” to the point where Variety had to issue an update. Like, that’s in print and I’m pretty sure it was on video. Now they’ve backtracked to ONLY new etc.—but most people haven’t heard, and they feel crushed. And the trust is probably gone regardless.

So now four years of back catalogue will stay public. And now, you’re paying $6.99 a month for one episode, maybe two, of something a week, and now, not an exclusive back catalogue. I would pay for Watcher shows before I’d pay for anyone else, but I just don’t think the company is big enough yet for a SVOD at that price. They’re not Dropout size. They needed to build more programming and get a higher follower count first, or at the very least, charge less.

The international price/exchange rate situation is a nightmare and I don’t know what it is they’re not doing to make it… not… be like that.

I don’t know what they should have done instead of a full streaming service, but surely there were alternatives? I’ve seen comments from people suggesting they GET a Patreon. Lean on that more! Do the shows exclusive for a month and then let them roll onto YouTube! I don’t know! Anything but One More Fucking Streaming Service, which enraged me, and I was willing to move my support to it!

And I shouldn’t say this, but I will. In the “Goodbye YouTube” video the guys posted, they say that setting up the streaming service has allowed Steven to do a remake of Worth It where he and his cohosts travel the world and eat expensive food. This is the first new show they announce. Not “We have always been committed to diversity and we’re now able to bring on new creator(s) to expand our programming.” No, a redo of an old show that by definition has got to be expensive. Commenters are saying they can’t pay for the streaming service because they can’t make ends meet in this economy. The optics are terrible. I genuinely question what the thought process even was here.

I love the guys and I still watch their shows. I want to see Watcher succeed. I started watching Buzzfeed Unsolved in 2018 while recovering from surgery—as with a lot of people, their shows got me through a tough time. I’m as attached as anyone. If I can continue to afford monthly support—this is not a certainty—I’ll give it to them. I’m not a ~hater who doesn’t want Watcher to make money. But I am absolutely BAFFLED by every single decision here. I want them to figure out how to turn this around and go in a better direction, because right now, this ain’t it.

[crystalandrose]

So my idea for my version of evil ford is that his timeline splits at the science fair incident. This ford was paranoid enough to know stanley would somehow fuck up his chance, so he fixes the machine and takes the toffee peanut bag as evidence (maybe he also pulls security footage). So ford makes it into his college and stan gets punished (but not kicked out). Stanley runs away of his own volition due to the anger at ford leaving him behind and also ratting him out to their parents. Stan partly wants to prove hes just as good as his brother and also wants to prove it to himself.

This means Ford never met Fiddleford in college. Instead, after getting a lot more grant money than from Backupsmore, he goes to Gravity Falls and works alone. Eventually, after he makes the deal with bill, he realizes he doesnt have enough experience making computer things (sourcing parts and such) to do this alone (even if bill is helping him). So he puts an ad for a research assistant good with computers. Perhaps some of this extra grant money went towards pay, and Fiddleford took the opportunity. But having no real connection to Fiddleford, Ford is more up to use him as a tool to get what he wants. So when Bill says his use is up and its time to get rid of him, Ford obliges.

Maybe since he went to this fancy college he had an easier time making connections or doing schooling quicker. So this extra time means he spends more time in partnership with bill and the connections make it easier for him to make side money he can also funnel into the portal project.

This Ford also learns more about Bill's backstory because he connects more to Bill (disconnect from family, not feeling recognized, wanting a home with people that get him/etc). So this guy is more sympathetic and knows more about Bill's desires (create a nightmare realm). Maybe Ford rationalizes it as a good thing or thinks he can talk Bill out of some destruction, or maybe at this point he wants some revenge on the world himself. So hes still on board with the portal when Bill reveals its actual purpose.

However, maybe Stanley needs another place to sleep on the couch at and sees his brother in some headline or mentioned as an inventor for some product. Or his brother needs a test dummy that can speak for the portal so he calls him. Or maybe Ford wants to potentially say his last goodbyes before he goes into what he knows is potentially the end of earth.

Fight still happens, Ford wants Stanley to thank him for money hes sent the family, for not completely ostracizing him from the family after what he did, offering him a place to stay, idk. Ford fights him, Bill possesses Ford at some point as another try to prevent Ford from getting sucked into the portal. This freaks Stan out and he pushes him. Ford, holding journal 3 (which does not have pages ripped out), chucks it at stans head (not to help him but to literally hurt him). Stan is like "wtf did i just do" and shuts the portal down, reads through the journals and thinks Ford is unwillingly possessed by a demon and spends his days trying to get him back.

Ford and Bill are now stuck in the portal, going through dimensions trying to get back to Earth in order to reopen the portal and finish what they started. I think Stan is fully anti-cipher-ified, planning on killing bill as soon as he shows up again in order to save his brother. Im thinking this Dipper and Mabel got killed by zombies or something. So when Ford does get back, stan is there super unhinged and angry and somehow eventually kills bill, leaving no statue behind. Evil ford is like "wtf" and devastated, but keeps looking for a way to bring him back. Maybe this Bill, having not gained sympathy from the axolotl, decides hes not worth rehabilitation and so hes actually dead in this reality.

(Then "canon" bill opens up a reality rift and evil ford comes through, hoorah)

[zumicho]

home┊003┊005

004: softness vs. survival

© zumicho all rights reserved. do not repost, modify, steal, plagiarize, or translate my works on any platform.

────────────────────────

on the steps in front of the bakery, there’s a shared silence between you – he finishes the pastry you gave him. you enjoy his company.

it smells like dew and fresh bread.

“how much do you owe?”

“out of everything you could ask me, that’s what you choose?”

he licks jam off his thumb, and catches you getting distracted. “what else would I ask? for your number?” coy.

you look away. “I guess not.”

“why’d you leave without saying? I would’ve made you breakfast.”

“I wouldn’t have let you. plus I needed to get outside. my… ex, texted me. jeez. sorry. tmi.” you’re grimacing.

if he’s bothered, he doesn’t show it. “boyfriend?”

“of 3 years, yeah. douchebag ended it over text, told me not to spread the news because it would make him seem like a jerk.”

eye contact. whether or not it’s pity, you take the opportunity to admire. his eyelashes are long; if you squint enough you notice the speckles of green in his irises.

“ass”

“..what?” you snap out of it.

“he seems like an ass.”

you bite back a smile. “i… that’s one way to put it.”

“there’s no way I’m not paying you for that pastry, if you must know. if you keep giving freebies out, how are you gonna pay the debt you won’t disclose to me?” half-joking, you assume. why does he care so much about the money you lose?

“it’s a lot of money.” you think about telling him.

“didn’t ask that.”

“3 million yen.”

“…oh.”

“suna—“

“call me rin.”

“okay. rin,” you suck in a breath. “I’m perfectly fine with how I manage my finances now, thank you very much, and I sort of owe you.. for.. the other night.” you close your eyes, kicking yourself in your head. why’d you say it like that? made it sound like you did something else..

you’re about to apologize, but he laughs, “I was just trying to have a conversation with you, not become your accountant—“ you open your eyes.

he wanted to say

“you have the sun inside of you and it’s not just smiles. you have an internal being that shines so bright it’s taken my heart in one single night—a childlike spark I hope you’ll never lose. you’re a walking love letter that I will never open out of the fear that I’m falling for you harder than I’ve ever wanted to fall for anyone else. I hope you open that letter. learn to love yourself and heal from the things you don’t speak about. I hope you find someone who brings out the softness in you, not the survival. you deserve that and more.”

instead he said “—and no problem. you’re worth the trouble.”

but that was enough for you. enough for you to feel the same way about him. about each other, yet say nothing about it.

“I need your number if you wanna text. we’re heading back to tokyo today.” rin adds.

“okay. tell the miyas I’ll miss them.”

mentally, he replaces their names with his.

“I will.”

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author’s note: my musicals phase is making a comeback bc tell me why this took me 2 hours instead of the 20 minutes it shouldve took? (hamilton soundtrack start to end, half of the heathers soundtrack, i watched a bit of newsies & watched a cover of eurydice’s parts in hadestown BC ITS MY DREAM ROLE IM SUCH A THEATRE KID GOODBYE — or gretchen from mg)

ness ur truly my motivation to keep writing this smau even tho im slowly running out of inspo for the social media part of the smau 😭 send thoughts & prayers writers block is kicking me in the butt

i feel iffy about this one 😓😓

@phoenix-eclipses @thechaosoflonging @yuminako @nbcvs @tenjikusstuff4 @intergalacticrory @sonicsolos @yenonnoff @wyrcan @cnnmairoll @causenessus @reads-stuff-quietly @giocriedpower @applepi25 @gra-eae @lilchubbyyy @thvvluvr @toges-cough-syrup @steiins @girlkissersco @wolffmaiden @iluvaquaphor

[einsvei]

Embracing Frostiness .1

Pairing(s) : Kalim al Asim, Riddle Rosehearts, Malleus Draconia

❅ — about. "Your lips taste familiar. it's my favourite flavour, isn't it? Let me have another taste, please?"... ( 2.3k ) ʸᵒᵘ ᶜᵃⁿ ᵗᵉˡˡ ʷʰᶦᶜʰ ᶜʰᵃʳᵃᶜᵗᵉʳ ᶦˢ ᵐʸ ᶠᵃᵛᵒᵘʳᶦᵗᵉ. ᴵ'ᵐ ˢʰᵃᵐᵉˡᵉˢˢ.

☃︎ — warnings. Fluffy headcannons and mini scenarios, all SFW. If you count kissing and teasing as suggestive, then there's that. Here is my shitty Christmas present to the TWST fandom.

Setting: the boys are still NRC students and classes/studying are mentioned.

Kalim Al-Asim, Coconut.

"You taste sweeter than usual!"

As soon as your lips touch, he stills. A thousand questions run through his mind, and greedy for an answer, he continues to place eager kisses on your face. It tastes so familiar, but its nearly the last thing on his mind.

He could get addicted to the taste of your lips, he thinks. Will hum curiously and keep you pressed against him, rendering you unable to get away.

Even when you push him, desperate for a breath of air, his lips will without a fail chase yours. Would probably shamelessly lick you if he's feeling more playful. He'd definitely lick his own lips after the two of you separate, how evil.

Kalim is a lover of PDA. He wants everyone to know how much he loves you, and vice versa! kisses, hugs, hand holding, nothing is entirely off the table when it comes to you. It's how he greets you and says goodbye, one of the main ways to communicate the near suffocating amount of affection he holds for you and those he holds very dear.

