#i mean in terms of his personality on fanfic n in his actual self

[puppypeter]

You know I love possessive/jealous/growly guard dog Roy as much as the next gal, but I think we're all forgetting the potential of rabid-super-fan-who's-literally-living-out-his-childhood-fantasy-and-will-therefore-stop-at-NOTHING-to-protect-it Jamie.

And like, let us not forget!! Roy is still ROY FUCKING KENT!!! He may be retired from footbal but I REFUSE to believe that there aren't still ppl who are gagging for a piece of THAT action.

Picture this: a new transfer arrives at Richmond. Great!! Seems like a cool guy!!! A bit on the younger side, a bit naive, and he is clearly absolutely star struck at being coached by THE Roy Kent. He's the flustered, blushy, wide-eyed type of fan, almost too shy to speak to Roy directly who practically swoons every time Roy gives him PERSONAL advice. And PRAISE??? This kid is panting for it, bruh. Totaaaall teachers pet.

And while Roy's not encouraging anything, he's also not blind. The kids crush is VERY obvious, and Roy's first instinct is to shut that shit down fast, but he learned his lesson about being a grumpy twat asshole to people who idolise him and he doesn't wanna hurt the kids feelings, especially since he's the Head Coach now, so he just politely ignores it.

Cut to Jamie fucking Kubrick Staring this fresh young thing down in the locker room, literally seconds away from ripping the fucking lockers off the walls because who the actual fuck does this little baby slut brat think he is???!!!! Drooling over Roy when it is so fucking obvious that Roy is HIS!!!! The spoiled only child / bratty sub rise up within Jamie and cannot be contained. The locker room turns into a crossover between Mean Girls and a dog fighting ring.

Best part about this idea is it can either be established!RoyJamie OR this new threat could be the instigating factor Jamie needs to mark his territory and jump Roy's bones.

I can totally picture Jamie sweetly inviting the new kid out to go clubbing as a welcome to the team type thing,,, only to sit in Roy's lap, practically performing a fucking floor show the entire time they're ther, smirking at the gobsmacked and bitterly envious newbies face every chance he gets because 'You. Fucking. WISH.'

(Roy would obviously drag Jamie home and punish him for being a smug fucking brat and a needy little cock tease, but it is SO worth it to flounce into training the next day and show off all the bruises Roy left on him, just to reaaaallly rub salt in the wound. Sorry new kid, the only one living out a wattpad y/n celebrity self-insert fanfic is JAMIE. Eat your fucking heart out ❤️)

uuuuuhhh I love this idea

I think a lot of jealousy in royjamie fic is based around keeley like in canon vs other external threats

So I absolutely love a new "puppy" coming in, Jamie not being considered one anymore (he's not the youngest but close) and now there is a new fresh faced talented player everyone welcomes and pays more attention to and he is just so jealous

And he thinks he is retreating to being old angry bitchy jamie but then he realises it has very little to do with football. He is happy the team has a new talented striker, especially now that that is not his focus with total football. And that all the jealousy and these feelings he has towards the new kid are entirely because of roy.

And roy has been really nice, trying to be a good coach and be more-lasso and welcoming. Him and jamie had to stop the 4am sessions because he has so much more to do and he trusts jamie he can do it by himself and he's matured so much. VS jamie feels like he's being left behind / maybe roy doesn't care about me anymore and he can't see that actually roy just has so much confidence in him and pretty much considers him equal in terms of footie now (there's a parallel to ted and nate there)

But jamie starts acting all bratty and pricklish until he snaps and kisses him and then it all makes sense

And roy admits he 100% does not have eyes for an 18 year old because he's just so horny for jamie having become so confident (the good kind) and competent and efficient and he gets a boner just by seeing him play lmao

[wooahaes]

I totally understand your point and where those asks are coming from about the things you can't stand in fics, but there's a difference between hating a certain expression like "she released a breath she didn't know she had been holding" and being triggered over things like y/n being described as small, having long hair and stuff. The writers are most likely writing from their own characteristics (or if not, things that they'd like to have)

That's personal preference and if you'd like to see something specific represented, why don't you write it yourself? (And I absolutely don't mean this in a condescending way, I'm genuinely saying you should try writing it yourself, why not?)

hi anon! i'm going to assume you're new here since it'll explain that last part since i occasionally do write fics with chubby readers or fem readers that are tagged as such since i like seeing myself represented <3 i always tag them as being a chubby reader so that people who don't want to read that kind of thing can avoid it since it's not applicable to everyone and some people just aren't interested in reading it

also, before i really go into it... i'd very much appreciate it if you didn't throw around the word 'triggered' in such a manner. we're having a discussion on my blog. if i've gotten a little too heated, then that's my bad, but this is nothing like being triggered by something (trust me, being sent into a breakdown over an actual trigger is not fun and a thousand times more stressful/upsetting than getting a little heated during a discussion).

i think the thing is... my anons have all been pretty nice about the things they're talking about? i genuinely brought up the point of writing pet peeves in terms of phrases or things that people see in writing since i like creating a safe place to talk about things. i'm very much a white woman though, so i try not to comment too much on things like my first anon brought up of writers talking about reader visibly blushing aside from the fact that i try to avoid physical descriptors like that due to it alienating darker skinned readers. it's usually because of these comments (so far not aimed at me, but general grievances with reading fics) that i try to avoid any physical descriptions in my fics--reader doesn't turn red or blush in a visual sense, but their face will get warm or they'll get flustered by a statement. it's a more universal feeling that people can agree to rather than worrying about the color their face is, plus it's more inclusive of people who don't visibly blush.

my other anon said that they feel self conscious so it bothers them when writers specifically talk about showing off curves (which not every person has, by the way--i've known people who are rectangular in body shape and lack any curves, doesn't make them any more or less a person deserving of respect). this is easily something a writer could warn for, too. describing reader as petite or dainty or tiny is also something that alienates the readers and rarely gets a warning for.

if i may be so bold, i don't think you fully understand my point and my anons points. reader fanfics are meant to be an inclusive medium because you're intentionally writing a more blank slate than you would an original character. it's one thing to write something like a personality or giving your reader likes/dislikes and writing reader as someone petite. i... simply can't ever be petite (i can lose weight, yes, but i won't ever be tiny and petite because my body simply isn't like that). dark skinned readers can't just become lighter.

it's okay to write a reader from your own characteristics. it's okay to romanticize your skin tone or your body. it's not okay to not warn people about it when they don't fit that mold. if you're going to exclude readers, then the nice thing to do is warn them before they start reading your fics. i warn people when i write chubby reader fics, i've seen poc writers warn when they're writing a poc reader... why can't people with long hair or smaller body types do the same? why would people viewed as deviations from that mold be the only people who have to warn people? i'm not saying you can't write a reader who's petite, i'm saying you should tell your audience when you do. it helps readers find material that fits them better rather than walk into a fic and be taken out of it because reader's described with things like "your slim body" or noted to be blushing red.

and as i've said, i've written a lot of fics. some of them feature a chubby reader because i do like to write my own representation sometimes. most of the time, i leave those details out because i don't see a point in them. i write for myself sometimes, but i also like writing for other people and giving them a place where they can feel safe in romantic fics where they're loved no matter who they are or what they look like. sometimes i start ideas with a chubby reader that i later cut out because their body type didn't actually matter to the story i'm telling (even though i could have just kept reader chubby--why alienate people when it isn't relevant to the plot?). i've had ideas start out neutral that changed because i wanted to tell a story a specific way.

personal preference isn't an excuse to not tell your readers what you're writing. i'm willing to bet every single anon i've had so far wouldn't have these complaints if they were given a proper warning before they read the fic (because then they likely wouldn't have engaged with something they can't relate to unless they were just down to read the writing and not imagine themselves as the reader).

[gennabi]

mitsuya is so scary when he's angry. idk bout u but i won't be meeting him for a week after he scolds me, he's just that scary for me. but like his is like a needed one yk. like when the situation calls it (gang fights espc), ofc he's going to be mad at u for being so "i'll just come here bcs i come" n i feel like that side isnt potrayed enough in the fanfics bcs we all deem him to be this malewife nurturing person. which he is but then again, he's not just that.

he would call you out on bs you know. i dont think he will be "yeah, that's okay bb, u did great today", he'll probably say smtg like "what did you even do these past days?" if ur indeed just lazing around. anyway my point is he's not ur "uwu bby everythg's going to be fine" machine

[seb-owns-these-tatas]

Witcher of the Night (Chapter 21)

THIS IS MODERN ERA READER WHO WOKE UP IN THE DIMENSION OF THE WITCHER.

CHAPTER 20.1

WOTN MASTERLIST

Characters: Geralt of Rivia x small!Naive!Reader

Summary: Bearing the child from a man who promised was sterile gave more anxiety as you lived in their world, knowing that Geralt will resent as the offspring was forged by a cursed spirit that held her own reasons and consequences. Your fate becoming more complicated as each day pass by with a dreading feeling that you surely have no idea about.

Warnings: The usual blasphemy. Lore about the Djinn. (I've made it up) Matka means 'mother'. Ingrith is an OC of mine so she ain't real in the witcher story. Hehehe. (Surprise! Guess Geralt knew Ingrith after all. HE LIED. LMAO. 😂😅🤣) Panicking reader. Pregnancy. 

Words: 5.4k

A/N: Is this a boring chapter? I dunno. But, it will provide everyone the lore they need for some of your questions to be answered. I forgot to actually edit this because I was too focused on ranking up in Free Fire. Hahahahah. 😂 Had to edit this a day before I actually publish it in Tumblr. (I usually take 2 days because everybody loves to disturb me in my house. Also I need to manually tag people in taglists, check my grammar and typos. Oof. It makes me squint my eyes too hard on the screen because of how small the letters can be) 

TAGLIST IS STILL OPEN FOR THIS ONE! Heehee! Don’t forget to REBLOG, COMMENT OR GIVE FEEDBACK IF YOU DID LOVE THIS CHAPTER! IT’LL MAKE ME SMILE! Sorry for the grammatical errors and such because English isn’t my mother tongue! PLEASE LEAVE FEEDBACK AFTER READING, BB! I apologize for errors!

Disclaimer: PNG’s and pictures used in edits are not mine even the GIF’s too. Character development and personalities are based from my understanding and how I want them to be. I only own my original characters in this fanfic. 

MY WORKS ARE NOT NOT NOT NOT NOOOOOOT TO BE POSTED ON ANY OTHER WEBSITES. My official username in Wattpad is “TATATHEPOTATO” and that’s the only other site I have for writing aside from Tumblr. Thank you, Tater tots!

"Geralt of Rivia,"

Vicious and cunning as she may seem, her tone was utterly redolent. Familiar faces finally met in such a fate that not any fortune teller may assume would happen. Loved ones being involve in adversities that has been unflattering for the witcher who stood before the queen's long associate in the castle of Kaedwen, a victorious smirk warping her sharp-edge face that Geralt has not reciprocated. Twisted in a smile that tells she was hopeful over her plans being moved into the right places.

"---I knew you would come," Ingrith spoke as a matter of fact.

The witcher knew that this encounter was inevitable for the second time. Their previous meeting lingering inside his head---being the reason why he chose to live in the outskirts of Kaedwen which eventually made him tarry a bit over going to Kaer Morhen after receiving no answer from her. Receiving much of an answer he needed through Cuthbert, his neighbor who happened to heard rumors about 'her' whereabouts more than from the sorceress he'd decided to talk with.

He'd finally knew where Yennefer has been travelling when you've arrived, his search being an easy one as Geralt discovered her location after trying not to seek for the sorceress he has been looking for years---ending up knowing her area when he gave up finding the sorceress after a month or so.

"Where is she?" he beseech his avows, the scowl stern and never fading as he was eager to see you since the moment he step foot in the castle.

"Yen or your futile human? Oh, it wouldn't be that cursed princess you've butchered in Blaviken because she's already dead, Geralt."

The cunning sorceress tutted before him as they stood at the foot of the abandoned round tower, no guards being publicly seen because of the fact that they were too much of a milksop. Ingrith, Tybalt and Eanraig---the ones who had cabbalistic abilities were the only people who tries to take care of the prince. His own parents and siblings never giving bother about checking how he was doing despite of being harmless in daylight.

"---You've disappointed me---I knew you had a penchant for sorceresses or women whom you could consider as your kind---strong, discerning....and even whores paid to entertain you through your pitiful solitude,"

Ingrith went on with her vouching, leaning her head to the side with a knowing gaze inside her eyes; a forewarning that she was dismayed from his foolish decisions that she finds, continuously mocking his settlements, "---But, you've chosen a useless woman who could not defend herself even by telling the queen that she was not the thief who has stolen her precious necklace,"

The butcher barred his teeth, jutting his jaw forward as he felt his back turn tense and rigid from how he was turning furious as each second passes by with the sorceress he'd regretted to seek for help before---not knowing she would also be the person to afflict pain for his midget in the future.

"You've told the queen that she stole her jewelry when you know it wasn't her, not a canny persuasion made, Ingrith."

Her grin turned bigger, finding his anger satisfying and entertaining in her perspective. Ingrith could disguise as a devil and nobody would notice because of how wicked she'd been turning herself into; a wretch that Geralt have seen from her with the sacrilegious intentions living inside her mind.

"I've expected more from you than to choose and defend a mortal, Witcher."

"---I've remember the night we first met," she continued to ran her mouth, sardonic as she gladly hinted. Ingrith could see the blaze in his golden eyes, how he wanted to unsheathe his sword that was carried behind his back to show her his indignation for everything---from leaving her niece in the hands of her father who detested her due to deformity.

Hence, she has left young Yennefer with no guilt in her eyes despite knowing everything---leaving the past behind and acting like it never happened, taking the initiative to ignore her whereabouts and look the other way from how she grew into a strong woman.

"You were asking Yennefer of Vengerberg from me," she stepped a foot closer towards the witcher, making Geralt deeply breathe through his nose from his pique and lack of personal space that she was trying to bombard him with.

Ingrith couldn't help but let her grin fall when Geralt took a step back, steering clear from her suggestive gestures as he gave her a low hiss and rumble of his chest when he added words to complete her sentence, "---and you had other plans,"

"I've had better plans for us, Geralt."

"I do not wish to be involved by those treacherous plans of yours. You want power---you wanted to become stronger. Settling yourself in the castle to do what you want. Even planning to extirpate your own niece because she is more powerful than you,"

The sorceress scoffed to herself, exasperated from how he blocked her advances. His amber filled with fury as it has still not yet died down after going the deep end. Her trials involving on discouraging his faith for a mere mortal like you. Her ears felt like it was being rattled from the inside, triggering her pride and ego over being told that she was below of her niece in terms of strength and magic, "Yennefer of Vengerberg? She is not powerful as you may seem, Witcher."

"You've left her alone with people who do not care for her,"

"Sorceresses don't die easily than mortals. It's in her blood; our blood, Elven blood. You know this."

Geralt couldn't help but give her a snicker, the small curl of his lip raising in disbelief for her intentions over you and being involved in his god-forsaken life that he didn't want you to be a part with, "You want my mortal to die,---" he gruffly muttered, the words tasting bitter on the ends of his tongue for the idea of you dying in his arms.

"---I won't let that happen, not until I'm alive, Ingrith."

The witcher continued to brood like how people described him to be; his mood turning sour for not seeing you yet and not knowing what was happening to you as it kept his chest bothered and heavy. Ingrith's features warped into a twist, her nose scrunched from how distasteful she found his protection over your vulnerable, weakened self; how pathetic he was caring for a mortal that could die easily especially having the curse, you were more impuisant than any other woman in the continent because a curse had effects and consequences.

His safeguarding would be useless because of the inevitable juncture that would give him sorrow and Geralt had no idea what he was in when he was trying hard to shelter you out of harms way.

Ingrith crossed her arms, shaking her head at his determination, "She'll eventually die, witcher. It's her fate in the continent. Humans like her reach their demise with misery and regret because they're nugatory, serving no purpose but to be insignificant over us,"

The latter turned his back away from her, ending the discussion with his perseverance being unyielding, shaking his head for her estimated fortune telling that he believed was a lie; understanding that she was only saying it because you didn't belong to their world and you were at high risk over danger for the chaos living in the continent.

"She won't die nor will you have the opportunity of doing so,"

"Her existence would bring more despair; more sorrow for your fate. She's just a nuisance value of human kind!" Ingrith loudly exclaimed from behind, watching him courageously push the doors to the round tower where the cursed prince has been living. Disregarding her warnings like the wind passing through.

He heard her but didn't give any acknowledge over her words. Whether it was true or not, the witcher may never know unless the day that Ingrith has been foretelling has actually been damned after all.

The fairly large throne room was filled in luxury, themed in gold and red. Such color that simply tells how their bloodline lived around the hierarchy that they highly take care of. Blood and coins. It says all. Their ornaments and artifacts spent with coins seeming to be conceived in detail for their palace rather than for the people who deserved it better living in Kaedwen.

Queen Makeda tapped her fingers along the arms of her throne, her gaze sharp and pondering over Geralt and Tybalt who stood in the middle of the room. Both having an obvious lour; deepening when she started to give orders about what was to be expected over the hunt, any hints as to where the witch has been rumored to be last seen or any more information that must be shared before Geralt takes off.

"Tybalt shall be coming in search for the witch with the witcher,"

Prince Markith, he was the queen's younger son before Prince Althalos. A lot more younger than the cursed man, immature as the maids say so. He stood beside his seated mother, wearing a simple doublet over his black breeches. The fading freckles on his cheeks stretching when a giggle escaped his lips; an obvious space between his two front teeth shown as his laugh echoed around the throne room that has gotten Geralt to give a gander.

"Witch. Witcher. Witchest." the teenager playfully mumbled beneath his breath, finding amusement over the whole thing going on with his family especially seeing the white haired witcher all brooding and silent, subtly mocking his kind in the least offending way as possible.

The queen immediately given him a sharp warning of her gaze, cocking her head to the side and seeing her son continuously chuckling from his own joke, having his own world that he always manages to live in. Seeming to be like he had imaginary friends rather than real ones that his parents seclude him amongst children because Markith should be remained untouched from the filth that people had.

"Markith, that is not a proper attitude of a prince," she lowly scolded in the midst of talking, the child's interruption obviously irking her temper.

Markith raise a brow, the child's tone utterly sardonic as he spoke, "But, I'm not the crown prince. Brother is. But, if brother dies then---"

She cut him off with a brusque hiss, "He will not die from our hands! He will live and rule the future of Kaedwen,"

"Does this kingdom even have a future when it is ruled by your hands?"

Quietude filled the throne room after her son's sarcastic retort. The silence was frothing; bubbling from her expected aggravation over the younger prince's shameless answer. Much to her chagrin, she has never received an apology nor an explanation as to why Markith suddenly blurted it out in the open for Geralt to hear.

Upon hearing those words coming from a child, the witcher couldn't help but stood nonplussed. His expressions coming off as emotionless with his brooding charm jumping off the four corners of the room. In which has received a glower from the vampire who also stood beside him, his eyes seeming to be taking Geralt much more of his attention when they were both called to stay beside each other.

Queen Makeda raised a finger, ushering one knight to march his way up the numbered stairs under the lavish canopy where the king and queen's throne sits.

"Bartley, bring him back to his chambers," she roughly ordered, her teeth barred as she glared at Markith who was also feral for disregarding his opinions over their corrupted reigning throughout their kingdom. Bartley gave a courteous bow for the queen before walking to where her son stood, forcefully grabbing onto his shoulders as he gently pushed him around to leave.

"But, Mother---"

The queen never takes no for an answer. Hence, one loud yell was all the child has taken before being thrown out, his gaze lingering longer at the witcher whom he has heard tales about; having quite the eagerness to see if the tales were true to their words. Yet, his mother decided to lock him up in his room again for being curious and playing around.

"Now!"

Geralt stood completely still. The scowl never changing as he gave a heavy sigh, seeming like the world was carried on his burly, armored shoulders. His sour mood being the result of your prior, quick separation before he even walked to the throne room. Your pained words ringing inside his head for a thousand times like a plague that he had finally not been immune for.

He shouldn't have left you in that condition especially when you were physically injured. Geralt actually just proved to you how much of a witcher he was; cantankerous, blunt and emotionless even though you've had this strong faith for him that you believed being the opposite of it.

But, he just needed to fuck it up by leaving you without a word and also calling you pathetic in such ways.

The butcher continued eating his own heart out by staring at the queen with brooding eyes, waiting for the go signal for his hunt. He wanted to get this over with; planning to do his job right and find the witch, bring her in the castle to reverse the spell then off you go with him. Leaving all of these behind as a past that you would never forget or decide to forget forever if you wanted to.

Tybalt audibly scoffed for Geralt to give him his regard, taking the side-eye from the witcher as he publicly stated his cavils, "Why am I traveling with him now, yer' majesty? to be his guard? Hilarious!"

One familiar hum was heard; gruff and utterly sarcastic once Geralt began to frankly acknowledge. His hostility over the vampire obvious when he has opened his mouth, "I work better alone and away from blood sucking monsters." a feigned curl of his lips appearing to be a smile has been received towards the queen, her quick understanding seeing that it was a forced one that Geralt was trying hard to perceive over his altercations.

"---I'm a witcher. I slaughter beasts. Monsters of any kind."

In the spur of the moment, Geralt turned his head to let Tybalt see the mocking flicker inside his golden eyes.

