#how much water should you drink per day

[revasserium]

A request for Zayne with the prompt, "a note on public health" 🙏🫶☺️

send me one + a character and i'll write u a drabble (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)

32. a note on public health

zayne; 1,519 words; fluff, teeth-rotting fluff, fem!reader, no "y/n", zayne!branded humor, vague innuendos, established relationship

summary: a couple of public service announcements.

a/n: zayne cares much about your health ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧

001. sleep

For optimal health, one should get eight to ten hours of sleep per night.

You try to stifle a yawn as Zayne glances over the day’s news, projected onto the smooth white tabletop. He looks up, eyes narrowing as you freeze halfway through, attempting to mask the motion with a soft cough.

You reach for your half-finished coffee but Zayne tugs it away with a soft sigh.

“Didn’t sleep well last night?”

You purse your lips, averting your eyes as you reach for a slice of toast, tugging off a corner and stuffing it in your mouth.

“Would’ve slept better if someone hadn’t kept me up past my bedtime.”

This time, it’s Zayne who looks away, coughing as he sips at his own coffee.

“I made sure we finished at a reasonable hour.”

You jerk upright, eyes wide, mouth dropping open, a hot flush working its way into your cheeks. You wonder how he can keep such a straight face, how he looks so fundamentally unbothered. But then, he lets out a light chuckle.

“But you’re right — they say it’s not good to have strenuous exercise right before bed. I’ll be more careful next time.”

“Zayne!” you toss a crumpled bit of napkin at him, your heartbeat pounding at the back of your throat.

Zayne’s eyebrow flicks upward as he picks up the piece of tissue and gently lobs it into the trash can next to the kitchen counter before going back to this breakfast, the faintest hint of a smile shadowing his lips.

002. water

Adults over 19 should drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water a day for optimal health.

“Hello? What is it?”

“Hi! Uhm… where are you? I don’t — I don’t see you.”

“I’m… at home.”

“What? But… the app says you’ve arrived…”

Zayne sighs, “Did you dial the wrong number? This is Zayne.”

“…Oh! Oops.”

“Where are you? Have you been drinking?”

You hiccup, and he can almost see you shaking your head the way you do when you want to deny something you’d obviously been doing. He pushes up from the sofa, grabbing his coat.

“Not… not a lot — Tara just wanted to celebrate since —“ you hiccup again, “since it’s her first promotion, y’know?”

Zayne hums, “Mhm. Where are you?”

“No, no! It’s okay! I called a cab —“

“Cancel it. I’ll come get you.”

“But…”

“Cancel it. And send me your location.”

Thirteen minutes later, you’re climbing into the passenger seat of Zayne’s car with a sheepish smile.

“Sorry…”

“Don’t be. Here.”

You blink down at the bottle of water Zayne is pressing into your lap.

“Oh… thanks, but I had a lot of water at the bar!” You turn to flash him a bright, proud smile, “See? I do listen to you!”

Zayne laughs as he pulls into a stop light, glancing over at you, the bottle of water cradled between your hands.

“Yes, and I suppose you’re very proud of yourself this time?” there’s a teasing lilt to his voice that lets you know he’s not mad. Still, you scowl.

“Shouldn’t you be proud that your patient is getting better at taking care of herself?”

Zayne sighs, reaching over the tug the bottle from your hands before unscrewing the cap and handing it back to you.

“Drink.”

You look like you’re about to argue for a split second before you catch the sharp look in his eye and bring the bottle up to your lips for a long drink. Zayne allows himself a satisfied smile as he reaches over to give your knee a quick squeeze.

“Good. Good girl.”

003. sun

To maintain healthy blood levels, aim to get 10 - 30 minutes of midday sun, several days a week.

“It’s been raining for forever…”

Zayne looks up from the patient chart propped up in his lap.

You’re sprawled across the sofa on the other side of the room, staring at the bleary, rain-streaked windows with a dull, world-weary expression. Zayne’s eyes flick toward the window for a second before sliding up to the large clock above his door.

It’s three minutes till the end of the day, and he’d agreed you could wait for him in his office while he finished up.

“It has.” He drops his eyes back down to the chart in his hands. The patient is doing well — all things considered. He should keep them for another night of study before signing off to let him go home. Zayne punches in the quick note in for his nurses before setting the chart down.

“Weather forecast says it’s gonna rain all through the weekend too.”

“Hm.” Zayne gets up, rolling his shoulders loose of the knots that had gathered there before rounding his desk, “Come on then.”

“Oh! Are you done? Are we… going to get dinner?” You jump up from the sofa, seemingly revived, a smile on your face. Zayne regards you for a moment before turning.

“Not yet.”

“Not… yet?” you trail after him as he shrugs on his coat and locks his office door.

He can feel your curiosity bubbling for the entire walk to his car through the vast parking garage. He allows himself a smile as you slide in and look at him expectantly. For a second, he toys with the idea of not telling you, of seeing just how long you can hold out before you start to pester him.

“You’ll see,” he says, just as you open your mouth to ask.

“So… it’s a surprise?” you ask.

He shrugs, pulling out of the parking space and cresting through the dimly lit parking structure till he turns onto the bustling city street.

“I suppose it will be.”

“Did you… plan this?” he can hear the hopefulness in your voice, the giddiness sparkling there like soda fizz.

“No, but did you say I should try to be more spontaneous sometimes?”

“Sure but…” he can hear you pouting, “well, fine, if you really don’t want to tell me.”

He keeps quiet just to savor in the silence, in the knowledge that you are here with him, and so, so eager to know what he has planned for you. He wonders if it’s cruel to enjoy this, to love the way you’re so reactive, to love… everything about you.

You blink as he pulls into a darkened road, wide as it is, to the clearly gated Botanical Gardens. Your confusion only grows as the night guard there gives him a cheery wave before punching a button and the giant gates hiss open to allow you both entry.

“Thanks,” Zayne says, lifting a hand as the night guard waves them through with a bright smile.

He casts you a single glance before chuckling, “His daughter was a patient of mine a while back — she had a genetic cardiac condition that — well,” Zayne breaks off as he parks the car in the first space and opens the door.

“Regardless, she needed surgery. It was risky but… we managed to save her.”

He leads you down the winding path to one of the smaller greenhouses, lit up so brightly from the inside that you have to squint your eyes as he punches in an access code and lets you both through the door.

The wall of heat that greets you both nearly knocks you off your feet but a moment later, you smile as the warmth seeps into your skin, and you turn your face up towards the high ceilings, speckled with what you’re certain are tiny little sunlamps, beaming down at the arid landscape below.

“Are these… cacti?” you wonder aloud, shuffling over to a large, bulbous plant with long thin spikes.

“Yes, these are the desert plants. They need prolonged exposure to sunlight to live.”

“Oh…” you bend down to read the short description of the cacti before moving onto the next one, and then the next one. Zayne trails behind you, watching with a soft smile and softer eyes as you point out the tiny little yellow flowers budding on one, and the strange shapes of another.

“Not that this isn’t fun and all but…” you turn to him as you finally return to the front of the greenhouse, having seen all the different varieties of desert plants in this particular area, “why’d you bring me here?”

Zayne holds open the door for you.

“You looked like you were missing the sun.”

Even beneath the barely there lighting of the parking lot, Zayne sees your blush darkening your cheeks.

“I — I guess I was,” you say as you slip once more into the passenger seat of his car, looking over at him, “but… weren’t you missing it too?”

Zayne’s grin skews as he tugs on his seatbelt, but he schools his expression back into its usual mask of stoicism as he answers, “No. I’ve already got you.”

[femmefatalevibe]

Femme Fatale Guide: How To Master An "Effortlessly Elegant" & Put-Together Look

Table of Contents:

Treat your skin like royalty

Take ample care of your natural hair

Dress in crisp neutral outfits that cater to your body shape

Choose your accessories wisely

Embrace feature-enhancing makeup

Keep your nails clean, filed, and simple

Regarding your signature scent(s)

Follow your dental & bodily hygiene routines religiously

Treat your skin like royalty:

Use high-quality skincare twice a day

Wear sunscreen every day

Remove your makeup every night before bed no matter what

Use makeup that doesn't clog your pores/irritate your skin

Change your pillowcases weekly

Eat plenty of produce & drink lots of water

Prioritize sleep

Limit or eliminate alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, and processed foods/sugary drinks

Keep your skin exfoliated/derma-planed

Take ample care of your natural hair:

Use high-quality shampoo/conditioner combos that suit your hair type & don't cause build-up

Hydrate with a scalp mask 1-4 times a month

Use cold or lukewarm water to wash your hair

Apply shampoo to the roots/hair covering your scalp and conditioner only on the "ponytail" section of your hair

Use a specialty hair towel after getting out of the shower

Always comb wet hair and brush 1-3 times a day when dry

Limit heat on your hair when possible & always use a heat protectant every time you do

Use non-elastic or silk hair ties

Get regular trims at least 3-4 times per year (get your hair layered if it's very thick)

Try to limit how much you dye or, especially bleach, your hair and do elaborate styles with tons of heat & harsh products

Dress in crisp neutral outfits that cater to your body shape:

Embrace minimalist basics (tees, tanks, blouses, sweaters, jeans, trousers, blazers, leather jackets, coats, etc.) in high-quality fabrics (Pima cotton, Merino wool, Tencel, mulberry silk, etc.)

Choose options in black, white, grey, charcoal beige, navy, burgundy, or cream depending on your skin tone and preferences

Invest in a collection of sleek footwear options (black boots, loafers, black pumps, white sneakers, etc.) in minimalist, timeless styles that suit the color palette, hemlines & proportions of your go-to outfits

Ensure your shoes and accessories feel proportional to the weight/silhouette of your outfit, color-coordinate with the rest of your look, and have streamlined hardware from head-to-toe (all silver, all gold, or one piece that mixes silver/gold and another gold & silver piece each to balance out the color palette)

Keep all of your clothes steam and lint-rolled, so they look crisp & fresh all-day

Befriend your tailor to take in or let out clothes as needed when purchased off the rack

Choose clothes/styles that flatter your body shape and proportions

Utilize belts and bra tape to adjust the waist, keep shirts tucked in, and keep straps from falling down or create an impromptu cuff/hem on your pants

When in doubt, select a neutral head-to-toe monochrome outfit

If on a budget, consider choosing black, grey, camel beige items to hide fabric imperfections that could cheapen your look

Choose your accessories wisely:

Select sleek, simple neutral (& almost exclusively) monochrome shoes made with smooth (recycled/vegan) leather with

Pair almost any outfit with a shoe featuring a slight platform, block heel, kitten heel, and/or a sharply pointed toe to elongate your silhouette

Complement your outfit with structured, pared-back handbags with no logos (Focus on quality and construction, not the brand name) in a neutral shade and timeless silhouette

For jewelry, choose at most one statement piece and all others should be focused on different areas of the body (e.g. don't mix statement earrings with layered/bold necklaces or stacked rings * bracelets). When in doubt, choose simple diamond chains or earrings, sleek bangles or chainlink necklaces & bracelets, simple pendant necklaces, and minimalist rings in hardware that all go together

Embrace feature-enhancing makeup:

Cover up any dark circles, blemishes, or hyperpigmentation with a color-matched concealer

Lightly contour with a bronzer that complements your skin tone

Fill in your brows for a naturally full look (or get them professionally tinted)

Apply a light wash of rose, coral, or mauve blush

Use black mascara with a little bit of eyeliner and/or a subtle wash of brown eyeshadow on the lids

Apply a "your lips but better" nude shade or "just kissed' berry lipstick or pigmented lip balm for a subtle wash of color

Keep your nails clean, filed, and simple:

Maintain cut, cleaned, and filed short nails

Opt for a square or almond nail shape

Choose a timeless nail shade (pink, nude, red, beige, dark cherry, navy, dark purple, black) with no nail art

Hydrate your hands and scrub under your nails daily

Regarding your signature scent(s):

Ensure your body wash/lotion and perfume scents don't clash

Test perfumes for a trial day to ensure they smell divine with your unique pheromones

Choose a fragrance appropriate for the seasonal/occasion

Apply a dab on each wrist and on your neck/behind the ears. If the scent doesn't project well on you, try applying these small dabs on the cuffs and shoulders of your jacket/walk into it to get it on your hair (if it would stain your clothes)

Don't layer more than one heady perfume at a time or scents that don't have complementary and/or shared notes

Follow your dental & bodily hygiene routines religiously:

Floss every day (after each meal if possible)

Brush your teeth with an electric toothbrush twice a day

Have mints on hand if you're a garlic, spice, or coffee lover

Keep your lips & hands well-moisturized and protected with SPF

Shower your body daily and be extra diligent in scrubbing your privates, everything behind, and under your arms

Don't use very hot water in the shower (it burns/dries out your skin)

Exfoliate 2-3 times a week with a sugar scrub

Moisturize daily or anytime you get out of the shower

Apply SPF on any exposed sun (especially in the summer or when the UV index is high in your area)

[milf-murdock]

Nightmares

(Simon “Ghost” Riley x 141!Reader)

Summary: You’d always avoided spending the night with Simon, quick to make excuses and get out of there soon after your passionate and enthusiastic bouts of mind-blowing-sex.