But as soon as you start adding lip balm with specific flavouring, expect his kiss attacks to become increasingly more frequent— and by that, i mean, it's the only thing he can think about.

"What flavour is it today?"

"I hope it's the one from yesterday again!"

Kalim wouldn't mind any other choices of flavours you would choose, but you can tell how much more longing his stares get when you use the coconut one, saved for special occasions.

You can encourage him using this ( Jamil recommended, ) for rewards in tests, mock exams, finishing homework on time, or simply by doing well in class. It will work very efficiently, unsurprisingly so, and by consequence— expect a nod of approval from the vice housewarden every once and awhile.

He'll wonder absentmindedly during class, only brought back by Jamil's book snapping shut beside him. He can only smile sheepishly and apologise.

But if the prospect of being rewarded for his due diligence is on the table, he'd be remarkably concentrated and very passionate on the basis of schoolwork. Though, Kalim is still Kalim, so make sure to bring him back down to earth if his mind wanders. If classes are out, its free game in his books!

Anytime he'd see you, he would, without a doubt, steal kisses from you— whether it's in passing due to him being in a hurry or simply doing it distractedly. It's as if a switch had been flipped inside of him, and a deep craving of the syrupy taste of you is all he can think about.

"When did you buy this? do you have any more of it?"

Assuming that you would tell him it was simply an offhanded purchase, or a one time thing, he'd stare at you curiously, before nodding resolutely. You'd do well to remember that look, as it usually means that an incredible amount of money is about to be spent.

Kalim will make sure that you have a very large stock worth of flavoured lip balm or Chapstick always at the ready. He's giddy, nearly vibrating with excitement as he watched you pick them out at Sam's shop. If there isn't anything that catches your eye, don't worry! he'll contact his parents and get a couple crates fully stocked imported and sent straight to ramshackle.

If by some stroke of luck— or misfortune, Kalim is more mischievous that day, he will whine and pout; yet won't say anything. He'll expect you to already know what he wants, simply by his mood. Better give him those kisses he clearly yearns so much for.

Will follow you around with those wide eyes of his, trailing closely behind you like a lost puppy. The display is just so adorable, you can't help but shower him with all the kisses he wants; smooshing the apple of his cheeks.

Coconut is his favourite flavour, and you're one of his favourite people; so Kalim thinks it's the best of both of his most prized worlds.

He's very indulgent by nature, and he'll definitely take advantage of your willingness and play into your love for him in exchange for more sweet tasting kisses. It's your fault you got him addicted to the taste of you, y'know? make sure to take responsibility.

Riddle Rosehearts, Strawberry.

"Don't just kiss me out of nowhere! what? huh...there's something different?"

In common riddle fashion when it comes to physical affection, he'll completely freeze up, body going stock still.

His face is rapidly gaining a red hue, and it threatens to take over his entire face. It feels to him, and looks to you; that his brain has completely shut off, as its not exactly sure how to respond to your straightforward affections.

You gotta let him know before you kiss him, lest this happens. Sure, it seems funny, and you might get a little chuckle out of it, but riddle doesnt like to feel like hes being made fun of. Occasional teasing is alright in his books, but he's very tight strung outside of your relationship and may sometimes find it difficult to tone it down.

If he were to ask for one, there would have to be a lot of prerequisites needed in order for it to happen. Not being a fan of PDA, you would have to be alone; and of course, you'd have to ask first. It's not that riddle doesn't want your affection, that's very far from it.

He is very starved for touch and affection, due to his very strained relationship with his mother. Unfortunately because of that, Riddle doesn't know how to receive affection-- be it in gifts or in the physical sense. He's glad you remembered his favourite flavour, and will compliment you shyly on your memory; he expects nothing but the best from his partner, after all.

He'll be very nervous if you kiss him randomly, but will notice that something is different awhile after he manages to reboot himself appropriately.

Being extremely observant, ( not to mention the fact that since he's not exactly allowed to have sweets, he will notice the delicious taste almost instantly. ) It'll be addressed, but only after a confused and blush ridden riddle scolds you, of course.

Riddle has a hidden sweet tooth, and doesn't get to indulge in it very often, so he may start seeking you out in the hallways, and drag you to an empty corridor or classroom, and ask for a kiss. Maybe if he felt more bold, he would wordlessly ask for permission before taking what he wants.

"Is it...is it on, today?"

he couldn't dare meet your eyes, it's taking a lot out of him to even ask! Riddle was taught to not be selfish, but maybe it's okay if it's with you, right? He'd cough into his fist, and give you a peck. It's up to you if you want to deepen the kiss ( he wouldn't complain,) or keep them simple in scale. Riddle won't outright say it, lest he wants to embarrass himself— but he sometimes catches himself watching your glossy lips whenever you speak.

Whenever you lick them, he yearns to taste it off of you; but knows to restrain himself. His kisses are shy, and he quickly learns to relish the delicious taste that rests on your lips. In due time, the more comfortable riddle is with you through the journey of your relationship, he'll become more eager, and show more vulnerability intimacy wise. He may let out a small whine into your lips and shut his eyes tight, embarrassed to lock eyes with your own during such a moment.

Perhaps ingesting lip balm so continuously isn't the best for his system, so he advises you to not wear it all the time. Even though he could just— not kiss you all the time when you're wearing it. He's tempted to collar you for that thought.

Dorm members will comment on their housewardens behaviour offhandedly, 'he seems less ... him?' or rather, the version that they're essentially used to seeing, at the very least. Your kisses are always slow and delicate, as if you're afraid riddle would break if you pushed him too far. He prefers to not be taken lightly due to his stature, and will encourage you to not play softly with him all the time— his manly pride is important!

But Riddle knows that you want to cherish the moments that the both of you are able to be physically intimate like this for as long as he’ll let you. The pleasant calming scent from the scented balm and the tempting taste of your lips helps relax him a lot more than he had initially thought. Expect his mood to be a lot less capricious than it used to be— Trey and Heartslabyul as a whole is very grateful to you. Its a very small change in his eyes, but in an outsider's perspective, it's major. Don't expect any further leniency on rule breaking, though.

Malleus Draconia, Ice cream

“You really remembered?”

Depending on how far along your relationship with malleus is, he'd be hard pressed to either do one of two things; cling onto you constantly and follow you, or practically have to restrain himself physically so he doesn't always seek you out.

Lillia told him some people prefer when their partners aren't always around them, and in common draconian fashion, took those words very seriously in assuming you and everyone else were the same way. Malleus is quite lonely, so don't take it too much to heart if he happens to cling onto a bit too much. You're the only one aside from his family that he's been able to confide in, whether it be about his emotional insecurity or physical— and with that comes the responsibility of reassuring him every now and again. He won't tell you, of course, but if you're observant enough to notice it, make sure to not leave that alone, lest it escalates.

With the array of peculiarity twisted wonderland holds as a whole, you'd be surprised if you didn't find anything of odd origins at the mystery shop. So spotting the ice cream flavoured lip balm on a shelf is the least astonishing thing you've experienced so far. Don't look too deep into the logic side of things, and buy it! And subsequently, malleus would notice the change by the smell alone. He yearns to be near you and prefers to not take any opportunities when he is for granted. So, when he catches a whiff of a scent he's very familiar with that isn't your natural one, his interest is immediately peaked.

“Something smells different about you today.”

He would sniff you to pinpoint it, As he knows that the scent is on you, but wishes to know exactly where it is. Stopping at your face, his eyes bore into yours, and he'll expect an answer. Tap your lips, or if you'd say it verbally, it would most likely end the same way. A smile would paint his face, a soft crease in his eyes— he's amused.

“Human inventions are incredibly peculiar. How amusing...”

He'd whisper before sealing your lips with his own, greedily and shamelessly licking the seam of your mouth slowly. Make sure to tell him if it's too much, he'll stop, of course, but will expect more. He's overjoyed ( silently ) that you recalled his favourite food and thought of him enough to buy something that he liked. Don't be surprised when small trinkets, stunning gems and miscellaneous items find their way to your hands, in return. Malleus wants you to know, and will try his best to make it very clear that he thinks about you as much as you do him— if not more.

If malleus wants a peck, or a kiss in between classes, or during a late night walk, he'll tap his lips— as you did before.

It'll become a bit of a signal for you both to speak the words that you, or he may be too nervous to speak aloud at times. Malleus is the prince of chivalry, and will always make sure your consent is spoken for whenever physical intimacy like that is present; the last thing he wants to do is potentially hurt you or make you uncomfortable in any way shape or form.

Once the first encounter is done with, expect a very disgruntled pair of knights to ask you where their young master is— his sneaking away has gotten incredibly worse as of late! Don't say anything too obvious, or show them the note he wrote you with a location sprawled on the back of it to them. Sebek is very skeptical when told you have nothing to do with it, but Silver and Lillia will work to reassure him and get off your back. Just make sure they never catch you kissing! though one would be more aghast than the rest, to be fair.

His kisses are delicate, yet hold an undertone of soft eagerness, be aware that he can, and will nip at your lips to tease. Due to his duties as future heir, be prepared to be bombarded with affection by malleus when all is said and done. You're his reprieve, his haven outside of the world that seems to do nothing but fear him— and he cherishes you more than you could possibly ever know. Expect very slow sessions of smooching, and a heavy sigh to leave him as he visibly deflates in your hold, arms wrapped around you.

“Does your tongue taste as sweet as your lips? Shall we see?”

( ༄) EINSVEI⠀𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 ⸰౨ৎ ͙ࣳ ━━ all rights reserved. I implore you to not plagiarize or steal my works. ❅*‧ ִֶ!

[sorrowsofsilence]

Burning Out • IV

Pairing: Noah Sebastian x Fem!Reader

I was lost, but now I'm found Under the lights and in the sounds So let us sing and sing it loud That we're not perfect, but we're proud of who we are.

Noah Sebastian is lost. His crime-filled lifestyle is anything but perfect; but everything changes once he meets you.

Words: 4.4k

General Fanfic Warnings: 18+, explicit language, smut, alcohol, drugs, violence, mentions murder/suicide, panic attacks/anxiety, nightmares

Authors note: Chapter Four- Show my Thorns (EDITED: 09-03-24)

new? start from chapter one here

My own words stung as they reminded me of my past felonies, but I supposed she truly was my favourite victim. If it wasn't too messed up to say something like that.

"Will I see you for your usual coffee?" She asked, hope seeping through her eyes. How could she want to see me again?

"Yeah," I replied with a forced laugh, lying through each breath. "See you then."