Tybalt knew he was pertaining to his kind. Vampires. He couldn't help but clench his fists on his sides, his nostrils flared while the witcher was trying to get on his nerves---or he just basically hated the higher vampire to send his animosity by being forthright, "What ye' lookin at, Weccan?" he sneered back at Geralt with barred teeth while the white wolf had the end of his lip curled into a leer, irked by his smug pillorying in the presence of the queen like he didn't give a fuck.

He really didn't especially when he wanted to behead everyone in his way.

Geralt's presence was already making Tybalt's hackles rise without even trying to nettle his temper. The image of his newly bathed hair was already narking him without even seeing his face and the feeling was mutual for both enemies.

Tybalt began forming his own ridicules, seeing the witcher become the object of his scorn.

"Your skin is as pale as your tresses. I doubt you still have any amount of blood in ye'!"

"The joke's too old. I'll assume you've asked me if I do bleed." the white wolf was nonchalant as he quipped. Displaying to be quite blase from his attempts of hurling more anger out of him when he was too furious from the start to even begin with.

"---Witcher, do you bleed?"

Geralt couldn't help the most jaded expression he could ever muster upon hearing the most asked question, uttering out a grumble of his insouciant timbre of his voice that has gotten Tybalt bellowing from his remark.

"My blood's not tasty enough for you. Don't bother."

"This feckin' arse!"

They've both sent each other deep growls against their chests, a low rumbling sound that was bouncing off the castle walls that everyone who was inside the throne room could notice as they stood side by side, giving each other glares and their derisive taunting.

Queen Makeda had a finger supporting her head from falling. Her arm folded and leaning against her throne whilst sighing over their random twits. Foot tapping along the stoned floors as she gave them both her enervated attention.

Tybalt's fixated gaze has been cut short when he'd knelt on the ground with one knee, bowing his head to pay his respects for the queen---probably, seeking support over not letting him travel with the witcher who must have a difficult time finding the witch that couldn't be found at all; not wanting to share his time with Geralt because their personalities were clashing against each other like rusty, acidic metal, "---Your highness, If you're worried about him dying in the middle of saving yer' witch whom can lift Prince Althalos' curse, I can assure you, he will not die. Legend says witchers die from monsters they hunt. The witch obviously isn't---"

The queen has raised her palm to cease his comments, completely unimpressed by how privileged he was being when it was her decision whether he would let him go or not.

"I can see how you both despise each other," she plainly stated, sounding nasally like she was too disappointed by Tybalt's actions.

At the mere exclamation of that, both men spoke in the same time. Their antipathy colliding even with their words sounding exactly what they felt for one another.

"Hate him." Geralt and Tybalt both snarled with such rancor, glaring for one more time before partially giving their whole attention to the queen who sat before the throne.

They've seen her mouth turn into frown, turning a blind eye towards the higher vampire who was left sulking for his sudden hunt. His plans with his sorceress coming to a stop for the queen's orders, intending to guard all your whereabouts in the palace as Ingrith tries to formulate a scheme to have you suffer without raising their hands on you nor using magic that will eventually fail because you were protected by a djinn.

"Tybalt. Be with the witcher. I want you guarding him until he finds the witch. The witcher shan't go back empty handed."

Tybalt couldn't help but curse beneath his breath, subtly rolling his eyes as he stood on both feet, adjusting his fur coat resting along his shoulders, "Oh, feckin' bullocks." before shaking his head as he forced a nod and approval out of him to gesture at the queen of Kaedwen.

Geralt calmly tried his best to exhale in a relaxing demeanor, his facial features twisting in utmost pique from the idea that he would be spending five days with the vampire he had a fight with back in the marketplace.

"Fuck." he lowly snarled to himself, momentarily shutting his eyes to breathe in disappointment. His head cocked to the side. Geralt felt Tybalt grip onto his armored shoulder, giving him a shallow pat to state his indignation with the whole ordeal. He turned on his heels, marching out of the throne room to fetch and pack his belongings for the journey ahead, quickly jogging out of the throne room that was making him want to curse as every second passes by with the witcher.

Queen Makeda can't help the snicker on her face, a smile forming wrinkles on the apples of her cheeks as she stated her false promises.

"You have my word about your little woman, Witcher. We will not touch her again."

Though, Geralt knew deep inside that it was all just a lie.

You've been receiving lots of personal questions from the druid. One of his queries was about the idea of wholeheartedly accepting a child from Geralt which you explained an approval if it was given in the future---or if he was even capable of giving you one. You strongly believed he can't.

Though, in the back of your head, you couldn't help but think how your child would look like with his genetics. Will she or he have white hair too? you gotta' have a child with beautiful genes somehow. An echo of hopeful, deranged voices filled your thoughts, quickly disregarding the thought in the back of your crazed head whilst hearing Eanraig bombard another question of his that kept you aware of how zealous he sounded.

"Do you love Geralt?"

"Woah. Hold your horses, Eanraig."

Subtly swallowing the anxiety away from hearing such question, you've warily cleared your throat. Your mouth wincing from the pungent taste of your after-retch. The inconspicious nullify of the subject taken heed by the scholar when you've avoided his eyes.

In-denial of the truth. Eanraig thought silently to himself while he brought his hand down, away from patting your back, "You will be giving the witcher a miracle," he lightly convinced you and decided that particulars shall be provided for the mother of the miraculous child growing inside; delaying the details with the father that would surely bring him into a shock and red-light from the witcher himself because of how having a pickney in the midst of his life will only bring his descendant danger.

"---From the night of the full moon, between a man and woman who had nature take its course, a child shall be produced,"

Mentioning that in a hot second, you were quick enough to counter the lie you ought to believe in. Trusting Geralt and his words more than ever because he knew himself better than anyone else especially in 'that' department. Thorough objection was promptly written all over your shocked, disapproving expressions; brows furrowed in worry with lips turning ajar for such sensible responsibility being given to your head like a crown fitting for you.

Was Geralt lying and he actually just wanted to get you pregnant? If so, then he was certainly a wacko for even doing it---in your world he could be arrested for lying.

"Geralt's infertile! What are you even---?!?!" you couldn't finish your sentence as the responsibility for having your lechery take over you a few nights ago was worth enough to blame. How did Eanraig knew when it hasn't reached a month after a tangle of passionate desires with the witcher? did everyone knew about it but not you both? was it why you were being hated by Ingrith because she knew you were bearing Geralt's child?

A ton rounds of bulleted questions rang inside your head after one query hasn't been answered. One by one it was hopping like rabbits chasing a baited carrot because on the other side of your head, it knew answers for your disputes within yourself.

Panic and fear over an unborn child was beginning to take a toll as you grabbed onto your roots, frustratingly tugging on them while you listened to Geralt's old friend.

"Infertile or not. As long as the other is human who possesses no magic---or better yet, both humans who possesses no magic shall receive results beyond their expectations. I have never told Geralt about this because he will never believe me. A Witcher does not take that kind of news too well---might be even saying that he would take his child as a bait to be eaten by monsters than to bring them to this world,"

You've pursed your lips, finding how true it was to hear those words from the witcher knowing that you were pregnant by his child. Was this a hoax? a dream that God wanted you to never wake up from?

Being transported to their dimension; loving a mutated human you never expected to and eventually baring a child from him when he knew he could never bore a child at all. Was this your destiny for him? giving him miracles---a child that he certainly didn't expected and needed because accepting his child of surprise was already difficult for him to undertake.

"I can totally hear him saying that." you uttered completely defeated and benumbed from the breaking news that made you forget how upset you were by Geralt's prior actions.

"You are having his child, my dear. You're carrying his scion that has been forged by the Djinn." Eanraig started his elucidation about the serious topic at hand, educating you about the accelerated gestation that the Djinn's curse may come between. Earlier telling you about the expected development because you might be seeing changes over your body than how a normal woman will be expecting.

"---The process is faster. Three times hastier than a normal pregnancy---Though, never fear for the child not to be normal."

With sangfroid, the breath that you've been holding has been puffed out with your eyes drooping closed; letting the calmness sink in without having the panic rise through your head for a hundred times because of the thought that the child would turn out different in which she may suffer in the end.

Until Eanraig decided to continue his statements that has given you whiplash.

"---Because that child is beyond normal. She'll inherit the Djinn's powers because it is a part of Matka's three wishes."

"She?" you've managed to feebly and shakily mutter beneath your soft breath, feeling the coldness wrap around you for knowing more about the child that you were currently bearing---keeping you in a constant disorient that had you staring onto your twitching fingers laid upon your thighs.

"I'll assume that the Djinn you have gotten was a Matka. The cursed Djinn who lovers try to find in order to bore an heir if they cannot create their own offspring. Matka was created to give her own powers to a progeny that would inherit her abilities---believing that her existence will help the world from lessening the bedlam within the lore of monsters and humanity,"

"You're telling me I'm really pregnant with a girl? with...with Geralt's child? This child is also...owning such power that is making me hyperventilate right now?! Is it a vampire?! What if it eats my insides just like how Edward's baby did?!" your back was still utterly stiff from the nervousness that this news has given you, the mere fact of taking care of a powerful baby pouring ice buckets on your head---the dread hitting your core from the stupefaction and fear raising a child of your own.

Your modern references has given Eanraig a nonchalant stare from him, never knowing to laugh or smile over your panicky state.

"Is the witcher a vampire?" he hesitatingly spoke, his throat sounding dry before Eanraig cleared his throat when he'd lately realized.

"No."

"Then, it shall not have any vampire blood."

Skin felt tingling as your heart couldn't stop the beating so fast, throwing you into a swivet, "I'm not prepared to be a mother, Eanraig!"

You couldn't help but reach a hand to clasp around your tightening throat, further listening to Eanraig. His expositions making you want to give him a bark of laughter due to the disbelief over what reality that destiny started giving you when the Djinn happened.

"The continent has its own supernatural contingencies that nobody may ever explain---which has given you a child of yours with the witcher. Your kingdom knows no magic based on your reactions, correct?" the druid raised a brow and grabbed both of your shoulders, firmly letting you look into his grey eyes that continued inspiriting your devastated self.

You've tentatively shook your head to give an answer. The dread gripping your heart so tight that you started breathing heavily, your fingers suddenly grabbing onto your stomach because of the sudden memory that the castle guards have placed a kick to your gut. The worry for your unborn baby bringing you into utter distress for her condition.

A loud gasp left your lips, "Wait, I've been---I've been abused---hurt---what about my child, Eanraig? If---If Geralt knows about this now, he wouldn't want my child, would he?"

"I...may never know what he thinks, little woman. He hardly speaks. Only to you, the bard and his surprise child, I assume."

"Then, should I keep this from him?"

"I doubt his mutations can keep your pregnancy as a secret,"

Panicking more than ever, you've felt your eyes well up with warmth. Signalling tears threatening to come out of it as both of your palms were on either side of your head. Quiet whining were heard in the back of your throat for the future that was bound for you especially by being thrown on the face by a brick, the brick being fate moving mountains for the witcher and his ill-fate infertility---that has been surprisingly controlled by the power of magic; black magic.

"Then, what do I do?! I don't want to raise a child on my own when I'm not even prepared to be a mother?!" Eanraig heard the sobs from you and he'd quickly gathered all of the comfort he could give by patting you on the back, calming down that tough anxiety you have.

"Cease the tears," he continued to pat, "---It'll be bad for you and the child,"

"I have a witcher baby! What do I do?!" you ranted and raved, sniffing in the same time as your fingers spread across your chest, feeling it tighten a lot more because of this serious matter. Time stood still for you, imagining what Geralt would say or tell when he couldn't even accept your love; when he was still secretive over things he wasn't comfortable about telling.

Would he be fine to have a child with a woman who was in love with him when he doesn't even know his true feelings for you until now?

"I don't know how to tell, Geralt! I don't wanna let this child grow without a father---what if I leave this world all of a sudden without him? Eanraig, what if he dies out there right now and this child grows up without a father?"

You knew, he would refuse the child you were having because of how he had a long time accepting Cirilla. A child who has already been taken care of by another---what more for a baby that he certainly had no experience of having nor wished to have?

The druid welcomed all your rants over such an important and surprising incident that existed in the white wolf's life. Completely knowing for it to be an unexpected route in his path that Eanraig could never see for him. He gave one last comforting pat on your back, nodding to you as if he was trying to let his words seep inside your head---your apprehension that he solely hoped to be the maturity of your mind.

"Let fate decide what will happen. You'll eventually need to tell the father of your child---and the witcher will know about it soon,"

Little did you know, there was already a tiny beat of a heart that seem to be inaudible for a mortal; but not for a witcher who had sensitive hearing created to catch onto the tiniest rustle of leaves till the quietest thumps of every heart.

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[fantranslatorbychoice]

Kakuriyo no Yadomeshi Volume 6 Chapter 4 - Secret Girls' Night-out

T/N: Hi y’all, it’s me again, it took a bit longer because I did my best to beta-as much as I could, but if it’s still wonky, I apologize, it's not like I get paid to do it lol also it's rather challenging when I had to convert my brain waves from Japanese to English to my native language and however those combinations work just to spew all of these out in sufficiently passable English. So I hope you all don't mind stuff like typos or inconsistencies with the tenses srsly even the original text has that and I just literally gave up evening out the tenses, like really apparently it's no biggie to have an entire paragraph in Japanese that both has past and present tenses (they mostly don't have future tenses) but if that happened in English some would just nitpick that shit out. I mean, yeah, for sure when I do editing and get paid for it I would, but if I'm just reading fanfics from writers who don't have English as their native language I just don't give a hoot, as long as the story's good, to heck with grammar, spelling and syntax. Srsly some non-native EN speakers get turned-off or even scared when nitpickers hit on their imperfect spellings or grammar or dictions, srsly honestly just give them a break, they worked hard to learn another language. I felt this even more so when I started learning Nihongo, like srsly as long as a person gets to say what they want to say even if it's not perfect in anyway, then that's more than enough for me.  srsly I am forgiving like that. Also this chapter has more notes than usual, especially regarding Nihongo and stuff, so if you don't like it you can always move along lololol Also I gave up, I'm keeping the titles and roles in Japanese i.e. Odanna-sama, Wakadanna-sama, Bantou-san, etc. I'll just stick in more notes instead lol

Also if you like this translation, you can heart it, share the link, reblog, I just respectfully ask that DO NOT REPOST ELSEWHERE. This is my contribution to the scant English content of this fandom, and I worked really hard to finish this thing, it’s not like I just copy-pasted everything. I even had to build the kanji in Jisho one by one. Try it and you’ll see what I mean.You can rave about this, rant about this, but if possible please link back to this page. If you’re unsure how to do that, just copy the web address of this page. If you’re on a blogsite just insert the web address as a hyperlink as a link back to here. Honestly if this light novel was officially-published in English, I wouldn’t even be doing this right now... And if it did, I’d take this offline to support the publishers and Yuuma-sensei. Creators support creators, is what I believe in. As previously-mentioned in earlier chapters, if you stumbled upon this one, the two seasons of the anime covered volumes 1-5, so other than the extra details, you didn’t miss much stuff. OK, with all of that out of the way, here's Chapter 4 now. P116 "Th... These are... The Southern Lands' cultured Japanese amberjack**... A bundle of Kiseki beef.. And there are so many other local products from the Southern Lands too. Ah, there's even the coconut oil that I always wanted!" So many extravagant ingredients have been hauled into Yugao, and I was flabbergasted by them all. There were also so many cans of various contents as well as dried fish and other products stuffed inside. Canned tuna and other canned stuff were considered as high-end products in Kakuriyo, and I am very grateful. Ginji-san and the Daruma gang from the kitchens delivered a box packed with so many ingredients to Yugao, and we had no idea why. "Well, the Dog said that these are their repayment to our kindness. It's because a while ago, Ranmaru came to Tenjin-ya." "Really, Ranmaru from Orio-ya?" "Hatori-san also came too, with him." In some way, Ginji-san's mood was good. For a while now, his nine fluffy tails were wagging from left to right. "It's from our head accountant Byakuya-san, Aoi-san's rewards for your achievement, and for Tenjin-ya's cooperative business venture and all sorts of other demands that were deemed justifiable, and because they wanted to give other things as a way of expressing their gratitude, they brought in many other souvenirs and products as well. They also exchanged with us various other information." T/N: This is related to tuna fish, but don't ask me how they cultured it. Probably in the open sea, like in sea cages. Yes, that's a thing, and yeah I was also in the fishing industry at some point in time, if you're wondering. Also if you're wondering why I rarely use "you" in the dialogues of the translations, it's because in polite Japanese conversations, instead of saying ANATA or OMAE= you, one's name is mentioned instead. In the original text, when people are talking to each other, rather than say "you" they say the other person's name or occupation + san instead i.e. bengoshi-san= lawyer san, Ginji-san, or if it's a username because they don't like using their true names- USERNAME-san. Because using "you" in any way, shape or form in conversations is deemed rude AF. So the next time you chat with Japanese people, please remember to address them by their name, or occupation, unless you've established rapport with them. I forgot to put this explanation in my earlier posts, but it's one of the most important stuff I learned in my Japanese classes, the Japanese folk won't care so much on grammar but more on being polite and taking care of remembering social status stratification aka just be polite by using polite terms. I actually experienced this first hand after chatting with some of them, they just told me not to use Google translate and just chat with them with whatever I know. They're very grateful when people could talk to them in their native tongue, especially when the honorifics are used. This note's long AF but I did say that I'm gonna drag you all with me in this whole learning Nihongo thing, and I'm doing just that. P117 "That friendly Ranmaru did that? Doesn't he hate Tenjin-ya?" "Hee hee. Well, don't take this too seriously, OK?" Even though saying it that way, I imagined that Ranmaru's horrible words and demeanour were probably due to his circumstances. Orio-ya sees Tenjin-ya as its rival, it's hard to imagine them having an image of humbly bringing over souvenirs. And the business dealings, I wonder what those are...? "Oh that, Ranmaru saw that you had a strong sense of duty. He wanted to particularly express his gratitude to Aoi-san." And thereupon, these ingredients from the Southern Lands. Stuff I rarely get hold of, especially something like that one round amberjack, and I unconsciously grinned. "Even so, if the circumstances allowed, he would have stopped by and said it himself** ..." "It was before Aoi-san's business hours, and Ranmaru is also busy it seems, so he had to go back immediately. Even I wanted to take our time since I thought it was fine, but it can't be helped... Because Ranmaru is the Southern Lands' Hachiyo." "Ha ha. Then what happens next is that if it's possible, Ginji-san will go to Orio-ya, won't he? Nothing's stopping you two from visiting each other now?" "Aoi-san...." Up until recently, Ginji-san and Ranmaru's long sibling feud previously ended sometime ago, and the long-standing so-called inn rivalry and clash between Orio-ya and Tenjin-ya has been cut. T/N: aisatsu=挨拶=greeting, introducing one's self, improving relations by dropping by every now and then, can also mean like popping up to say hi or whatnot. I don't know how to directly translate it since aisatsu has more of a sense of how a supervisor pops up in the work place or a teacher suddenly appears in a class just to check, it's not as informal as a neighbor dropping by the house just to have idle chitchat. Hweh. P118 But after the ceremony, the changed relationship between the two has been noticeable. "Oh, that, I see. Someday soon, I will take a break and go visit him too." "Yeah, I agree, that's great. Oh, I wonder if everyone's doing well... Hatori-san and Tokihiko-san, Hideyoshi and Nene, the cute twin chefs.. And Nobunaga." "It seems that everyone's doing fine. The twins Kai-san and Mei-san, Orio-ya profoundly realized that they're really suited to be chefs, and everyone seems to cheer them on, Hatori-san was still the same as ever, but sometimes he returns to Shumonzan. He says that he bickers with Matsuba-sama as always, but one way or another they've become in good terms with each other." Ginji-san asked Ranmaru, and he told things about Orio-ya's management staff. I see, everyone in each of their own way have been doing their best to move on forward. "Oh, and somehow Hideyoshi-san and Nene-san seems to have been engaged." "Whaaat? Why that fast?" Wait a minute. Hideyoshi knew that Nene-chan has decided, that she likes Ranmaru, wasn't it? But that's what Hideyoshi said... My astonished face must have looked funny, and Ginji-san turned away his face and giggled. "It's surely shocking, isn't it? Why, it's amazing, Hideyoshi was especially honest and manly. P119 I simply cannot..." Ginji-san let out a tiny laugh again. What is it about his old haunting grounds, being delighted at the many changes in Orio-ya? At any rate, I was surprised with Hideyoshi and Nene's engagement. Firstly, congratulations Hideyoshi. You thought that your unrequited love has been going on for so long, it was outside your thoughts early on, but now your love bore its fruit. I'm glad, as I'm rooting for you on from the sides. What the heck, behind my back, how did they get involved in that, that was surprisingly an unusual story, if I meet Nene this time I need to get information from her. "But the when the trustworthy Waka-danna** and Waka-Okami** get married, Orio-ya will surely become peaceful, and Ranmaru will also be pleased. Certainly after the marriage, their organization will grow even stronger. He'll get exhausted if it's just Ranmaru holding everything together." "Isn't Tenjin-ya also reasonably solid?" "I guess, although the position for Waka-Okami easily changes. Originally the person in that position is supposed to only resign once, but right now Kikuno-san has temporarily retired as the Young Mistress and supposed to come back. However, there have been circumstances in her family, and she immediately relinquished her seat as the Waka-Okami." "Ehh, like that?" After showing my disbelief, Ginji-san sadly nodded.