One night, you accidentally fell asleep. And Simon finds out what you’ve been hiding.

Warnings: Soft Ghost™ should be his own warning ☠️ nightmares, comfort

It was practically routine at this point, you showing up at Ghost’s room, sneaking across base under the cloak of night. There was always a false pretense ready to go—oh, just a quick form for the Lieutenant to sign. Just need to go over one last detail of the mission—though you seldom ran into anyone asking too many questions.

Ghost was always waiting for you.

What started out as a single night of poor judgement, nothing more than blowing off steam with a squad-mate, quickly delved into something much much more. It happened as gradually as walking from the shallow end of a pool into the deep end: slowly, and then all at once, Ghost’s feet were out from underneath him and he was treading water. As much as he was loathe to admit it, he craved your company. And clearly, you felt the same way, if the way you tapped on his door night after night was any indication.

Seated on the edge of his cot, Simon took another sip of his bourbon, a rare treat he stashed away in his quarters for nights such as this, trying (and failing) not to look at his watch.

21:05. You were late.

Simon wouldn’t say he was waiting for you, per se. But he wasn’t not waiting for you. His thumb traced a drop of condensation running down the glass.

Tap. Tap. Tap. There it was: the signature three knocks.

It wasn’t intended as a code of any sort, but it had become a sort of running secret language system between you two.

Tap. Tap. Tap. I’m here again.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Let me in again, Ghost.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Come see me, Simon.

Ghost took a final sip of his bourbon before placing the chilled glass on the coffee table in front of him and pulling down his balaclava.

As he opened the door and your frame came into view, Ghost tried to pretend he didn’t notice how his heart racing as he took in your subtle beauty. His eyes raked over you from head to toe, drinking you in, committing your face to memory as if he hadn’t just seen you the previous night. Maybe he was going mad, but Simon could have sworn that the hours between each visit felt like they were getting longer and longer, despite you showing up at his doorstep at promptly the same time every day.

“Hey,” you smiled up at him, and for the first time Simon noticed the signs of exhaustion tugging at the edges of your eyes. You must not have been sleeping well, he thought to himself.

“Sorry I’m a bit late, lost track of time trying to wrap up this last report,” you continued, stepping over the doorstep.

“S’fine,” Simon assured as he helped you out of your coat. “Glad you made it.”

It was routine: taking your spot on Simon’s bed, your lips finding his as the small talk dwindled down. The unending waves of pleasure as Simon devoured you, thrusting into you like you were the only thing keeping him tethered to this world. The two of you collapsing into a sweaty, tangled mess, panting for air in the aftermath.

Simon tugged you into his side, letting your head rest on his chest as he cupped the back of your head, keeping you firmly in place.

“Fucks sake, love,” he panted out. “That was incredible.” Still deep in that post-orgasm haze, a small nod and hum of agreement was all you could manage as you tried to coax feeling back into your shaking legs. Lost in a moment of pure tenderness, Simon tentatively pressed a kiss to the top of your head. He was so so tempted to ask you to stay the night, just as he had been for the last several nights. And though the excuse differed from night to night, the gist was always the same. “Sorry, Si. I can’t.”

Just as he was finding the wordsto convince you to stay, Simon noticed the soft snores coming from you and the steady rise and fall of your chest.

This was new. You fell asleep.

Perhaps it was the lingering exhaustion from your last mission, or the intensity of the two back-to-back orgasms Simon coaxed from your body, or the soothing sound of his heartbeat beneath your ear as you laid on his chest, but for the first time, you fell asleep in Simon’s bed.

Simon smiled to himself in the dark and pressed you in a little closer, his hand trailing up and down your back. He hated to admit how nice this felt. How right it felt to hold you in his arms. And in the back of his mind, he couldn’t help but wonder what on earth had stopped you from doing this before?

It didn’t take long for Simon to fall asleep with you in his arms. Your steady breathing and comforting weight on his chest were quick to lull him to sleep, tonight already proving to be one of the best nights sleep Simon ever had.

There was a whimper in the dark.

Simon’s eyes fluttered open. Another sound, and his exhaustion-riddled brain was still trying to fit the pieces together when he felt the twitch of your body on top of him.

You were having a nightmare.

The realization dawned on Simon as another soft cry escaped your lips and you subconsciously pressed your face into Simon’s chest. He carefully brought up a hand to your shoulder, giving you a gentle shake. “Love?” He whispered into the dark. “Wake up, it’s just a dream.” His voice wasn’t used to taking on such a gentle tone. You let out another whimper, and Simon felt his heart cleave in two. He gave another firm shake of your shoulder, his voice growing louder. “Sweetheart, wake up.” You gave a final cry as your body twitched and you pulled your head up. Your breathing came in ragged gasps.

“Easy,” Simon coached. “Take it easy.”

You moved to sit up, Simon following suit, his hands resting on your shoulder in an attempt to ground you.

“Fuck,” you rasped out. “Fuck, I didn’t mean—“ you were cut off by another gasp, pressing the heels of your palms against your eyes as the panic from your dream escalated into panic in the present, mixing with the embarrassment at the display unfolding in front of Ghost. “I didn’t mean for you to see that, to see me—“

“No.” Simon cut you off, his hands wrapping around your wrists and gently pulling them from your face. “No, love, don’t say that. Just breathe for me, yeah?” He released his grip on your wrist as he sat back, surveying your trembling form. You inhaled sharply, trying your best to do as he asked.

“Atta girl,” his low voice filled the space, calming you down even further. “Gimme another.”

You took another breath, finally feeling your heart rate start to slow down.

“Simon, I—“ you were cut off again, this time by Simon’s lips pressed gently against your own, just a quick peck, a motion meant to soothe, not to interrupt your stabilizing breaths.

“S’alright, love.” He murmured. “I get ‘em too.”

You nodded your head in understanding. You should have guessed. After all, you both had your fair share of traumatic, nightmare-inducing missions together. That’s to say nothing about the more personal hardships you had each endured outside of your time in the 141.

“Is this why you’ve been avoiding staying the night?” Simon took a shot in the dark, his voice was reserved, trying not to pry too hard for fear of you becoming even more of a flight risk. He couldn’t explain it, but he had this deep seated feeling that if he let you leave just then, you might never come back.

You gave a solemn nod, the thought occurring to you too late that he might not even be able to see the gesture in the dark.

“Thought so.” Simon sighed, raising a tentative hand to brush against your shoulder. This kind of touch was new to him. And to you. You bristled for a second at the sensitive touch, before caving in. Later on, you’d blame it on the midnight haze, still half drunk on sleep, the adrenaline from the too-real nightmare, the safety of the dark room. But you felt yourself slip into Simon’s grasp, strong arms folding you into his body.

You were unsure at first, stiff in his arms, before finally succumbing to the motion and leaning into his form. Simon gently lowered the two of you back down on the bed, making sure you were back in your original spot against his chest. “C’mere,” he muttered, a hand pressing into your back to pull you even closer. “I've got ya.”

It was an unspoken agreement in that moment, a truce of sorts. A line of vulnerability had been crossed and the shift in the atmosphere was palpable. There was no going back. Not for you. Not for Ghost.

Masterlist ✧ Ask Box

[richarlotte]

365 Days from Rot to Hot.

Increase walking, add Mat Pilates and stretching to your routine, begin light cardio and weightlifting, and do your best to hit 10,000 steps per day whilst still doing an additional activity on top of that. Walking, doing light weights, heavy cardio, Mat Pilates, and stretching made my body look amazing after losing 80+ and growing into my shape as it is today.

 

You need to increase your water intake as well as your protein intake. The most important thing I learned on my journey was that I needed to be eating and drinking if I wanted to see any progress. Calories, when used well, aren’t anything to be afraid of. Introducing whole foods, good meals, and proper nutrition into my life changed things for the better almost immediately. I also began drinking half my body’s weight in ounces, and the weight just fell off.

 

Skincare (including exfoliation, deep moisturizing treatments, sun protection, etc.) is essential. Taking care of your whole body, not just your face, is incredibly important. I take the time to care for my whole body as well as my face, and I don’t ever neglect myself. I’ll refrain from making a long list of the things I do, but I will say this: your skin is your body’s largest organ, and if you are unhealthy or neglectful, it will deteriorate and make you look much older.

 

Your environment is a reflection of yourself. You cannot expect to look pristine if you keep a filthy home. Tidy your room, wash your clothes weekly and hang or fold them the moment they come out of the dryer, wipe your shoes clean from scuff marks, and organize your makeup and other possessions. I take a lot of pride in how organized I am and how beautiful I’ve made my home, and part of that beauty has to do with my willingness to clean and take care of my things.

 

The most important part of bettering yourself is recognizing that you can and should be doing better. I’ll be the first to admit that there have been times where I’ve slipped up, but what’s helped me move forward without guilt or shame is knowing that I can think to myself, “I can do better,” and keep going. Life is going to feel meaningless if you don’t give yourself grace. In order to grow and eventually find yourself in the place you want to be, you have to recognize that doing better today than you did yesterday is an essential part of human growth and maturation.

Pt. 2 to come next.

[noellefan101]

Your First Date-Genshin pt 3

Characters: Lyney, Freminet, Wriothesley, Neuvillette, Alhaitham x gn reader

Summary: Your first date with them,

Warnings: lyney flirting, tea

Note: omg im finally done, i really liked writing these tho, ye thats all i have to say school literally destroyed my brain, love you

Lyney

he would definitely preform a TON of magic tricks during your first date, both romantic, some are just pretty to look at and then there´s the brother-you're-just-embarrassing-yourself magic tricks

: said ever so kindly by Lynette

wouldn't make your date as public as his shows, since he wants to share the moments and magic tricks with you only

(+ Lynette, Fremi and "father" if she asked him so, but yk, they're only made for you)

after he had given you more rainbow roses than you could ever count to, he set out some homemade goods, like cookies, a cake, cupcakes(whatever you lik)

(in which he definitely didn´t spend a few days learning to make)

overall 10/10 (if you dont ask lynette, she had to leave bc of the amount of secondhand embarrassment(she was there at the start)) and it was enjoyable for u.

Freminet

yes, you would be underwater for your first date, but if you really don´t like it(yet)he can just take you some other time

^^but he would prefer to show take you on your first

[and yes, Lyney and Lynette (+his other siblings at home)did bet on when he would finally confesses and take you on a date]

he would let you wear his diving helmet if you really wanted to, but he would also just wear it if he felt embarrassed, or wanted to tell you a story (most likely abt pers)

he aslo ended up showing you a few of his mechanics(robots?)

and showed you some works in progresses other people haven´t seen, other than him and pers ofc

Wriothesley

he would drink tea with you in his office

^^maybe Sigewinne baked you something too,

but you mainly drank tea and just talked the whole time

(bro likes tea so much, someone pls make him shut up abt it)

well other than showing you and talking about his (absolutely massive) tea collection (and cake/bakery(sry))

if he´ll ever let you talk, ofc he will(its a very unfunny joke), he´ll listen to you for as long as you´d want to talk

you also laughed a little when he told about how melusines and stickers dont work well

and he liked seeing and hearing your laugh, so he might go for a date number two

Neuvillette

he would take you out to a fancy restaurant or he would just sit and talk with you somewhere more private

but maybe include a Melusine passing by here and there, checking on you both or for some work-related reasons (that they then put off, just a little, when seeing you both together)

i imagine that you would try some different types of water with him, by his request, and tried your dam best to find a difference.

but he would also get you any kind of drink, dessert or food you´d like

all in all its pretty easy bonding with him, and he just likes being beside you and spending time with you

Alhaitham

he would take you to a quiet cafe where you could sit in peace, since he doesn´t like loud places and want you two to be alone for the most part

he would pay 100% he doesn't even give you a chance to try and pay for anything (he´s nice when he wants to be)

he definitely brought a book with him to read(+ one for you) and would either let you talk while he reads a "little", or he would just read out loud so you know what kind of books he likes

he´s not good at doing any kind of romantic things, but he did try and do something

that including:

taking you out on the date later in the evening so he later could show you the stars, and point out some constellations

asking your friends (and maybe family) what you like food-wise, so he knows what kind of place he should have in mind when picking the place of your date

thank you for reading i don´t think i´ll make any more of these, but if you want it i´ll do it, luv ya-Masterlist

You are welcome to reblog and like any of my posts, but you CAN NOT translate, copy or hate on anybody for liking my posts

[sleepyghostuwu]

The Artist and the Gem: Part 1

"I'm pretty sure this only happens in dreams."

Synopsis: An IPC member part-timing as an artist unknowingly spices up her life when a certain colleague comes to her for a leisurely art commission.

Notes: Fem! Reader POV since it's what I'm more comfy writing in for this series. I also have no clue how art commissions work so apologies if it isn't lore-accurate ^^"

Ping!

You groan as you reluctantly reach for your phone for the umpteenth time today, bracing yourself to read your client's incessant texts about your work progress despite it being mere weeks since they first contacted you. Combining that with the fact that your supervisors were piling you with more paperwork these days made it all the more frustrating to deal with.