I stepped out of the car and turned to wave before opening the door to the motel room. My heart ached as Y/N drove away.

Goodbye.

Tell me that I'm wrong Tell me that I'm wrong

+++++

NOAH

As soon as I stepped inside, Ruffilo pulled me into a tight hug that almost crushed my bones.

"I was so worried, bro," he exclaimed, his worry now replaced with relief.

"Who was in the car?" Folio asked, peering out the window before quickly shutting the curtain.

"It's a long story," I groaned, collapsing onto the cot once more.

"I don't care about the story," Jolly interjected angrily. "What did you manage to steal?"

"Nothing," I admitted, cowering under their disappointed stares.

"You were gone for that long and came back empty-handed?" Folio said, his disappointment palpable.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Jolly laughed. "I thought you were over your little episode from earlier."

I sat up and looked at each of them in turn. "Trust me, I had a great haul. Until I got caught."

"You didn't," Ruffilo deadpanned.

"It's fine, she won't say anything," I reassured them, taking off my shoes.

"What? So now you trust some random girl who caught you breaking into her house? How desperate are you?" Jolly growled. "We're screwed."

"She drove you home too? Now she knows where we live? You idiot!" Folio yelled, running his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"What was in the haul?" Ruffilo asked curiously.

Sighing heavily, I mumbled into my hands, "Almost full bottles of Diazepam, Adderall, Zolpidem, and Dextromethorphan."

All three of them groaned in frustration.

"Dude, that's worth thousands of dollars!" Folio exclaimed. "You should go back and get it if you're all buddy-buddy with her now."

My glare could have killed me as I shot daggers at the youngest member of our group. "Fuck off. It's not going to happen."

"No, Nick has a point," Jolly chimed in. "That's a good haul. We could use the extra money right now."

"I said," I growled through gritted teeth, "It's not going to happen."

I stormed off towards the bathroom door and slammed it shut behind me. Leaning against the door, I let out a frustrated groan and ran my hands through my hair. My mind was conflicted and confused, unable to believe that this day was even real.

I turned the shower on, and stripped off my clothes, letting the water wash away my sins.

I can't forgive you, but I can't look away I walked through fire I was born in the flames

+++++

Y/N

As I climbed the stairs to my house, Juice followed close behind. A sigh of frustration escaped my lips as I tried to make sense of the events of the day. My confusion only increased when I saw a backpack sitting in front of my bedroom door, its contents shifting with each step I took. I couldn't resist the urge to investigate and opened the bag, revealing all of my prescription pill bottles inside. My heart raced as I stared at them, unsure if they had been intentionally left there or if he had planned to sell them for money. But with only four hours until I had to be at work, I pushed those thoughts aside and prioritized sleep over worrying about it.

+++++

As I worked that morning my mind was consumed with the events of last night, replaying over and over again in my head like a broken record. Was it lack of sleep, anxiety, or the intoxicating presence of Noah that kept me on edge? Annika noticed my restlessness and questioned me, but I brushed her concerns off with a forced smile and a lie about being tired.

Despite my rational thoughts telling me otherwise, my heart yearned for Noah. There was something about him that drew me in, despite his criminal lifestyle. He was unlike anyone I had ever met before.

Throughout the day, I found myself constantly glancing at the door, hoping to catch a glimpse of him walking in. But he never did.

It wasn't until half an hour before closing time that the familiar ding of the doorbell sounded, causing my heart to leap in anticipation. I turned around, hoping to see Noah's long hair and captivating silver eyes, but instead was greeted by another man with long locks and tattoos covering his arms. His onyx hair and striking silver eyes held a similar intensity to Noah's, but there was something different about him.

My thoughts immediately went back to Noah as this new man ordered the same coffee as him - one cream and one sugar. As he handed me the change, I couldn't help but notice the intricate tattoos adorning his knuckles. My hands trembled slightly as I handed him his cup, taking in the words etched above each finger: "Bad Omen" spelled out above a crescent moon design.

We locked eyes for a moment, a sense of understanding passing between us as I handed him his drink. Despite his similarities to Noah, this man seemed completely different - yet my mind kept going back to those piercing October eyes.

Can one of us be saved? Better in a grave

+++++

NOAH

"Does she know about the tattoo?" Nicholas asked as he handed me a cup of coffee. I adjusted my sunglasses while taking a sip, the warm liquid soothing my throat as I thought of her again. I had told her the truth when she asked, but now I regretted it. It would have been better if we had just gone our separate ways.

After my shower, I filled Ruffilo in on everything that had happened with Y/N. He always understood me and listened to me best, even though he was surprised by how things turned out.

"She seemed so hopeful when she turned around," Ruffilo said, shoving his hands into his jean pockets as we walked back to the motel. "I think she wanted me to be you."

"I don't understand why," I said.

"Because you're not a bad person. She can see through whatever walls you've put up. You two were interested in each other before last night because you went out," Nicholas sighed. "And the fact that she still seems interested after everything means two things -"

I gave him a questioning look, waiting for him to continue.

"- Either she's crazy, or she sees past your past because she gets it," Nicholas reassured me. And he was right. Y/N could understand certain aspects because she had just escaped from her own cage; but was I ready to risk everything to see her again? Was there a chance that she could forgive me?

Ruffilo glanced at his watch, "We need to hurry back. Jolly and Folio will be here in ten minutes to pick us up and we still need to meet with D to drop off the load."

I nodded, picking up the pace and taking another sip of my coffee. "Hopefully they made enough money to make up for yesterday's loss."

Nicholas patted my shoulder, "Don't beat yourself up too much brother. You almost got caught and managed to evade it."

"I did get caught, just not by the law," I corrected him.

"Okay, but you were caught by a beautiful woman instead. I'd say that's a win-win."

I playfully pushed his shoulder, brushing off his comment; but he was right. Y/N was gorgeous.

We reached the motel and saw Jolly and Folio loading bags of cash into the car.

"Did we make a good haul?" Ruffilo asked as he lit a cigarette. We walked over to them and I eyed the bags; there seemed to be an excessive amount of money.

Folio nodded, "We made enough to cover last night's loss and then some. Looks like we'll be dining well tonight!" He clapped his hands together before tapping them on the hood of the car, exuding excitement.

I questioned with caution, “How did you manage to get all of this in just a couple of hours?” Jolly lit a cigarette and jumped into the front seat. We followed suit, but I rolled down the window to avoid the smoke from filling the car. I could handle smoking joints, but cigarettes burned my throat.

Jolly explained, “We robbed a convenience store off of 9th Ave. It was the quickest way to get the cash we needed.”

Skeptical, I narrowed my eyes and watched him through the rearview mirror, “Aren’t you the one who always says we should avoid businesses because it’s too risky?”

Jolly scoffed, “Yeah, but I do it well. So I don’t mind taking that risk, especially since we were thousands behind.”

I muttered, “Whatever,” and looked out the window. The meeting with D today was crucial; it would determine if we could finally get out of this mess.

The ride was silent until we arrived at the abandoned warehouse by the pier. Dread washed over me as our car was surrounded by men in black masks, guns hanging from their arms.

“Out with your hands up,” a masked guard commanded from outside the car in a muffled voice.

We complied, used to this standard procedure.

D’s familiar booming voice echoed from down the pier, sending shivers down my spine as his shadow approached us under the moonlight. His silver blonde hair glinted in the moonlight as he towered over us, taunting us like prey.

“What have you brought me this month?” he asked eagerly.

“We have about thirteen thousand,” Jolly reported as the guards searched our car and opened up the duffle bags.

D’s eyes flicked between us sharply and scanned the crowd as if looking for any discrepancies. He clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

“I recall agreeing upon fifteen thousand this month,” he remarked.

Jolly almost lunged at him, but he kept his composure and clenched his fists, “No, we agreed on twelve. And you should consider yourself lucky we even managed to get the extra thousand instead of keeping it for ourselves.”

D chuckled darkly, his teeth twisting into an evil grin, “Oh, I’m lucky, am I?”

He walked closer, arms crossed behind his back in a display of power, “I would say you should be lucky that I’m willing to let you get away with this, for a price.”

“We did what you asked,” Jolly growled, “We shook on twelve.”

D smiled smugly and raised a questioning brow, “Yet you brought thirteen.”

Jolly remained silent and the rest of us watched as D strutted between our bodies like a predator encasing its prey in its trap once again.

“I expect twenty thousand next month. Clearly, you are capable of bringing in more,” he stated firmly.

My eyes widened in shock and I turned to the boys for confirmation.

“Twenty?” I exclaimed incredulously, my eyebrows shooting up in disbelief, “How the fuck are we supposed to get twenty? You keep raising the price and we’re getting closer and closer to getting caught every day.”

D cackled cunningly, “If it weren’t for you young Noah, we wouldn’t be in this situation. So maybe it’s time for you to step up and find other ways to earn money.”

Ruffilo pleaded, “But we can’t get twenty.”

“Let’s make it twenty-four then,” D clapped his hands together with a sickening smile on his face, making me want to punch it off.

“Twenty is fine.” Jolly clenched his jaw, struggling to keep a pleasant expression on his face. D sauntered over and clapped him on the back, but Jolly flinched away from the false camaraderie.

"That's my boy," D said with fake enthusiasm. "But I have some good news for you."

My ears perked up at the mention of good news.

"Your debt will be paid off next month. This twenty grand will cover everything."

I had to hold back from cheering out loud, but when I glanced at Ruffilo, we shared a silent moment of celebration. Could it be true? Just twenty thousand dollars more and we would finally be free?

D's tone turned sly as he continued, stepping closer to me until our chests were almost touching.

"There is one condition though," he said with a sneaky smile. "Noah is the only one who can pay me back. No help from anyone else. It has to be Noah's work."

+++++

As soon as we got into the car, tears of anger streamed down my face. This had to be a dream. Why the fuck couldn’t I wake up.

“The four of you will wear trackers. That way I know Noah’s alone when he gets the cash, and brings it to me at the end of each week.”

The boys remained silent the whole way, Nicholas giving me sympathetic glances every so often.

“One final test to see if you’ve really learned your lesson, pretty boy.”

I punched the headrest in front of me, anger seeping through my veins. Pretty boy.

“I think we could all use a drink.” Jolly sighed, turning the car into the parking lot of a local bar. Sammy’s.

The boys got out of the car and I lingered there for a moment, squeezing my eyes shut as my chest rose and fell with heavy breaths. Fuck this. Fuck everything. Life was a literal bad omen.

I opened the door, slamming it forcefully as I pulled my hood over my head, following the boys into the bar. I avoided the crowd, sliding into the booth Jolly led us to, leaning into the wall.