T/N: Waka-danna=young master, Waka-Okami=young mistress P120 "If it comes to that, when a new Waka-Okami doesn't hold the position for very long, we can say that there's a gifted person in Tenjin-ya, and it's only a little issue.** Likewise, during that matter with Orio-ya, we in the management staff really wanted the former Waka-Okami O-ryo san to come back and give it another go. Her abilities are very outstanding." "Even I too... I was shocked to see O-ryo completely doing her job well. Even Nene, one way or another admires her so much." "Yes, I agree. But, oh well... O-ryo-san returning to her former position, it's already a huge chance and a necessity. Right now she's drifting away from supporting her fellow waiters and waitresses, well, O-ryo-san must be intending to. To me, she seems to be enjoying having lesser responsibilities and more carefree in her current position." "Well, that's for sure..." Based on how Ginji-san talked about it, lately it seems that O-ryo has no obsession on the position of Waka-Okami. A little bit until recently, she seems, to have returned the bearing of her Waka-Okami decorum, but lately she's wholly just wanting to eat and eat, when she finally gets some free time she goes to Yugao, and lately has been persisting on going out hunting for marriage partners. However, I could say with confidence that she seems to be taking advantage of being relieved of her position as a Waka-Okami , and surely Tenjin-ya will realize that they need O-ryo's abilities. O-ryo's strength, is diligently doing her duties in that position. "Anyway, Aoi-san. I was preparing and building up the Autumn Festival here in Tenjin-ya at the end of this month, and I was thinking of using pumpkins, is it possible for Yugao to make Autumn foods and sweets for us?" T/N: Honestly double-triple negatives are a pain in the ass, srsly it's like inception to the nth power, I had trouble deciphering this line and almost this entire page in the original text so if it doesn't make sense, meh, I did my best within my current abilities. P121 "Pumpkin? Of course. It's gonna be fun, like Halloween." "Oh, right! There's a foreign festival called Halloween in Utsushiyo, but I thought it's impossible to recreate that here in in Kakuriyo, though I could imagine it to be made into a Pumpkin Festival." "Oh, not at all, we can make that same Halloween theme here because Tenjin-ya is mostly full of Ayakashi." A Japanese Halloween that doesn't use costumes... "But certainly, this year's pumpkins are delicious, so Pumpkin Festival sounds good, doesn't it? It's also a great idea to give out candies to our young guests." "We can probably decorate with paper lanterns and pumpkins too. We can place ogre-fire inside, and make them float all around Tenjin-ya." "Wow! That's very much like Utsushiyo's Halloween!" Why, the Autumn Festival goes well with the Pumpkin Event and our imaginations ran wild. "Also, Aoi-san. Pumpkins are not Odanna-sama's favorite." "..." Abruptly, the topic on Odanna-sama popped up, and I stiffened a bit. Some days ago, we came back from the orchard park date. I remembered being hugged in the airship's deck...** "How are you feeling, Aoi-san? Why is your face all red?" T/N: **insert lenny face here** You can't stop me wahahaha P122 "Hm? Oh, it's nothing, this is nothing. Odanna-sama not liking pumpkins, I wonder if I somehow  asked that before..." "Oh, right. I saw that Odanna-sama often puts a lot of his boiled pumpkins in Byakuya-san's small bowl." "...really, isn't Odanna-sama unbelievable?" "Yes, he is. I don't know when Byakuya-san patience will end, but I want Odanna-sama to overcome his distaste for pumpkins." "You're right. His pickiness for food would not end... In this event I will feed Odanna-sama with the pumpkin cuisines I wanted him to try..." I haven't yet known what Odanna-sama likes, but I know what food he doesn't like. It wasn't at all regretable to make fun of Odanna-sama, but this time I got surprised. "Aoi-sama-- Manjuu-steaming has been finished!" Ai-chan's face suddenly popped out of the kitchen. She seemed to have established her affairs in Hyakumeyama, and she has changed her appearance to that which she made herself. Her time before returning to the pendant is still short, but she's working hard right now as a newly-hired employee. "You were steaming manjuu**? I thought I was smelling something good." "Yeah. Just a while ago Dr. Saraku was asked by Tenjin-ya to do some manufacturing trials for a new souvenir product.** T/N:  Steamed bread with bean jam filling. They’re really good, try them when you can!

when I write souvenir product, it's translated from omiyage=お土産= something that you take home for your friends or family when you go have fun somewhere like a national park or a museum or amusement park. Like when you buy takeaways -  T-shirts, food, keychains, etc. and bring them home or something. Is there an English equivalent for this? Because I don't know. In my native language we have an equivalent, well, for most Asian languages I guess. Don't know about others though.. Hm.... korewa....*inhales* O_O

P123 "We're still only in the middle of improving it, but once we're done we want Ginji-san to be the very first to try them out." "Wah, that sounds fun. When Byakuya-san saw the special products from Orio-ya, he also also saw the need for Tenjin-ya to make new specialties and other famous products, and he's going to be considerably sensitive about it." "Uhm.... But we have no confidence to meet that expectation..." If we couldn't get to sell all of the products that we made, what will we do if Tenjin-ya gets struck greatly by that? What will we do if Tenjin-ya's status and popularity crashes down? With regards to that, we had to think very hard. For Yugao as a small establishment it is a challenge, and the pressure feels a bit different. "It's alright. With regards to hit products, through time and through fads, luck always has a greater control. To me, the only thing needed by Dr. Saraku are failures no matter how many times, in his division. That is why it is important to fail when tackling new challenges." ".. Ginji-san..." "Because I think, we become stronger, don't we?" Ginji-san's relieving smile is so bright, even today it's promising. Having his support, for today as well, I will work harder for Yugao's business operations. P124 The next day, around noon. Tomorrow Tenjin-ya will be closed for a break. Since today Tenjin-ya's business operations will end and all shall check out at the same time, everyone's waiting to be free of work. Today, Yugao also has no business transactions, so tonight I was making up my mind to call all of the ladies to make hotpot. I was thinking of calling out all about to all the members who could attend, I only need to walk to the inner garden. "Oh, it's Kasuga." I noticed Kasuga first. On the other side of the log bridge, she was under the ginko tree. I was about to call out "Hey Kasuga--" but she seems to be talking to someone and I stopped. Behind the base of the ginko tree whose yellow leaves were slightly changing color, what the... Kasuga is usually cheerful but her face now weirdly has this blank expression. "Isn't that..." Beside her, it was Chiaki-san, the doorman in charge of the footwear. A Bake-Tanuki like Kasuga. Normally he doesn't get involved with her much deeply, but this time their dialogues seem to be at a crossroads. I thought that the young man was humble and modest, somehow trying his best to look cool, but somehow he is speaking to Kasuga with a harsh expression, the atmosphere doesn't seem good in there, the impression is very different from the usual funny and light. What is up with those two. These two were different from how I knew them. "Oh, Aoi-chan." P125 From far away, Kasuga noticed me, her Tanuki ears popped up, and rushed towards me. "Aoi-chan, are you going to the main building?" "Ehhhrm, yeah. That was weird, seeing the two of you." "You think so? Chiaki is my relative you know. We were just talking." "Oh, I see..." I don't understand but, I wonder what's normal for those two. "Speaking of, Kasuga, tonight, uhm, won't you come to Yugao after work?" "To Yugao? To make me eat food?" "Yeah. I was thinking of actually holding a ladies-only hotpot banquet. I'll set up the kotatsu, and there's also mountain apple liquor. Let's have a girls' night-out once in a while." "Girls night-out..." Kasuga said "That sounds so much fun" with a wicked Tanuki face. I wonder if she's recalling amusing stories she got out of everyone. "I was thinking of calling O-ryo and Shizuna-chan too. I'm going out to meet them now." "If you say so, I'll go tell them. I'm roommates with Shizuna-chan, and I'm assigned to the banquet hall with O-ryo sama." P126 "Oh, is it OK to ask? Sorry about that." "It's fine, it's like the usual running of errands." Smiling like a beast, Kasuga nimbly dashed away. Under the deep autumn air that feels cold, her fluffy Tanuki tail swings left to right. "..." Looking back at the ginko tree, Chiaki-san the chief doorman wasn't there anymore. I wonder what the two talked about. He seemed to have casually listened to the girls night-out plan. The strong mountain apple liquor, lend me your strength... "Aoi-dono" "Wah, Sasuke-kun!" Without warning, Sasuke-kun the O-niwaban fell down beside me. He has a long scarf hanging down his neck, ninja-style from sunrise to sunset. Normally, during the day he usually wears a monk's robe as he sweeps the garden. "What's up? Something happened during work?" "I am patrolling around. Lately, there has been some disturbances." "Well, tomorrow the inn will have its break, it must be difficult. Are you hungry?" "Ah, my stomach is..." P127 Grrrrrmmmmm. Sasuke-kun's hungry stomach made some noise. "My stomach is probably hungry..." "Hee hee. When your duties are done, while on break come to Yugao. We received a lot from Orio-ya, blessings from the sea. The Southern Lands were also grateful to Sasuke-kun, would you want anything?" "Is that true?" Sasuke-kun always had a cool expression, but when it comes to food his eyes sparkle with joy, like  a child's. Realizing that he's let out his enthusiasm, he cleared his throat and hid his mouth with the scarf while saying "Well then, until later," and he disappeared into the wind. Sasuke-kun is just as always very earnest, it's adorable. "Nevertheless, some disturbance..." I heard about that by accident, recently. The disturbance, it's shady, things don't look good, among other things. I was working and doing my best in Yugao, and whatever lurks up in my surroundings I don't notice anything at all. But, at the moment I don't know about  the things that have started happening, and I got more anxious and worried. P128 Today is a secret girls; night-out, no guys allowed. It's going to happen after Yugao's working hours, a hotpot party will be opened for the ladies of Tenjin-ya. Today it's not at Yugao, the venue will be at my room at the back, and I will bring out the kotatsu. Tonight's dinner will be amberjack shabu-shabu. We'll make a light konbu/kelp dashi amberjack shabu-shabu from the many seafoods from Orio-ya. "We'll use the top shelf kelp to make the konbu dashi for the seafoods of the Southern Lands. It's a hotpot filled with crunchy mustard greens and thinly-sliced daikon, Welsh onions and enoki mushrooms, I'm going to fill it with amberjack as much as I want." "OK--- Let's eat!" Despite it being after work, the ladies' eyes will get fired up. I wonder if that's the case when they get hungry after working hours. I immediately placed in the fatty slices of amberjack in the hotpot's boiled  konbu dashi, and let it cook. I will add in here some ponzu for that single tingly flavor.** "Ahhh, what is this luxury. It's been a while since I had amberjack shabu-shabu..." "O-ryo sama, eat the vegetables too. Adding the thinly-sliced daikon makes this a shabu-shabu." "Alright, I get it..." O-ryo just ate only the amberjack, and Kasuga sneakily added in the vegetables. She also placed some of the boiled enoki, and placed a lot of the dashi along with the fish slices, placing all of these together she took a bite. T/N: Sour-tasting soups are best with fatty meats and fish, so I'd get that Aoi would do this to cut the fat and make the shabu-shabu taste even better and also to cut the fat and greasy feels. P129 The two closed their eyes in contentment. Certainly, when the raw amberjack was cooked over a flame, the entire flavor of the fish changes. Instantly the soft slices of amberjack became tough, and over that ponzu was added,  this was entirely different when eaten as sashimi or with pickles, it can be an enjoyable, extravagant yet healthy food. Well, not really, it's just the season to eat hotpot deliciously. "Speaking of, what time is Shizuna-chan coming?" "The bath hours haven't ended yet, I think she'll come over after fixing and cleaning up the bath houses. She's the only one from the management staff, and she has to stay in her working area up until the end of business hours." "Oh, yeah. I see. Shizuna-chan is part of the management staff." I lightly glanced at O-ryo. O-ryo was a former management staff member, but she seems to be unaffected by my words. It seems that the person in question enjoys whatever working position she's in right now, and is drinking carbonated water as well as the mountain apple liquors equally. Somewhat it's like being that annoying single office-lady... "Perhaps I should say it- did you know? Orio-ya's Nene is married to their Waka-danna?" "No, aren't they just engaged? It seems like that for the time being, before getting married?" P130 Uhm, Kasuga and I looked at each other. But O-ryo wasn't listening. "Hmmph. That young girl, she'll be suffering so much marrying so young. That Waka-danna called Hideyoshi, that tiny squirt, he'll noisily scold her." "You think so? I've seen that Hideyoshi, he seems good enough. Well, he is pretty noisy. But he seems to like Nene very much, I think it's wonderful that he got his feelings through." I feel like an aunty who's earnestly chatting away about her relatives. If I could talk about it better, those two make a cute, tiny couple. "Gah! Enough chatting about a guy's love for some girl! I am not interested in the happiness of other people!" With a thud, O-ryo slapped her empty wine glass on the kotatsu. "Ahhhh, O-ryo sama don't start complaing about envying other people..." As always, Kasuga started telling her off with her "good grief!" pose. "I'm sorry I'm late--" A breath of fresh air, Shizuna-chan has joined the party.** Shizuna-chan takes care of the bath houses and bears the task of keeping them in order, and is Tenjin-ya's sole management staff for that purpose. "Shizuna, you're late! The battle has already started!" T/N: well the transliteration of the original text was "Shizuna-chan has arrived in the battlefield", but I think this has the same feel, from RPGs honestly IDK anymore lol anyways IMO food parties are always a battlefield so wth it's the same gahaha P131 "Ah, yes--? I'm sorry, ehhh, a battle?" After that, even if O-ryo was just a waitress who glared at her instantly, Shizuna-chan humbly apologized. It seemed that she had no idea what O-ryo meant with her words of choice. Shizuna-chan brought a box for us, filled with so many delicious sweets.This seemed delicious to eat as dessert. "Shizuna-chan, come sit beside me. Say, do you like amberjack shabu-shabu?" Shizuna-chan rarely visits here. I did my best to take care of whatever she needs. "Well, it has been a while since I had some amberjack shabu-shabu, how nostalgic..." "Oh, right. When you were young, you were a staff at Orio-ya. During that time, did you ate a lot?" "Yes, it was my favorite. Shishou-sama** made a lot of it for me..." Talking while bashfully fidgeting, Shizuna-chan started to eat with a lot of etiquette. Suddenly, O-ryo started looking at Shizuna-chan like a sister-in-law. "I say, uhm, Shizuna? There's someone in Orio-ya like you, who's also nice and has good vibes?" "Yes? A person with good vibes?" "Hey, weren't you explicitly pursued here in Tenjin-ya? Who was it.... That guy who looks withered up, called Tokihiko. You like someone who looks bitter and glum, don't you? It's illogical and unadult-like. Don't think that somehow you're under the shadow of that guy.. *hic*" T/N: I don't know how to call the main artist or the one who takes in a lot of disciples or students or apprentices so this is the next best thing, I guess? I mean, it’s directly translated as Master=師匠-Shishou, but it can mean other stuff, not just like sensei though. P132 "Oh, uhm.. that.. Shishou-sama.... he is uhm..." Shizuna-chan's face started blushing, like she had some beer or whatnot. Once that conversation was started, she immediately got perplexed. "Wait a minute, O-ryo! Shizuna-chan just started eating, don't ask her such direct questions, her throat might block off the shabu-shabu." "You're loud Aoi! Shut up, what's more important than looks are the uses**, you crazed-cook!" "What the.." Whom on earth did she think this hotpot party was prepared for? When O-ryo drinks liquor, she always blurts out unapologetic things. "Haaahhh... Aoi may be crazy about cooking, but in the end, eventually she'll get married to Odanna-sama... He'll pick up an excessively-expensive palanquin for you, you won't understand how miserable I am..." "What the heck are you saying... I'm doing my best to avoid being his fiancee." "But Aoi-chan, didn't you and Odanna-sama went out, and you were away for more than a night?" "Hold up, Kasuga, it's a weird, story, it can't be helped. We were captured by the mountain's Kaku-zaru." "Ah, but.. Odanna-sama pulled you out of a pinch, didn't that made you have a change of heart? Or some progress?"

T/N: hanayoridango=function before looks, like buying food first before buying flowers, yeah that’s the literal meaning of the phrase. P133 "...what?" A while ago Shizuna-chan got asked the same kind of questions. Suddenly, the  three girls gazed at me. What the, what's up with their eyes, those three? They look like hyenas having an eye on their prey. "I.. I didn't mean it that way! Uhmm... Odanna-sama just.. gives his all as he saves me..." Speaking of progress, what on earth is progressing right now? My first-hand experiences weren't much, and even using those as my basis, I still don't understand. In the end, somehow despite never having an idea on what occurred, the warmth I felt when I was hugged just abruptly pops back again into my mind, and ultimately my face remains blushing, as I chattered and gritted my teeth in silence. I really don't understand this, I wonder... what is this feeling? "What the heck is that..?" "Yeah, what gives? It's weird, Aoi-chan's face is so red, why is that?" I could hear Kasuga and Shizuna-chan somewhat breaking the silence with their hushed conversations. "OK--- that's enough talking about sweethearts and whatnot--  That's every last one of them--" "Yeah, I heard you, I heard you!" O-ryo had enough of the topic already, and she rolled down into the kotatsu with an angry and dead-drunk expression. She probably got one-punched...** T/N: Yeah I feel you O-ryo, when everyone has some special someone and you're the lonely third wheel I mean, I can't blame you girl, I really can't. It's worse than getting one-punched by Saitama, but... Still lol tho sry my bad P134 "O-ryo sama, with that middle-aged man attitude such as yours, you'll miss your chances of getting married." "Kasuga? With the romance that a little girl-chama like you would know, wouldn't have an idea on what love is like, there's no such thing as an immediate fated encounter. Really esteemed women like me, wouldn't have to rush in choosing.There's no leeway for mistakes--" "Yeah, yeah. But regarding myself, I have a first love..." "What, that story about when you were young? Yeah, yeah, sure, that story that smells of inexperience is good enough. Kasuga, go pour me some more.." "Y-yes... Good grief..." The esteemed woman bully lied down again. And as the junior poured more liquor for her, she drank heartily, again. "But Kasuga, speaking of that, during the day, I saw you being with the Gesokuban** Chiaki-san. What on earth were you two chatting about?" "....uhm..." I suddenly remembered it, and without thinking I asked. Kasuga's facial expression slightly changed. "Reallyyyyy?! What the, Kasuga is with that Chiaki?!" Hearing that topic, O-ryo suddenly bolted upright. She kicked her legs inside the kotatsu, and Shizuna-chan let out a tiny, pained "ouch". "What is it, O-ryo?" "Chiaki may look sloppy and gaudy, but so many waitresses are eyeing on him. Not only does his face look good,

T/N: Gesokuban=下足番= doorman in charge of the footwear, normally in Japanese inns or hotels the footwear are kept outside the halls to prevent dirt from coming in. I think elsewhere in the world this is a practice, there’s a thing called indoor and outdoor slippers or shoes. P135 but being a Gesokuban, he's pretty much a member of the management staff. If he gets married, it's easy to dominate him. That's what I understand from hearing other people. Kasuga, he's also your type?" "...what are you talking about, O-ryo sama? Chiaki is my Uncle. Simply put, my father's younger brother.**" "Whaaa... Really?" Everyone got shocked. Everyone in here seemed to be unaware of that fact. Kasuga went "Uh-oh". Her face spelled out "I shouldn't have said that." "It's probably due to this liquor.. I may have said too much..." Kasuga was scratching an itch on her temple. Taking the opportunity, Shizuna-chan suddenly seemed to have remembered something. "Speaking of that... Kasuga is taking a long vacation to go back to her parents' home, and at the same time, Chiaki-san probably won't we working too, isn't it? Could it possibly be that, he's going home with you?" Somehow, a lot of suspicions and doubts started rising up, and Kasuga started clamoring and wailing. "Geez... stop it already! What I told you is already enough! More importantly, hotpot! Look, the mustard greens and onions, and the tofu had all boiled down.The umami of the vegetables and the amberjack have already dissolved into this precious konbu dashi, and it's considerably better now. Aoi-chan, how are we going to divide this?" With dexterity, Kasuga started distributing the contents of the hotpot into smaller bowls, but I was still determined to press information out of her. This girl is pushily taking charge over the hotpot... T/N: I don't know about you guys, but in some families due to the age gaps between the siblings, some of the nieces and nephews ar more closer in age to their aunts and uncles than the aunts and uncles have to the children's parents. I was actually raised by an elder cousin, and her eldest brother was around the age of my father, so yeah, I could understand how this whole thing with Kasuga goes. P136 "Ok, with this, it's definitely udon!" "Udon!" "Yeah let's do that" Shizuna-chan gratefully put her hands together, and O-ryo's sparkling eyes were on standby. Immediately, the udon balls were brought in, and these were dunked into the deliciously-filled dashi stock. After boiling it down, we only had to wait for the noodles to absorb the flavors. "By the way, you all, what do you think of the single guys in Tenjin-ya?" "Yes?" "Do you have anything funny about them to talk about?" While O-ryo poured some newly-opened liquor, she drunkenly pushed the question at me. This woman, sets herself aside and starts gossiping about Tenjin-ya's male army. "First of, let's start with Akatsuki. That guy's the youngest male in the management staff, he may have a promising future, surely being young his composure isn't yet enough, I think. Well, in desperate times I could say that he's adorable, but he's the type that holds grudges, and it's not a good thing that he easily snaps out. For certain, I think he doesn't have a girl." "It seems that O-ryo sama has a problem with the Bantou** -sama snapping out at her words and deeds, don't you?" "Shut up Kasuga--" "Owwwww" T/N:Bantou=番頭=head clerk, or the head receptionist