"Hi again! I feel the need to mention that I have a full-time job outside of my artist life, and also take note that it takes time in general to complete multiple people's commissions over time. I will send you more WIPs once I'm available to do so. Thanks for your patience!"

As cordial as the text sounded when you sent it out, you were like a pot filled with boiling water, ready to burst in fury in the event that client continues to add fuel to the fire. Too angry to continue doing work properly, you excused yourself to get a drink at the pantry.

As the coffee machine whirred to life on the counter, you hear your phone ringing again. Doing your utmost to keep your composure, your trembling hands open your inbox. This time, it was not your current client who texted you, but a new one.

"Hey (username), I find your artworks to be rather intriguing. I saw on your webpage that you're still taking in commissions, so I was wondering if I could trouble you to do one for me."

"At least this one's polite about this," you muttered as you replied to their message with equal respect.

"Hey there! Happy to know that you appreciate my art! My commission list is quite full at the moment, so I'm afraid that it will take long while to complete yours. Would you mind if your commission took a longer time to complete, or would you rather contact me another time instead?"

That should do, you think to yourself as you retrieve your coffee cup from the machine and take a sip of your drink. Your phone rings again.

"It's all good. Take as much time as you need. I'm not in a rush :)"

Your eyes practically lit up upon reading that message. Unlimited time for a commission? In times like these? Is this heaven?? You quickly shoot back another text.

"Very well. What would you like me to draw, then?"

"I would like you to draw a portrait of Aventurine from the IPC."

...

You've got to be kidding me.

You blink furiously at your client's art request, trying to make sure that you did not misread whatever they sent to you.

"That's an interesting request you got here."

Who even is requesting for this from me? A fan from the Aventurine Fan Squad? For all you knew, any of your colleagues could have either chanced upon your art account or decided to knowingly exploit your creativity for their own pleasure. As you type out the default reminder for them to pay up as per your terms, your phone rings twice.

[100,000 Credits have been transferred to your bank account.]

"Say less. Wishing you the best of luck ;)"

You take a huge gulp of coffee as you switch off your phone, evidently more stressed about your artistic career than you already were before. With such a hefty sum of money transferred to you for a singular drawing, chances are that you will have to pool in all of your creativity for this particular commission if it means that your mystery client would be assured to get their money's worth. Taking a glimpse at the nearest clock within your hindsight, you quickly down your coffee before rushing back to your cubicle, ready to check off your task list if it meant more time to draw later on.

---

As you briskly return to your cubicle to work, a certain blond man in green glances at you from a distance and smiles.

[headspace-hotel]

I am a dedicated water enjoyer but i have such a hard time believing that the "recommended" amount of water you are supposed to drink per day is legit ngl

According to google you're "supposed" to drink 125 ounces of water per day (almost a gallon). (I'm tempted to call this bullshit even just based on the fact that it's just one of several different answers.) At what point in the evolution of our species would this have been possible, especially in hot environments where you're out sweating in the sun and would need even more water?

Like okay, for one thing, drinking water by lapping it up or with your hands makes it a lot more time consuming to ingest a significant quantity of water. Furthermore, drinking from stagnant pools will give you illnesses that will kill you, and clean springs and mountain streams aren't exactly everywhere.

Did hunter-gatherers that spent their days tracking large game stop 8 times a day to guzzle down water? How did they have the fucking time to do this? Where were they getting it? Were they lugging gallons of water with them all the time in animal skin bags or something? Could they drink 4 standard water bottles' worth of water in one go whenever they found a water source? A lot of springs don't even produce water that fast??

Humans have lived in literal deserts for thousands of years!! Indoor plumbing is a new thing! Our culture is so water-centric that "around the water cooler" is slang for a casual social situation at work, most buildings have fountains specifically for dispensing drinking water, lobbies and hotels everywhere have vending machines that dispense beverages, and an important form of self-expression in public is carrying large, decorated water bottles. And yet somehow we're all chronically dehydrated and should be drinking more water??

Why would evolution adapt us to require more water than thirst can or will signal us to drink, anyway? Isn't that the reason thirst exists? 

(Also, has anyone who makes this shit up ever tried to drink that much water?? I used to drink 32 ounces of water over a 2 hour period, and I needed to go to the bathroom every 10-20 minutes to avoid pissing myself, like I would be in pain within minutes. If my body is getting rid of such insane quantities of water that my piss is basically water and I'm going to the bathroom every 20 minutes, that seems like a clear sign that my body does not want to have so much water in it.)

But I digress. At what point in time before the modern day would it have been possible for a human to ingest 8 glasses of water every day or 120 ounces or whatever is supposedly ideal??? If "dehydration" is the default state and has been for millions of years what does "dehydration" even MEAN?? Make it make sense...

[sloancameronspits]

Cold Sloan Creamery

A charming cutie steals your attention at your boring coffee-shop job. Turns out they've got a food service gig as well - a much sweeter one. Modern AU.

Another experiment I did with first-person stuff. Sex is alluded to but not present. Word count: 2253. Enjoy!

Five A.M. Entirely too early to be doing anything, let alone having to drag myself into work for another day; yet here I was, miserably reading the back of a shampoo bottle in the shower. Mornings like this, I would idly wonder if it was worth quitting my job. Technically, I could probably survive college without it if I took out more loans. There were benefits to working at a coffee shop as well. I just had to push through it.

I turned off the water and grabbed a towel. Working on campus was pleasant at least, even on the weekends it felt like I was part of a community. I had a few regulars I knew and enjoyed talking to. I was hyping myself up as I dried myself off, hoping to make the day a little less miserable. It worked slightly, as I was at least able to muster up the energy to get ready and make it there.

The lights were already on, and I mumbled “good morning”s to my coworkers as I kept preparing myself mentally for the day ahead. I made myself a small coffee - one of the perks of the job was a free drink per shift, and I needed it now - and drank it entirely too quickly for something that hot. With that, I was finally ready to start the drudgery of commerce. It was Saturday, so there was no rush of people coming to class, but there were still a few customers. Just get into the groove, it’ll be fine. I thought to myself.

I was able to dissociate and lose myself in filling orders and making drinks, and by the time I looked at the clock again I had made it to eleven. Not too bad so far, just a few hours to go. The next customer came up, looking a bit frazzled, and I couldn’t help but notice how cute they were. Cute brown hair, an eyebrow piercing, a dazzling smile - they had it all. And they would have their caramel latte with extra whipped cream they ordered in that beautiful high-energy voice.

They took their drink and sat themselves on one of our tables, pulling out a laptop festooned with stickers. A few pride stickers, including a nonbinary flag in a cute heart, as well as a litany of representations of historic places. A column from the Parthenon, a pyramid from Giza… this was clearly someone who was well versed in the wonders of the world. Exploring sounded nice right about now, trapped in work. At least it was lunchtime. Maybe I should talk to them? No, that was weird. I took another small coffee - one small coffee plus another still added up to one free drink, right? - and sat down at a table near enough to the mysterious cutie without being so close that I’d be anxious. It didn’t work. I was still anxious, hearing them tap-tap-tap away at their keyboard. I hadn’t had an infatuation this powerful or instant in a long time, and it had me sweating.

“Howdy!” They’d directed their attention to me. I was careful not to get my hopes up, but there was an outside shot that this was my chance. “That latte was really good. You seemed kinda down so I figured I’d uh, swing by?” They had taken their laptop over to my table, and were smiling that adorable chipped smile at me again. 

“Oh, thank you.” I said. Don’t fumble now, I thought to myself. “I was just thinking about an assignment I have due next week.”

They nodded. “Ugh, I feel that. I was actually working on a paper about the classical structures of Rome, which I love, but the writing still gets to me.”

“That sounds unique. What degree is that for?”

Their eyes lit up and they started to ramble a bit. “Archaeology! It’s been one of my favorite topics… well, my whole life! It’s been so fun to study. Still not into the writing though.” They sighed. “I wish I could get out of the classroom and out into the field, but digsites won’t take you without the degree. Lame.”

“Where are you hoping to get to work at once you get the degree?”

They paused for a moment in thought, then continued with their mile-a-minute responses. “I mean my favorite place in the whole world is Cairo, and I’d love to get to find an undiscovered part of the Pyramids, but I worry that staying in one place will mean I miss out on all the other places I could explore! I guess my answer is that I want to travel a lot? It would certainly be better than now, where the farthest I travel is from my dorm to the gym.”

Their figure did look as if they were into working out - not too much, but they certainly looked like an arm wrestling contest with them would not be particularly close. Hot. Averting my eyes, I checked my watch. Three minutes left on my lunch break. “Well, I’ve gotta get back to work. It was really nice talking to you…” I realized I hadn’t got their name.

They realized too. “I’m Sloan! Nice to meet you too! Hopefully I’ll see you around?”

“Yeah! Best of luck on your paper. When in Rome and all that.”

They stuck their tongue out playfully as they packed up their laptop, and left with a wave. I spent the rest of my shift hoping I’d see them again soon. That said, I think I was the only one who was going to drink two coffees in one day, so I guess it’d have to wait…

---

Two P.M. I was finally free from my job for the day. Most of the time, I only worked weekends, so in a way I was already halfway through the week. Despite this, I was still willing to spend a bit to get myself a little treat. A new ice cream shop had opened near campus, and it did sound relaxing to get a cone and relax in the courtyard in the summer sun. 

A small bell rang on the door as I entered, and I heard a surprisingly familiar voice greet me. “Welcome to Lindholm’s Ice Cream, where sweet treats are always…” They trailed off. “It’s you! Hello!” Sloan was there, on the job, dressed in a cute but admittedly somewhat tacky red and white striped outfit adorned with a hat and bowtie.

“You work here? I promise this is a coincidence.” I said sheepishly.

“Aw shucks, I mean you’re allowed to come visit just for me.” They said with a grin. “What can I get ya?”

“Oh, um…” My order was suddenly gone from my mind, lost in their eyes. “Whatever you recommend? Dealer’s choice.”

“Not something I hear often, but I can dig that.” They said, getting a scoop out and taking a hunk of pink dessert. “This one’s a simple combination I like. Strawberry and vanilla.”

“That sounds good. Thanks!” As they took the second scoop and placed it into a cone, I took the treat. “Is it alright if I hang out here? I’m not sure how busy you guys get.”

“Of course you can! As for business…” They put their hands on their cheeks in exaggerated disappointment. “You’re the first customer we’ve had today. I don’t know if the owner doesn’t do any advertising or what, but it gets pretty boring.” They perked back up a bit. “I still get paid the same either way, so I guess it doesn’t matter.”

“So how long have you worked here?” I asked, taking a spoonful of ice cream. The strawberry flavor was really refreshing after today.

“Like a month. It’s honestly not that bad. Nobody comes in, so I’m not bothered. Plus, they let me mess around with my own uniform for, uh, gender reasons. Let me wear this snazzy bowtie.” They stepped out from behind the counter with their own ice cream and sat down across from me.

“This is good! My compliments to the scooper.”

“‘Course! My taste is always good.”

---

The next few weeks, stopping by the ice cream shop on days when Sloan was working became something of a ritual. It was always nice to give them some company, chat about what was going on in our respective classes, and just… soak in their energy. Their bright smile, their cheery laugh, even down to their regularly changing nail polish, they just exuded positivity and light. Soon, they started coming to get more coffee more regularly, and we spent my breaks there talking as well. It turned my feelings on work around to know I’d get to see Sloan around midway through the day.

It was about a month before during one of our conversations over ice cream that I noticed Sloan was acting kind of strangely. Their eyes wouldn’t quite meet mine, their hands trembled a bit as they served out our desserts, and they nervously tapped their fingers on their side. They sat down across from me, eyes staring straight at their ice cream. There was no one else in the store, as usual - I’d seen maybe two other customers in the last month. 

“You okay, Sloan?”

“Yeah. Yeah!” Their downward gaze still didn’t change. They muttered under their breath. “¡Demonios!”

“If something’s bothering you, I’m happy to listen. Professor being a jerk again? Argument with someone?”

“No, no. Nothing like that.” They breathed in deeply. “Could you come with me to the back for a second?”

“I know I come in here a lot, but I don’t actually work here.” I said with a laugh.

“It’s fine, nobody else will come in anyway.” They grabbed my hand and practically dragged me to the storeroom in the back.

“Did you need me to like, do inventory?” I said, befuddled.

“Will you go out with me?” They said, finally meeting my gaze. “I know this is sudden, but I just can’t stop thinking about you.”

I stood stunned for a moment, overwhelmed by what had just happened.

“This was a bad idea. I knew it. I’m sorry. I don’t want to cause trouble-”

“Of course, Sloan!” I interrupted. “I’d love to, I just - I’ve thought about this for so long, ever since we first met. I was just afraid to ask too.”

Sloan smiled, a big grin showing off their chipped tooth, and pulled me into a hug. “Thank you. Thank you so much!” They mumbled into my shoulder. It was so comforting, their frame wrapped around me, the warmth of their body making the momentary anxiety fade away, their eyebrow piercing shining in the light, their goofy paper hat sliding off as they leaned into me.