“What do you want Noah?” Ruffilo asked.

“Tequila,” I mumbled, rubbing my eyes. At least that would numb the pain for a bit, “Hennesey.”

“Shouldn’t mix that but ok,” Ruffilo said, standing up to grab the drinks; as he turned he hesitated, “Uh, Noah-”

I raised my head to meet his gaze, pulling back my hood in curiosity before shifting my attention to the woman standing behind him at the counter. Y/N was there, dressed in a tight black tank top that hugged her figure, paired with short shorts that barely covered her hips. The fanny pack slung around her waist and name tag completed the look, but I couldn’t believe this was the other job she had.

We locked eyes as I stared at her in surprise, feeling my cheeks flush as she pushed back her hair and gave me a smile that lit up her kind, pleading eyes.

"He's right," Ruffilo said with astonishment, shaking his head at the sight of us. "There's some sort of connection between you two."

"That's Y/N?" Folio whistled lowly, ogling the woman as she chatted with a customer now, glancing over every few seconds.

"How do you know about her?" I muttered through gritted teeth, leaning towards him in a hushed tone before looking over at Nicholas. "Did you tell them?"

"They needed to know," Ruffilo responded defensively, shrugging his shoulders before walking over to the bar.

"She's stunning, no doubt about it." Jolly grinned approvingly, his eyes still fixed on Y/N as she talked with Ruffilo, occasionally glancing back at me.

I couldn't help but keep stealing glances at her until my cheeks burned and I had to turn away. Her gaze felt like it was scorching holes into my skin. "So, now what?" I asked, raking my fingers through my hair and anxiously twisting the ends.

"Just go say hi, you idiot," Folio exclaimed as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You guys are clearly checking each other out, so just go do it over there."

I let out a sigh and forced myself out of the booth. As I walked towards Ruffilo and Y/N, her face lit up with excitement.

"Why do you keep following me?" I teased, taking a seat on the stool in front of the counter. Nicholas pushed a tequila shot and a cup of hennesey towards me.

I downed the liquor in one gulp, relishing the burn as it travelled down my throat, savouring the taste of ignorance.

"I'm surprised to see you here," Y/N laughed softly, taking the empty glass from me. "But at the same time, I'm not really surprised at all."

"Something keeps bringing us back together," I chuckled, downing another shot of the brown liquor as its fiery warmth danced across my tastebuds. "I have a feeling that I'm meant to get to know you."

Ruffilo left with three beers, leaving Y/N and I alone. She absentmindedly played with her hair again, tucking it behind her ear. "It's pretty strange," she commented with a small smile.

I nodded, “Can I get two more shots?”

Y/N raised a brow but lined up the glasses, pouring the liquor into them. I downed it again, sighing heavily.

“You got your friend to get your coffee this evening?” Y/N asked now, colour rising to her face as she warmed, almost like she was embarrassed at noticing my lack of presence.

“I’m surprised you’re talking to me after finding what was in my bag.” I laughed, my vision starting to blur. It’s been a while since I’ve drank, and my tolerance must have lowered.

She poured me another, as If I had asked with my eyes, and smiled gently, “You didn’t take it back with you though. You left it behind.”

Not sure it was quite on purpose, but I’m glad she thinks so.

“Those guys are your gang?” She nodded her head towards Jolly, Folio, and Ruffilo. I turned, and they immediately looked away, pretending they weren’t watching our entire interaction unfold. My ears began ringing as the alcohol consumed me, the song playing above us getting louder.

I carry your heart around Like a child that has just been born I try not to let you down And I try not to show my thorns

“Those are my brothers.” I nodded, resting my head on the wooden counter, and closing my eyes in defeat.

“Noah… are you ok?” Y/N placed her hand gently on my own, and my body warmed.

You can run but cannot hide If we fail, then at least I tried To save your soul from becoming hurt and scared

“Yes,” I whispered, lying through my lips.

Y/N came around the counter, reaching for me full of compassion. She hugged me again and I leaned into her touch.

I pretend that things are alright I can comfort you and hold you tight

She saw right through my lies. "I can take my break now. Want to talk about it?" I sat up, trying to focus on her through my blurry vision and the buzz of alcohol in my system. Standing up unsteadily, I took hold of her wrist and pulled her with me towards the restrooms. "Noah," she whispered as we turned the corner, out of sight from anyone else.

To love you feels like Walking on broken glass

I was fully aware that I didn't deserve someone like Y/N in my life. The way she treated me with kindness and compassion, a stranger or, as she put it, a level two acquaintance, left me amazed. But deep down, I knew that she was meant to be a part of my life in some way. Fate had brought us together, even if it was only for a short time. As I pulled her close to me, wrapping my arms around her, I couldn't help but hold onto her as tightly as possible. Her warmth enveloped me and I savoured every moment of her touch against my hands, which often showed no mercy.

"Why do I feel like I can tell you anything?" Y/N peered back up at me through her lashes and rested her head on my chest.

"Why do I trust you?" She laughed softly, holding onto me tightly.

Running my hands gently over her back, my nails grazing her smooth skin. "I guess it's because I fit your type."

Her laughter filled the hall again as she smiled up at me. "Oh, right, of course."

"But seriously," I said, swaying with her in my arms. "There must be some reason why we were drawn to each other."

"Maybe," she replied.

"There's no other explanation," I stuttered, feeling the alcohol start to take over. All I could focus on was the warmth of her body against mine and the racing of my heart. My hand travelled up her arm and cupped her chin, lifting her face to meet mine.

Will you carry my heart around When it's old and grey? Will you stay until we fade away?

Our gazes locked, and I couldn't resist leaning down towards her. Our lips met in a soft brush, but I couldn't stop myself from deepening the kiss. It was a bad idea, but at that moment, I didn't care. Y/N stood on tiptoe, returning my kiss with equal fervour. My hands instinctively held her close to me as my heart raced with desire.

I kissed her hungrily, my mind filled with a thousand steamy images. Was it because of the alcohol or my lack of physical intimacy lately, or was it simply because it was Y/N? My hands slid down to her thighs, eagerly exploring her skin before slipping under the hem of her shorts.

“Noah,” she gasped, breaking away from our embrace.

“Bathroom,” I whispered huskily, urging her towards the door. As soon as we were inside, I locked the door and lifted her onto the bathroom counter. The invitation was clear as I positioned myself between her legs.

Her fingers tangled in my hair, pulling me closer as our lips met. I couldn't help but smile against her mouth, unsure of where this was heading but only focused on the desire to take her right here, right now.

"I want to take you against this counter," I murmured.

She moaned in response but then pulled away with hesitation. "I don't know if this is a good idea-" she started to say, but I tugged at her belt loop and pressed my body against hers.

"Just one night," I whispered, my forehead resting against hers as we both caught our breath from the intense kiss. "One night to feel anything but pain."

Y/N's gaze locked with mine before she closed her eyes and nodded, pulling me back in for more kisses. The anticipation and excitement coursed through my veins, making me even harder with each passing second.

I pushed her shorts down, revealing her underwear as she sat on the counter. A primal groan escaped my throat as I watched her spread her legs just for me.

This was all so messed up, yet in this moment, it didn't matter.

My hands trailed across her skin, slipping into her panties and tracing her slick folds with my fingers. My body ached to replace them with my own heat, longing for her touch.

But for now, I kissed her again while my fingers explored inside of her, causing Y/N to gasp and shiver with pleasure. My thumb danced along her core, teasing and building up her desire as we lost ourselves in each other's bodies.

Desire consumed me as I pulled back, asking for consent. Y/N's hooded eyes watched intently as she nodded eagerly, urging me on.

"Please, Noah," she pleaded, positioning herself at the counter's edge. I spat into my hand and Y/N followed my movements with rapt attention as I prepared myself before entering her. We locked eyes again and she gave a nod of approval before I slid inside, my body immediately trembling in response to her movements. I let out a deep sigh and closed my eyes briefly as Y/N's warmth enveloped me.

I will never forget the day Our souls became one And I know there's a secret We've been Swallowing Lying so passionately

Her brow furrowed as she focused on the feeling of my body inside hers, letting out soft gasps as I moved my hips against hers. From my intoxicated state, I observed her closely, trying to decipher her expressions. As she tightened around me and moaned, I held onto her thighs with my nails digging into her skin. In that moment, I remembered a similar experience in her bedroom earlier that night.

"Don't make a sound," I warned, covering her mouth with my hand. Her eyes widened before becoming hooded again, clearly infatuated with me. "I wouldn't want you to get fired."

Y/N looked like she wanted to protest, the enticing noises begging to escape from her throat. My body was overcome with pleasure, the sensation of being with her intense and passionate. My forehead wrinkled as I struggled to keep going, knowing that I was close to climaxing. Unfortunately, alcohol didn't exactly improve my endurance.

Her soft plea filled my ear as I held her hand firmly in mine. My body responded to her words, and I gripped her hips tightly as I thrust into her, letting the pleasure take over and numb any lingering depression. With each forceful movement, I found release and pulled out of her to finish stroking myself, spilling onto her stomach.

My breaths came out heavy as I knelt down and trailed kisses up Y/N's thigh. She watched me with confusion in her eyes.

"What are you doing?" she asked but spread her legs wider.

"It's your turn now, princess," I replied, reaching for her core and pulling her towards my mouth. I started sucking on her delicate skin, causing Y/N to cover her mouth with one hand and tangle the other into my hair as she rocked against my face.

I savoured the taste of her body, hoping deep down that it was meant to be mine.

"Fuck, Noah," she moaned, throwing her head back against the mirror as she rode the wave of pleasure. Her eyebrows were furrowed in ecstasy.

"Don't stop," she begged, and I didn't. I gave her everything I had.

"Come for me, Y/N," I said between licks and squeezes of her hips. "Be a good girl for me."

As her legs started to tremble and her mouth opened in a silent scream, she reached the peak of her climax. I continued until she pushed me away, her breathing becoming shallow as she caught her breath. I took hold of her chin and brought her lips to mine, yearning for her to taste herself on my tongue.