P137 O-ryo pulled out Kasuga's cheeks. Kasuga's cheeks stretched out so much. "Akatsuki-san's face is a bit scary, but he is a hard-working employee, in my opinion. But, well... I'm not interested in someone younger than me..." "That's right Shizuna, you have an older guy fetish don't you?" "Yeah, the guy has been living for 500 years now, yes..." Shizuna-chan just casually blurted out that she wasn't interested in Akatsuki. She's probably a bit drunk. She's drinking the mountain apple liquor on the rocks... "Akatsuki, you say... When I met him he shouted like he was going to kill me, that guy gave me the impression that he was the worst but... Now I think he's a really good chap. One way or another way though, he's not someone who likes taking care of others. I remember her younger sister.." That child** comes here to Yugao, his eyes may look evil but he's a caring person. Surely, I think that he's concerned about troubling his younger sister Suzuran and grandpa, among others. "Oh, and by the way..." At this point, Kasuga secretly pulled out a notebook and started telling us the stuff that she wrote. What the... What the heck, that is scary. "According to my research, the Bantou-sama doesn't have a woman's touch on him. He's aloof, and he easily and earnestly gets resentful. It also seems that despite the lady waitresses asking him out to have fun, he always doesn't go with them." "As expected..." T/N: the term Yuuma-sensei used for Akatsuki is mame=マメ=bean, but can also mean a child, a little person, etc. Honestly it's not wrong, Akatsuki is an actual precious bean IMO lol protect that spider bean lelz P138 "But that guy, a little girl once invited him to play with her..." Surprisingly, I thought this was a bit rude. Most likely, Akatsuki is sneezing a lot right now. "Wah, udon, udon--" Finally, the udon has been boiled enough. Everyone started putting udon on their bowls. "Gahh... This is it. The udon to finish the hotpot."** "Cooking this in the dashi makes it yummier, doesn't it?" The udon has surely absorbed the umami and the fatty flavors of the amberjack. I added the refreshing taste of the Sudachi Ponzu in mine. This went smoothly down the throat, and this perfectly wraps up the the meal. No, I mean, this is a work of art. "Hey Aoi, you only drank one glass of the liquor? You go drink some more..." "Sorry but, I dont drink more than a cup. Previously, drinking made my eyes hurt when I look at things." A cup of that liquor tastes great. But I dread getting drunk if I drink more than my limit. But everyone was just drinking heartily, so I guess it's fine. The mountain apple liquor also has another nickname, it's called "Easy Bandit-Killer". "Well then, next is the Waka-danna sama's turn" O-ryo continued the conversation where we previously left off. "Waaat? Even Ginji-san?! But.. Isn't Ginji-san perfect? No, a perfect Youkai? I couldn't find any fault with him." T/N: Just in case you're wondering how this works, it's rather easy.. After eating all of the ingredients in the Japanese hotpot, like taking out the veggies and meat, there's a lot of soup left. It's easier to just drink the soup but in Japan, they add stuff to help it go down easy. Choices are either noodles or rice, and the young ones love putting the noodles in. It actually tastes good either way, but I prefer noodles. I think in Persona 5 they also had this same dilemma lol Also yeah Ginji is just the ball, perfect ball of fur lol but he also has this shadowy and mysterious side so if you want a dude of mystery, Ginji's your man gahahaha P139 "Eh. You don't understand, Aoi. Seeing no faults or imperfections is that person's shortcoming-" An adultish smile floating up her face, O-ryo started spinning her glass around. "Waka-danna sama is, well, fanstastic. When you look at him he's handsome, he is well-mannered, and is skillful at his job." "Yeah I get that. He's very sweet, and he always lends a hand... But for sure, Ginji-san seems to have no interests in romantic relationships..." Even I haven't unraveled the reasons to why Ginji-san is still single. But I'm not surprised that he's well-liked. "Oh, well, based on what O-ryo-san was saying, Ginji-sama has no chink in his armor, doesn't he? When a little girl couldn't get any confidence from everyone and has to hold it together by herself, when that perfect Ginji-sama sees that person, his voice would probably not break so easily." "The Waka-danna sama isn't a greedy type, but look, what Aoi-chan is saying is that the Waka-danna seems to have no hobbies or interests. Aoi-chan doesn't understand how, but among the employees he seems to be the type that only admires one person. In that case, his attraction for this one girl could unfortunately end. And she won't be pursued relentlessly." Oh, I get it... Shizuna-chan and Kasuga pointed this out, and I could understand it better. "But after that thing with Orio-ya, somehow the air around the Waka-danna sama has changed, didn't it? T/N: OK I just translated from Japanese what I'd say if I was fan-girling over Ginji, srsly arrrghhh does a guy like this exist? I'd want the extra tails and the transformation powers but I'm OK without those as long as he's into romantic stuff.. Does he? Does he not? I don't know yet lol are there any Ginji fan-fams here too lololol P140 I heard it from the lady waitresses that aren't easy to talk to. That person, he has undoubtedly became likeable. And then, the Waka-danna sama, didn't he take care of you in your condition?" "..." With a wicked face, O-ryo was testing me with her words. But to me, up until now I think that Ginji-san is likeable, and in that case it's not even a joke. He hardly comes to Yugao now, and because of that it's gotten lonely... "On another point, among the Waka-danna sama's nine tails, the third one below, from the right seems to be the most unique.That is somehow a weak spot." "Kasuga, how did you know such information?" It's scary... Kasuga's information is creepy. Even though she's drunk the power of her research skills scared all of us. "Well then... Choubachou** Byakuya-sama--" "O-ryo, don't you dare take another step over there--" We suddenly exercised caution with Byakuya-san. If we speak rudely of him, we feel like we're going to get cursed.** "I honestly couldn't remember a time when he got angry..." "Me either..." "Me too..." T/N: OK so my bad, Byakuya’s supposed position ranges from accounting to reception, but I just previously translated his position as head accountant because it’s what I got before. But he’s more or less the chief of management operations, which includes accounting. Anyway... Hey, I mean, if Byakuya can kick Raijuu's ass then it's justifiable that Byakuya is always in a sour mood, and it's bad to talk about him rudely. Raijuu's a pain in the ass for sure. Arrrgh P141 In the end, this girls' group had nothing more to say. We shuddered when we remembered stuff, and inside the kotatsu we all curled up. Though we were only just talking about him, his pressure on us made us feel defeated even in here. "H.. However, Byakuya-sama stealthily spoils the pipe cats living at the back of the mountain..." "Kasuga, nobody knows about that yet. Don't talk about it, if that gets leaked out we'll get killed." Well, in short, Byakuya-sama pours all of his love to the pipe cats. "Geez, we've wrapped out heads too much on these puzzles, and my hands have lost all feeling. Like Odanna-sama, he also exists above the clouds." "That's because Byakuya-sama is Odanna-sama's good old wife." O-ryo and Kasuga opened the box that Shizuna-chan brought for us, and while munching on these they were sloppily chatting. "Good old wife?" Isn't Byakuya-san a guy? as I tilted my head. "Since long ago, he has assisted in the running of Tenjin-ya. Odanna-sama is able to go here and there freely for work, and Byakuya-sama was staying in Tenjin-ya and presides over it. He has long been in good terms with Odanna-sama, and Byakuya-sama could readily and frankly give out his opinions to him." Come to think of it, before Odanna-sama and I went out, him and Byakuya-san were talking about something one way or the other. P142 In that case, other than the other employess and executives, nobody sees it like an older wife giving encouragement to her husband. "And for sure, when the Oo-Okami** sama isn't here, Byakuya-sama also takes in that role as well, doesn't he?" "Oo-Okami?" Shizuna-chan was drinking the last drop of the sweet liquor, she was reminded of her old home and started talking. "Ougondouji-sama is currently residing in Orio-ya. Previously, Ougondouji-sama was asked to be the Oo-Okami. She holds the same position and rank as Odanna-sama, therefore ever since Ougondouji-sama left Tenjin-ya,the position has been vacant." "Oh, I see... If that's so, with regards to that old tale, I have asked Ginji-san about that." And with that, Byakuya-san also holds the position of Oo-Okami. "Haaaahhh... That weird chat about the Oo-Okami has been a bit too much already." "O-ryo sama, didn't you tell me back then that you'd focus intently on becoming Oo-Okami ,once upon a time?" "Shut up Kasuga! It's a harsh fact that I have to live with!" With O-ryo and Kasuga's conversation, my ears grew eager to listen. "But isn't that.. O-ryo already has no interest with the Waka-Okami position?" "Whaaat? Aoi, you're asking that question? Did't I tell you that I won't get into the position of Waka-Okami again?" T/N: Oo-Okami, Mistress of the House, or something, like the big lady boss.

P143 "R..Really?" "It's fine, really it is. My enthusiastic, indomitable personality is dead. I want to enjoy living a carefree life. I plan to marry a rich guy, then immediately stop working--" "..." Somehow, the atmosphere became tense. Could it be possible that, among all the people in here right now, we're all thinking that O-ryo didn't really want to give up that position? Especially Kasuga, she was shell-shocked, and her face looked troubled. I felt that the mood has changed, so I tapped my fist in my hand. "Oh, right, right. I brought some large-sized grapes from the fruit orchard park, and I made some grape tarts. Let's eat some? I added a lot of grapes on it, it's a custard cream dessert." "Kasstard? OK OK let's eat--" It seems that nobody understood what I meant, but everybody nodded their heads excitedly. Grape tart. I made the crust with the coconut oil from Orio-ya and baked it, and by adding the large grapes called Daishisui that I gathered with Odanna-sama yesterday, the tart looks like a sparkly jewelry box. On top of the crust, I laid down an easily-made custard cream made of Cassowary egg and some wheat flour, with cow's milk and a bit of sugar, P144 and these buried the grapes cut in halves, which I later baked in the oven. After baking this for a while, I topped everything with raw grapes and pure cream. These were arranged as such because the tightly-packed grapes beneath this layer cannot be seen. "Woooooow!" Those dynamic-seeing eyes, everyone's eyes were sparkling. I sliced the large tart in front of everyone, and when the neatly-arranged grapes were cut through, Shizuna-chan let out a regretful-sounding "Awww".** There wasn't any fork, we used kuromoji, special wooden chopsticks** normally used for Japanese sweets or just ate them using our bare hands. "Uwahhh this is juicy-- What is this, I thought this food has raw grapes, but this tastes is like it was meant to be a baked dessert!" "This is the first time I ate something that tastes like this, but the grapes' sweetness stands out, it's really delicious--" O-ryo eating with her hands and Shizuna-chan using a kuromoji, they fell into a trance like typical ladies who love sweets. "This is generally called a fruit tart, and with the rich taste of the eggs in the custard cream, it blends well with the sweet and sour freshness of the fruits, and together these really bring about the best-tasting combination. The sweetness gets reduced, and the sourness becomes mild." As I was explaining how the mild taste came about, Kasuga haven't taken a single bite of the grape tart, and while propping her chin with her hand, she was observing it quietly. T/N: Lol I feel you Shizuna-chan, I feel the same when a freshly-bought ice cream tub looks so neat I don't wanna cut through it lol that's why ASMR of perfectly arranged anything are famous bahaha

Kuromoji=黒文字= Japanese sweets are eaten traditionally by using tiny wooden chopsticks, to cut and skewer them. You can check them out via search engine or smth P145 "What is it, Kasuga? Don't tell me, you don't like grapes?" "Hmm? No, it's not like that.. I really love grapes. That dessert you called tart, I was thinking of something." Kasuga ate held tart like it was a hard cookie, and bit on it heartily despite doubting what it was, before chewing on it. She filled her cheeks with the grapes, the custard, and the fragrant crust. "Mmmm, I wanted to eat some more. The grapes are heavy, and they burst in my mouth." Just a while ago we were enjoying some amberjack shabu-shabu, but we still had room for dessert, and all of the girls ate as much of the grape tart to their hearts' content. "Aoi-dono--" In that moment, came a boy's voice that can be heard from inside Yugao. "It's Sasuke-kun. I told him that I was going to give him something to eat after his working hours." The three ladies around me went "It's.. Sasuke-kun?", and they looked at me from the side. "Say, Aoi, tell Sasuke-kun to come here too." "Really? Even if today's a no-guys-allowed girls' night-out, it's OK to call him in?" "Yes, it's totally OK. Sasuke-kun is an adorable and good boy." "..." Even though there was a nagging feeling, I went outside of Yugao and called out to Sasuke-kun. "Sasuke-kun, thank you for your hard work. We were just having a hotpot party inside but, P146 I'll also add something for you, OK?" "Hotpot, is it? Is it because it has already gotten a bit cold?" "Come in. Everyone's waiting for you. I'll go and prep up." "I understand." Sasuke-kun unknowingly trudged toward the innermost room, and opened the door. "?!" No sooner than opening the door. Sasuke-kun the ninja couldn't react fast enough, and he was dragged into the room. "Gyaaaaahhh! Aoi-dono, Aoi-dono---" Sasuke-kun, the innocent and sweet Sasuke-kun, he was preyed upon by the ladies starved of men. "I- I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun. I'll make you a delicious hotpot, OK?" I feel guilty that he gets harassed, and using another earthen pot I added dashi stock, vegetables and the amberjack slices, and hurriedly went towards the innermost room. Please, please let Sasuke-kun be OK! "..." Sasuke-kun was already pestered by the drunken ladies, here and there he was grumbling being urged to drink liquor, P147 his hair has been tousled and his scarf stretched out, it was horrible, but he was being coddled and spoiled. "Aoi-dono--" Poor Sasuke-kun, he was crying out of fear. He was unprotected, and the swarming girls were getting their fill, it was another shabu-shabu over the kotatsu setting. They're feeding him too much. While he's eating delicious food, I will protect Sasuke-kun.

Despite the determination of that bunch, just like turning off a lamp, the girls suddenly collapsed. 

Zzzz.... The effects of the mountain liquor came at last, and the intense sleepiness has struck. "Aoi-dono.. What on earth, were you doing here?" "Hmm? It's a secret girls' night-out, Sasuke-kun." "Secret girls' night-out..."

It's really too much to handle drunkeness. The true intents and personalities of the girls, were hidden and unseen, in this empty room these must not get out. Everything that they spewed out, they'll probably forget in the morning. And that was the so-called, girls' night-out.

End of Chapter 4, Volume 6. Previous - Intermission 1 Next - Intermission 2

References:

Wonderful site for the youkai references

Other stuff I used to do this: Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Dictionary (you can buy here, I’m not sponsored btw). I was about to buy the older edition but then the newer one came out 2013 so I bought that instead. Worth buying since I was able to find nearly all of the words I needed just by stroke pattern alone.

Merriam-Webster's Japanese-English Dictionary (the red-covered 1996 version is apparently out of print right now). This is what I have been using for a very long time, I bought it when I was still a fetus (yes I am old so what lol), and after so many years, when compared to newer editions, I still prefer this one since its entirety is Japanese-English, the English to Japanese gloss are just 16 pages tops, so you get more Japanese words for your buck. But that’s just my opinion, maybe other people prefer the Jap-En x En-Jap IDEK.

Basic online dictionary, Jisho. Knowledge of verb conjugations  and other words are necessary since not all have entries.

If you can read Japanese, you can buy the whole set in Amazon Japan, they’re shipping worldwide now, I think.

[cescalr]

Why Is Draco Malfoy So Underrated?

A repost of a Quora answer because Quora hates me for some reason

@vivithefolle​ i take little convincing here I go -

SO!

You. Yeah, you. You, nebulous quora questioner, you think Malfoy is underrated, do you? Well I, CescaLR, am here to set the record straight. The following is the answer I posted to Quora, that was flagged with ‘answer may need improvement’, which means some asshole was trawling the answers to the question posted and didn’t like mine so they had the moderators hide it because said person doesn’t like differing opinions. This post is thereby an archive, so if my answer is never again allowed to see the light of day on Quora, at least my maths is visible elsewhere. 

Hopefully, this entertains you, tumblr user reading this post. Also, as fair warning, if you do like Draco Malfoy and somehow stumbled across this post, I recommend skipping it. 

Why is Draco Malfoy so underrated?

Fleur Lee-Ranger

Author of 857406 words of fanfiction and counting.

ANSWER:

HAHAHAHA.

Ha.

Ha.

hah…..

For god’s sake, I hope you’re not serious.

Let’s look at YouTube, first:

Does 2.2 million f*cking views on a woobie Draco edit seem like he’s underrated to you? Any character that gets 2.2 million views on an edit that interprets the character in a sympathetic, caring light…. Jesus Christ. They’re not underrated.

You could make a clear argument for them being overrated, by matter of fact!

The first result is his entire life story, and a redemption of the Malfoy family as a whole, and it’s… super popular!

look at that! 70k likes versus 1.7k dislikes. Let’s use my favourite maths thing once again: Ratios!!

(I hate ratios. The things I do to prove a point, eh?)

This video has 5201431 million views. It has around 70k likes, 1.1k dislikes. We’ll round 5201431, as 70k and 1.1k are both rounded numbers and I can’t be bothered to deal with numbers that are too complicated right now, it’s nearly nine pm. 5201431 -> 5.2 million. It’s the rounded number YouTube itself uses on the search page - check the first image if you don’t believe me, and since YouTube thinks that’s good enough, so will we.

5200000 : 70000 : 1100

52000 : 700 : 11

Divide all by 11 (and round awkward numbers, because we’re already dealing in rounded numbers anyway, which is kind of bad practice, but it’ll do for this context):

4,727 : 64 : 1

As I’ve proven before (not on Quora, you can probably find it in the comments of one of my fanfictions, I’ll end up moving it over here one day when I find the right question), fandom content engagement rates are always pretty bad. But honestly? every four thousand or so views, you get 64 likes, compared to just one dislike. That’s great! That’s incredible! I’d kill for those kinds of ratings!!

(Draco’d probably wimp out, though. hehe. Jokes, jokes.)

As for his woobie video:

2.3m : 152k : 715

2300000 : 153000 : 715

Nice, don’t need to remove any superfluous zeroes. Bad, for… well, your hypothesis, to put it nicely, since that means there are only seven hundred and fifteen goddamn dislikes on this video, what the f*ck, why do so many people like this b*stard child.

Ahem. Sorry, that’s rude to illegitimate children like myself. There is nothing wrong with having unmarried parents.

…Anyway, lets slim down that ratio:

3217 : 214 : 1

Holy sh*t. I would do more than kill for this ratio. Oh my god.

That’s some great engagement there. So many likes! Clearly, Draco dearie is a very popular boy! He’d love that. I hate this on principle. God am I glad 13 year old me didn’t really use YouTube (I watched gaming content and little else, didn’t even find fandom content until 2015) or I’d have contributed one of those likes, probably.

Oh wait, no! Never mind! I can’t have contributed one of those likes, because this f*cking video was posted last year!!!!!

LAST GODDAMN YEAR!!!!

Do you understand that? Do you - do you have any idea how - just how difficult it is to get that many views that quickly and with that good an engagement???? Do you???????? It has been, get this, seven, seven whole f*cking months, Less time than it takes to make a baby, and this f*cking video has 2,265,900!!! million!!!! views!!!! With a ratio of 214 likes to one goddamn dislike.

oh my god.

oh my god

oh my god

I’m having a minor mental breakdown. Jesus f*cking H Christ on a goddamn bike.

Look at these comments! Look at how many likes they have!! Oh my god!!!! Draco Malfoy might just be one of the most beloved characters ever to get this sort of reaction, for hell’s sake!

I don’t know what kind of dunderhead you are to not notice how f*cking popular this jackass little b*stard boy is, but god, the whiny little sh*t has more fans than oh, I don’t know. Someone really popular. Tom Holland? I don’t know celebrities. Sorry.

But my point is, for god’s sake, Malfoy isn’t underrated. I don’t know what rock you’ve been living under, my friend, but that sheer idolisation you so crave of your wimpy f*cking husband is right there in front of you! Just search his name, and you’ll see it front and goddamn centre. Those of us that don’t worship the ground he walks on are generally much more background.

For god’s sake, he’s a trope namer.

Draco In Leather Pants.

How much more evidence do you need than that?

Of course, I could be jumping the gun. You could be a fan of his that is frustrated by the fanon interpretation of his character. ‘Why is he reduced to a bad boy with a heart of gold when actually he’s a more complicated asshole with sh*tty morality and no backbone that gives a whole ass damn about his family but not much else?’ Good question! Blame Cassie Claire, though I suppose that’s my go-to for most things.

Seriously though; Draco Malfoy is not even remotely overrated. He’s a whiny, terrible, useless waste of space in the books; and in fandom, he’s transformed into a cool, collected, redeemable or outright good person who’s smart and talented and like, super hot you guys, doesn’t he look cute with Hermione/Harry/Insert Author’s Projected Character Here?!!!!