“Do we need to go back out front? I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

“Nobody’s going to show up, and I want to go further. I need you.” They cupped my face in their hands.

“Okay. Take the lead then.”

Sloan took a moment to summon their usual optimism and courage, freeing themselves from their earlier fear; then, they pulled my face in for a kiss. Their lips gave in to mine with ease, and I melted into their embrace. I could taste a hint of sweetness on them. They reached an arm around me and gently lifted me, letting me fall deeper in. This was bliss. My tongue met theirs and my mind started to go blank. The rest of the world seemed to fade out; I was focused on them exclusively.

After an amount of time - I couldn’t tell how much - we pulled apart a bit, still in an embrace but not quite as close. “Still doing good?” Sloan panted out.

“So good.” I said. “If you want to go farther I’m willing.”

Sloan thought for a second, then shook their head. “Not here. That’ll have to wait for after my shift. I don’t want to get THAT much in trouble with my boss.”

I laughed, managing to get to my feet. They did as well, and I helped them smooth out their uniform to try to hide the evidence of our little escapade. Their hair was well mussed from my hands grasping through it, so I attempted to fix it. With a few brushes of my hand in a more orderly fashion, it almost worked. 

Sloan took out their phone to look at themselves. They laughed too. “Sloan Cameron, back in action, baby!” They mimed finger guns at me.

Clutching my heart in faux pain, I blew them a kiss and headed back out to the front. Just as they predicted, the ice cream shop was barren. “Looks like your job’s safe, Sloan.”

“Of course! You didn’t doubt me, did you?” They said. 

As the flood of emotions faded from me, I suddenly started to notice one thing that I can’t believe I hadn’t up until now. I was freezing. “How cold is it back there?” I said, starting to shiver.

“It’s an ice cream freezer! I’m just used to it.” They said with a smirk. “I’ve got an idea, though…” They threw their jacket at me. “Just bring it back to me later! I just keep it here just in case, I’m not using it much anyway. It’s hot out.” Grabbing a scrap of paper, they quickly scrawled in messy handwriting a note and handed it to me. It was their dorm room, their phone number, and a heart. “See you soon!”

[her-satanic-wiles]

Dawn Chorus - II

Dracopia x Fallen Angel!Reader

When you question the Almighty for a third time, you find yourself on the run and escaping a horde of wrathful angels ready to punish you for your insolence. Whose garden should you fall into than Cardinal Copia’s? And he has more nefarious plans for you.

Masterlist ⛧ Commissioned by anonymous ⛧ Series Masterlist

Words: 6k.

Reading Time: 24 min.

Warnings: blood drinking, blood syphoning/collecting, body horror,caging a living being, feelings of abandonment, graphic injuries, near-death experiences,needles, suggestion of sexual assault (but nothing happens), torture, violence

Taglist: @da-rulah @teenage-birt-dag @akayuki56 @dopey-fandom-girl @ravensbars @copiaspet622 @onlyhereforghost @ultrahalloweengirl @ad-astra-per-aspera-1976 @antoniamarie1989

🔞 MDNI 🔞

As this fic is quite dark, I'm choosing to rate it 21+. Please respect my decision. Thank you.

Whenever the door was closed, the room was so dark you could barely see a thing. With the exception of your halo in the corner, there were no lights, no sounds, nothing to see or do save feel the tingling of hellfire beneath your skin, seeping through your white robe like water and soaking the very fibre of your being. You were sure that your wrists were red raw by the metal that had strapped you to the crucifix, but you only knew this because of the pain you felt from them. Time was irrelevant in this room, and you were unsure of how much of it had passed until the door would open and the Sister and Cardinal would walk in.

They’d never formally introduced themselves to you, as was usually customary of the mortals two-thousand years ago. But they always referred to each other as those titles, bastardising the roles of the Almighty’s most sacred for their own personal enjoyment. Imagine that, a vampyre parading as a cardinal, in the uniform and everything, fangs bore proudly as he cited unholy scriptures and said the Infernal One’s name as though it were a blessing. You weren’t sure which was worse: the followers of Satan parading around in sacred clothes and playing games with the Devil, or the sacred committing the sins of the Devil on hallowed ground. Either way, your stomach churned at the thought of it.

You’d lost count of how many times your faith had wavered and been restored and wavered again, repeating the process in the darkness of the basement, growing madder and madder with each hour that passed. Sometimes you wondered if this was all a test, His way of making you come to your senses and believe in Him again. The rest of the time, you were convinced that this was a punishment - that for the first time since eternity began, He personally liasoned with the Devil and gifted you to his followers to atone for your sins, and punish you for your crimes. Your resilience never faltered, though; either as a credit to your bravery, or your foolishness. Perhaps there was a part of you deep down that was convinced you’d be rescued and rewarded for your silence. You would never give them what they wanted, no matter what they put you through.

Every day, they’d both unleash a fresh version of Hell onto you, finding new ways to bring pain to your physical body as though they were experimenting because, as you’d come to learn in the many hours of being trapped down there, they were experimenting. In all the years they’d been alive, never once had they got hold of an angel - not until you came crashing down into their yard like a gift from the universe. They’d read books, referenced them, even brought them down to practice on you to see which things would work. They’d stand there, arguing with each other about which methods were best and why the other one was wrong.

“We should freeze her wings,” the Sister suggested, eyes fixed on the book in her hands, “it’ll be easier to chip them off if we need some cash.”

“Be real,” the Cardinal scoffed, “how are we gonna bring an entire ice machine down here to freeze her wings? This part of the Ministry doesn’t even have any electricity… and they’re huge.”

The Sister, still fixated on her book, muttered with determination, “Then we’ll find another way. We can use cold water or dry ice. We need that information, and if chipping off her wings is the only way to get it, then so be it.”

The Cardinal sighed, clearly exasperated by the older woman, “They’re made of feathers, Sister.” He walked over to you and plucked another feather from your wing. At this point, you were almost used to the sensation, and barely flinched. “They probably won’t freeze.”

The Sister, undeterred by the Cardinal’s scepticism, retorted with a hint of frustration, “Then we’ll find something else to break her spirit. We can’t let her keep withholding information from us.”

The information they wanted from you today was how to use your own halo against you, as if you’d offer up that information at all.

“And that’s why I suggested we get creative about where we burn the hellfire,” the Cardinal responded.

The Sister’s eyes gleamed with a dark intensity as she considered the Cardinal’s suggestion. “Yes, creative indeed,” she replied, her voice low and calculating. “Perhaps we start with the tips of her wings. It may not freeze them, but it will surely send a message.”

“Nah. Did you see the way she didn’t flinch? Her wings are pretty much desensitised at this point.”

The Sister’s expression hardened, her determination unyielding. “Then we’ll find another way to make her talk,” she declared, her tone resolute. “There must be something that will break through her defences. She’s gonna have to crack at some point.” She looked at you and closed the book, her hand reaching out to your hair and grasping the strands. “What makes you tick, Angel?”

“I shall not divulge aught unto thee. Thou might as well relent and set me free.” You hissed, your tone oozing with hatred. Another sin to add to your growing collection.

The Sister still looked at you, but addressed the Cardinal as she spoke, “Do we still have those pokers? The ones with His sigil on them?”

“Somewhere,” the Cardinal replied, nonplussedly.

“Get them.”

“But they’re all the way-”

“Get them.” The Sister’s tone was vile, filled with disdain and anger. “And bring some hellfire while you’re up there.” She let go of your hair and took a small step back.

The Cardinal rolled his eyes like a petulant child and left the room, only to return moments later. “A ghoul will get them.”

“Yours or mine?”

“Mine.”

The Sister nodded, never taking her eyes off you. Suddenly, a dark flicker passed through them. “The feral one?”

The Cardinal nodded, “Why?”

“Maybe we should leave him alone with our guest. The feral one has a lot of Lord Asmodeus in him, maybe he’d be useful.”

The Cardinal shook his head. “No, he’s too unpredictable. He wouldn’t ravage her in the way we’d like, he’d devour her.”

Your heart rate picked up, “What dost thou mean by this?”

The Sister smiled, an unsettling grin that sent cold shivers down your spine. “Oh, Angel. This demon is truly feral, trained by the Dark Lord Asmodeus himself.” She reached her hand up to stroke your cheek. “He takes great pleasure in the fear and pain of others. A visit from him would ensure your purity is shattered.”

In her gloating, she didn’t realise she’d allowed her hand to wander too close to your mouth. The second you were able, you leaned into her touch and sank your teeth into her flesh, hearing her scream echoing off the walls of the chamber. She managed to tear herself away from you, and clutched her aching hand in her other one. You caught a look at the wound and silently thanked yourself for not drawing blood, concerned about what would happen to you if you ingested the blood of a vampyre. In no time at all, the Sister’s uninjured hand (now clenched into a fist) charged at you and struck your cheek, causing your head to spin to face the other side of the room, where the Cardinal was watching the exchange with a grin on his lips.

“You bitch!” the Sister exclaimed, going back to nursing her injured hand.

The Cardinal sprang forward towards you and lifted your lips, inspecting your teeth. “Sister, she’s got fangs, too!” He shouted, almost excitedly. “Tiny little fangs. Kitten fangs. Adorable.”

“Yeah, I just found that out, you idiot! You’re welcome.” The Sister punctuated her sentence with a whisper. A small sound of pain like a wounded animal.

The Cardinal remained smiling, clearly enjoying this, “That wasn’t very kind of you, Angel.” He placed the heel of his palm on your chin and lifted your head to expose your neck. “You’re not the only fanged creature in this room who can bite, though.”

You felt his breath on your neck, and then you felt it: a sharp, searing pain as the Cardinal’s fangs sank into your neck, piercing your flesh with a vicious intent. The taste of your blood filled his mouth, warm and metallic, as he greedily drank from your veins. Each gulp sent a shiver down your spine, a mixture of agony and horror washing over you as you realised the depths of depravity to which they had sunk. Helpless and powerless, you could only endure the torment inflicted upon you, your body growing weaker with each passing moment.

Your initial struggles against the Cardinal’s assault were futile, as the bonds that held you captive rendered your movements feeble and ineffectual. Despite your desperate attempts to resist, the restraints held you firmly in place, leaving you utterly vulnerable to his predatory advance. Each tug against the chains only served to tighten their grip, further entangling you in a web of helplessness and despair. Forced to endure the violation against your will, you could do nothing but endure the agonizing ordeal, your cries drowned out by the darkness that enveloped you.

The Cardinal pulled back, the sound of his lips smacking together in your ear as he delighted in the taste of your blood. “Sister, I think it’s time for some payback. You’ve gotta try this.” He suggested, before diving back in for another bite.

The Sister’s presence loomed over you, a sinister shadow in the dimly lit chamber. With a chilling calmness, she approached, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. Without a word, she positioned herself beside the Cardinal, mirroring his predatory stance. In unison, they descended upon you, their fangs sinking into your flesh with a savage hunger. The sensation was unbearable, a symphony of pain and violation echoing through your senses. As they drank deeply from your veins, their insatiable thirst seemed to know no bounds, consuming you with a relentless fervour.

You could feel your strength ebbing away, your consciousness fading into darkness as they continued their merciless assault. Each bite felt like a cruel mockery of your suffering, a reminder of your powerlessness in the face of their depravity. Their little grunts of delight at your evident deliciousness echoing as your eyes began to close, giggles coming from their throats as though they were somewhat inebriated. Those giggles were the last thing you heard when your consciousness slipped away entirely, and you were plunged into a darkness worse than the one they’d left you in.

When you woke up, you were in complete darkness. Your neck throbbed in agony in the two places they were the last time you saw them, and you remembered what they did to you. You still felt groggy, like you hadn’t completely rested. Your arms were stinging from where you fought against the vampyres, your wings felt dead where they’d been hanging for so long without movement. You tried to flap them just to stretch them out, but your body just wouldn’t respond. You felt your eyes grow heavier again, and soon you were slipping off into the abyss a second time.

You woke up again and some time had passed, and this time you felt more refreshed. Your bones still ached and your wings still felt dead, but your whole body had healed. You were sure if you looked in a mirror, the bite marks would be gone, and all of the feathers they pulled would have grown back. Your halo had worked quickly from the corner of the room to bring you back to full health, and you intended to use that to your advantage as much as you could. You started squirming in your binds, fighting against the metal chains to free yourself from them. You kicked your feet trying to free your ankles, too. But your feet were well and truly tied. One of the chains however, the right one, allowed you with just enough wiggle room to scoot your hand halfway out, being trapped in the palm. Your skin burned anew under the hellfire forged material, but time was of the essence and your health and strength would only deteriorate again and leave you trapped there for who knew how long. And so, you pulled, and you pulled, and you pulled.