Life had broken her; just as it had broken him. But when they got together, their pieces became whole. And they started on their journey, together, mended as one. - Steve Maraboli

Chapter Five

Tags: @crimson-calligraphyx @lma1986 @spicywhenspeaking @sammyjoeee @shilohrosechicken

@princessmarshmallowx @laurpartyprogram @cookiesupplier @nojoyontheburn @lacktoesandtoddlerant

@veronicaphoenix @er3nslovergirl @cncohshit @scrumptiousfestivalpost @melcchs

@flowery-mess @mentallynot-here @judging-from-afar @darkmxgician @badomensls

@hoe-for-daddywise @philomenie @xxkittenkissesxx @venturethroughtheveil @thefallennightmare

@blend-in-with-the-madness @reyadawn @deathblacksmoke @Anameunmusical @sitkowski

@anything-more-than-human @into-the-grey @amelia-acero @rumoured-whispers @artificialbreezy

[porcelain-savior]

the stone x reader fic was really cutee :3 could you vinnie x rich!fem!reader? where she has a soft spot and sympathizes with scraps. they try to steal from and shes like "omg no take this its much more expensive"

Priceless

Vinnie x Rich! Reader

a/n: I HAD SO MUCH FUN WRITING THIS

✩.･*:｡≻───── ⋆♡⋆ ─────.•*:｡✩

✩.･*:｡≻───── ⋆♡⋆ ─────.•*:｡✩

Vinnie stared at you in shock, knowing she had been caught. Vinnie had messed up and made a noise that caught your attention. "Oh..." Vinnie muttered under her breath. "Good evening…" You said, your eyebrows furrowing. "My pearls are worth so much more than my silver." You said, smiling. Vinnie only stared at you, confused. "Please! Take it! I'm sure you need more than I do." You said, quickly undoing your string of pearls from around your neck. Placing the pearls into Vinnie's hand. Vinnie perked up, glancing up at him. "Take care!" You said, tilting your head to the side before walking off.

"What the fuck." Both Stone and Skipp said, staring at Vinnie in shock from the alleyway they were in. "Holy shit!" Vinnie cheered, her eyes lighting up. "I can't believe that! A pretty girl, giving ME her pearls?! After I just tried to rob her?!" Vinnie yelled, jumping around. "Do you know what this means?!" "That we can use this rich ladies kindness to our advantage?" Stone asked, rolling his eyes. "Or maybe she's into you?" Skipp perked up.

"First, Stone we...could do that. I heard some other scaps about a nice lady hanging away money. And Skipp...OH MY GOD!" Vinnie gasped. "There is no way a rich girl like her would be into me! But like...I can't blame her." Stone sighed, slapping his face with his hand. "Can we just go buy food? I don't want to eat gross-ass shoes again."

✩.･*:｡≻───── ⋆♡⋆ ─────.•*:｡✩

"Oh! It's you. I see you brought some friends?" You turned around, smiling. Vinnie, Stone, and Skipp stood there, blinking slowly like a frog. "Here! Take this, it is worth more money than my wallet." You said, clicking off your jewelry, and placing it into Vinnie's hand. Vinnie's heart fluttered, feeling your gloved hand against her dirty hand.

"Make sure you get good money for it! It would be shameful if you guys starved." You said, reaching out and softly patting Vinnie's shoulder. Vinnie nodded eagerly. Stone and Skipp look at each other, sighing. Skipp smiled. "Thank you-" "OH MY GOD, THANK YOU!" Vinnie cheered. It caught you off guard, your cheeks turning a red color. "It's no problem! Really! I'm always happy to help people!"

You waved goodbye, still smiling. "Vinnie how did you do it?" Stone asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'm just a ladies man."

✩.･*:｡≻───── ⋆♡⋆ ─────.•*:｡✩

[hogtiedwhorestories]

the ransom

warning - the following stories involves written scenes that include sexual violence that some people may be offended of and have a problem with. if you are sensitive to that kind of content, i do not recommend reading

this story was written by me and a ghost writer who wanted to stay anonymous.

------------

Part 1

The morning started off like any other morning. me and my husband woke up, ate breakfast and got ready for the day. He had no idea what was planned for the day but he would find out later. With a kiss goodbye, we both left for our jobs in separate vehicles, but I didn't go to work. I drove across town to an address that my "kidnapper" had given me. An abandoned warehouse he said would be the perfect place to lie low. I make sure to pull my car around back, next to the backdoor. walking up to the door and I give 4 knocks on the door to let him know its me and I wait for him to let me in. He open the door to the dank dark warehouse abandoned a few years back. It’s musty smelling mostly filthy except for a 10ft square area where the kidnapper had cleaned off the dirt from the floor and put a few pieces of old furniture. A full size bed that screamed anything but comfortable , a couple of old worn lounge chairs and a wobbly table and two chairs. He invite me in as his “guest” for the next couple of days. As I walk past him to get inside I can see him checking me out in my work attire, but I pay no mind to it.

He leads me into the small cramped area and I look around in disgust. "really?? this whole warehouse and this where we have to stay? ugh…" I say rolling my eyes but I just got to get through this and it will be worth it. I'm hesitant to sit on the couch so I remain standing, "alright. we are all set, so like, what's the plan here?" I say looking at the man, crossing my arms. “I am going to have an envelope delivered to your husband telling him you have been kidnapped in order to get him to pay us the 40,000 he owes me. I’m demanding 100,000 interest and penalties ya know. He can get a 2nd mortgage on the house leave cash in a restroom at the park we split the money and our business is done, until then you stay out of sight here. He will see you didn’t show up for work believe the kidnap story and rush to get his trophy wife back under his roof. “ An evil smile comes across my face "perfect! I know he will get the money to get me back" I say, beginning to pace around the room. "ok you can go ahead and write the letter up, i have to do something with this room. I cant stay in a place like this for a few days…"

He begins to write the letter in block letters different sizes no way to eventually have any tracing done. About 30 minutes later there is a knock on the door. It turns out to be the mans nephew, who he had hired to deliver the letter for us. Unknown to me, he loses his focus when he sees me bending over to fill my dust pan, giving him a great view of my ass in my short skirt. "Can I get a little help here?! sheesh!" I say clearly annoyed, oblivious to them staring at me bend over. The place is looking a little better but still not the greatest. i notice the nephew still around "Well go! I want to get this over with. We are going to need to get some furniture or something. I can't…this place. ewww! what are we going to do here the next few days?"

“You bitch too much!!" He snaps back at me. "What did you expect an abandoned warehouse to look like? You really are going to hate the bathrooms then. Opposite side of the building no lights just a flashlight in that dark corner and no running water so the smell gets pretty offensive. Relax and think what you are going to do your money." I grudgingly sit in the lounge shinking low into it. I cross my legs, causing my skirt to ride up a little. The uncle notices this. I fold my arms and glare at him annoyed. Only a moment of silence before I can't hold it, "I'm so bored!" He glares back at me in silence, before looking back at his phone. His eyes shifting back and forth from his phone, to my soft smooth legs, glistening even in a low light place like this. I get no response, I just roll my eyes and shut up. My eyes are wandering around the place though. I can't help but talk "no tv…of course…" I say just as a passing comment to be heard. Again no response. My hand on my thigh, moves up the side of my leg and scratch an itch. Smooth skin against smooth skin, his eyes now eyes locked on it. The silence again broken up with a loud exhale from me, clearly bored and just making noise.

The uncle's phone goes off with a text message. “Your fucking husband wants to pay your ransom with winning bet money for crying out loud. You married a dumb shit. We have to take a picture to send him so come sit in this chair. Take your jacket off and mess up your hair to make it look good. I’m going to tie you up for the picture.“

"Are you kidding? Tied up?? You can't just take a picture of me looking like roughed up?? I don't want to be tied up!" I say aggravated and walking over to the chair and taking a seat in it. I run my hands through my hair and to make it all messy. My arms reaching up, pushing my chest out as he looks down at me. “Not believable enough…" He waits no time and shoves a rag into my mouth shutting me up. As quick as it went in, he uses a dirty scarf from the floor to seal it in. "Mmmmpphhhh!" I look up at him, yelling into the gag, smelling the stink of the rag, knowing its touching me. Right after that my hands taken behind me and tied up. I squeal into the gag, feeling the ropes digging into my skin. I grunt and groan, squirming in the chair. With every new length of rope, its more digging into my skin. I'm completely helpless to the ropes, squirming and fighting it. Soon enough, my ankles are bound together, and even more around my chest pushing my tits out further. I look up at him while he holds his phone out to me, still protesting behind my gag and flashes begin to go off, catching the real distraught in me. He gets the photos he needs, and sets his phone down, "ummiieee mmmmm!" I demand into the gag.

He smirks at me, but goes to undo the ropes on my legs. While he doess this, he isn't shy about groping them. Running his hands along my legs, telling me how sexy I look. "Mmmppphh!" I thrash in my ropes to the feeling him groping my legs. This doesn't deter him though, and doesn't stop. Eventually he does release the ropes around my ankles. He then moves to the rope around my chest and wrists. Just like my legs, his hands begin to roam, this time giving my boobs a squeeze. My face is turning red with anger. After a minute or two of groping, he finally unties all the ropes and undoes the gag in my mouth. I turn to him, with fire in my eyes, "you fucking asshole!" I scream out and slap him across the face. "Don't you dare touch me like that again! And what was that rag?! That was disgusting!!"

I can see him steaming from the slap, but he ends up not doing anything about it. Maybe he understood, and he got what he wanted to do anyway. After that we go back to our corners, and don't have much interaction. In the meantime the nephew returns. By this time, the uncle has fallen asleep, leaving just the two of us. We chat a little bit, he isn't too bad looking. I can't help but flirt with him a little. Nothing too much to look into, just innocent flirting. Before trying to sleep on that lumpy bed I take my flashlight and head to the bathroom. While in their, I do my business as fast as I can. The bathroom is not one I want to be in for very long. As I leave and open the door a bright light hit my eyes blinding me. I feel a shove and I fall back into the run down stall. A hand covers my mouth and I can finally see who is in front of me. The nephew. He aggressively talks to me in a low, menacing tone, warning me not to make noise or his uncle would come join. I slowly nod my head to him, slightly whimpering into his hand. He then grabs me by the hair, and forces me onto my knees. Within a few moments, his cock is pulled out and he shoves it into my mouth. The girth of his cock filling my mouth, blowing my cheeks out. He wastes no time, and pushes it further into my mouth, pushing into my throat. I have no time to react, except for choking. I'm struggling to take it all. His hands on my hair, forcefully holding me in place. My hands are flailing around, hitting against his legs. I'm desperately trying to get some air. He just keeps pounding deeper and deeper into my throat. My eyes begin to water. I can't take it. I think I may pass out. My vision at this point is a blur. My head is bouncing back and forth so fast, I don't know what's up or down. I try to push my hands into his thighs to push me away, but I am overpowered by him. Just when I think that's it for me, he grunts loading and I feel a large stream of cum shooting down my throat. It's too much for me to handle, and it begin's to overflow around his cock and out of my mouth. He finally pulls away from me, and I take a big gasp of air and fall back down against the wall.