Also: Y’all are f*cking creeps for this shit:

THAT’S A SCENE FROM WHEN THE KID IS TWELVE, FOR GOD’S SAKE. I’m not even joking, half of you are nonces and I want nothing to do with you! ‘hot draco malfoy edits’ HE’S TWELVE

HE’S TWELVE

HE’S TWELVE.

Hot take time:

Draco Malfoy is overhyped, overrated, and oversexualised and I want all of this to stop, because you’re doing it to Tom Felton, when he was a child. A child! That’s creepy! Please do not make hot edits of children, thank you!!!!!

Someone call the police. I’m done with this f*cking fandom, oh my god.

(Also, if you think I edited that in like some sick weirdo might do, just go find that video and give it a watch. I wouldn’t if I were you, I’d believe me, because watching that video probably puts you on a watchlist somewhere.

It should.)

Okay. Deep breaths. It’s been a few months, this answer was flagged with the wonderfully opaque ‘this answer may need improvement’, and I’m back to refine this. I’m not taking anything out, but I’m adding some extra investigation. For posterity’s sake; the original answer only contained YouTube analysis. Let’s look through Archive Of Our Own, shall we?

As I showed in my answer re: the well-liked-ness of Lilly and Hermione, this is the number of total fics within the HP tag.

This is the number of tags when ‘Draco Malfoy’ is added to the ‘included characters’ filter.

So, in terms of ‘fandom work presence’ (AO3 is mostly fanfic, but it is not all fanfic, there are a few vids and some art on there, too) Malfoy’s ratio is thus:

254603:65469

3.8889… : 1

4 : 1

So, rounding up, for every four works on AO3, there is one that includes Draco dearie. Good lord, he’s pervasive, isn’t he? Can’t turn a corner in the fandom without seeing his pasty ferret face plastered all over the walls… lovely.

Now, once again - that wasn’t the best ratio. I didn’t remove bashing, for example, so not all those works will be positive (as in, since you think he’s underrated, that means - I assume - you think people don’t like him enough) so let’s go the long mile:

I will find a ratio for Mr Malfoy Jr’s fans, versus his haters, in terms of - how many fics bash Malfoy, and how many greatly enjoy his existence?

Add the bashing tag, and now let’s see how many fics there are with a) Draco in it, and b) Draco Bashing:

hahahhahagag;k;asdkf

Oh no!

Oh my god I dodn’t…. one second… give me just one second….

Right. Laughing fit over, okay. 17.

So, 65469 works with Draco present, 17 of which don’t like him overmuch, and 65452 like him just fine/present him as he appears in canon! Awesome. Of course, people who present him as he is in canon may not like him the way you want him to, so, not awesome? Hmm. I’m not sure how to filter for that. I suppose you wouldn’t want people who write him OOC, though, because that’s not rating him properly, is it? Should we add OOC to the bashing, to get people who don’t appreciate his… many positive character traits… to the extent that you would like?

Yes, I think we should.

Now, there’s no tag for ‘OOC Draco Malfoy’, because that would make my life too easy. And, I’m not going through 151 works to figure out which ones have Draco being the one OOC. If they’ve written one person OOC, and they’re self-aware enough to tag it, then I’m going to meanly assume they’ve written Draco OOC as well. When one person’s out of whack, I’ve found everyone else is, too, so I’m not just doing this to be a dick, I promise, it’s for a real, good, understandable reason, one that is not only because I really don’t want to have to do any maths more complicated than basic ratios.

So. 151 OOC works, 17 bashing works. 168 works of not properly appreciated Draco Malfoy, coming up, which takes our 65469 Draco works down to… 65301.

Well, that’s a lot, still.

So, there’s still some tags to remove, like Evil, and Abusive, and all that lark. I’ll go do that quickly, and come back with the maths.

(okay, but I do have to show this:)

(fourteen works in the ‘Evil’ draco tag?? are you serious???)

(oh and you can’t filter by Abusive Draco Malfoy, like that’s not a tag, so I can’t exclude it, but it really adds to the general atmosphere of ‘Draco Malfoy? Yeah he’s cool I like him’ that this fandom has going on, doesn’t it?)

Alright so! We really only could take away those 14 works. Okay.

By the way, just so you know - I didn’t exclude tags like ‘Death Eater Draco Malfoy’ and ‘Bully Draco Malfoy’ (if the latter even exists), because those are things that happen in canon, and when I think of a character as being ‘underrated’ I include not acknowledging their canon actions, the bad and the good. A character is only as good as their complexities run deep.

So.

For the ratio, I guess;

65469 : 151 : 17 : 14

4,676.3571… : 10.7857… : 1.2142… : 1

4,676 : 11 : 1 : 1

…

Hmm.

For every 4 thousand 6 hundred fics Draco appears in, 11 of them have OOC tagged, 1 of them has Draco Bashing tagged, and 1 of them has Evil Draco tagged. That is…

That is unfathomably good. I’m really, genuinely having a hard time picturing it. I really, honestly, don’t think there’s been a character as unquestionably overrated as Draco Malfoy in all of fandom, because, good lord, look at that ratio! People love the guy!

Let’s see the good draco malfoy tag, shall we?

Now, to be fair, most people don’t bother tagging any of this sort of thing, usually, so that’s a minor flaw in my ratio-ing. We can’t actually know exactly how many works laud Malfoy, or hate him, or feel ambivalent, because people don’t tag their shit properly. But I’m hoping this helps, at least a little. Anyway, 905! That’s a few. Not many, but certainly more than Evil or Bashing or even OOC.

65469 : 905 : 151 : 17 : 14

4,676.3571… : 64.6428 : 10.7857… : 1.2142… : 1

4,676 : 65 : 11 : 1 : 1

Yep. That’s not bad, not bad at all.

So. Most people seem to like him, if we’re honest. As I pointed out above, he’s a trope namer. If you didn’t click on the link for Draco In Leather Pants, here’s a brief summary from the TV Tropes page:

[ Transcription:

Sometimes, a fanwork will portray a villainous character in a more positive light. It can be done out of sympathy for the character, for shipping reasons, as a part of a role-reversal story, several of the aforementioned or for the variety of other reasons.

The common subjects of this treatment are characters who are wicked in a classy or cool way. A physically attractive villain is much more likely to be subject to this trope than a physically ugly one; Beauty = Goodness, after all, and shallow as it may be, it seems that, for some fans, this is the case even when the character's beauty only extends to their appearance. All Girls Want Bad Boys may be a factor with male villains getting a female fandom that views them through this lens. A badass villain will naturally be preferred by many of these over meeker heroic characters at times, as well. Ugly Cute villains also get this pretty easily. ]

So! There’s that. He named a trope all about appreciating a character perhaps (usually definitely) more than they deserve, so I wouldn’t call him ‘underrated’ by most general definitions of the word:

People seem to mostly believe him to be quite good, actually! Certainly enough to write about him a lot, to draw him a lot, to edit him a lot, to theorise about him a lot, to ship him with the main character so much that the 99th filter ever on AO3 was Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter.

Hey, actually, that’s a good idea! Which filter id is Draco Malfoy?

Now, if I’m not mistaken, it’s been a while since I had to do this -

Draco Malfoy was the 1589th tag canonised in the tag system of AO3. Let’s check the Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter tag (which I know for certain was 99) to make sure:

And lo and behold, I was right. That’s mad. That’s mad!!!!

Ooh, I’ve found a fun trick

To change which rss feed you’re looking at, copy the https:// link up to .atom in the speech marks, and change the highlighted number. That shows you what uses that tag_ids: - in this case, 93 is Draco himself. The 93rd tag, dedicated to Draco Malfoy. Good lord, that’s insane! I guess there really weren’t many other things to prioritize at the time, but that’s still silly to me.

Fluff and Angst appears to be the fiftieth tag canonised, for comparison. Sometimes when you replace the rss feed’s ‘tag’ in the address bar it takes you to the tag’s page instead of the feed, because that tag doesn’t have an rss feed. The more you know!

Anyway, back on track: I think all of that, rss feeds, youtube analytics, fandom presence, all kind of proves my point:

Draco Malfoy is not underrated. He is, arguably, overrated as a character, but unarguably very popular within the greater Harry Potter fandom. Unpopular characters don’t tend to get paired with the lead, at the very least - and you can’t turn around in the Harry Potter fandom without seeing Drarry somewhere, can you?

[sushigirlali]

If You Don't Love Me, Lie To My Face - Part I (Reylo Fanfic)

Part I | Part II | Part III | Epilogue 

Summary: Grifter!Rey helps U.S. Senator Leia Organa's son, Ben Solo, out of a jam when a couple of muggers invade her turf. Afterward, she debates robbing the rich American herself, but can she protect her heart while stealing his?

Pairing: Rey + Ben Solo | Finn + Poe Dameron

Rating: E

Continuity: Modern AU

A/N: For the first time ever, I’ve actually written most of the story before I started posting! I think it will be way less stressful since I don’t have to “keep up” with updates. New chapters will be posted each Friday. Enjoy!

Master list –> AO3 | ff.net | Tumblr

——————

If You Don't Love Me, Lie To My Face - Part I

By: sushigirlali

——————

Kennington, London

——————

There are moments in life that make you question everything that came before. A look from a stranger, an incident at your job, a terrible movie... things Rey Niima was usually able to push past without pause, but tonight, she was finding it extremely difficult to ignore the feeling that her life was about to change forever.

"Hey, give us your wallet!" A pair of brawlers had cornered a man at the mouth of a nearby alley, drawing Rey's attention as soon as she stepped out the back door of her favorite pub, The Black Prince.

"Excuse me?" the would-be victim responded indignantly. His voice was deep with an American lilt, his stature intimidating.

Did these fools really think they could steal from a man like that? But then, not all criminals were as intelligent as her.

"You heard me! I want your wallet!"

Rey hung back from the potentially violent situation unfolding before her, sizing up the assailants. Their outfits were all black, including the ski masks covering their faces, but she couldn't see any identifying marks or gang affiliations. "Must be lone wolves," she thought.

There was something familiar about the tall one doing the talking, but she couldn't place them. It probably didn't matter, though, because the redwood with the nice accent looked like he could take the both of them with one hand tied behind his broad back.

Still, for some reason, she was finding it hard to walk the other way. Definitely not because the man was the most striking person she had ever seen. No, it had to be due to the fact that these bums were causing a ruckus on her turf. At least, that's what she kept telling herself, frozen to the spot as she was.

"Listen, I just got done volunteering at a shelter all day and just want to get home. Please allow me to leave unmolested."

"Volunteering at a shelter?" she muttered under her breath. "Well, fuck. But it's not your business, don't get involved." Rey was turning around to go back inside the pub when the sound of a gun cocking drew her up short.

"Don't make me repeat myself again, pretty boy."

"Whoa, hey, there's no need for that!"

"Then empty your pockets! Now!"

"No," he said crossly. "Put that thing away before somebody gets hurt."

"Dammit," Rey groaned, retrieving the silver baton clipped to her belt. Sometimes, she really hated having a conscience; in her line of work, it was a real liability.

"Hey, get your hands off me!"

"Oh, for fuck's sake," she growled, resolutely stalking toward the turbulent scene. "Oi! You lot!"

The big guy and his sidekick paused to look in her direction. "What?" the leader said in a surprisingly feminine voice.

"Not a guy," Rey mused. "Based on your absolutely abominable bullying technique, I don't think you're getting that guy's wallet any time this century, so why don't you just leave him alone and move along."

"Excuse me?" the woman said threateningly.

"I'm sorry, did I stutter?"

"You move along, little mouse, this doesn't concern you!" the shorter guy spat.

"You do know who's neighborhood this is, don't you?" Rey said tauntingly.

"Yeah?" the first one said dismissively. "So what."

"So, knock it off! We don't need the fuzz coming down here because some hooligans are roughing up a foreigner."

"Hooligans?! And who the fuck are you?"

"Me?" Rey sneered, flicking the baton out to the side so that it extended into a long poll. "I'm no one."

"Phas," the skinny guy said nervously, obviously recognizing her at last, "we should go."

Rey had never been so proud of her reputation as a grifter who was just as likely to steal an expensive piece of art from the peerage in an elaborate heist as kick a thug's ass in the street.

"But the boss—"

"He'll understand."

"But—"

"Phas!"

"Fine. But don't think this is over!" the woman yelled before running off with her companion.

"Well," the American said slowly, "that was an experience I never wish to repeat again." He smiled at her. "Thank you," he said sincerely.

"You're welcome," Rey replied gruffly, still riding high on adrenaline. "Do you always walk around by yourself at night in a city not your own?"

"Do you always save unsuspecting passersby from thieves?" he retorted.

Her phone went off, but she didn't answer it. Up close, the man was even more attractive than she had initially thought. "Suit looks expensive, too… and is that a Breitling?" Perhaps it was her lucky night after all. "Only if they're handsome," she said smoothly.

"Oh, uh…" he flushed at her compliment.

"Hmm… not the reaction I expected." It was kind of refreshing, though. "Sorry, I—ugh, one sec," she said as her cell went off again. "My brother," she explained, checking the caller ID. "I have to take this or he'll just keep phoning until I pick up."

The man shrugged, "No problem, I'll just wait over here." He stepped up onto the curb and walked a few paces away.

Rey nodded and lifted the phone to her ear. "What?" she said shortly.

"Who's the stiff?" Finn asked without preamble.

"Nobody."

"Right," he huffed. "Are you working him?"

"Undecided, stop pushing."

"Whatever you say, Rey. Just be careful."

"I will. Where are you anyway?" she said, humored by his tough older sibling act.

"Hanging outside the pub, just around the corner. Why? You need me?" Finn teased.

"No, I'll catch you later. Don't wait up." She ended the conversation before he could respond and stuffed the phone into her back pocket. "Sorry about that, uh…?"

"Ben," the stranger supplied, moving closer again. "Ben Solo."

"I'm Rey," she said, holding out a hand.

Ben's lips quirked and he gave her a firm handshake, his huge hand dwarfing hers. Rey felt a shiver run up her spine at the brief contact, but she shook it off.

"So, what's that for?" he indicated the weapon still in her hand. "Joining the circus?"

"No," she grinned, "it's a bo staff. I use it for self defense."

"And the defense of others," he said warmly.

"On occasion." She folded the bo staff back into a baton before reattaching it to her belt.

"Can I get you a drink?" he nodded toward the pub. "To say thank you?"

"I was actually on my way home before I… bumped into you."

"I could… walk you home? If you want." He didn't sound desperate, but it was a near thing.

"I'm not from around here," she said evasively. She couldn't really bring him back to her base of operations, which was only a few blocks down the street, but she didn't want to stop talking to him either. "What a dilemma."

"No? Where are you from then?"

"Nowhere."

"Okay… Well, I promise I'm not a pervert or a serial killer or anything," he said earnestly, "so you can come back to my hotel with me if you want. It's late and I'd hate for anything to happen to you."

She crossed her arms. "Because I'm a woman?"

"Hey, I'm 6'3" and double your weight and I almost got jumped like ten minutes ago," he reminded her. "It can happen to anyone."

"Fair enough," she allowed, lowering her defenses. "Still…"

"I can call my security detail if you want verification that I'm not a psycho," he offered. "I'd just like the opportunity to get to know the woman who saved my hide."

Rey's interest sharpened. "That's sweet, but uh… security detail?"

"Yeah," he said nonchalantly. "My mother is a U.S. Senator. I'm in town on her behalf. She was supposed to come herself, but her re-election campaign is heating up and she couldn't spare the time."

"You disapprove," she said perceptively.

Ben's dark brows shot up. "Yeah, actually. You a mind reader, Rey from nowhere?"

"Something like that," she smirked. "I prefer the term grifter."

"Grifter?" he said curiously. "What does that mean, exactly?"

"Oh, you know," Rey winked for effect, assuming the privileged American was about to run in the opposite direction, "I swindle rich people out of their valuables by preying on their weaknesses. Basically, I'm a professional bad guy."

Ben looked hopelessly confused by her explanation. "But you just helped me."

"Well, sometimes I like to help out the little guy." Rey looked him over. "Little big guys too."

"Like Robin Hood?" he said, disarming her with a crooked smile.

"What? I wouldn't say I'm—I'm a hero or anything," she stuttered.

"Well, you're my hero," he said smoothly, holding out a hand. "That's my driver pulling up over there, in the black Jag. Join me? Please?"

"I… okay," she agreed, placing her hand in his, "but just for a little while." This time, she couldn't ignore the shiver.

——————

Alarm bells should be going off in her head, but Rey felt perfectly comfortable with her new companion. It was odd, considering her trust issues, but Ben didn't seem to be only interested in her looks. And she knew she looked good tonight, her dark leather leggings were basically painted on and her lacy bra was visible through a mostly sheer black tank top. Add on her subtle smoky makeup and half-up hair style that emphasized her cheek bones and...

"Rey?"

She loved the way he said her name, almost like a caress. "Yes?"

"Are you hungry? I haven't had dinner yet."

"Oh, sure," she said, never one to give up a free meal. Though she did kinda wish something else was on the menu… "What is wrong with you? You just met the man! Note to self: masturbate more."

"Chinese okay?"

Her mouth watered. "Perfect."

"What do you like?"

"Besides you?" she said without thinking. "Uh, I mean—anything, really. Noodles, if they have them."

Ben let her comment pass, but he was beaming. "I like noodles too. Maybe some kind of chicken? Orange?"

"Excellent," she seconded.

"You're easy," he said, but then caught himself, looking horrified. "I mean to order food for, not—"

"It's okay," she laughed, patting his thigh. "I know what you meant."

"Sorry, I haven't done this in a long time," he said sheepishly, catching her hand before she could remove it.

"This?"

"Gone on a date."

"Oh." Was this a date? Rey couldn't remember the last time she had been on one. Pretty much anytime she'd been alone with a man not her brother in the past ten years it was because she intended to rob them.

"Not that this has to be a date," he said quickly, releasing her hand. "Sorry, I keep saying stupid things."

Dammit, but he was cute. "You don't have to keep apologizing," she replied lightly. "Let's just have dinner and talk and see where that takes us." Maybe the night would lead to some fun extracurricular activities, maybe not, but at least she'd be able to case his place. Based on what she knew so far, the guy definitely came from old money. "Just keep reminding yourself that he's potentially a mark, not a boyfriend, Rey."

"Sure," he smiled, looking relieved. "Hey, Poe?" he said to the driver. "Can you pick up some food after dropping us at the hotel? We're starving."

——————

Ben fumbled a little opening the door, but quickly recovered and ushered Rey inside with a gallant sweep of his arm. The hotel was nice, but not extravagant, something she found odd for the son of a U.S. Senator. Then again, he had apparently been helping out at a shelter all day, so maybe he really was as down to earth as he seemed.

"The bathroom is through there if you need it," he pointed toward the bedroom.

"I'm fine, thanks."

"Okay, I'm just going to grab a quick shower. Poe should be back within the hour, so make yourself at home."

"Can I join you?" she was tempted to say. "Sure, I'll just watch the telly."

Ben nodded and left the room. A few seconds later, Rey heard the water start. Flipping on the TV, she left it on the cartoon channel before having a look around.

There weren't any expensive electronics or pieces of art in plain sight, so Rey could only assume that anything valuable would be in his room. "Oh, well, nothing gained, nothing lost. Better update Finn, though."

Yanking her cell out, Rey sent a quick text to her brother with Ben's name, the hotel's address, and a couple sentences about the modest state of his living room. He answered her almost immediately, sounding concerned.

Finn: Are you sure about this bloke? If you're not there to rob him, I assume that means you're interested in something else?

Rey: Yes? Maybe? I don't know. We just met, but…

Finn: At least text me later, okay? So I don't have to worry

Rey: I will. Love you 3

Finn: Love you too, peanut

Finn: ...check the room safe if you get a chance. Those types of hotels always have them and you never know what might be inside ;)

Rolling her eyes, but knowing he was right, Rey listened for a moment. It sounded like Ben was still in the shower, so she took the opportunity to pop into the bedroom and search his closet. A standard issue hotel safe was at the back, surrounded by some very nice black suits.

It wouldn't have been hard to crack the safe if she had her gear, but her heart wouldn't have been in it even if she did. She didn't want to rob Ben Solo, which was a first. Still, she did appreciate a challenge...

"Did you need something?"

Rey whipped around to see her host in nothing but a low slung white towel. "No, I—uh…"

"Would you like something to change into?" he inquired kindly.

Unable to respond with his magnificent chest and long thighs on display, Rey just shook her head in the negative. His brow creased and she felt like a kid who had been caught snooping for Christmas presents. "Shit, shit, shit, I've totally blown it!" Backtracking to the living room, she wasn't surprised when he followed. "What should I do? Oh, god, I don't want him to think…"

"Rey, what you said earlier… about being a… what did you call it? A grifter? Are you—mmph!" he started, unable to complete his thought as Rey impulsively reached up to kiss him.

But instead of pushing her away and demanding an answer, Ben threaded his fingers through her hair and dragged her closer. Taking his response as permission, Rey wrapped her arms around his waist, gripping his bare back as the kiss went on and on.

Somehow, they ended up next to the couch. Rey pushed Ben into a sitting position and climbed onto his lap, rubbing her clothed core against the tent in his towel. "Rey," he whispered, lips trailing down to her neck, "Rey, I want you."