Suddenly, with a loud clanging of the chain against the metal crucifix, your right hand pulled free. You still could only see the areas where the light from your halo was shining, but that was one hand that you’d managed to save. You reached across your body, as difficult as it was to do, in an attempt to free the second hand. You fiddled with the chain, pulling both your hand and pushing the chain as much as you could, wiggling it when it wouldn’t give, until your second hand was free. You rubbed your raw wrists with you palms, trying to soothe the ache as much as you could without ointment or your halo doing all of the work for you - an instinctual movement that helped nothing except your peace of mind. Your skin did feel incredibly warm from the irritation, almost like an allergic reaction you’d seen in mortals over the years you’d spent with them.

Your ankles were the next to attempt freedom, but they were tied the tightest. The position that you were in meant it was difficult to try and pull the chain off and apart without falling off the raised structure and doing some serious damage to your body.

Taking a deep breath to steady yourself, you carefully manoeuvred your body, inching further down until you resembled a frog, and gripped on tightly to the chain that strapped you down. With your free hand, you reached down, feeling along the cold metal links for any signs of weakness or opportunity. Gritting your teeth against the pain, you began to tug and twist at the chain, using all your strength to pry it apart. Each movement sent a jolt of agony through your body, but you pushed through, determined to break free from your bonds. As you worked, beads of sweat formed on your brow, mingling with the burning sensation of your irritated skin. With each passing moment, your efforts grew more frantic, your desperation driving you onwards despite the odds stacked against you. And then, finally, after what felt like an eternity of struggle, you felt a faint give in the chain. With a surge of adrenaline, you redoubled your efforts, pulling with all your might until, with a resounding clang, the chain loosened enough for you to slide your ankles out. But victory was still far from your grasp.

With your sharp sense of hearing returned thanks to your full bill of health, you could hear people descending the stairs just outside your room. You had to think, and do so quickly. It sounded like five people, and you were without your halo with a weakened holy light. There was nothing you could do that wouldn’t end in disaster for you - you couldn’t fight them off and make a run for it. You remembered the Cardinal dragging you into the building when you first landed, and you saw just how big it was. Of course there would be hundreds of mortals here keeping it clean and working. If you miraculously managed to escape the basement, how many more mortals would you face? How many more of the Almighty’s creations would you send to His enemy? With a deftness and a speed, the likes of which you’d never seen in yourself before, you worked to put yourself back into the chains as much as you could so as not to arouse suspicion. The time to escape would come soon, but it wouldn’t be now.

You quickly tucked your ankles back where they were, making sure that the chain was loose enough in the future for you to attempt a second escape.

The sound of keys clanking outside drew your attention to the door. Someone had put a key in the lock.

You quickly put your left hand back in the chain.

The door unlocked, and the handle jiggled.

You fought with the chain and your right hand, trying to tuck it in as the door began to open.

“Ah,” the Sister said when she looked at you, giving your body a once over, “look who’s finally decided to join the land of the living again.”

You’d done it. You’d sighed out your relief. “Art thou here to imbibe more of my life’s essence, vampyre?”

“I’ve had my fill, thank you. Very delicious, though. I’ve not drunk anything like that since my youth. ghouls?” As you watched the Sister pick up your halo, the ‘ghouls’ that were mentioned before came trudging into the room. There were four of them in total, and they’d clearly been briefed before they entered the room as they began to work quickly. Two went to the chains on your wrists and two went to work on the chains around your ankles, loosening them and freeing you. As soon as the chains were off, though, they wrapped their hands around your body to stop you from running.

For the first time in a long time, your bare feet touched the ground, the cold, stone floors freezing your soles to the point where it felt painful. The floor was damp, too. It was only then, in the light of the hallway, you were able to see that the floor had been haphazardly cleaned, and the red coating was your blood from when the vampyres had feasted on you before. Someone had tried to clear it up, but had missed several spots.

The Sister was the first to exit the room, carrying your halo tightly in her grasp. The ghouls were practically carrying you out of the room and up the stairs, away from the torture chamber that you’d currently resided in. You felt nerves wash over you, dread pooling in your stomach at the unknown. “Whither dost thou convey me?” You asked, trying your best to sound assertive but hearing your voice crack towards the end.

“To your new accommodations, my liege,” the Sister said, her voice in a mocking tone.

“If thou permit me to depart now, I shall not cause thee any distress. Simply restore unto me my halo, allow my departure, and thou shalt never encounter me again.”

The Sister stopped on the staircase, in turn forcing her ghouls to do the same thing. “Let you leave?” she asked. She ran her fingertips over the side of your neck where she bit you. “And why would I do that?”

“Perchance there lies some goodness within thee, after all.”

She laughed. “In me? How stupid of you. You do realise where you are, don’t you?”

“This be the domain of the Devil, and thou art a disciple of his.”

“Smart angel.” She tapped your cheek twice, patronising a being far older than here because she could. She turned and continued to walk up the stairs, allowing the ghouls to drag you after her. “You’ll find no goodness in me, Angel. I can promise you that.”

The staircase you were travelling on gradually became grander and grander the higher up you went. They were in a spiral shape, and gradually faded from uneven stone steps, to smooth, white marble. Eventually, you were pulled through a door and into a flat corridor.

The walls in this corridor were smaller than the walls of the basement hallway, and were so pristine, they acted as a perfect reflection for anyone who passed them. The walls and floors were made of the same white marble as before, except this time, there was a pattern on the ground. Black marble outlined the floor, creating a separation between the walls and the ground, and there were black diamond tiles placed strategically in certain areas to provide some visual break up between different sections. At the very end of the corridor was a window, made entirely from painted glass. This painting was in the shape of a rose, surrounded by flowers of other colours - those colours ended up running along the ceiling’s windows, giving the room a colourful glow, or rather, it would if the sun were shining. This was not at all something you’d expect to see in the House of Satan. And, given the cleanliness of the walls and floors, the colours of the windows reflected perfectly on the marble, making the hallway feel brighter.

You all continued on the journey, going down more and more hallways that looked vaguely similar to the first, except this time it was on the second floor. You could hear the ghouls panting in your ears as they were exhausted from carrying you all the way up from the basement, and up multiple storeys before they were able to fully let you go.

The Sister walked into a room with an open door and disappeared inside of it, waiting for you and the ghouls to enter after her.

This room was almost entirely in stark contrast to the hallways you’d just been dragged down. It was a living space, designed with dark trappings and wooden furnishings to make the rich colours pop. At the centre of the room stood a grand fireplace, its ornate mantelpiece carved with intricate patterns of gargoyles and grotesque figures. Above, a massive mirror stretched from mantle to ceiling, its antique frame gleaming in the flickering light of the fire. Furniture crafted from dark, polished wood filled the space, their intricate carvings adding to the room’s dark allure. A velvet sofa, upholstered in deep shades of burgundy and black, beckoned you to sink into its plush cushions and lose yourself in reverie.

In one corner, a towering bookcase stretched from floor to ceiling, its shelves lined with leather-bound tomes and ancient manuscripts. A brass candelabra stood sentinel atop the highest shelf, casting a warm, golden glow over the room. Against another wall, a grand piano stood, its ebony keys gleaming in the dim light. A few steps away, a small writing desk nestled in a pool of shadows, its surface adorned with pens, notebooks, and papers.

The walls were adorned with rich, velvet tapestries, depicting scenes of medieval knights and mythical creatures in intricate detail. Heavy, brooding drapes hung from tall windows, and remained closed to keep the sunlight at bay.

“Where doth our current location lie?” you asked, eyes scanning the entire room.

“Copia’s quarters,” the Sister responded matter-of-factly, “the Cardinal’s, I mean.”

You furrowed your brow and looked at the Sister, almost forgetting the feel of the ghouls hands on your arms. “Copia?” You tasted your captor’s name on your tongue, and it tasted strange. “Is that the appellation of the male vampyre?”

The Sister rolled her eyes. “Not just a pretty face, are you? Yes, that’s his name. Copia. And he would have shown you here himself but he’s busy.”

“Am I destined to dwell herein?”

“Until we decide to kill you - this way.”

She moved to the left door and walked through it, holding it open for the ghouls to drag you through.

As you entered the bedroom, an atmosphere of haunting elegance enveloped you, transporting you to another era. The walls were draped in heavy, brooding tapestries, adorned with intricate patterns of pointed arches and twisting vines that seemed to writhe in the flickering candlelight. The curtains of the windows inside this room were closed just as the others were.

At the heart of the room stood a grand four-poster bed, its towering canopy shrouded in layers of dark velvet that cascaded to the floor in a tumble of luxurious folds. The bed itself was a masterpiece of craftsmanship, with intricately carved wooden panels depicting scenes of dark romance and mythical creatures.

Beside the bed, two cages captured your attention. The first, a small birdcage, stood delicately adorned with ornate scrollwork and delicate brass accents. Within, a single black, velvet pillow sat at the floor, not at all big enough to humanely fit a bird inside, but as the Sister moved towards it, you realised it wasn’t meant for a bird at all, not as she rested your halo inside of it. The Sister left it there, and closed the door, locking it and pocketing the key. She turned to you with a smug expression on her face. “This cage was forged in the pits of Hell themselves,” she told you, “it was designed specifically for a halo, and to keep a halo away from creatures like you. You can try to get in there as much as you like, but you’ll be burned so badly, you’ll scream for death.”

You stared at her, disbelief evident on your face, “For what reason hast thou brought me hither?”

“This is your new home. The door will be locked with a key only me and the Cardinal have. All of the windows are made from a similar forging as the cage, meaning you can’t escape out of them either. And, just to top it all off, the room itself is encased in Hell-forged metal. Do you feel your powers weakening already?” You did, but you didn’t want to tell her that. “We’re still going to get the information we need out of you one way or another, little angel.”

“But wherefore wouldst thou provide me with a chamber such as this? Wherefore not keep me bound below in the cellar?”

The Sister sighed, clearly exasperated by your questions. “Something, something, free range chicken. Apparently food tastes better when it’s less stressed.” She looked at her watch. “Unless you’d rather stay down there?”

“Is that to be mine?” You asked, pointing at the cage beside the birdcage.

Its golden bars gleaming in the dim light. Unlike its avian counterpart, this cage exuded an air of opulence and grandeur, its detailed design hinting at a darker purpose. Fashioned from gleaming gold-plated metal, the cage radiated a luminous glow that bathed the room in a soft, golden light. Its imposing frame rose majestically from the floor, reaching towards the ceiling with a graceful elegance that belied its inherent captivity. Decorating the cage were precociously woven into patterns of delicate vines, twisted filigree, and pointed arches that seemed to dance and intertwine with one another, representing just how trapped you were going to feel. The bars of the cage were thick and sturdy, yet delicately wrought, forming a lattice of gleaming metal that enclosed the space within. Each bar was meticulously carved with ornate details, from intricate floral motifs to intricate patterns of leaves and tendrils that seemed to sway with an unseen breeze.

At the top of the cage, a domed roof rose in a graceful curve, its surface adorned with shimmering crystals and polished gemstones that caught the light and cast dazzling reflections across the room. It was tall enough for you to stand in, and wide enough for you to sit in, but it didn’t span the height of the room like you would have hoped if this was to be yours. You couldn’t help but feel a shiver run down your spine as you gazed upon it, the contrast between the delicate birdcage and the imposing golden cage adding to the room’s eerie ambiance.

“Right again,” Imperator said, opening the door to the cage and expecting you to walk in, “in you get, little birdie.”

“I am thankful for the offer, but I believe I would prefer the cellar.” You struggled to try and get out of the ghoul’s grasp, but they held on far too tightly, there was no way that you could.

“It’s not a suggestion. Either you get in willingly, or we force you in. And this bad boy was made with hellfire too,” the Sister cackled, “strong stuff. If we force you inside, it’s going to hurt.”

You had never really experienced the sting of hellfire before - not anything stronger than the crucifix in the basement, anyway. There was a part of you that wanted to test it, to test her, but perhaps now wasn’t the best time, especially when there was so little room to move. You took a step forward and shrugged the ghouls off you, deciding to play her little game for now. Carefully, you wrapped your wings around your body, tucking yourself in, and took a step in. You noticed that the floor of the cage was carpeted, meaning that they’d at least tried to keep you comfortable and give you some respite.

The Sister slammed the door shut behind you, locking it securely when you were completely inside. “Enjoy your stay,” she told you as she turned to leave the room, “we don’t care if you need anything.” And with that, she left, closing all the doors behind her to hide the rest of the world from you.

Immediately you loosened your wings enough to relax as much as you could, and placed your hand on the cage and tried to open the door, foolishly believing that she tricked you and it wasn’t actually locked, or even made with hellfire. The white hot, searing pain you felt as your skin touched the cage was worse than anything they inflicted on you in the basement. You could practically hear the sound of your skin sizzling under the intense heat, and soon enough small red welts appeared on your fingers where you’d touched the metal. You cried out in agony, doubling over with the pain and collapsing onto the carpeted floor. The hand that hadn’t touched the cage, applied pressure to your wound in a futile attempt to stop the pain, and when that failed, your body curled in on itself, putting you in the fetal position and praying that would stop the pain. Eventually, it subsided, and when you felt confident enough to look, you watched as your body began to slowly repair itself. What would be an almost instantaneous heal took at least two minutes before you were back to full health and the pain had completely subsided.