I'm desperatly trying to catch my breath as he zips his pants back. He doesn't say a word to me. He walks out the door and leaves me there on the floor. My mascara is smeared from my waterying eyes. It happened so fast I couldn't truly process what happened while in the moment, but now I was. I now realize the situation that I am in. I thought I was in control but I'm not. I am in a very dangerous situation, with 2 dangerous men. I felt vulnerable. I got up from the floor, forced to look myself in the mirror while I cleaned up my makeup. I began t clean the cum off my chin and around my mouth when I looked down. I noticed a white stain on my black skirt. It was his cum. I tried to clean it, but it wasn't coming out. I had to walk back in that room, feeling completely humiliated. Now I had the bastard's cum on my skirt on display to see. Never before had I felt so used and abused. I walked by to the room, the nephew in his corner. I didn't bother to pay him any attention. I wanted to be strong. I went and sat down on the lumpy bed and laid down. I struggled to fall asleep, but eventually got some rest.

TO BE CONTINUED

[genericpuff]

I dont think snailords is literally going to end the series in 20 episodes. I think he is plotting the rest of the season and has the option to extend it 10 or 20 episodes.

That's not what he implies in his post, though, at all. The wording is very clear:

He's not saying "I have the ending for Death : Rescheduled planned out but I have this one mini arc I want to do before it", he's literally saying "the comic is ending whether you like it or not, but if you give me $1k I'll make sure it's 20 weeks from now instead of 10." He doesn't say he's plotting out the end which is however far from now, he just goes straight into "I'm gonna end the comic in either 10 episodes or 20". And then of course even goes to say "decide whether you want 20 more weeks with Kissae and Kreyul, or 10 more weeks to say goodbye". If he didn't want to give his readers the impression that that meant it was ending within that time range... then why phrase it like that? It doesn't help either that his phrasing is supported by his updates, where he says shit like:

(Also I couldn't find them but there are other screenshots out there of him saying shit like "thanks for showing you love the series" in a way that's frankly rude af because it's basically like he's asking for money for his readers to 'prove' they love him and his work, and that wouldn't be the first time he's done that either.)

If he is saying what you're suggesting, then he's not being clear about it at all because the language is very seriously implying that it's going to be ending when it returns. Which I'd hope it isn't considering what other readers are pointing out that the story has basically just gotten going and I'd hate for this to turn into another Freaking Romance situation, but I don't know how else we're supposed to read "

And, as I mentioned in my post about it, why on earth even contemplate putting in this mini arc that he's asking for $1k as a deciding factor over if he doesn't even have it written? He says he's way more confident just writing the finale arc as is, so why drag it out with an arc he's not completely confident in?

And of course, there's the urgency. If Death : Rescheduled isn't entering its ending arc after it returns from midseason hiatus - if it still has potentially years of storytelling left - then why now? Why suddenly ask your readers to buy $1k worth of merch in 24 hours or less to help you make a decision... if the actual consequences of that decision won't be made apparent for ages?

And at the end of the day, even if it's a possibility he meant what you're suggesting, that doesn't make it any less scammy to hold the comic's potential ending for ransom? Speaking as a comic writer myself of the last 10+ years, getting money from the audience in this kind of way has never ever been a deciding factor in how I write my work. Sure, things like stretch goals and Patreon milestone rewards are a thing, offering bonus chapters or NSFW art or just additional goodies if you hit a financial goal or if people sign into a certain tier, all that makes sense, but if what you're offering is worded specifically to make your audience panic - not saying "hey , you guys get an extra bonus 10 episodes if I hit this goal by this date" but rather "hey, you guys won't get AS MANY episodes if you don't pay me $1k in 24 hours or less" - and ultimately gets your readers an extra 10-15 episodes of an arc you're not even confident in writing ... the fuck is that, even? Just write the story you want to write, why do you gotta make your audience freak over not getting as much comic as they might want only to twist it into "surprise, it was for charity!" in the end?

The whole thing is silly and yeah, I'm calling it for what it is - a scam - because it's not the first time Snailords has taken advantage of his audience and played on their emotions and need for short-term gratification all for his own financial benefit. It's not even the first time he's tanked his own comic from rushing the ending simply because he was done playing with it. So at this point I wouldn't be surprised if the comic does come back and proceeds to spend 10-15 episodes waffling on a directionless mini arc before rushing into a 10 episode finale.

That said, that's all my two cents on it, you don't have to agree with me. I really don't feel like I'm misinterpreting his words but maybe someone else could enlighten me if there's something I'm missing here; that said, considering even his own readers were calling him out on this and that he never actually made efforts to clarify what could be poor language, I don't think I'm an outlier and I don't think there's even any misinterpretation happening. Maybe he'll prove me wrong, but I've yet to see this guy do anything to prove that he's capable of doing the right thing. And frankly, even if what you suggested turns out to be true and the comic goes on for a long while before actually hitting that $1k-funded mini arc (and again, I kinda hope it does just so we don't end up with a repeat of what happened with Freaking Romance) it doesn't make any of this feel less gross IMO.

[writingonleaves]

just two hours to get there, babe (i can make it back about an hour or so) - reckless driving au

universe: reckless driving au

warnings: not much! some minor spoilers of things that haven't Happened in the au yet, a devils cup win sometime before 2029 lmfao

title: "jersey giant" by tyler childers

word count: 1.8k

author's note: got emo about stamkos' goodbye to tampa bay on the players tribune (its always the players tribune) and whipped this up!

important context!! amelie wins an award from World Sports Photography (a real award) along with some prize money, and she decides to donate all the money to Sports Media For Everybody, a (made-up) organization that supports queer media professionals. Below is her op-ed for SMFE, which ends up circling around hockey media circles / hockey twitter. i like to see it as the first real Public thing she's ever posted / written. this is published about a month before jack and amelie get married in 2029, btw. enjoy and lmk what you think!!!

A Photo Worth More

by Amelie Fishel

Background: Amelie Fishel is a photographer mostly known for her work in sports. She has photographed in the NHL, NFL, PWHL, MLB, WNBA, the Olympic Games, the World Cup and more. Her photos have appeared in AP, ESPN, Sports Illustrated and The Athletic. Her photo of New Jersey Devils alternate captain Jack Hughes (also her fiance) during the Stanley Cup Final won a World Sports Photography award last week. A member of SMFE for over five years, Amelie has spoken in numerous classrooms and at panels and workshops to share her knowledge. Alongside Jack, she is an ambassador for You Can Play. 

When I took a bow at my last dance recital with Michigan Dance Company, I thought I was done with sports. 

Don’t get me wrong. Dance had — and still has — brought me so much. It taught me a lot of things about myself, and brought me friends I still talk to today. But after blinking at the stage lights onwe last time to loud cheers from our family, friends and fellow dancers, I knew I made the right decision to stop my decade plus intense training. I would end up dancing recreationally throughout college, but nothing close to what I did at MDC. 

During my first week at the University of Michigan, I was timidly walking around the overwhelming Festifall, which happens every year at the school. It’s basically a club fair to showcase everything you can do at Michigan. Whether by happenstance or something else, I locked eyes with Jenny DeAngelo, who is currently the social media coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers. I still remember — she had the cutest bob, a camera around her neck and the friendliest smile.

“Are you interested in working for the Michigan Athletic Department?”

Looking back, vaguest question ever. They could’ve been asking for equipment staff or helpers for ticket sales. But I walked over to Jenny, and that was it. 

For my whole four years at Michigan, I photographed almost every sport. Football, swimming, soccer, gymnastics, field hockey, you name it. I gave up a lot of weekends and school nights when I could’ve been out partying (let’s be honest, knowing me, I wouldn’t have been anyways) to stand at the sidelines of a field or court. I always knew I wanted to do photography, but the sports part of it all caught me off guard. 

Photographing hockey was almost a different skill set. I never played and didn’t really know anyone who did. But hockey at Michigan is sacred. I felt it the first game I shadowed, with Yost Arena filled up to the brim. I remember panicking because the sport was so fast. How could I ever keep up?

But I’ve never backed down from a challenge. 

I started being placed on the hockey beat more and more to the point where the guys started knowing me by name. I found myself at Yost pretty often during the season. And with my love for photographing hockey came my love for the actual game of hockey. Michigan hockey, in a way, was where another very important branch of my root love for photography started. I will always be grateful to Kristy, Maggie, Lauren and all the players and staff I worked with there for the encouragement and setting the expectations astronomically high for how a photographer is part of the team’s DNA.

I’m so grateful that my first gig after graduation was with the NHL. Being trusted to photograph the Philadelphia Flyers, the New Jersey Devils, the New York Islanders and the New York Rangers as an inexperienced but eager 22 year old was such a pleasure. I learned a lot and I still look upon the early years of my career with so many good memories. 

Since then, I’ve been lucky to continue doing what I enjoy on stages I could’ve never imagined I would even have a seat at the table at. From the world stage with the Olympic Games and World Cups, to Stanley Cup Finals and Super Bowls, to junior and high school sports Every sport at every level has taught me something new, and I feel so grateful that holding a camera still feels fresh. 

I’m extremely honored to receive this award for a photo that personally means so much to me.

When I took that photo of Jack during Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, I honestly don’t remember what I was thinking. I was a ball of nerves that entire game — that entire post-season, to be honest with you — and I was purely doing everything out of instinct. I was urged multiple times by many people to not do my job. Go be in the crowd and enjoy it as a fan, everyone told me. But I couldn’t. I would’ve rather been working with the safety net of the camera around my neck because that would calm down my nerves. So they let me do it, more for my sake than anything, I think. What I do remember is when the final horn sounded, because everything leading up to that point flashed through my mind like a movie. Like a supercut, as Lorde would say. 

An image of when Jack and I first met flashed through my mind all those years ago in Michigan (the state, not the school). An image of the first Devils game I shot flashed through my mind, where he, of course, scored. An image of me crying in a conference room in Madison Square Garden flashed through my mind, when I felt so burnt out and questioned if I wanted to even do this anymore. It wasn't the first time I felt that way, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. An image of Jack coming into my office and waiting for me to finish editing photos flashed through my mind, the quiet hum of The Rock as our soundtrack. 

I remember when family and loved ones were shuffling onto the ice and I saw Luke skating up to me, the cup in the back and the biggest smile on his face. All I could think of was him in the Michigan maize skating up to me all the years prior. It felt like the most full circle moment. 