"Yes," she responded as he reached for her waistband. Coming up on her knees, she growled when he yanked her leggings and underwear down her hips with one forceful tug. Things were getting out of control, going too far too fast, but she didn't care; she wanted him too. "Help me," she demanded, legs trapped by the constricting garments.

"I've got you," he huffed, reaching behind her to unzip her black combat boots and pull her pants the rest of the way off.

Meanwhile, Rey tore her top and bralette over her head before going to work on the towel barely covering his lap. "Wow!" she blew out a breath, zeroing in on his ardent erection when it was uncovered. He was big, maybe bigger than anyone she'd ever been with. Would he fit?

"Fuck," Ben sighed, sitting back to stare at her body, "you're beautiful, Rey."

Feeling weirdly shy about the sincerity in his sinful voice, Rey kissed him again in lieu of a response, reaching between them to spread herself for entry.

"Wait," he said, gasping for air, "what about protection?"

"Implant," she mumbled, rubbing her slit against the tip of his penis. "I'm clean, are you?"

"Yeah, I haven't—oh, god—uh, done it in a while."

"Good." She felt strangely possessive of him, this man she had just met. It pleased her that he didn't sleep around. "Fuck me, then. Raw."

Ben slammed his mouth down on hers again, positioning his dick with one hand and gripping her left buttock with the other. But he didn't ram himself home, instead he teased her hole, sliding only a fraction of the way in before retreating. He did it over and over, mimicking the action with his tongue until she was incoherent with desire, squirming, imploring him to fill her…

And then he was, and she found that he fit very well inside her indeed. His thick cock seemed to be made for her, hitting all the right spots and ones she hadn't even known existed until now. "Ben!" she cried, furiously pumping her hips in time with his thrusts. "This is—you're—"

"I feel it too!" he returned, palming her breast and teasing her erect nipple. "From the first moment I saw you, I—"

She licked his mouth, begging for entrance, not wanting to hear his sweet words even as they made her heart soar. He opened for her, but was obviously frustrated that she had cut off his declaration. Before she knew it, the hand squeezing her ass drew back and lightly smacked against her butt-cheek.

"Oh!" Rey jolted at the slight sting, but it wasn't in pain. On the contrary, she requested, "Again! Ben, do that again, please! I'm—"

Knock, knock.

"Oh, shit, Poe's at the—"

"Don't you fucking dare, Ben Solo," she growled, bouncing up and down on him with renewed vigor. But the driver started knocking harder, likely because of the guttural sounds erupting from Ben's throat. "Come on, man, can't you tell we're busy?!"

"But—shit!" Ben hauled her against him, no longer playing, just looking for relief before his friend broke the door down.

Rey found his soft grunts and swears endearing, so she took pity on him and increased her pace even further. "Come for me, Ben," she instructed, grinding down on him with all her might. "Come now and then we can eat. Or you can eat me, whichever you prefer."

The dirty talk seemed to work, because in the next minute, Ben was biting down on her shoulder, shaking with the force of his orgasm. Not far behind, Rey led his hand to her swollen nub, needing just a hair more stimulation to tip over the edge. Almost instantly, his trembling touch sent her into climax. Still vaguely aware of what's-his-name banging on the hotel room door, she pressed her mouth to Ben's pectoral to muffle her cries and came for what felt like ages…

"That—was—amazing," Ben panted, hugging her so tightly she thought she might pop. "The—best—I've—ever—had!"

"Me—too," she couldn't help but admit.

Loosening his hold, Ben cupped her cheeks and kissed her softly. "Thank you."

"Ah—you're welcome," she said, smiling like an idiot. Before she could lean in again, Poe resumed making his presence known.

"Ben? Are you okay? Answer me! Did that woman kill you? Your mother will be so pissed if you're dead." He hit the door again. "Either answer me in the next ten seconds or I'm going to get security!"

"I'm fine, great, alive, whatever!" Ben called back loudly. "And annoyed," he said to Rey. "Go into the bedroom for a minute while I get rid of him."

"Okay," she agreed, gingerly getting up. They both groaned when he slipped out of her, which Rey found gratifying. "Can I use the shower now?"

"Sure, there are towels under the sink. My sleep shirts are in the top drawer of the dresser," he offered.

"He wants me to spend the night?" she mused, feeling giddy and terrified all at once. "Alright," she said aloud, picking up her clothes and disappearing into the bedroom she'd been casing earlier, "call out if you need backup."

"Will do," he chuckled, "will do."

——————

Ten minutes later, Rey emerged from the bathroom feeling fresh and back in control. Picking a long sleeve shirt out of Ben's dresser at random, she pulled it over her naked body before toweling off her wet hair. The black cotton was as soft as it was big, but Rey didn't mind; it smelled like Ben.

Catching her reflection in the floor length mirror by the closet, she was amused to see that the garment fell to her knees like a sack, giving her already slender body exactly zero shape. "Oh, well, it's not like I plan on wearing it lon—"

A disturbance in the living room suddenly diverted her reverie. Sneaking to the door, she carefully cracked it and peaked out.

"You can't just keep her here!" Poe nearly shouted at Ben.

"Keep your fucking voice down," he snarled back. "You're not my boss or my mother and you can't tell me what to do. I'm a grown ass man!"

"Maybe so, but you're acting like a teenager! You can't just sleep with some chick you picked up off the side of the road when Leia is counting on you to—"

"I told you," Ben said through gritted teeth, "she saved my ass and I wanted to get to know her. I didn't hire her for the fucking night!"

"Could have fooled me," Poe scoffed. "For all you know, she could have been in on the attack and—"

"Get out!" Ben ordered, clearly at his wit's end. "I'll call you when you're needed again, if you are."

"Are you firing me?!"

"Not yet," Ben said grimly, marching to the door and flinging it open. "Just go before I forget that you're my best friend and say something I regret."

"Fine," Poe said, storming out of the apartment. "Let me know when you come to your senses!"

Ben slammed the door shut, then turned around and leaned on it. Scurrying back into the bathroom before he caught her eavesdropping, she started combing her hair, attempting to look natural in case he came in after her. When he didn't, she tried not to feel disappointed.

Leaving her damp hair hanging loose around her shoulders, Rey found him sitting at the dining table in his towel with several brown paper bags in front of him. He looked lost in thought and she hoped he hadn't taken Poe's opinion about her motives to heart. "Wotcher, Ben?" she asked hesitantly.

"Hmm?" he said, looking up at her. "Sorry, I was just...uh…" The arrested look on his face made her toes curl. "Wow, you look amazing."

"This old thing?" she joked, sidling up next to him. "I borrowed it from a mate."

"He has good taste," he said, opening his arms.

"I certainly think so," she said coyly, moving to sit sideways on his lap. Rey curled one arm around his neck and placed the other one on his chest. "Are you still hungry?"

"For food?" he choked, holding her so that she wouldn't slide off.

"Food," she nodded, leaning her forehead against his, "and other things."

One of Ben's large hands inserted itself between her thighs. "These kinds of things?" he murmured. "I think we can—fuck!" he bit his lip as he discovered that she wasn't wearing anything underneath his shirt.

"We can certainly fuck," she teased, "but—oh!" Rey gasped as he stood with her in his strong arms. "Ben? What are you…?"

Before she could get the words out, he'd pushed their dinner out of the way and laid her down on the table. Placing the backs of her knees in the crook of each arm, Ben pulled her forward until her butt was on the edge of the table and her pussy was level with his mouth.

"Having dinner," he said in the most ridiculously sexy tone of voice she'd ever heard, flipping his nightshirt up so that she was bare from the waist down.

"Oh, god!" she whimpered as he lowered his head. "Ben, you don't really have to—ah!" Gripping the back of his head as he started to lick her folds, Rey shuddered every time his long nose bumped against her clit.

"Enjoying yourself?" he said a little arrogantly. "Is this why you came home with me? Cause you wanted me to make you feel good?"

Considering how very well he was treating her, and the uncertainty on his face, she decided to play along. "Yes, Ben, I wanted you the second I saw you!"

He smiled slightly, then resumed tasting her. "So, does that mean you want to come?"

"That would be lovely," she sighed, enjoying the pressure of his wide mouth.

His mouth quirked at that. "Never heard sex described that way before."

"Then you're doing it with the wrong people."

"Oh?" his gaze turned hot. "And how many people have you been doing it with?"

"Not many," she said hurriedly, "and not in a long time."

"Good girl," he said silkily. "So, if I were to put my fingers inside you, would your cunt feel… full?"

"Yes!" she panted, so wet she was dripping onto the table now.

"Let's see then."

Arching her back as he slid two fingers inside her body, Rey realized that she had never really known sexual satisfaction until tonight. She was twenty-five and still basically knew nothing about sex and relationships. "Huh."

Ben stopped moving, lifting his dark head to look at her. "Rey? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," she said dreamily. "I guess I've just never felt this way before."

He held her eyes for an extended moment, amber striking against hazel. "Yeah, me too." And then he was fingering her again, sucking and teasing her slick opening until she was crying out his name in ecstasy.

Afterward, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom, kicking the door shut behind them. Needless to say, they skipped dinner that night.

——————

Rey grunted as she felt Ben leave the bed the next morning. He had been her heater since the sheets and pillows were strewn about the room. "Come back," she said hoarsely, throat worn from use. "I'm cold."

"Just a moment," he laughed, opening the bedroom door to fetch something from the living room. "Your cell has been going off for an hour straight."

"My cell?" she yawned. Then, "Oh, no." She sat bolt upright. "Wait! Don't—"

"Rey?" Ben called in disbelief. "Who the fuck is Finn?"

——————

A/N: I love Kingsman and always think about Rey being a punk with a heart of gold like Eggsy. I didn't include the spy angle, but I was able to visit The Black Prince, where scenes were filled for the movie, a couple years ago and have fond memories. Anyway, reviews are appreciated! <3 

[vinkumakkara]

@19731753701​ asked me bout my Zenigata Joins The Gang And Discovers He’s Gay au and well i said i would write about it but now i feel super self-conscious talking about thos “i would never write the whole thing i just fantasize about it” fanfic ideas because it feels like talking about your dreams or smth gflhkdkgf anyways i still wrote about the premise. please forgive me

pic is Original The Character ex-triad, Lillian “Rotmouth” Chou, who’d have some kinda role in getting the ball rolling. due to some Financial Issues relating to a future heist and also just being a stupid horndog, Lupin (dragging along Jigen) gets roped into doing a boring yet very well-paying gig for the usual 30% with Fujiko, who’s partnered with Rotmouth to help her steal back around 10 million euros during some kinda event from her double crossing garbage boss as a final fuck you as she goes independent. Zenigata’s current superior in whatever hell city/country it’d take place in isn’t one of those nice ones and refuses to let him just fuck off after Lupin, instead conveniently telling him to show he’s actually worth shit by having him help out the security at the event for whatever reason. naturally he sniffs out Lupin almost instantly and trails the crew to wherever, but Rotmouth is much less content with having some pig following them around and cuts Zenigata up p bad intending to kill him. Lupin ends up offering his and Jigen’s cut in exchange for Zenigata’s life and to pay for the clean up (hush money etc.) Zenigata’s continued presence in this world would require. Rotmouth, while very confused because why would he keep that bookend around if he’s not actually working for him as Lupin insists he doesnt, instead agrees to halving Lupin & Jigen’s cut to 15% as they already did the work. they split while Zenigata had already hauled ass outta there (to  get treatment and not Die even though he def considered still trying to slap some cuffs on Lupin) without anyone noticing because he’s just like That. borderline indestructible

some time after the gig somewhere some wires get crossed really extremely bad and the 1.5 million euros get attached to Zenigata’s name (whos’ already struggling with coming to terms with the whole event and the Guilt) which kickstarts what his boss considers a very long overdue investigation on him being one of Lupin’s “assets” with Zenigata gradually realizing what’s happening as he’s assigned an “assistant” on the Lupin case (actually a replacement meant to keep an eye on him it’s totally Melon Cop) and ultimately results in him becoming a fugitive with said replacement after both him and Lupin. Lupin naturally takes him under his wing even tho he keeps insisting that it’s ridiculous that anyone’d even think that he’d ever have someone like Zenigata working for him and it’ll totes sort itself out just like all those other times, but there’s like this very real, growing sense of finality to it all that doesn’t go unnoticed by anyone in the crew as the mystery of the 1.5 million doesn’t come any closer to being solved

becuz im a edgy bitch and a bastard and gangster drama is just my absolute #1 main jam my approach would be more Mature and toned down rather than the cuter lupin stuff (and therefore goddamn boring i know im a hypocrite). idk i just think its so entertaining when these characters say fuck and can actually get badly hurt and bleed everywhere. features a really sad, conflicted Zenigata who’s just kinda completely lost but slooowly starts doing some soul-searching about why did Lupin pay so much for his life when he’s acting like such an absolute fucker, why the hell he’s actually been doing any of this shit, what’ll happen when the game between him and Lupin inevitably ends and what that means to him, and what if it means nothing to Lupin?? my Lupin in true green jacket fashion is an absolutely horrible bratty asshole who - despite being the reason Zenigata’s even around anymore and despite being the one keeping him around in hte first place - struggles with suddenly being in such close proximity to him as it throws their usual comfortable dynamic completely out the window and actually makes him like. consider what his relationship is with him and how deep down he doesn’t actually, literally consider him a really loud n annoying speed bump but rather like... a real person with feelings

based mostly around the less cutesy characterisation in ep 4 early episodes of green jacket with maybe a real delectable hint of the comic, like the faintest whiff of a clogged floor drain (still 100% cartoon characterisation tho these ain’t the comic ones)

[bigskydreaming]

Hey, odd question, coming from that post you made about the lack of even basic normal Dick Grayson smut.. Would you read anything at all if it's not gross and written well? Like oc or het or even self insert het? That's something I expected to see considering how much fans cry over his sexiness n romance potential but there are barely any? It's shocking, every fandom has a buttload of self insert het fics.. Btw, have you ever went into the birdflash ao3?

LOL, I mean, ‘anything else’ is a bit broader than I should have stated given that once you take out all the noncon, incest or pedophilia fics, I still have my share of kinks that just aren’t sexy to me and so I wouldn’t really be into a fic tagged with them, just as a matter of personal taste rather than having any issue with them overall. 

But I mean, I’m bi, so I definitely don’t have a problem reading m/f sex, but I’ve never been the target audience for self insert or reader fics. I’m glad they exist for people who like them, but with fanfics I tend to be there for the takes on existing characters and dynamics. There’s the occasional OC love interest or sex partner that I end up reading and enjoying, but tbh those tend to be fics I only click on when I can’t find anything else I haven’t read before and really want something to read so I go hey, why not.

I wish I could tell you why he’s so upheld as one of the most romantically and sexually appealing characters in DC’s entire lineup, and yet has so relatively few fics centered around that content for him, comparatively speaking. Not to mention so relatively few ships. I know you can find one or two fics for him with just about anybody, but that’s true of all major characters....in terms of big or semi-big ships, IMO he actually has a pretty surprisingly few ship ‘trends’ (once you ignore the incest of course). 

But I mean, there’s Kory, Babs, Wally, Roy and then Slade and the occasional Rob/Raven fic from the Teen Titans animated universe. But that’s not exactly that many ships. Especially considering we’re talking about the guy joked about being the cape community’s bicycle. He said, sourly.

As far as Birdflash - I mean, I don’t really go looking for it specifically on Ao3 or ff.net, but I read them when I come across them when going through the Dick Grayson tag. I don’t have anything against them as a ship, either in YJ ‘verse or comics canon, though the majority of what I’ve read is from YJ and I’m pretty sure is the preferred take on them...*shrugs* Idk. Like I’ve actually read more than a few birdflash that I liked quite a bit, they complement each other well in practically any dynamic....idk what it is, but my default setting seems to be that except for when reading already existing fic, I tend to just view them as BFFs. Platonic soulmates, the way Dick is with Donna, but not really having a ton of romantic chemistry. 

Like, it can work, absolutely, there’s just so many other partners I see more immediately as having potential, and their friendship already satisfies me in terms of how that dynamic usually works. So I’ll more than happily read birdflash if its there, but generally I’m more inclined towards Dick/Roy and my other big mlm ships for Dick are Dick/Joey and Dick/Kyle. 

[celestianstars]

Unrequited

Florian Munteanu x Reader

Warnings: angst, small crumbs of fluff if you look hard lol

For the anon who requested an unrequited love mini fic of Florian.

(I’ve also got a Viktor fanfic started so that will be done sometime soon btw!)

Sorry in advance for the sadness!

——————————————————————————

Acting like you weren’t in love with the man you were sleeping with was the most difficult thing to keep up with. 

Meeting Florian was a dream; one minute you were being invited to sit with him and his friends at the shisha lounge they always frequented, and the next you had a friends with benefits type thing with him.

He was just so easy to be around, the man had a charm about him that could suck anybody up and you felt lucky enough to get to be pleasured by him and feel safe and appreciated and understood along with it.

You just weren’t sure when that easy going, no strings attached situation had turned into you wanting more.

It shouldn’t have happened considering that he told you that he wasn’t looking for a long term relationship at the moment, his career was really taking off and he just wanted something casual and fun and in the beginning that was perfectly fine for you but now...it hurt you more and more to keep the secret.

He noticed the shift in your interactions with him too despite your best efforts to stop thinking about him that way.

It was only a suspicion when you held onto his waist as he was getting up from your bed after one particularly hot night together but he tried to write it off as you just feeling a little clingier than usual.

“It’s early Y/N, you should go back to sleep. I need to be at the gym soon.” he wasn’t cold about it, gentle as ever actually, as he pried your hands from his torso, tucking you back in bed.

Usually anytime he’d have to get up early you’d wake up from hearing him move around but would just wish him a good day and eventually fall back asleep but lately you wanted as much of him as you could get and tried to bargain with him for a few extra minutes in bed.

He got a confirmation of his suspicions when you kept asking to go with him to clubs or movie premieres to which he would always hesitate and tell you no. The fight that came after one too many “no”’s seeming to set everything straight.

“Why won’t you ever let me be seen with you in public Flo? Are you embarrassed or something?” you were trying not to seem irritated but in truth, you were.

Your body language gave you away, slight scowl on your face, arms crossed, leaning against the hallway of his apartment, watching him move between his room and the bathroom.

He was getting ready to go out with some friends he hadn’t seen in a few months and you decided to ask one more time because maybe this time he’d want your company too, only to get the same excuse of it being just a guy’s night.

“I’m not embarrassed Y/N, come on don’t be like that. I just know people would talk and there would be pictures of us everywhere and...” he sighed heavily, stopping to look at you for a second as he said it but you cut him off.

“Since when have you ever been concerned about what people say about you? You’ve literally always said that you know who your true friends are and their opinions are what really matter. So that brings me back to my original question, you don’t want to be seen with me do you? What, are you worried about what your friends are gonna say about me? That means you’re embarrassed!” you huffed.

“How many times do I have to tell you, I’m not embarrassed! I just don’t think it would be a good idea.”

“Not a good idea? What the fuck, Florian. Why is it a bad idea, please explain, is it because you think people will say I’m using you for money even when we both know I own a successful business and make a nice amount of money and can take care of myself? Or would people think I’m ugly and you secretly think I’m not attractive enough to be seen with your movie star self, huh?” you rolled your eyes at him, your level of annoyance going up by the second.

He stopped brushing his beard to look at you, not saying anything but just looking. He could see the secret in your eyes, you were falling for him, that’s what this entire thing was about and he knew for sure now.

“Will you stop? You know I don’t think you’re unattractive in any way and I admire you for being your own boss. I meant that people would think we were together, and we’re not and I don’t wanna deal with questions and rumors.” he frowned and went back to fixing up his beard in the bathroom mirror.

You weren’t sure what else you were expecting him to say because you knew it was the truth but it hurt you nonetheless.

There was nothing at fault with what he was saying, you knew this, but maybe you’d been holding out hope that he would admit feelings for you too.

How could you let yourself get to this point? 

You knew what you were getting into the minute he took you back to his place the night you first met and now you were hurting and not sure what to do about any of it.

You were silent for a long time before speaking again, choosing your words carefully.

“You’re right, we’re not together but...maybe...we could...be together some day?” you could barely bring yourself to look him in the eyes but he wasn’t saying anything and you could read his face like a book so you decided to face it.

And there it was. The heaviness in his eyes mixed with a frown, his eyebrows knit together, revealing that no, in fact, you couldn’t be together in that way.

He didn’t want to hurt you, that was the last thing he wanted to do, he may be seen as a fuckboy to some but that wasn’t who he was and it pained him to see your hopes being dashed down because of him.

“I....listen Y/N, you would be a great partner, you really would but I can’t do that. I don’t think I’m very good at relationships and my attention is on so many other things...I’m traveling so much lately too...” he leaned against the hallway wall, trying to be more at eye level with you because now you really couldn’t meet his gaze.

The mood in the room had shifted completely, all your irritability at his responses earlier morphing into sadness.

You were afraid you were going to start crying, the lump in your throat making it hard to speak up despite the avalanche of things you wanted to say.

“F...Florian...even if it was hard sometimes we could still make it work. But you don’t feel that way towards me, I’m more in love with you and you’re...not at all.” you felt your hands shake and you had to squeeze them together, hoping he didn’t notice that you were really struggling to keep it together.