In that moment, though, everything felt bleak, and for the first time since crashing down to the planet, tears began to form in your eyes and spill out onto the carpet. You needed to leave, you knew that you did, but the lack of compassion from the undead beings that had captured you and the near-inescapable fortress you found yourself in had made you feel entirely hopeless. Abandoned by your creator, only to fall into the hands of sadistic vampyres that already had a taste for your blood, it truly felt as though you had nowhere left to turn, that you were stranded with beings that considered you more of a meal than a living and breathing creature. You wondered if you ever would escape, or if you’d be forced to spend your eternity here.

“Looks like someone didn’t listen to the good Sister when she told you not to touch the cage.”

The Cardinal’s voice snapped you out of your despair, forcing you upright on the floor and to look at him through wide, yet blurry eyes, broken up visibly by the bars that separated you both. You didn’t want him here, you didn’t want him to see you like this. “Why art thou present?” you sniffed, trying to hide your face from him. “Why canst thou not leave me in peace?”

“Aw,” he crouched down in front of you so that he was level with your eyes, “Did we finally break you, little angel?” His tone was filled with condescension and absolute disrespect. You could feel the joy oozing from him as he watched you like this, enjoying every tear that spilled over your waterline and was rubbed away by your hand. “You know, if you would just tell us what we want to know then all of this would go away.” He placed his hand on the door and unlocked it, moving out the way only enough to open it fully. He reached his hand inside, running his thumb over one of the stray tears that fell from your eyes and pulled his hand back in pain, the sound of sizzling echoing in your ears. Your tears had burned him, even just a little. It was good to keep in mind, at least.

“But, in the meantime,” he continued, shaking off the wetness from his finger and rubbing it on the carpet to ease the pain. His hands moved to your shoulders underneath your wings, and pulled you closer to him, making sure your neck was level with his mouth. Your uninjured hand propped you up on the carpet, trying not to rest your entire weight on him just in case he moved and you fell onto the bars. “I’m going to have so much fun with you.”

His fangs pierced your neck and you felt his tongue lave over the wound, his mouth sucking all the blood from your veins fervently. He groaned in appreciation when the first drop of your blood touched his taste buds, the kind of groan that would usually be followed by eyes rolling. You tried to push him off you again, but every time you did, he would just sink his fangs in harder, and make the whole experience more painful to you.

You tried to fight off the unconsciousness that was threatening to take over your body, truly you did. But once again, the familiar coldness of your very life essence being sucked from your body and the numbness that followed dragged you into a blackness you wished you’d never see again.

You woke some time later, curled in a ball on the carpeted floor of your cage, your entire body aching from the ordeal, but also from the many hours you’d spent on the ground. You still weren’t back to your full health, but because you were closer to your halo this time, the healing process was faster. Dawn had broken over the world, and sunlight had begun to seep into the room dulled by the thickness of the curtains, providing you with a comfort you’d not realised you’d needed.

You stood with a groan, stretching your limbs out one by one until the stiffness had ebbed away, following that with your wings. The two, extra limbs that hung from your back and span the length of your body were certainly grateful for the movement, even if you couldn’t properly spread them and get the exercise your body so desperately craved. In the bed, you saw the Cardinal, laying on top of the blankets and sleeping, your blood still staining his mouth. You’d always assumed that vampyres could only sleep in the coffins that they were buried in, but as it turned out not all of them were forced to have such an affliction.

Days begun to pass in a blur, causing you extra pain as now you could witness the passage of time from the comfort of your prison. You’d come to learn in that time, that angel blood was a particular delicacy for vampyres and demons, an intoxicating elixir that took the sobriety from the creatures of the underworld and allowed them to behave in all manner of ways. The Cardinal had decided to generously supply the rest of the supernatural beings with your blood, but wouldn’t allow any of them to come near you, meaning that every day he would come in with a plethora of empty wine bottles, lie you down, and stick two needles in the two crooks of your arms, directly into your veins. Each syringe connected to a tube which would gradually syphon your blood into those empty bottles, entirely uncaring of you or your wellbeing and almost killing you each and every time. He wouldn’t come in daily to do it, though he tried. Your body, without wearing your halo, just wouldn’t recover fast enough to do so, and he couldn’t risk your permanent demise, not when he had so much at stake. He would only come back when you were well enough, and reminded you how you ought to be grateful for that as he pricked the needles into your veins.

One evening, while you sat in your cage, a man entered the room. At first, he was simply cleaning the room, eyes focussed on his task and paying you no mind at all. But you noticed that every so often, he’d look up at you, briefly making eye contact, then turning his head away quickly as though he’d just done something wrong. Every other day from then on, you saw him, watched him, looked onto his face as he went about his business and then left a few short hours after.

And one day, you finally plucked the courage to wave at him.

Prev. ⛧ Next

[vote-democrat-president-congress]

Erin Brockovich: What’s at Stake in November

July 30, 2024

By Erin Brockovich

Ms. Brockovich is an environmental activist.

Every day, I get emails from people asking for help. They think I’m a lawyer. I’m not. They want to know what caused their cancer or why their farm has tested high for chemicals they’ve never heard of. They want someone to fight for them.

The recent Supreme Court decision overturning the 40-year-old Chevron precedent, which allowed federal agencies to interpret the laws they oversee, should wake us up to how truly alone we are when it comes to environmental health protections. If Donald Trump wins in November, things could go from bad to worse. Progress to protect Americans from dangerous chemicals could reach a standstill.

I could list dozens, if not thousands, of contaminants we come in contact with, some regulated by federal and state agencies, and others not. I’ll focus on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, a class of thousands of synthetic chemicals that are finally being recognized for the damage they cause.

PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” because they persist in the environment and in human bodies for decades. These chemicals have been used to make common items from textiles to adhesives to food packaging to firefighting foams to nonstick cookware.

The health problems associated with exposure to PFAS include fertility issues, developmental delays in children and increased risk of certain cancers and of obesity, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Scientists have detected PFAS chemicals in the blood of almost all Americans.

Sign up for the Opinion Today newsletter Get expert analysis of the news and a guide to the big ideas shaping the world every weekday morning. Get it sent to your inbox. What’s frustrating is that we’ve known for decades which industries use these chemicals, and we’ve known they are accumulating in the environment. But companies and our regulators delayed action.

Take just one example. From the 1950s through the 1970s, 3M dumped its PFAS waste into pits around Minnesota’s eastern Twin Cities metro area. That led to a more than 150-square-mile plume of contaminated groundwater. Subsequent testing revealed that by 2004, more than 140,000 Minnesotans had tainted drinking water. Years later, a young woman named Amara Strande grew up near the plume.

In 2023, Ms. Strande testified in front of Minnesota lawmakers in support of legislation that would restrict PFAS, which she believed caused her rare form of liver cancer. She died weeks before legislation known as Amara’s Law banned the use of PFAS in Minnesota. She was 20 years old. There are more cases like hers.

The number of U.S. communities reportedly contaminated with PFAS compounds continues to grow. Last year, one or more types of PFAS were detected in almost half of the nation’s tap water.

People like to talk about the risks of federal oversight and regulations. But without those basic guardrails in place, large companies get to do whatever they want, and hard-working Americans get sick.

Some much needed action was taken on PFAS at the national level recently. In April, the E.P.A. mandated that municipal water systems remove six PFAS chemicals from tap water. Such efforts are now at risk.

Under the Supreme Court’s recent Chevron ruling, federal judges get the final say on how laws including the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act should be applied. This weakens the ability of regulatory agencies to do their jobs protecting the public’s health from problems such as PFAS. Future pollution cases could meander through the federal court system for years while drinking water remains contaminated.

Companies will take advantage of this ruling. Water utility and chemical manufacturing companies have filed challenges with the E.P.A., calling the rule “arbitrary, capricious, and an abuse of discretion.”

Now imagine you take these kneecapped regulations and pair them with a second Trump presidency. President Trump rolled back decades of clean-water protections and dozens of environmental rules. The E.P.A. is still reeling from the exodus of more than 1,200 scientists and policy experts during his administration. One of his political appointees meddled with a PFAS assessment, weakening the toxicity value of a chemical.

The E.P.A. already had its problems, but the agency fared even worse under Mr. Trump. He repeatedly tried to slash the E.P.A.’s budget and many staff members fled, meaning fewer inspectors, fewer resources to study the impact of toxins and more companies contravening environmental regulations.

I recently reviewed Project 2025, a playbook for the first 180 days of the potential next Trump administration. (Mr. Trump says he doesn’t support the project, though many of his former White House employees are involved.) In the E.P.A. chapter, PFAS are mentioned twice. Project 2025 says the administration should revise groundwater cleanup regulations and policies to reflect the challenges of contaminants such as PFAS, which seems fair. But then it also says the administration should revisit the E.P.A. designation of PFAS chemicals as “hazardous substances” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund. That seems contradictory and ill advised. The designation helps make available CERCLA’s enforcement tools and cost recovery, ensuring that the polluters, not taxpayers, fund or conduct investigations and cleanup.

I’m not giving Democratic administrations a pass. We need more accountability for the environmental ills that have passed under their watch. These include the water crisis in Flint, Mich., and Jackson, Miss. The state and federal responses to the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, left much to be desired. We must expect more from those we put in office; our lives depend on it.

The E.P.A. used to have bipartisan support. The Reagan administration changed that when President Ronald Reagan appointed a corporation-friendly E.P.A. administrator who railed against government regulation.

Rules are effective only if they can be enforced. State and federal agencies have done a poor job of building meaningful enforcement into the well-intentioned regulations that have been enacted, and they must do better. Americans’ health is at risk.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/30/opinion/erin-brockovich-pfas.html

[funficwriter]

A Wolf and A Snake (Wriothesley x Reader)

Letters' Interlude - 1

A/N: So these aren't official chapters per say, just an extra to the story that explores the yandere dynamic I'm trying to put forth! Also, I love listening to romantic music while writing for this 🩵 Until I finish Chapter 2, enjoy!

Synopsis: Being a noble meant that marriage was a chess game, not an affair of love. Unfortunately for the pristine Balthazar family of Fontaine, Y/N has long been enamored with love and sought it out before their priorities. After her grey, boring time of courtesy and fake niceness, she meets Duke Wriothesley, who makes her yearn for the first time in her life, and it's the same for him. Threatened by the idea of losing this first, it seems they'll stop at very little to be together...

Warnings: Obsessive yandere language, graphic details in Wriothesley's.

Tag: @yue-caelum

From: Lady Y/N Balthazar - Balthazar Vacation Manor, Belleau Region, Fontaine

To: Duke Wriothesley of Meropide - Fortress of Meropide, Liffey Region, Fontaine

Dearest Duke,

I am not quite sure how to begin or structure my thoughts, so I hope you forgive me if this letter turns out messy. It's barely been 24 hours since our fateful meeting and I finally got some privacy. I should interest you in the fact that today's tea is Earl Grey. I'm having it right now, accompanied by a chocolate and strawberry mille-feuille. If you're ever feeling bold, I'd recommend this combination. Quite the contrast on the taste buds.

I realized that even with our cadence and how we enjoyed chatting together, there's still so much to know. How have you been doing? I'm presuming you're at the Fortress. How is life there? How do you spend your days there? Is it a lot of work? You told me a bit of the nurse. Sigewinne, if I recall correctly. Does she have a lot of patients? And what tea do you drink when you're feeling so tired and done with the world? (I'm partly asking this one for myself. Some days are like that.).

Though I must say, since Liffey is a bit far from Romaritime or the Court's region, you must have a good teleportation waypoint. Belleau is far, too, but by Focalors' name it is enjoyable. It's quiet, lush and lovely. The water is so nice to swim in too. I find that regular swimming is one of the most beautiful parts of my day. I might be heading into more dangerous territory saying this, but I believe you'd enjoy it a lot if I took you with me. If you had a day off and I showed you around, we could then swim in one of the lakes. It's so refreshing and fun, and a good break from the city.

Don't get me wrong; I love its bustle and life. But I know when we return, I'm going to have to look over these boring nobles' declarations, and meet with them more often. Speaking of which, I'm sorry to sound so forward, but... Well, are you interested in carrying this further?

I'd like to tell you something about my worldview. As you know, I read a lot, but last night I couldn't get into the 'why' due to mother's timing. As a child, I felt strangely bored with existence, maybe to a worrying point. That would explain my parents' fretting. I liked the dance and violin lessons, but there was something about my books that gave my gray life a bit of color. Unfortunately, having to come back to real life was a painful must. There were times where I thought to myself: "Is this really life? Boring, plain, and feeling wrong for watching everyone's intense reactions while I derived joy from so few things?". I didn't even want to think about my future as I become a woman. This was all before we met.

Ah, Wriothesley! I've been imagining it over and over in my head! I even stood outside in the cold and closed my eyes and pretended you were right next to me... Imagine my pain when I confronted reality, mixed with the excitement I felt remembering you! Even now, I can't stop kicking my feet as I write this. For the very first time, I was proven wrong. I was mistaken about life, and who said mistakes were bad? After years of chasing perfection, believing it was beauty and goodness... Why, I might have committed the most beautiful fault in existence!