Basically, it felt like a movie, where everything that led up to that point came crashing down on me and all I could feel was pure joy and pride.

To me, that’s it. Photographing people is about capturing the pureness of emotions. Joy, sadness, frustration, anguish, confusion. I hate to use a cliche, but it’s true. A snapshot of a moment in time can say so much. That’s what keeps me going. That’s what motivates me to keep trying when the last thing I want to do is click that damn shutter. 

Recently, I was asked last minute to shoot a Devils game. It had been over a year since I had done so, so I jumped at the chance. I didn’t realize until I walked into the familiar hallways that it was Hockey Is For Everyone Night. Chris Sccopetto, one of the equipment guys (more commonly known as Frosty) tossed me something when I walked in. I looked down and teared up. It was a roll of rainbow ribbon. 

When I covered the NHL on a consistent basis, I would tie a ribbon in my hair, the color matching whatever team I was working for that night. It was a little thing I did just for fun. During the Hockey Is For Everyone nights, I used to always put something rainbow in my hair. I was honored that Frosty remembered. 

At that Devils game, I was shooting pre-game warmups, and a young woman was against the glass. After she got a puck from Dougie Hamilton, I went up to her, showing her the picture and asking if she would want a copy. I don’t always do this, but the picture was too good and I felt like she’d appreciate it. Just as I was about to leave, she told me she liked the ribbon in my hair. We got to chatting, and I found out that she had just come out as bisexual to her family, and she had looked forward to being at the game tonight for a long time. I offered her the roll of rainbow ribbon and went on my way, but that interaction will stick with me for awhile. From one bisexual woman to another, we’ve found a common space in a sport we love.

In light of recent events, nights like Hockey Is For Everyone are more important than ever. I have been lucky that my sexuality hasn’t been an issue in any workplace I’ve been a part of, but I know that I am so lucky it hasn’t been. As a photographer, I feel the energy of the fans at every game I shoot. For all fans, staff and players to feel included and to feel like they belong in a world that they love is crucial. It’s how the sport will be sustained. I know how important that feeling of inclusion is. It’s not just rainbow ribbons and tape — it goes beyond. It must go beyond. 

Hockey Is For Everyone, and similar events to it, is a start. But that’s just what it is. A start. It’s through actions small and large where the work continues. It’s through just telling someone that you hear them and support them. It’s through donations, no matter how big or small, to organizations that do incredible work. It's through offering a shoulder to cry on and being the loudest to voice support in triumphant moments. Allyship exists in so many forms. 

In the corner of the photo that won this award, if you look on the top right, you see a fan waving a rainbow flag, by the way. 

I’m so lucky that the passion for my work led me to do what I love alongside the love of my life also doing what he loves. People say working with your significant other isn’t ideal, but now that I don’t do it as much anymore, I can say that I miss it greatly. Jack, you make me laugh and feel so incredibly happy. I love you. All the friends and colleagues I made through my work have been the greatest blessings and deserve all the thanks. My friends outside of work who remind me that life is more than just a camera, you deserve all the gold stars. Thank you. My family - Mom, Dad, Colette, Kaiden, Charlotte and Xander, thank you for all your cheerleading. 

But lastly and mostly importantly, thank you to everyone who has let me point a camera at them. The way I’ve been included in vulnerable, intimate and beautiful moments just by simply being there and doing my job — it’s a feeling that never gets old. Thank you for letting me into your life. I look forward to continue doing it with integrity and love for as long as I can.

yours,

amelie fishel

~*~*~

tag list (lmk if you wanna be a part of it!!): @ru-kru , @bunbunbl0gs

[risquefanfics457]

Hi! If your requests are still open, would you be able to write Giorno x Shy!Fem!Reader where they’re childhood friends and Giorno gained feelings for reader over the years and wants to confess but doesn’t know how? Maybe reader feels the same way and wants to confess too?

Thanks!! :D

Did I spend 2 hours writing this because I got hyperfocused? Yes. Worth it? Yes.

Giorno and the reader are both 15 at the start and 18-19 by the end. ENJOY!

“Amica?” 

You knew that voice. It had Giorno all over it. Giorno and you had become friends when he moved next to you when your were both 4. He’d changed his name to Giorno, and you respected that, only his mom and step-dad called him Haruno, as he was known in Japan.

“Gio Gio?” You stepped out on the porch of the cafe you worked at, “What is-?” You stopped. Standing in front of you was Haruno Shiobana or Giorno Giovanna as he liked to be called but… blonde.

“Santa merda! Gio Gio, you’re blonde!”

“I know!” He threw his hands in front of him, “I woke up this way!”

You looked at him, gathering all the details you could. He was still the same boy. Same jade eyes, “What happened?”

“I woke up this way!” He waved his arms about, “Can we talk about this?” He pointed to his newly golden locks. It practically glowed in the sun, “Uh, I have a 15 minute break soon.” You stuttered.

“Okay, I’ll be here.” He wrung his hands and leaned awkwardly against the lamp post.

“Or you could come inside.” “I don’t have any cash on me.”

You chuckled, “I can still get you a water, on the house.”

He nodded, “Alright.”

You waved him in, “It’s not like anybody will recognise you anyway.”

“You did.” He said quietly

You blushed silently, “Be with you in a few.”

“So you woke up, and now you’re just blonde?”

“Yeah! Like my dad.” He whispers

“Whoa, you never talk about your dad.” You are even mor eintrigued now. Giorno had a peculiar picture in his wallet that he said was his biological father. The man in the picture was build strong and almost scarily so. But the defining trait Giorno knew was from that man was the star shaped birthmark on his upper shoulder. 

“I mean, I didn’t think this is what puberty did.” You teased, “What colour do you think my hair will turn?”

“Pink?” He laughed, “No, that a ridiculous colour.”

“Yeah, nobody in their right mind would have pink hair.” You laughed together.

“What would you even do if you met a dude with pink hair?”

“How should I know?” He laughed, “I’ve never seen one, and I doubt I ever will.”

“Well, you could grow it out.” You said

“I could, we could style it like those old magazines we used to read as kids.”

“I can see you in a braid.” You grin

“We’ll see.”

“Ehi! Y/N, back to work, I see you going 2 minutes over your break!”

“Gotta go.” You stand up, but Giorno stood as well, “Me as well, goodbye, Y/N.” He customarily kissed you on both cheeks, something you’d taught him a long time ago. Watching him leave, you went back to taking orders as you wished that you’d had the nerve to teach him a new kind of kiss.

A few weeks later, he stopped in again, “Amiga!”

“Hey, got money for an actual coffee this time?” You called down the stairs

“I do, but that’s not the point.” He climbed the cafe stairs to meet you, “I’ve figured it out.”

Him suddenly so close with that piercing gaze had you pull away, flushed pink. “What?” 

“I figured it out. The drug trade, everything.”

You looked quizzically at him, “You mean the mafia?”

He nodded, “I’m going to join them.”

You blinked. Wow, you’d lost it. Who knew serving 17 macchiatos in an hour would finally push your brain past its breaking pointt?

“Amiga?”

“Sorry, you lost me. What’s the plan?” You wiped down a table

“I’m going to become a gangstar.” 

You nodded, “See, I keep hearing you saying you want to join the mafia.” You shake your head.

“I did say that.” He tries to meet your eyes, “All the drug problems, the law being run by criminals, it can be solved, I can solve it.”

You couldn’t believe what you heard, “You’re 15.”

“I know. I need all the time I can get, I have to start early.” 

You put the cloth and spray down, “Tell me you’re kidding me.” You kept your voice low, you didn’t like catching attention of others.

“No, I’m finally going to do something about all this.” He took your hands in his and you noticed him stutter, “W-we grew up surrounded by people influenced by drugs, isn’t it time to do something about it?”

His change in demeanor prompted you to break out into a red blush. He wasn’t usually so… forward. It was different. You automatically sank back into your shell as red as a crab as other people stared. “Giorno, this is insane. You can’t join the mafia, it’s an early death sentence.”

“I get that, but things are different now.”

“But why you?” 

“Because kids like you and I deserved to have good childhoods.”

That struck a nerve, “Giorno, I want to talk about this more, but I need to stay focused on my job right now, I’m sorry. I’ll call you when I get home, okay?”

He took a deep breath and stepped away, ”Okay. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“It’s alright, I’m just worried about you. I care, okay?”

“I know.” He smiles earnestly, “I love that about you.”

Before you had a chance to reply or even register what he said, he was gone.

You called him that afternoon. Nothing. You called him again later that night. Nothing. You called him the next morning. Same results. Life went on, agonizingly slow. A week went by. 

You should have just told him when you had the chance.

A month. 2 months. 4… 8… a year. You gave up after 3 years…

“Andrea, I need you to calm down. The report doesn’t have to be done until noon tomorrow. You have a full day and 3 hours to draft and finish it.” You spoke on the phone to a colleague. “Yes, I’ll be in on tomorrow… no, you don’t need me to proofread it, you’re an adult, you can scan your own emails for typos.” 

A knock came from the front door. “Andrea, take a breather and write when you’re ready.” You hang up. Why your co-workers who were 5 years your senior needed you to spellcheck was beyond you. The knock came again, whoever it was, they were impatient. You checked the glass and caught a glimpse of blonde, and your heart skipped a beat. You calmed yourself and opened the door. It wasn’t him. Of course it wasn’t. A man in a green suit was standing in the doorway, “Buongiorno signora.” 

That name. He had to say buongiorno. Of course giorno was a regular word, but it followed you everywhere, and you felt your heart flop sadly every single time you heard it. 

“What can I do for you?” You cross your arms.

“My name is Pannacota Fugo, my boss wishes to speak to you privately.”

You nod, “Okay, I’m guessing you’re from a law firm or something?”

“No, signora. I am from Passione.”

Despite the decrease in crime regarding the mafia, the word stung, it was the mafia group Giorno mentioned. God, if they were looking for Giorno… but they couldn’t even ask you, you had no idea where he went either.

“What about it?”

“You may know him.”

“I don’t know anybody from the mafia, I make it my business to stay clear of their business.” You go to close the door.

“I’d reconsider. The boss says he knows you personally. I’m here to take you to see him.”

You steeled your nerves, “I said no.”

It was a skill you were working on, you’d become better at not being so shy.

“Right. Well, Giorno sends his regards then.” Fugo says and goes to leave

“Giorno?” Your heart almost jumps out of your chest, “Giorno Giovanna?”

Fugo nodded.

“I’ll get my things.”