He was just a guy. You tried to tell yourself that over and over, he was just a guy that you got too attached to but it was going to be ok because there were plenty of others out there, right?

But it was all such bullshit. Sure he was just a guy and he had flaws like any person but he was the first person to have treated you right even though you were just casually seeing each other, he treated you right.

“I’m sorry...I wish I could fix this but yes...I’m not in love with you.” he reached out to touch you, try and comfort you but you pushed his hand away.

It would only hurt more if he touched you.

He could tell that he was already hurting you and it killed him inside. He wasn’t in love with you but he still cared about you, you were still close to him personally and he didn’t want to lose your friendship.

“I don’t want to make this worse, Y/N, but maybe we shouldn’t fuck anymore. Just be friends. I don’t want to make you feel even worse by still sleeping with you and not being able to give you what you want.” he backed off a little, giving you some space to process.

The levee had broken and your tears were evident now, not being able to stop them from coming.

Hearing the last thing he said was what did it because it was what you feared second to him rejecting a relationship. He was right and you couldn’t argue his point, but it hurt all the same because everything had come crashing down in a matter of minutes.

You nodded and wiped your tears away hastily.

“I’m sorry, I never ever want to make you cry but I know you want me to be honest with you.” he hated this entire situation, not attempting to physically reach out again but wanting desperately to comfort you and make this better.

“It’s...o...ok Florian. I get it. You’re right actually, we shouldn’t sleep together anymore and it’s ok I promise. Um...I guess you better get going then, you’re gonna be late to the party. I’ll get all my stuff laying around here and...leave...leave the key under the mat before you get back.” you hiccuped, still shaking but trying to put on a brave face, knowing that if you didn’t start cutting your ties with him you would break down even more.

“That’s fine, take as much time as you need. I’m sorry again, I didn’t want this to be so painful but...you’re still a good friend, Y/N. And you’ll be with someone who deserves you better than me.” he spoke to you gently.

His gentleness with you even when this was probably awkward for him sent a pang through your heart.

He wasn’t cold about any of this for a single second, listening to what you had to say and trying to find a solution without intentionally hurting you unlike so many before him.

He said he wasn’t good at relationships but you knew for fact that he was because he didn’t try and push you away or say something hurtful because your confession annoyed him and he didn’t want to deal with it, he respected you enough to deal with it maturely and be mindful of how you felt while also telling you his own feelings.

You wanted him more than ever now but this was ending and you couldn’t allow yourself to dwell on it at this second, later you’d fall apart but not in front of him.

He stuck around a few extra minutes, making sure good you were both leaving on good terms and alright with just being friends now before you urged him to go already, have fun with his friends.

He held out his arms for you to embrace him and this time you accepted his touch, knowing this was probably the last time you’d hug him like he was yours and only yours, his sturdy arms wrapping around you, giving you a small squeeze before letting you go.

Flashes of memories came to the forefront of your mind as he said goodbye and stepped out of his apartment, leaving you to walk around and collect every piece of yourself you’d left here.

You let the sobs rack your chest as you went from room to room, remembering days you’d spent here, endless conversations and moments wrapped up in his arms, your lips and body on his, now everything feeling hollow and distant.

No trace of you was left behind as you gathered all the items you’d left at his place and locked the door, sliding his spare key under the mat and heading back to your own apartment to call your best friend and sit with your grief for awhile.

He said you’d find someone who you deserved better than him but if you were being honest, all you wanted and felt like you deserved, was him, there was no other, better person in your eyes.

He was all you wanted and it was gone now.

You cursed yourself for opening your mouth about it, for not trying to dig your heels in and get over those feelings and focus on keeping it casual but of course you had to fall hard and tell him about it.

There was nothing you could do now but try and accept it for what it was.

You were miles apart from each other now but the tiniest fluttering little bird of hope in your chest told you that maybe, just maybe, you’d find your way back to each other one day.

[the-purple-hero]

The Mun Behind The Muse(s)

The rules are simple. Repost, don’t reblog, and just tag the first five muns you think of to do this meme!

PERSONAL

Nickname(s): Blake

Gender Identity/Sexuality: Male/Straight

Married?: No

Have Kids?: No, unless pets count XD

Mun Faceclaim: Toothless The Dragon

Three Favorite Disney Movies: Coco, Wall-E, Zootopia

Three Favorite Disney Villains: Scar, Dr. Facilier, Maleficent

If You Had a Catchphrase: “Gotcha!” (Lame I know but I got nothing better XD)

If You Could Be a Mythical Creature: Dragon, no question about it.

Favorite Texture to Feel: I tend to like soft things, from fur to smooth things.

Favorite Smells: Cookies, Scented Candles, Chicken

Favorite Genre(s): Fantasy, Adventure, Horror, Action

Best Childhood Memory: Spending many summers with my Grandmother and on these occasions I found visits very enjoyable.

Worst Childhood Memory: Perhaps when my two dogs years ago needed to be put down because it was hard, I was denying it and it didn’t hit as hard at the time but it did later and it’s one of the big things I can think of.

If You Could Tell Your Past Self One Thing: “Never be afraid to be yourself and learn to stand up for yourself.”

If You Could Go Anywhere in the World: Egypt, Greece, France, London

One Lie You Told in the Last Year: I have told my sister that some of the things I currently own were bought as gifts by my S/O. They weren’t. I bought them for myself with money that should have gone to rent. (She won’t see this because she doesn’t have tumblr, but it’s good to say something about it.)

One Interesting Thing You Learned Recently: Sirens were not originally depicted as fish-people, but were instead actually bird people, and male sirens were a part of the early texts about them.

Random Useless Fact You Know: I know how to sex hermit crabs. I don’t know how that applies to adult life except in that particular situation.

Plans for the Future: I hoped at one point to become an animator but now I’m not so sure, I mean yes I’m still fascinated by that stuff but in terms of a dream job idk right now.

Least Favorite Interview Question: “What are your weaknesses?” Like, as if I want to tell you that I’m an ADHD, depressive asshole with severe anxiety who has stolen small things from previous jobs and might be a mild kleptomaniac and also may have multiple personalities. You won’t hire me if I tell you that shit. Also I hate when they ask “Why do you want to work with us?” Um.. Because money. I don’t necessarily care about your business but I have to tell you I do just so I can get a job, because I need money to live.

ROLEPLAYING

Note: The muses don’t have to be yours. They can be a partner’s muse, or one you’ve seen on your dash.

Favorite Muse: Oh man it’s really no contest, I’ve gotta go with Spyro of course. Not only is he a major part of my childhood therefore part of my life for a long time, he’s also someone that has a lot of potential for cool plots and ideas. :3 

Not to say I don’t have other muses I really enjoy using because I definitely do but I’d say Spyro is probably my top muse, and my favorite of them all and if I were to keep only one muse to stay it’d be him.

Least Favorite Muse: Hard to say, because there are a couple of muses I’ve got on another blog that I’ve been holding onto but don’t really see the reason yet I keep them anyway like Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde from Once Upon A Time. Not really sure why they or Nimue (OUAT) are still there, especially the former because they never get used and some muses I hold onto just because of one or two plotlines that needs them XD. 

Besides that though I like all my muses and they all became muses for a reason cause I liked them in some way.

Favorite Thread Plot: I love action and adventure, and I also like me some angst and fluff threads. 

Least Favorite Thread Plot: Don’t know if i could really say this but sexual subjects because I really don’t write it anyway not even with adult muses I’ve got. 

Favorite OC: I’ve only got one OC I actually rp as around here, but that’s not my only OC I have at least 2-3 more that I don’t have as rp characters but they were formerly in very old fanfics I wrote that are very cringey. 

So for now I’d have to say Andrew Goldberg, because the other 3-4 OC’s would need a lot of reworking in order to be considered I’d say because sure Andrew is a kidnapper and not a good person but still despite many rewrites on him I think he’s pretty good and can get good plots.

Least Favorite OC: Probably one of the OC’s I don’t have a blog so I’ll just say one I called Richard, because I had a randomly dark story connected to him just for the sake of having a big scary villain. 

The other could be one I called Brian Ravencroft or Nightwatcher, he was a superhero of sorts but would need some reworking I’d say cause his story is confusing and connected to a canon character. 

If You Could Meet One Muse: SPYRO, no contest really any of the dragons from Reignited I could say or even Crash Bandicoot but pls let me meet my precious purple boi!

Which Muse Would You Punch: Probably either Fiona/The Black Fairy or Thanos, cause they’re both terrible but I would definitely not live long past doing that I imagine. XD

Which Muse Would You Hug: Again Spyro, he’s just a super tough strong little guy but you can’t deny he’s adorable so I’d gladly hug him.

For the Other People

Tagged By: @jabbers-wild-world​ (Thanks and nice job making this ^-^)

Tagging: @chief-n-alpha @timekeeperlindar @nihoneshi @musesmansion @bluebirdsmuses @adventurouswind

[jd-btsobsessed]

A Shoulder to Cry On

A/N: Ooh, boy, this one took a while to nail down.  This fic has gone through so many drafts and iterations of the core idea that I think I’ve lost track.  This is one of the very first ideas I knew I wanted to do when I started writing fanfic, and I think I finally got it to where I’m happy with it.

Also, how the hell is this the first fic I’m posting that’s about Jungkook?  Wow, for being a crazy obsessed fan...I’m really falling down on the job.

best-friends!AU, friends-to-lovers!AU

Pairing: Jungkook/Reader

Synopsis: It’s a typical boring Friday night/Saturday morning when your phone rings.  Jungkook is on the other end...and he sounds...well, broken.  Assuming this is due to yet another failed relationship, you let him into your apartment.  But as the night progresses, it turns out all may not be as it appears...

Rating: PG-13

Word Count: 4K

Oh, my god, so bored.

That’s the only thought running through my head as I scroll through the most recent updates on Netflix. Why is there never anything good to watch?  I glance at my phone for about the sixteenth time in two hours.  Still no notifications.  I don’t know what I was expecting.  It’s not like I actually have friends.  Well, except for Jungkook.

The two of us…yeah, we go way back.  Like, all the way back to middle school.  We’ve been best friends – and I mean best friends – for several years.  We tell each other everything, and we’ve been through a lot of shit together.  It’s so strange…Jungkook was actually my first crush, back before I even knew what a crush really was.  I was thirteen, and as far as I was concerned, boys were icky…except for Jungkook.  He…well, he wasn’t.  I didn’t have any other explanation beyond that, but at the time I didn’t need one – I was a fickle teenager.

I don’t really remember how we actually started talking, but once we actually met and started hanging out, those feelings faded pretty quickly.  I still thought he was cute – hell, I still do – but after I started to get to know him, I started to see him differently, and before I knew it we were best friends.  Before the school year had ended we had already told each other every so-called “dirty” secret we had – most of which involved who we were crushing on at the time. Typical teenager-y shit, you know.

But it wasn’t until we got to high school that we really became super close.  Our relationship really turned a corner after the very first time Jungkook had asked a girl out.  She rejected him – I don’t really know who in their right mind would turn a boy like him down, but whatever – and he came over to my house, crying his eyes out and saying he would never ask another girl out ever again.  I stayed up with him pretty much the entire night trying to do whatever I could to comfort him, which is perhaps why I remember falling asleep in history class the following day.

I didn’t have my first foray into the dating world until sophomore year, but when I did…oh, boy. Basically, I was an idiot.  I had tried to be bold and ask a guy that I liked out for coffee one day, but as it happens that guy was a complete asshole. He not only rejected me, but told me that it was weird for a girl to ask a guy out in the first place.  He said it “just wasn’t normal”.  Whatever…dick.

So what did I do? I ran crying to Jungkook.  I explained the whole thing to him – through sobs and hiccups, of course…I don’t know how he managed to understand a word I said that day.  I do seem to remember the asshole coming to school the next day with a few cuts on his face and a bandaged hand though.  Somehow I always knew it was Jungkook’s doing, but when I confronted him about it, he just told me not to worry and that should any other guys try to screw me over in any way, he would…take care of it.  Hmm.

That cycle continued into our college years.  Even though we ended up going to different schools, we weren’t more than a couple of hours apart, so it wasn’t that big of a deal for Jungkook to just jump in his car – I didn’t have a car at the time – and come crash in my dorm room.  In fact, he made a habit of doing just that at least every other weekend.  He claimed he had friends on campus besides me, but I never actually met those “friends”, and I’m not convinced they even existed, since Jungkook would never spend more than hour away from me when he visited.

But while my dating life had slowed way down – okay, I won’t lie, it was practically nonexistent – Jungkook’s had seemingly stayed quite steady over the years.  It didn’t seem like he was too terribly interested in long-term relationships though, since the last time either of us had had to call the other for support was freshman year.  Still, we stayed closer than ever, and we even planned it out so that we could both come to each other’s graduation parties.  It was awesome.

I stifle a yawn as I toss my phone back onto the couch next to me.  It is 2:00 in the morning.  I should probably go to sleep soon.  Aw, but it’s Saturday.  Nobody cares if I sleep until 1:30 in the afternoon on a Saturday.  Maybe I’ll just—

So show me, I’ll show you…Show me, I’ll show you…So show me, I’ll show—

“Hello?” I answer my phone, interrupting the beautiful melody I chose as a ringtone.  Who on earth could be calling me at this hour of the—

“Y/N.”

The voice is quiet, broken…empty.  I’m slightly taken aback at how inhuman it sounds – like an imitation of a human voice rather than the real thing.

“I know I woke you,” it continues, “but, please…this is really important…”

There’s only one person I know that I’ve ever heard sounding this broken…but why is he calling me at this ungodly hour of the night?

“Kookie?” I whisper. “Kookie, what’s wrong?  Where are you?”

There’s a long pause, then Jungkook finally replies, “Can you let me in?”

I can hear muffled footsteps that suddenly stop in the background.  I slowly get up and make my way to my apartment’s front door, wondering what on earth could’ve brought him to my doorstep at 2:00 in the morning. As the door swings open I nearly drop my phone at the sight that greets me.

It is Jungkook, but he’s a shell of his former self.  His eyes are red, puffy, and hollow like a man whose soul has left him.  His cheeks are still wet, presumably with tears he hasn’t bothered to wipe away.  His dark brown hair is a tousled mess – it looks like he’s been running his hands through it all night.  He stands in my doorway, his shoulders drooped and head hanging low.  His whole demeanor is just…awful.

“Oh, my god, Kookie,” I whisper, moving forward to wrap my arms around his waist.  “Oh, my god, what happened to you?”

“I can’t—” Jungkook’s sobs cut off his words as he drops his head to my shoulder.

He wastes no time curling his arms around me, holding me tightly to him like he’s afraid I’ll disappear if he lets go.  His breathing is ragged and uneven as he cries into my sweatshirt, the sounds muffled by the weight of the material.  I’ve never seen him this bad.  All the times I’ve seen him fall apart over a girl…it’s never been this bad.

What the hell happened to him?

  Ah, man, I think as I open my eyes.  How long has it been?

I try to move under the blanket on the couch, but the weight of an extra body keeps me from going too far.  Jungkook grumbles in his sleep, clutching my waist tighter to him as I try to reach for my phone.  I unlock the screen and nearly drop the thing, momentarily blinded by its brightness.

4:00am.  So it’s only been a couple of hours…yet somehow we both managed to fall asleep during that movie.  I had insisted that we put on something lighthearted and fun, more for background noise than anything else.  I know from experience that when Jungkook is sad or heartbroken or depressed – or all of the above – he needs something to distract him from the intensity of his feelings.  He had insisted on cuddling up with me on the couch, which I was more than happy to do – I always am, especially when he’s in such a state – and that’s what brings us to our current situation.

Setting my phone down, I gently stroke the top of Jungkook’s head as it rests on my chest. Jungkook’s said before that my boobs make pretty nice pillows – typical college guy, but it’s never offended me.  I’d rather be told that than the laundry list of downright awful pickup lines that have been thrown at me in various party settings.

Poor guy.  I wonder what exactly happened to reduce him to such a pitiful state.

Just as I’m thinking this, I feel Jungkook stir on top of me.  His legs move just enough to support him so that he can heft his head off of my chest and look at me with sleepy eyes.

“Hmm,” he groans, his voice rough and gravelly.  “What time is it?”

“4:00,” I whisper, using the opportunity to readjust my legs under him.

Jungkook’s head drops softly back to my chest and he makes a noise somewhere between a groan and a chuckle.  I swallow the giggle that bubbles up at the sight, but just as I’m about to say something, a familiar sound fills the air – the rumbles of my empty stomach.

“Hungry?” Jungkook quips lazily as he peels himself off of me.  “I am too.”

I move to stand, thanking the powers that be for the freedom of movement.  Sometimes I forget how heavy that boy is.  I mean, he is a good eight or so inches taller than I am, so it makes sense.  It’s just been quite a while since anything like this has happened – long enough that I forgot what it feels like to have a full-grown man sprawled on top of me.

A good twenty or so minutes later I’m setting a big bowl of ramen in front of Jungkook at my tiny breakfast bar.  The boy closes his eyes and slowly inhales, almost drinking in the steam coming off of the broth, and for the first time tonight, he smiles.  It’s small and very much more subdued than usual, but I’ll take it.

“Thanks,” he says softly, looking at me with genuine gratitude on his face.

“Ah, it’s no big thing. You know you can always—”

“No,” Jungkook cuts me off, reaching for my hand and looking directly into my eyes, “I’m serious.”

Uh, okay.  It’s just ramen.  The question from before flashes back to my mind, and now I’m more curious than ever.  My concern for Jungkook’s wellbeing is also still present, but has definitely lessened given what’s gone down in the last couple of hours.  I watch as the boy starts eating, and I think perhaps he might be ready to talk.  It’s just a matter of how to ask him.

“Um,” I begin tentatively, “so, do you wanna, you know…talk about…anything?”

“Like?” Jungkook replies without looking up from his noodles.

“Like, why you’re sitting in my kitchen at 4:00am slurping down a huge bowl of ramen…”

“What?  I like the ramen you make.  Is that a crime all of a sudden?”

“Jungkook…”

My voice is firm yet gentle as I grab his hand and look him dead in the eyes.

“Why are you here?”

The boy doesn’t say anything right away.  Instead he just stares wide-eyed at me, seemingly searching my face for something. It’s not uncomfortable yet, but if the air in here gets any heavier, it’s gonna give the smog outside a run for its money.

“I can’t tell you,” Jungkook finally says in a hollow voice as he drops his gaze to his bowl.

“What?  Why not?” I ask, the frustration building up in my voice. “Do you think I’ll be mad at you or something?  Because if that’s the case, I don’t know where you’ve been for the last decade. You should know by now that it would take—”

“That’s not it.  At least, I hope not.”

Jungkook sighs quietly, searching the air above him for the words he needs.

“Then what is it?” I ask slowly, confused more by his tone than his words.

Silence takes over the room for a moment as Jungkook gazes back at me, his eyes filled with something I’ve never seen in them before – guilt.  Okay, this is getting too real.

“Kookie, you’re starting to scare me.  You’ve gotta tell me what’s wrong.  Normally I wouldn’t push this hard, but I want to help you, and I can’t if you don’t tell me what’s going on.”

“I want to tell you,” the boy whispers, “really, I do.  But…it’s just…”

A forceful sigh leaves his lips, and his eyes fall back to the countertop.  This is really weird – and it’s actually starting to freak me out a little.  I’ve never, never seen Jungkook like this – usually, even when he’s just been dumped, he closes in on himself for a few days. During those times he hardly ever says anything until he’s ready to talk about what happened.  But he never, never flat out refuses to tell me what’s bothering him.

As my concern for my best friend grows, I decide to take a different approach.

“Are you just not ready to talk yet?” I ask, voice barely above a whisper.  “If that’s it, then that’s cool.  We can just hang out for a while – watch something else if you want. I don’t care.  You’re just…  You’re really freaking me out here, Kookie.”

I get my answer when Jungkook stands, comes around the breakfast bar, and swallows me in a tight hug.  I waste no time hugging him back, and my eyes close as I hear his breath hitch in his chest.  The tears are coming back.  I’m just about to say something else when Jungkook beats me to the punch.

“Thank you,” he muffles into my sweatshirt, sniffing a little.

He pulls back, wiping his face with the sleeve of his black hoodie.

“You can, um, go to bed…if you want,” he mumbles.  “I can just crash on the couch.”

“Are you sure?” I ask gently, taking a tentative step forward.  “You sure you don’t want a cuddle buddy or anything?  You know I’m okay with that…”

Jungkook shakes his head and forces a weak smile onto his face, but his eyes stay murky and dark. I nod, turning to head for my bedroom. I feel bad for just leaving him alone like this…but if it’s what he wants, then I guess that’s his choice. Man, I can’t wait for this to blow over so I can find out what actually happened to mess him up so badly.  Call me calloused if you want, but at this point, I’m beyond curious to know…well, everything.

I take my time getting ready for bed – and I won’t lie, my conscience is needling me to go back to the living room and force Jungkook to either let me stay on the couch with him or drag him back to my room and make him sleep in there.  I’m not necessarily scared to leave him alone – I just feel like an awful friend for not pushing harder when I know he’s probably not in a terribly stable state of mind.  In fact, I feel so bad about it that, after only twenty minutes of tossing and turning in bed, I sit up.

Fuck this, I think as I toss my blankets aside.