Will you please prove me wrong again? I know I might get greedy and stick to my old worldview, just for it to happen again. But I swear, I'll be good and I'll stop. I just want to feel my entire body and soul rattling in excitement once more. And you're the only one that happens with.

Mother and Father are planning another social, soon after we return to the Court's region. My understanding says you're not often social, so if you don't want any part of it (or even, if I'm being too intense), discard this letter. I must go now, but if you're as invested as I, I will be awaiting a response. And if Celestia is kind, I will be open for more. I'll be open for anything if it's with you.

Yours truly,

Lady Y/N Balthazar

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

From: Duke Wriothesley of Meropide - Fortress of Meropide, Liffey Region, Fontaine

To: Lady Y/N Balthazar - Balthazar Vacation Manor, Belleau Region, Fontaine

To my cherished Lady,

I would like to start off by expressing my most feverish thanks, for reasons beyond enumeration. You taking the time to send me this lovely letter is the least of them. It is generally good form for a Duke to answer quick when he can, but I was so overjoyed with your letter's contents, I re-read it many times to take in all the joy you graced me with. I was also very touched with your personal confiance in me, so I'm also writing to return the favor.

First off, do you know how much I yearn to hear about your day, down to the little details? You talked a good deal about Belleau. I didn't care much about that region before, but now? All I've been thinking about is those fresh waters and woods you praised so highly. The only imagination I entertained was you, holding my hand, whispering that there were no nosy gossipers or greedy parents. Just the two of us, and the lake was all ours to swim in until we couldn't.

If it makes you laugh, I thought about it so much, I almost mistakenly wrote some prisoners' region tab as Belleau. Had Sigewinne not been near, the administrative mistake would have been a pain to fix. Are you laughing? I hope for it with all my heart.

And I want to know more. I want to know whether Earl Grey is your favorite, or you're only taking it because it's been brewed at that time. I want to know which chocolate you like best. Which books you're currently reading, and why you're so interested in lycanthropes without a hint of discrimination. Will you tell me more? If we get the chance to talk with less barriers, will you enlighten me with you?

After getting to know your old worldview, I question just how alike we are. It's easy for two people to share superficial interests. But when one feels so dissected, so naked knowing about another's deeper life and secrets, you can't help but question whether Celestia really does link souls. Whether you once knew them, or whether fate can be so perfect to send such a person your way. I'm sure you felt terrified writing it. Your mailbox may be private, but who knows when your family feels nosy and reads it? You know of the risks that come with such correspondence, especially as a maiden. Despite that, you didn't throw it into the trash. You wrote it, and sent it to me, letting me know about you. You may have just intoxicated me, and now I feel like I might die if that is all I know of you.

As respect to this, I'll confide in you, only it may be a little graphic. "If you feel queasy after this, feel free to end our correspondence here."... Is what I wish I could say with full honesty, because after that night, I'm not sure whether I can really be okay with that outcome.

I used to commit crime, both petty and serious. Such was the life of an orphan at the time. Being little fish wasn't an option; You had to be the top dog or get eaten alive. I opted for the first, even if it landed me in prison later on. My convictions range quite a bit, but once I grew up, I renounced crime. Even insignificant things. I wanted to leave that behind me.

Forget the obvious stealing sweets from the kitchen. When I saw that slimy Duke Arya talking to you, touching your shoulder, acting as if he always knew you and your wedding was tomorrow, I never felt the urge to murder as much as I did that night. The reasons behind my old violent crimes felt so small next to the ugly sight in front of me. You clearly didn't want him, but he kept going, as if you'd magically change your mind and be into slimeheads like him. How dare he be the reason you were pulled apart from me? Where does he get the gall to take you, act like you're owed to him if your parents decided?

How I wanted to end his pathetic standing, laughing, breathing. How I wanted to use my vision and punch his head out into an ice block, then freezing his wrangling body so he wouldn't mess up the carpet. How I wanted to lunge at him, bite, claw and make a bloody mess out of him. What did it matter if I perpetuated half-wolf stereotypes, when he was doing this? Which would hurt him more? Only one idea stopped me: You might not react to a show of violence so well. Oh, if I traumatized you, I'd never forgive myself. Being sent back to jail would be too light a punishment for a beast like that.

Please don't worry about transport, or ask about my attendance. I'm determined to attend that social. I'm so happy you told me about this in advance; I'm going to be seeing you, in all your radiance and beauty that make the world pale. So long as that happens, all is well for now. In the meantime, I'm adding some final touches to my declaration, and eagerly waiting for our next meeting, and hopefully the time I can freely take you into my arms, kiss you and prove the both of us wrong about everything.

With all the love I can hold,

Duke Wriothesley

[uncanny-tranny]

I love giving advice, apparently, so if you are a newly pierced person or are planning on being pierced, here are some of the things I found helpful, as somebody who isn't a professional piercer but has had six plus piercings on my face and body, and multiple ear piercings (which I don't count, since I DIY'd them):

Normal bath towels are your enemy, proceed with caution after bathing. NEVER wipe moisture away from a fresh piercing, always pat it dry

You will hit a new piercing and it will hurt. This is inevitable, just know that you likely haven't destroyed it. Feel free to cry, though, it hurts like hell.

If your piercer gives you instructions, heed them. If you're on restrictions, please take it as seriously as possible

When you're going in for a piercing, please eat or drink something - at least what constitutes as a snack for your body. It really helps

If you're getting an oral piercing, make sure you size down after the healing period - I hadn't sized down for my last oral piercing when I first had the chance, and it was... so annoying to have too-large of jewelry

Not all jewelry is made equally. Do your research on materials, threading, and sizing. I've found that titanium jewelry is really nice for me, and I like it, but that isn't the only option. Make sure you think about your body and its needs and preferences

Close your eyes while being pierced (I found this really helps me)

Don't over-clean a new piercing, twice per day is usually a good place to start

The completed healing period is a very average suggestion - you may heal slower or faster. Try to adhere to that suggestion, though, especially if you do not feel you're healed enough

Personally, I have found that I am completely healed when my piercing feels like just another part of my body, even when it is touched. When my piercings start to feel as though they are foreign when they never do before, I know I likely need to clean them

While I have DIY'd piercings, I personally do not recommend it, especially if you are either not using sterilized equipment, or are piercing a very dangerous place (like the tongue). If you are absolutely positive about committing to the DIY mindset, please try to do due diligence in research at least

Tip your piercer. Body mods are a luxury service, and it takes years to even become a piercer, much less to be proficient at it. Tip your piercer, ESPECIALLY if their prices feel too good to be true - they likely are. Unless you are directed otherwise by your piercer, just assume that you will be tipping them for their services and budget accordingly

Make sure you understand how your piercer wants you to take care of your piercing, and ask questions. There is no question too "dumb"

If you are getting a body part pierced you are insecure about, realize your piercer has most likely seen HUNDREDS of different body parts of various sizes, shapes, and oddities. Your body is not uniquely bad, nor would a good piercer make you feel unwelcome or uncomfortable with your body. If they do, however, DO NOT go through with the piercing. You should feel safe being pierced by somebody, and, indeed, that is the bare minimum.

If you use saline wash to clean piercings, you can DIY it. You will go through NeilMed like no other, and with it being $5USD a bottle, that price can rack up quickly. Make sure you use distilled water and non-iodized salt, though

If your piercing is infected, please don't be too ashamed to seek help. It's in your best interest to make sure you don't get ill or your site gets nasty ("nasty" as in painful)

These are just some of the things I've learned being a pierced person! My piercings are something I absolutely needed, and I do not for a minute regret having them. I want that same happiness to befall you, and that happens when you are able to understand a bit more what goes into piercings. You are, essentially, getting a new body part installed by a pro, and so I don't want you to not be ready for that.

Again, I am not a professional piercer, but am rather a body piercing enthusiast with many different types of piercings. I don't have every piercing, though, so please look at this critically for the piercing(s) that you want or have. At least, treat this like a soft suggestion or ways to help you brainstorm what you will find helpful.

More tips are obviously welcomed, especially if you yourself have more insight or expertise. Good luck to every pierced person or future pierced person reading this💛

[noturlondonboy]

I was given the assignment to write a short podcast script for my English class, so of course I took it as a fan fiction opportunity. Here’s some silly Bishova :DDD

Thank you so much to @random-marvel-oc and @thebleedingpearl for the question ideas.

——

Intro: Welcome back to another episode everyone! This is Avengers All Around, our favorite place to sit and talk with some of Earth’s mightiest heroes! Per very popular request, we’ve brought in two special guests to talk to us today- some of the most recent additions to the team of incredible individuals that work tirelessly to keep us all safe. Please welcome Kate Bishop and Yelena Belova, aka the New Hawkeye and White Widow!

K: Hey Chuck! Thank you so much for having us, this is such a fun opportunity!

IJ: Oh, my name isn’t-

Y: Yes, Chuck, very good to be here. My Kate Bishop would not shut up about this for anything.

K: *laughs* It’s true! It’s just been so exciting to think about. What kind of questions do you have for us? Can we dive right into it?

IJ: …I- y’know what, uh, yeah! Yeah, let’s get right into it. Just real quick, I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you guys how much of an honor it is to have you on the podcast today. We’re all such big fans of you two here on Avengers All Around, and honestly, I would call myself number 1.

K: I’m so flattered, thank y-

Y: We aren’t actually Avengers, you know.

K: Well I wouldn’t say that we-

Y: Kate Bishop is the leader of the Young Avengers, yes, but they are a separate and more modernized team. I lead the Thunderbolts. Very, very different.

IJ: Right, of course! *laughs nervously* Sorry about that confusion, ladies. Let’s get to-

Y: Do not call me “lady” again, Chuck. *scoffs* Kate Bishop, honestly. Did you not vet this person before accepting the interview proposal?

K: …I actually didn’t have time to do that, no.

Y: Kate Bishop. You… cannot be serious. We’ve been over this. Many times.

K:

IJ:

IJ: Okayyyyy then… *coughs* We alright to hop into some questions with you two?

K: Oh, um- yes, absolutely! Please, let’s continue, sorry about that.

Y: Don’t start thinking I’ll forget about that lapse in judgment, Kate Bishop.

K: *clears her throat nervously* I’m sure you won't, darling. Anyway, Chuck, please, give us the first one. I’m so excited to hear what the fans want to know.

Y: I’m not.

IJ: *forces a laugh* Alright, no worries! First up, one of the most voted for questions from a popular blogging site known as Tumblr… do you two prefer to drink coffee, or tea?

Y: Tumblr? That is familiar to me. Is that familiar, Kate? You’ve mentioned such a thing, haven’t-

K: *laughs loudly* Nope, I have no idea what a Tumblr is. I’ve never-

Y: Also, I’m sorry- did you say that was one of the most voted questions for us? Coffee or Tea? Really?

IJ: Well sometimes it’s the more mundane, slice of life things-

K: Tumblr users are a different breed, babe. This makes total sense.

Y: Right, right… thank you so much, Katherine Elizabeth “I have no idea what a Tumblr is” Bishop.

K: Well-

Y: Either way, I’ve been told I look like I would enjoy a tea called Yorkshire Gold, but I prefer my coffee so black it tastes like you ground soil from the motherland straight into your cup.

IJ: Oh wow, that’s-

K: Absolutely disgusting, is what it is, Chuck. I’ve seen her shove straight beans and boiled water down her throat.

Y: Eh, it was a rushed morning. You are lucky I did not use one of my adrenaline shots that day, Kate Bishop.

K: Wait, I’m sorry- you have adrenaline shots? In the apartment?

Y:

Y: Yes.

K:

IJ: Should we move on to a different question?

K: Oh, I’m so sorry! No no no, that’s alright, uh- I love a good cinnamon and vanilla tea at bedtime, but hands down, I’ll always pick coffee if they’re both options. Yelena makes a mean latte, if you know what I mean.

IJ: What a fun fact for us to know, thank you for sharing!

Y: It’s really not that-

K: *coughs loudly* Anyway, what do you have for us next?

IJ: Right! *shuffles papers* Here’s one I think will be more up your alley, Yelena- if you two were to swap weapons, who would master the new equipment first?

K: Oh! So, if-

Y: I would.

K: Hey!

IJ: Care to explain?

Y: Simple enough- Kate Bishop uses a bow and arrow as her weapon of choice. Staple Hawkeye image, and all that. But it’s archaic and can only do so much in battle. Useless in close combat, too.

K: We literally had an entire conversation about how cool my new arrowheads were-

Y: That doesn’t change the fact that I would master a bow before you could ever learn to navigate wearing Widow Bites, or wielding my batons. It really is as simple as that, Kate Bishop.

K: *scoffs* Uncalled for.

News Break: “Subscribe now to hear the rest of this week’s episode of Avengers All Around!”

[toshio]

I wanna get even half the chest and body that you have. I know you said you basically just did push ups so I was wondering if you had any specifics. How often? How many?