You pulled up the a house. It was lavish, even on the outside. 

“He’s inside.” Fugo holds the car door open for you. 

In just some clothes you’d thrown on, you climbed the steps to the house. You stopped at the door. Fugo followed you and nodded to some guards who opened the door.

“Where is he?” You asked the blonde man.

“On the left.”

You rounded a corner and on a chair in a large room was a man.

“Amiga?”

Your face flushed at the sound of his voice.

“Please, leave us.” The blonde man stood. He was just as handsome as he was before, but now, toned and his blonde hair was long and braided down his back. He wore all black. You stared dumbfounded at him.

“It was hard to find you, you changed jobs.” He chuckled. That laugh made a old shiver run down your back, one you’d thought you’d lost.

You stepped back and tripped over a chair behind you. Without missing a beat, he caught you. But that didn’t make sense, he was on the other side of the room. But something caught you. You caught your balance and eased yourself up, still in shock, “You’re… here.”

He nodded with a hint of pink on his cheeks, “Yeah, I’ve been here for a few years now.”

“You… you never came back.” Your face heated up.

“I’ve been getting a handle on crime before I brought you to me. I didn’t… I didn’t want you to be a target.”

“But you could have called.” 

“I’m always being watched, Amiga. Nothing was going to be a secret these past years.”

“You’re still calling me amiga.” You said.

“Well, I thought maybe we were still friends.” He sighed hopefully

“I, I don’t even know what to think. I… I hated you. I hated that you said nothing and left. But I missed you, and I still do…” You held your head in your hands, trying to name all these emotions running through you.

“I loved you.” You finished.

He looked wistfully at you, “Me too.” 

“Well, w-what now?”

“Well, it’s up to you. We can start over, or we can just, let this go. I’ll let you go back to how you’ve been.”

There was a long pause,

“I… I want to be near you, but this can’t have just… not happened. I think-”

“So we should start over?” He nodded

“Not from the beginning.” You got closer and touched his face, “I still know you, at least I think I do. I might not, but I want to.”

He leaned into your touch.

“I still know this face.” You brushed your thumb over his cheek. You chuckled, “To be honest, I dreamed of this face.”

“Really?” He chuckled pleasently, a sound that made the butterflies in your stomach flutter

“I face I wished I’d kissed.”

“You’ve kissed my face plenty of times. You’re the one who taught me to do it.” He smirked. A vine snuck around your wrist and a flower appeared in your palm.

“Then the face I wished I kissed in more than one way.” You leaned in. You pressed your lips to his left cheek, and then the right, and as the sun made the rose coloured curtains behind you project a pattern of pink on his face, you sealed the confession with a gentle kiss on his soft lips. His hand curled around your face and tucked your hair behind your ear, “I wish you showed me this was to kiss earlier too, Amiga.” He smiled.

“Yeah, if this is how it’s going to be from now on, I’m going to need to be something more than amiga.” 

His response was quick and sauve, “Then this is the greeting kiss you should expect from now on, cara mia.”

[billieeilishshusband]

Summary: Billie invites you to an hot ones interview in the back. After the interview she goes to McDonald's with you

YN'S POV

I have been friends with Billie since High School. We became good friends she refuses to leave without me behind her. She invited me to an hot ones interview. 

Finneas was sat there as well. "She adores you, Billie I mean" Finneas whispers as the man asks Billie questions when she is trying not to cry with the spice "really?" I whisper back. He nods after one of the last few spices I laugh at her reaction

 "oh your laughing? Here take a bite" she gets out of her seat and puts a load of spicy sauce on it and gets close to me. She puts it into my mouth and I cough "fucking hell, how do you manage to do this so much?" I said coughing while looking at the guy "that's what I'm saying" she laughs getting back in her seat.

After the interview was over Finneas had to head back to the studio, she decided to invite you for a McDonald's trip. "Of course you know I can never turn down McDonald's!" I say grabbing hoodie. Finneas had taken her big jacket because she said she wasn't cold. Right after finneas left she complained about how cold it was.

"It's fucking freezing" she says basically hugging herself. "Here take my hoodie" I take it off and hand it to her. She smiles gently realizing she smiled and had a red face she makes an comment "it smells like mens sweat" she says I look at her and give her a weird look "I mean I'm a dude so I think it would smell of my sweat. I think like that was supposed to be an insult" I laugh. We make it to McDonald's her face not looking at you due the Redness. 

We get there and find a seat. " I don't know what to get" I say sitting down looking at the items flashing on the big tvs. "Hey, I have an question asking for a friend" I looked at her "ask away" I smiled "if a friend was really close with someone but they had feelings for them. Like for example you and me if I really liked you but we were so close should I still ask you out?" She questioned looking at her hands 

"Yeah go for it if the hearts wants its worth a shoot right?" I smiled. She nodded looking at me. We ordered food and I started to eat the chips while she sat and looked and her food "you okay?" I said putting down my fry. "Will you go out with me?" I looked at her confused "were out right now?" I said biting into the fry "no I mean like- nevermind" she said digging into her food.

"I'll pay!" I smiled pulling out the money. She thanked me and we left. She decided to go to the studio to see finneas. I waved goodbye to her

Billie's POV

I walked into the studio seeing finneas sat there "Billie, hey how'd it go?" I gave him a not so happy look "oh no did he say no?" He said a bit concerned "no, he didn't get what I meant" I explained to him about what happened and how I chickened out and couldn't tell him the truth

He patted me on the back "here how about you right on a piece of paper your feelings and hand him the note" I smiled weakly and nodded grabbing a piece of paper. The next few hours I was sat there writing and rubbing out. It wasnt fun.

YN'S POV

I woke up to the door being knocked on. I groaned before getting up and seeing Billie at the door. Still in boxers after opening the door I tried to grab clothes "I came here to hand you this. I'm heading to the studio and I needed to give you this." I dropped the clothes I was looking for and took the piece of paper from her. She ran off before I could ask.

After getting changed and having a shower I read it 

'yn I wasn't sure how to tell you this without getting scared of how you would react but I have feelings for you.

Yesterday I tried to ask you out and I don't think you understood and I was too embarrassed to say anything.

I have liked you for a long time and I understand if you don't feel the same way and I'm sorry if this makes our friendship awkward from your favorite O'Connell sibling Billie:)'

"OHHH that's what she meant yesterday I thought she wanted more McDonald's" I mumbled to myself. I quickly ran out the door wondering to look for the studio when I messaged finneas "hey man do you know where Billie is?" He replied quickly "she just left to go back to the apartment by the studio" I walked around to the apartment 

I had been given a key a while ago so I opened the door myself "Pirate?" She knew it would be me if I called her by her real name to make fun of it.

I heard shuffling "Billie? You there?" I said walking to her bedroom door and knocking "...yeah" she said sounding a bit down. I opened the door and sat next to her on the bed her back facing the door.

"You alright?" I said not looking at her but getting closer "I think so, depending on what your response is going to be" she  said quietly. I turned my head to face her and pulled her head to face me. Before closing the little space there was. 

The kiss was long to the point we're she fell on the bed I was on top of her. "Good response right Pirate?" I laughed "shut up" she chuckled with me. We must of been so caught up we didn't hear the front door open or when finneas opened the door 

"Yuck, wear protection freaks" Billie threw a pillow at him. He left the room with the door now closed. I kissed her neck softly, turning her head to the side to face the door. I went to kissing her jaw after. She let out a small gasp.

"You okay with this?" I pull away "y-yes" she stuttered putting her arm in front of her mouth. I smiled before diving back down into her neck, now sucking on it. She let out little whimpers.

[fallingtowers]

the way buffy the vampire slayer uses guns is really interesting. it's very consistent, and might be divided into three different "tiers" depending on the wielder's role in the story, each of which signifies certain traits:

unnamed background characters, usually police officers, who carry guns as a matter of course. in and of itself i don't think this means much -- it's not much deeper than "cops have guns in the show because cops have guns in real life" -- but because of the way btvs depicts the police, we might call this part and parcel of a symbolic set which marks a character as a "civilian," unaware of the supernatural world and not equipped to deal with it. guns can't kill vampires, so the gun here ironically becomes a symbol of powerlessness.

antagonists. here, the gun signifies callousness, cynicism, and a disregard for life. we see this for example in cain ("phases"), the german commandos ("homecoming"), and patrice ("what's my line"). an interesting case is coach marin ("go fish"), who as far as i can remember never fires his gun but who possesses the traits associated with this tier regardless. note also that characters in this tier are almost universally driven by a desire for money, so that the gun here is also associated with selfishness and greed.

(mostly) major, (mostly) sympathetic characters. here, the gun signifies desperation and psychological anguish on the part of the wielder. the wielder is cracking under some great pressure, and the gun symbolizes a desperate and misguided attempt to reassert control. the standout example here is riley, who does this twice -- once in "goodbye, iowa" and again in "the yoko factor" -- but we might also mention james in "i only have eyes for you" and spike in "fool for love." note also that warren falls into this category, rather than tier 2 (hence why i specified "mostly sympathetic") -- his shooting buffy is a crime of passion, not a dispassionate, cynical act, and crucially he only resorts to using the gun after buffy has bested him at every turn for almost a full season: a last-ditch attempt to regain control. the gun again comes to symbolize helplessness, but here has an added layer in that its use will actively make one's situation worse. james and warren both pulled the trigger, and see where that got them. riley and spike didn't, so they were spared by the narrative.

again and again, we see the show go out of its way to avoid its characters using guns except in these very specific cases. buffy's projectile weapon of choice is a crossbow; the initiative rank-and-file almost exclusively use taser guns. even faith, after her heel turn, doesn't use guns, because her motives don't align with those of tier 2; instead, she uses a bow.

as an aside, it would be inaccurate to say that buffy never uses a gun -- in "i only have eyes for you," when james possesses her, she confronts angel at gunpoint. similarly, willow gets her hands on a gun in "the killer in me." these two cases share an interesting similarity -- in both examples, the character is being compelled to act uncharacteristically by forces outside her control, thus reinforcing the gun as a symbol of powerlessness.

(it's also worth noting that there's a pattern where the gun is associated with specifically gendered violence. the characters in tier 3 are almost universally male, and they almost universally shoot or threaten to shoot women. buffy and willow break the mold, but both of their cases are echoes of earlier events where a man shot a woman. something something phallic imagery.)

this all speaks to a very measured and clear-sighted moral stance. in the world of btvs, guns are bad. at best, if you use one, you are a clueless idiot way out of your depth; at worst, you're going to die badly. or, in buffy's own words (from "flooded"):