Gonna use you as inspiration lmao

hey anon! i know it sounds CRAZY simple but yeah. literally just push ups at home on your carpet or hard wood floor will DO IT. whatever you find comfortable. i think pecs are SURPRISINGLY easy to get, and gay men and straight women love a nice set of boobies on a man, they really give you that "macho" look LOL so definitely try for it. you can probably get some smol but fierce tiddies in about a year.

gonna do a [read more] so i can yap to you in full detail:

if you're a complete beginner, start with like 10 push ups, if you think that's nothing and you're not fatigued yet, do more than that, like 20. keep doing that until you can do an insane amount of push ups and then stop when you start getting tired/failure. do that daily. the more the better. you can take some rest days, on those days you can like walk or jog or something to get more lean. if you consider yourself slightly overweight, definitely walk/jog daily.

and when you do push ups, make sure they're not half assed. like, when you see that skinny guy in your gym class going REALLY fast but stupidly out of form, that's probably doing nothing but injuring him LOL. go on youtube or look up an article about push ups, there are lots of evidence that prove you can get boobies with them. i learned pretty much everything from online btw, go on youtube and just look up how to get pecs at home if you're too cheap for a gym membership (like me. i don't have a gym membership)

here's a random image i found on google, don't worry about any of this other stuff in the picture for now. just do regular push ups for now and you should have results. but another thing i'm leaving out is obviously you need to eat right. try to eat like 0.7-0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight. some protein rich foods you can eat are stuff like chicken/beef/pork/fish daily (with rice) or low fat greek yogurt, beef jerky, and buy some protein shakes at the store. almost anything protein tastes nasty to me btw but beauty is pain.

also some life hacks because my fat ass (and lazy ass) loves fast food/eating out in general, go to panda express and just get a bunch of chicken and broccoli LOL that shit has so much protein and it tastes good. goddamn. basically just consume meat daily for gains.

also ONE more thing in terms of eating [moderately] healthy (i still don't eat healthy but i try) stop drinking soda, stop drinking alcohol, stop doing drugs, just drink nothing but water, green tea, any tea you want, just make sure it has no sugar. if you crave sugar, get diet soda like diet coke (it's 0 calories) but avoid drinking too much of that because aspartame.

THIS IS A LOT OF INFORMATION but i get asked about stuff like this a lot so hopefully this is enough. LOL. i'll get asked again probably haha but oh well. and again i'm not a fitness expert, just an enthusiast. good luck. remember anon, BEAUTY IS PAIN. and youth is only temporary, so you might as well look sexy before you get old.

[ashwolffe]

Another snippet for paramedic au

Techno had a really, really bad shift. He has been through hell, today. everything had been just one thing after another. Patient after patient, call after call. he had been attacked by a patient high on adrenaline, an army vet who thought he was back on the battlefield. Techno wasn’t angry at the poor man, he was confused, and confused people tend to hurt others in his line of work. But he ended up with several bruises and a busted lip. Now he had to rest for several days according to his supervisor.

He was crashing at Phil’s place, he had offered to watch Tommy so that he would have something to do. And give Phil and Kristin some well-deserved one-on-one time. Tommy was splayed out on the queen-sized bed Phil put in the guest room for Techno. (despite his many, many protests) Techno was setting up the Xbox per Tommy’s request and hooked up the wires. It took longer than he would like to admit, his bruised hand throbbing faintly.

“Okay, buddy. this should be set up now.” He hands over the wireless red controller. Tommy bounces up and down on the bed.

“thank you! I’m gonna play Minecraft,” the little boy giggles and flicks through the downloaded games until Minecraft shows up.

Techno grunts and plops down on the bed, he stretches out and struggles to keep awake. Tommy moved closer to the boar hybrid, leaning against the larger man. his small moth wings draping over his chest. Techno huffs in amusement as Tommy picks one of the many Minecraft worlds saved. He keeps his reddish-brown eyes on the screen as the five-year-old zooms around in creative mode.

“Look at this Uncle Tech, I made a potato farm!” he wiggles where he was sitting. Techno’s tail flicks in interest as he looks at the farm.

“This is the orange water that they drink from,” Tommy wiggles his antenna excitedly as he shows off the small pen for his animals.

“Orange water? Why is the water orange?” he raises his pierced eyebrow in confusion.

“It’s what Mum and Dad drink sometimes,” he wiggles excitedly.

Techno frowns in confusion before it clicks in his head what it is. He snorts in amusement and ruffles Tommy’s hair. Tommy flies around the world showing off more of the builds. Techno watches as a flower field comes into view. Tommy shows off the sunflowers, the roses, and the wither roses.

“I made this with Mum! I wanted to make a flower field and she picked the flowers. She said the sunflowers are me, the roses are Mum and Dad. and the wither roses is you! She said it was really special because they’re super hard to find.”

Oh, oh. Techno blinks back the tears that smart his eyes. He did not think he would be crying because of a flower in a video game called Minecraft. He rubs his eyes and sighs heavily as he rolls over. He feels tired and honestly? He’s not sure how much longer he can stay awake. He’s definitely not trying to fall asleep because he feels emotional, nope. Tommy leans against his back and plays with his tail. He grunts in annoyance and flicks it away.

“Thought you were playing Minecraft,”

“I am, you’re the one who put your tail in my lap!” he can hear the pout in Tommy’s voice.

“Didn’t mean to, I was rolling over.”

“Are you tired?”

“Yeah,”

Techno can hear the quiet clicking of Tommy playing with the controller. The buttons being clicked were soothing to him. There’s a quiet thump on the bed and the mattress creaks as Tommy gets off the bed. He hears a quiet thud as Tommy shuts the window. He sighs as the bed creaks while Tommy jumps back on the bed. There’s a quiet rustling as the sheets move around. He feels Tommy try to cover him up with a blanket.

“Sunflower, what’re you doing?” he flicks his tail in surprise.

“You’re tired, Mum and Dad like to cover me up when I’m tired.” Tommy is unusually quiet.

Techno sighs while rolling over and helping Tommy cover him up. Tommy cuddles close to him and burrows into his warmth and the fuzzy blanket. He begins playing Minecraft again and this time, Techno drifts off to sleep.

When Phil and Kristin came home that evening after dinner, they found the two of them fast asleep on the bed. Techno had wrapped one of his large arms protectively around Tommy in his sleep, snoring softly as they slept. Phil and Kristin laughed quietly and Phil snagged a photo with his phone for their family album and of course for blackmailing purposes.

[fangirlingfromdownunder]

A Sweet Mishap - Chapter 4

Pairing - Jensen Ackles x Reader 

A/N: Here's the first of the completely new chapters. I hope you enjoy. Let me know if you want to be added to the taglist.

A Sweet Mishap Masterlist | Main Masterlist

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I wake up to the deliberately annoying sound of my alarm blaring from my bedside. I look out at the still-dark skyline outside and slide off the alarm before checking my notifications. A smile instantly replaces my sleepy scowl as I read the messages that filtered in overnight.

I know it’s late, but I’m wired from sleeping on the flight… even though it was only three hours. I know I should be better at this flying thing with how much I travel for work but I guess I never learn Also…I could get used to you colliding with me 😉 God that was too cheesy, I’m sorry, forget I said anything, I blame the jetlag! I need to stop before I permanently scare you away if it’s not already too late. Good night

I smile at his dorkiness before dragging myself out of bed. As much as I’d love nothing more than to message him back now and text all day, my shift starts in an hour and I need to get ready first. I force myself through the motions of showering, donning my uniform, eating a light breakfast, and brushing my hair and teeth before slipping out the door. The sun is just beginning to rise overhead as I stroll through the quiet streets. As much as I’m not a morning person, I do enjoy this little slice of quiet before the rush of the day.

Once I get to the cafe, I greet the baker who is finalising the baked goods for the day. I help him stock the fridges, leaving the tray of burnt muffins on the bench in the kitchen as per his instructions and then open the store.

With the Christmas rush still in full swing, the morning passes quickly but leaves me exhausted. Once I finally get a break I take one of the slightly burned and therefore, unsaleable candy cane muffins and a bottle of water and sit at a small table out the back of the cafe. I pull out my cracked phone and finally allow myself to reply.

I sell festive drinks & snacks to people who haven’t yet had their morning coffee - It’s gonna take more than a jet lag-induced comment to scare me away Watching you behead someone on TV though, that was rough You sure I can trust you? I promise I’d never hurt you, that is unless I catch you draining someone of their blood Wait! Are you working? I didn’t mean to disturb you Not at the moment I can chat for a bit So, you promise you won’t drink anyone? I get queasy when someone cuts their finger, so no chance My show’s probably not for you then The eye candy’s worth it But I also live alone, so horror is generally a no-go That’s ok. As I said, it’s more interesting to me that you’re not a fan There are no expectations to live up to But eye candy, eh? I don’t know about Dean but there was the vamp was pretty sexy Till he lost his head anyway Oh…🥺 Nah, Dean’s alright too… Though I do think he’s the most scary. I don’t think he would take kindly to wearing a cup of hot chocolate Probably not But he’d find you charming He’d probably use it as an excuse to try and get your number He’d have more confidence than shyly writing his number on a coaster and hoping the pretty girl makes the next move You think I’m pretty? You don’t need to try and flatter me You’ve only seen me when I’m exhausted and covered in rotting milk If you’d seen me on a day when I’d actually put in some effort then maybe I’d believe you Then maybe one day I’ll have to give you a reason to dress up for me Take you on a real date You plan on coming back to New York? It’s not in my schedule yet But maybe in the new year Unless I can tempt you to come to Texas? I live in a single-bedroom apartment in downtown New York And I work in a cafe I can’t afford airfares and hotel accommodations in Texas at Christmas! How about if it was all-expenses-paid? Jensen…

Just as I’m typing a reply my colleague bursts through the backdoor. I check the time and realise it’s been over ten minutes since I came outside. I quickly type out a halfhearted excuse and shut off my phone before scurrying back inside.

Sorry, my break’s over. I gotta get back to work. Talk later

Despite going through the motions; making coffees, heating muffins, and delivering orders, my mind continues to wander back to Jensen’s offer and my lack of response. We barely know each other, how could I let him pay for a holiday in Texas? While a holiday sounds like heaven after working my ass off all year, I refuse to let it be at someone else’s expense, even if that person is a successful and wealthy actor. I refuse to be seen as a gold digger, even in my own eyes. Also, I can’t stand the thought of him finding out my true passion and then accusing me of using him to get a leg up in the industry. By the end of my shift, I decide to come clean about everything.

Back in my apartment, I shower again and change into comfy clothes before collapsing on the couch. I switch on the TV, not caring what’s on, just looking for a little comforting background noise. The random Doctor Phill reruns don’t take long to lull me to sleep.

The continual vibrating of my phone on the coffee table drags me back to the land of the living. I rub my eyes to wake myself up and check who’s blowing up my phone.

I’m sorry if I came on too strong I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable You’re right, we barely know each other I promise I’m gonna stop making stupid comments and just give you space I’m sorry again

I mull over the messages for a few minutes and type and delete multiple replies before mustering up all the courage I can and giving in and pressing the call button instead. I listen to the dial tone for a few rings before he finally picks up. Wanting to smooth things over before he jumps in all apologetically I rush to speak first as soon as the call connects.

“Look, I know we’re texting people, not calling people. But this conversation needed to be had like this.”

“Are you telling me to lose your number? Because I will if that’s what you want.”

“No. I just think we’ve been living in some fantasy, and maybe you’re used to that since you’re an actor. But here in New York, no matter how badly I want to be a performer, I have to live in the real world. Any handouts I take, and any relationships I make will be used against me.”

“A holiday is not a handout. But wait, you want to be a performer?”

“During the year, I took acting and singing classes. I also auditioned for roles on Broadway. But obviously, I didn’t get any of the roles. But I swear, I didn’t recognise you when we met the other day. And I don’t intend to use you to get a role. I’m not a gold digger. I want to do this myself,” I ramble, hoping he believes me.

“Hey, I’m not accusing you of anything. I believe you. I’ve met people who are just trying to use me, I know the signs. So unless you’re a much better actress than I’m giving you credit for..?”

“None of this has been acting. I promise.”

“I believe you.” I hear knocking and someone calling out from the other end of the line. “I’m so sorry. They’re ready for me. I've got to go do soundcheck. Can I call you back later?”

“Soundcheck? Yeah, yeah. That’s fine. Bye, Jensen.”

“I’ll call you and explain later…or maybe tomorrow…I promise I’ll call you!”

The line falls silent and I sigh. I drag myself off the couch to make a sandwich. Just as I sit down to eat it my phone starts buzzing again. I glance at the caller ID and answer it with a smile.

“Hey, Stella!” I greet my best friend happily.

“Hey, Bestie! We still on for tonight?”

“Tonight?”

“You promised you’d help me with my wedding! I’m getting married in three weeks and there’s still so much to do!”

“Oh yeah! Of course! I can be there in say 30?”

“You’re the best, Bestie!”

“I know! See you soon!”

I hang up and finish eating my sandwich, clean up, throw on some warmer clothes and head out to catch the subway.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

Taglist: @stoneyggirl2 @hobby27