The living room is dark and still when I open my door – and I mean, really, what was I expecting? Jungkook said he was going to go to sleep on the couch.  Still, though, I slowly inch forward.  There’s just enough light from the streetlights outside for me to navigate around my furniture, and I notice a human-shaped lump on my couch as I approach.

Hmm.  I guess he really meant what he said.  Well…now I feel stupid for even coming out here.  I was worried for nothing.  Oh, well.  Better to satisfy my curiosity and wandering mind than lay in bed for the remaining hours until sunrise and wonder.  All right, well, back to bed—

“Oh…god.”

The utterance is soft, but in the absence of all other ambient sound in the room, it sounds startlingly loud. I jump in place and turn to see Jungkook half propped up on the couch, his eyes wide and fixated on me.  It’s now I remember what I’m wearing – or rather, not wearing.  Pants.  I chose to sleep in just an oversized t-shirt and panties tonight, more out of laziness than anything else.  It’s laundry day tomorrow – cut me a break.

My cheeks immediately start to heat up as I realize the predicament I’m in – which is weird, because throughout all the years of our friendship, Jungkook has never cared about this kind of shit.  It’s always been, “eh, sure, run around half-naked – I don’t give a fuck”.  That kind of mutual attitude is the reason why I know beyond a shadow of a doubt how amazingly ripped my best friend is.  He’s walked around in my dorm room in just boxers before due to an accident involving a large soda and an unsteady table. Yeah, that was a fun day.

“Oh, uh, s-sorry,” I stammer, turning frantically to run for my bedroom – and almost immediately banging my shin into the edge of my coffee table.  “Oh, god!  Ow!”

I fall to my knees, clutching my sore leg and squeezing my eyes shut against the pain – which is why I don’t notice when Jungkook joins me on the floor.

“That sounded pretty bad,” he says from right beside me, making me jump again.  “I heard that thunk – you’ll definitely have a bruise tomorrow.”

There’s a pause as he turns on the flashlight on his phone and sets it aside so it doesn’t blind us, and then, “Why are you still awake?”

“Why are you still awake?” I repeat back.  “I would’ve thought you’d be asleep by now.”

“I was getting there. I was actually just starting to doze off when I heard your door open.  After a few minutes of not hearing anything, I decided to roll over and see what was up, but when I did…well…”

Jungkook gestures to my entirely exposed legs before sheepishly locking his eyes on the floor.  Well, shit.  I’m the one that stopped him from going to sleep.  Now I feel like an even worse friend than before.

“Oh, sorry…about that,” I mumble, surreptitiously trying to pull my t-shirt down to cover my legs.

“What’s your excuse?” Jungkook asks.

“I, uh, couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t help feeling awful for just leaving you alone like this, so I finally gave up and came out to see if you were really okay.”

A tiny smile crosses Jungkook’s face as he looks back up at me, and this time his eyes look…different from before.  Before they were heavy and black, swirling with pent up emotion that needed to be released.  But now they’re…I don’t know, lighter?  Brighter? Happier?

The silence stretches on, our gazes locked on one another.  It’s now that I notice a definite shift in atmosphere surrounding the two of us. Jungkook starts to scoot closer to me, and I begin to internally panic as he reaches for my hand – the one that’s still holding the sore spot from a few minutes ago.  Softly, tenderly, he begins to pull my fingers away from my leg, and before I can say anything, he leans in and places a featherlight kiss on my shin.

“I don’t deserve you,” he whispers so softly I almost miss it.

Okay.  This has taken a turn I was not expecting.  Not that I’m complaining – far from it, in fact.  But there’s no denying that this is a little weird, especially coming from Jungkook of all people.  I mean, this is the guy that used to ruffle my hair and chase me around the park with dead bugs that he’d found and wanted to make me touch.  This is the guy that used to brag about being able to drink any of his buddies under the table, even challenging his roommates to prove him wrong. That guy…that guy is the one holding my hand and kissing my leg because I hurt myself on accident.  That guy is the one cradling my face in his hands, tenderly brushing his thumb over my cheekbone.  That guy is the one leaning in to kiss me…

It’s not a very long or involved kiss – more like just a firm peck on my lips – but somehow it feels like so much more.  We sit in silence after Jungkook pulls away, and he leans his forehead against mine, his eyes closed.  I think he must expect me to push him away or something, because he doesn’t move for several minutes.  Meanwhile, all I can do is blink and try to convince myself that I’m not dreaming – that really just happened.  What the actual fuck—

“I’m sorry,” Jungkook mutters, still not opening his eyes, “but I couldn’t hold back anymore.  I’ve wanted to do that for…oh, god, so long. You have no idea.”

“W-why?” I finally squeeze out.

Jungkook’s eyes open and our gazes lock once more.

“Because…” he sighs, “I… Well, I might as well say it.  I love you, Y/N, so much.  I don’t know exactly when it started, but what I do know is…I’m crazy about you.  That’s what I couldn’t tell you earlier.  I was too—”

“No,” I cut him off.

Jungkook’s brow furrows and his expression falters.

“No?  No what?”

“Why…are you sorry?”

That question seems to stump Jungkook, and we sit in silence yet again, but now my head is beginning to clear.  I’m starting to wrap my brain around what’s been happening these last few hours…and why Jungkook was so startled to see me in only a t-shirt and underwear.  He cares now because he doesn’t see me as just a friend anymore.  The days of him chasing me around and laughing at my cheesy teenage attempts to be sexy are gone – and now it’s time for a change.

I feel my mouth stretch into a smile as I close the distance between us, stopping millimeters above Jungkook’s lips.

“If you’re gonna kiss me,” I whisper, “at least do it right.”

There’s a half-second pause where I see Jungkook’s eyes light up, and I realize I just gave him the permission he was secretly asking for – and I’m totally okay with that.  He practically pounces on me then, his fingers threading into my hair, his lips hot and heavy on mine.  It doesn’t take long for him to slip his tongue into my mouth, and I can’t contain the moan that slips from the back of my throat.

Jungkook pulls away long enough for us to breathe and whispers against my kiss-bitten lips, “Well, I guess my secret’s out.  It’s your choice though whether or not this goes anywhere.”

I’m panting heavily at this point, and my head is foggy with overwhelming arousal.  I never realized before how amazingly sexy Jungkook is…but damn, if I’d known he was this good of a kisser, I would’ve been on top of that shit a long time ago.  As to Jungkook’s assertion regarding my choice in the matter – hell, I’d be the biggest idiot in the known universe if I passed up an opportunity like this.  I know already what I want as I pull Jungkook to his feet alongside me.

Stretching up on tiptoe, I whisper, “What if you don’t like my choice?”

There’s a dark glint in Jungkook’s eyes as he gazes hungrily back at me and smirks.

“Somehow,” he says, eyes fixed on my lips, “I don’t think there’s much of a chance of that happening.”

I smile and slide my hands down his firm chest, looping my arms around his waist.  With a quirk of an eyebrow, I slip both hands into the back pockets of Jungkook’s jeans, and I relish the feeling and sound of his breath catching in his throat.

Letting out a sound somewhere between a moan and a growl, Jungkook leans down and whispers, “You keep that up, and I’ll make sure you don’t cum first.”

“Oh, really?  Well, we’ll see about that,” I punctuate my statement with a slight squeeze to Jungkook’s ass, “now won’t we?”

[thegreatwhiteferret]

Waiting For Tonight

Summary: Eddie always thought that he would wait until he was married to have sex, but after a year and a half of dating Richie with all of his teasing and innuendos, Eddie snaps. He can’t wait any longer and he challenges Richie to do his absolute worst on him and wreck his virgin body.

Pairing: Reddie

Rating: EXPLICIT

A/N: This was an unbelievably amazing PowerBottom!Eddie request from @theriodiaries , I am so sorry that this took me so long to finish, I wanted to make it the best that I could for you and definitely overthought some thing, but I really hope that you like it! (Especially since I have two more requests to write for you now!!! Super excited!) ❤️❤️❤️  Also, this is a shameless self promo but... @reddieforlove ...for your consideration for the next Reddie Fanfic Friday.

NSFW Under the Cut...

Eddie wasn’t sure what it was. It wasn’t out of some moral or religious obligation. It wasn’t his mother, and her horrific stories about all of the diseases that could be spread. It wasn’t because he was disgusted by the thought of it. Scared? Maybe a little, but not enough to keep him from doing it. It was none of that, he wasn’t sure what it was, but nonetheless he had made himself a promise a long time ago that he would wait until he was married to have sex.

The problem with this of course, was that Eddie had made this decision when he was seven years old. When he didn’t understand what it meant. When he hadn’t been able to come to terms with the fact that he found little girls icky, and didn’t think that his feelings would ever change about that. He had made the decision before he realized that he was hopelessly in love with Richie Tozier.

Being in love with Richie presented its own set of unique...challenges, but Eddie wouldn’t take him any other way. He loved him more than he ever imagined was possible.

One of Richie’s many strengths was how understanding he was. Eddie had told Richie way before they had even started dating, way back the summer they turned thirteen, that he wanted to wait to have sex. Richie had balked at first, shocked that anyone in the world wouldn’t be itching to tickle their pickle, but stopped immediately when he saw how serious Eddie was. If this was something that Eddie was adamant about, he would never pressure him.

That didn’t mean that he was going to stop with all of the innuendos and obnoxious jokes, that’s just who Richie was as a human being, but he did curb them a bit when it was just the two of them.

------

They started dating at the end of their sophomore year of high school. It was long overdue. Eddie had known deep down that he was in love with Richie for at least four years. It took him a while to process it, and even longer to actually admit to himself, and then to his friends, that he was gay. Richie had known that he was bisexual since he had snuck into the backroom of the video rental store when he was a kid and saw the glory that was Deep Throat. That film was his bisexual awakening, which he would tell anyone who would listen, and then they would yell at him for being too young and disgusting. He had also known even before that movie, that he loved Eddie more than anything and would stop at nothing to protect him. He was his Eddie Spaghetti, and anyone who even came close to hurting him was going to die.

Eddie had been the one to make the first move. Richie had been casually seeing this kid from a few towns over that was in a band. Richie had fallen hard for the guy, he wore all black and smudged eyeliner around his eyes, he had metal studs up and down his ears and had a tongue piercing. Eddie was repulsed. Mainly because he was the one that Richie would run to with all of the details from his dates. Would sneak into his window at night, with fresh hickeys sucked into his neck and tell Eddie about how amazing, Freddie was.

It lasted three months and then things changed. Freddie decided that Richie was too simple for him, he had called him one dimensional. He didn’t like the neon colors and crazy prints. Couldn’t stand how Richie ran his mouth, or the fact that he seemed to talk about one of his friends more than any of the others. He told Richie that he wasn’t experienced enough for him, and it broke Richie’s heart. They had had sex for the first time just a few days earlier, and Richie couldn’t help but feel the rejection ten times over because of it.

Richie tried to pass off his pain with humour, like he always did, but Eddie saw it. Saw the pain in his eyes. Richie stopped being so bright. Stopped being so loud, he withdrew inside his head, and it broke Eddie’s heart too. Richie stopped climbing through his window at night to have their talks as well, and that’s where Eddie drew the line.

One night, Eddie snuck out of his own window and rode his bike the few blocks over to Richie’s house and climbed the old tree outside of his bedroom window. Richie bolted from his bed when he heard a knock on the window, sliding his glasses onto his face before grabbing the baseball bat that he kept next to his bed and preparing to swing.

“Whoever the fuck you are I will fucking kill you!” He aimed towards the window as a small figure slid the glass open and all but fell inside. Richie raised the bat preparing to slam it down onto the person’s head, when he heard familiar wheezing. “...Eds? Eddie? What the fuck? You almost gave me a heart attack! I could have fucking killed you! Jesus Christ, you’re choking. Where is your inhaler?” RIchie slid on his knees so that he was next to Eddie, searching for his fanny pack and his inhaler. Eddie looked up at him with wide eyes.

“Hi.” He choked out, and Richie shook his head in belief at his friend, crashing through his window in the middle of the night, just to say that. He helped Eddie to stand and moved him over to sit on his bed.

“Well shit, hi, Eds.” Richie said, joining him on the bed. He tried to straighten out his sheets a bit so it didn’t look like a complete mess, he knew that he didn’t have to impress Eddie, he had seen his room like this a million times, but he still felt the urge. Eddie didn’t look like he was going to start talking anytime soon, so Richie did what he did best and filled the silent void. “So, not that it’s not a nice surprise and all, but what are you doing here, Eddie?”

“I uh...I had to come and tell you something.” Eddie forced out, and Richie looked at him confused, urging him to continue. “I uhm...wow. In my head this went better.” He looked pensive, like he was fighting a battle within himself, and it was unnerving for Richie.

“Look, Spaghetti Man. Why don’t we just...you can either sleep here or I can walk you home. We can talk about whatever you wanted to in the morning…” Richie was cut off by Eddie pressing his lips to his. It was quick, before Richie could even registered what had happened, Eddie was pulling away. “Wait, no come back.” Richie murmured and pulled him in for another kiss. This one more drawn out, but he was still careful to not spook Eddie too much. They pulled away breathless after a few moments, looking wide eyed at each other.

“Richie, will you be my boyfriend?” Eddie asked, and Richie could have sworn that it was the most adorable thing that he had heard in his entire life. His heart swelled in his chest and he just nodded. Eddie looked relieved.

“Took you long enough.” Richie sassed and Eddie just rolled his eyes and pulled him in for another kiss.

------

Eddie held true to his pledge of abstinence, even after Richie became his official boyfriend. Always careful to stop things before they went too far. They had been dating for a little over a year and a half now, and they had experimented with some heavy petting and a few handjobs, but nothing more. Richie respected Eddie’s boundaries.

Richie being Richie however continued to make crass jokes all of the time. The other Losers didn’t know about Eddie’s vow for purity, they never pried, but Richie supplied plenty of innuendos anyway, maintaining his position in the group as the Trashmouth.

“Ow, shit this soup is hot.” “Yeah, you know what else is hot? My boyfriend’s ass.” “Beep beep, Richie!”

“What does the sign on an out-of-business brothel say?” “J-jesus Christ, Richie. I’m t-trying to do my h-homework.” “BEAT IT, WE’RE CLOSED! Hahahaha.” “Get o-out of my h-house. Beep f-fucking beep.”

“What’s the difference between a tire and 365 used condoms?” “I will kill you.” “One’s a Goodyear, the other’s a great year. Stanley, let me tell you man, I’m having a great year.” “Let go of me, Bill! I just want to strangle him a little!”

“I’ll have a Dr. Pepper please.” “Oh, that reminds me of a joke. Hey, Mike?” “No.” “Why does Dr. Pepper come in a bottle?” “Richard, why can’t you just let me enjoy my soda in peace, I don’t…” “Because his wife died.” “I...I’m sorry guys, I have to go, I can’t…” “Are you fucking happy? You broke, Mike!”

“Bevvvvvvvvvvy Baby, I have a hot lesbian joke for you.” “You also apparently have a death wish.” “What do you call a lesbian dinosaur?” “Don’t…” “A lick-a-lot-of-puss!” “Eddie, I hope you don’t need your boyfriend’s dick for anything, I’m about to castrate him and shove it down his fucking throat.”

Eddie was a semi-patient person, he had taken to boxing as a way to control his anger, but Richie’s constant teasing and joking had brought him to a new level. He wanted nothing more than to shut his boyfriend up. Truth be told, he was tired of waiting. Tired of listening to Stan describe how Bill had made him fall apart on his tongue and fingers. Tired of how sweet and soft Ben was in his descriptions about Beverly. Mike kept pretty tight lipped about his trysts, but Eddie had seen many a girl swoon over just the sight of him walking down the street.

Eddie was tired of waiting. Tired of his boyfriend’s jokes about how tired he was of dating his left hand. He wanted some action, and he was going to get it.

------

It was the night of the Homecoming football game, their senior year. Eddie had decided that this was the perfect opportunity. They would all be cheering Mike on and then heading back to the farm for a bit of a party, win or lose, there would be an excuse to consume copious amounts of alcohol.

Mike’s farm also had the benefit of lots of places where people could sneak away. Eddie’s favorite had always been the loft in the old supply barn. He would always find himself sitting in the loft, legs hung over the side of the hatch, watching the sun come up. Richie joined him most of the time, cigarette poking out from his lips. They’d just talk and be themselves. Eddie couldn’t think of a more perfect place for them to be together for the first time.

“Hey Mike, would it be okay if I decorate the loft in the old barn a bit for the night of Homecoming?” Eddie asked as he and Mike were moving through the lunch line a week or so before.

“Why do you want to decorate it? The party is going to be in the big house, my grandparents are going to stay in the cottage that night so that we can have free reign.” Mike responded, smiling at the lunch lady to get an extra slice of pizza, damn that charming bastard.

“I uhh, well I uhh…” Eddie stuttered out, and Mike froze turning to look at Eddie with the most deadpan face Eddie had ever seen him make. He blushed under the gaze. Mike rolled his eyes.

“You want to use my barn to create a sex dungeon?” Mike deadpanned, and Eddie choked on his own spit, Mike patted his back a few times, helping Eddie regulate his breathing.

“Can you not use the words ‘sex dungeon’ ever again???” Eddie whisper yelled, trying to not draw any additional attention to them. “I just need a safe space where I can feel comfortable…” Mike stopped walking and turned to Eddie again, realization dawning on his face.

“Eddie, are you a virgin? Are you planning your first time with Richie?” Mike asked carefully, not wanting to embarrass the other boy. Eddie frowned slightly and nodded. “Well, okay. Are you sure you want the loft? We have the guest bedroom, it might be more comfortable?”

“No. The loft is perfect, it’s kind of our...place.” Eddie explained, they had reached their table now. The others would be arriving soon. “Look, Mike. I’d appreciate if you didn’t tell the others, or say anything to Richie. It’s kind of a surprise for him.”

“Sure thing, Eddie. My lips are sealed, and the barn is all yours.” Mike said, taking a bite of his pizza and nodding to Bill and Stan who had just walked into the cafeteria. Eddie nodded in thanks, and dropped the subject.

Mike had helped Eddie drag a spare mattress up to the loft, and then kept his mouth shut without judgement when Eddie sprayed the entire thing with disinfectant. Eddie had strung up so old christmas lights too, giving the space a nice romantic glow. He put new silky sheets on the mattress and even laid out some condoms and lube, which Mike had graciously provided for him. Everything was set up and perfect. Now Eddie just had to make it through the rest of the game and convince Richie to leave the afterparty to go to the barn with him.

The game was almost over, there was only five minutes left in the fourth quarter and most of the crowd were on their feet. Eddie and Stan sat huddled together under a blanket while the other Losers stood around them.

“Go team! Throw the ball, yay sports!” Richie called out from where he was standing next to Eddie, a goofy grin on his face. He turned around and plucked Bev’s cigarette out of her hand to take a drag. Bev slapped him across the head, taking the cigarette out of his mouth.

“What’s happening, Bill?” She asked with a bored tone in her voice. It made sense to ask him. Bill was the only one besides Mike that could follow almost any sport. Eddie and Ben ran track, and Bill and Stan played baseball, but none of them were really all that focused on all sports. Bill sighed.

“It’s t-third down and t-twenty, we are o-only up by one t-touchdown, if they m-manage to keep p-possession of the b-ball and score, t-then we are t-tied...and we d-don’t want that.” Bill explained, squeezing Stan’s hand that was peeking out of the blanket for him to hold.

The ball snapped, and the opposing quarterback threw the ball, but as it soared through the air Mike sprinted, faster than any of them had ever seen before, he jumped, grabbing the ball out of the air and took off running in the opposite direction. He was so fast and everyone was so stunned that he had intercepted the pass, that it was like time had stood still. Eddie and Stan jumped up, joining everyone else in the stands who were jumping around and screaming. Mike ran straight into the endzone as the clock ticked down, scoring the winning touchdown.

The crowd went ecstatic. Everyone was screaming and hugging. Richie lifted Eddie up and spun him around. They sure as hell didn’t give a shit about sports, but their boy just won the game, and that they did give a shit about.

------

Mike’s house was packed with people, everyone talking and drinking. It seemed like most of the school was there. A game of beer pong was set up in the kitchen. Bill as the reigning champion of beer pong, had decided to challenge Richie to a duel. Eddie and Stan were their partners, but they were really just there to look pretty. At least that’s what Bev had said while she watched them and sipped on her own beer.

“We need to get you too some pom poms.” Bev said, and Ben nudged her in warning. “What, they are definitely the pretty little trophy wives. Ben, don’t even try to fight me on this.”

“Benjamin, control your lady.” Richie teased, as he sunk another ball in one of Bill’s cups. “Drink up Denbrough, don’t make Stan do it for you. Be a man!” He finished dramatically, and Eddie looked over at Stan with wide eyes.

“First the fuck, Richard. My man is plenty of man. Secondly, Beverly...I am a damn fine trophy wife, don’t be jealous.” Stan said waving his hands around and sticking his tongue out at Bev. He had enjoyed a few too many shots of Malibu, and was feeling himself.

“O-okay, Babe. Point m-made. Let’s go g-get some water and f-food.” Bill said, trying to diffuse the situation a little bit, Stan snapped his head towards Bill, and Eddie had to try and hold back his laughter. Richie did not have the same courtesy.

“William Denbrough. Did you just imply that I have had too much to drink? That you know my body and limitations more than I do?” Bill stayed very quiet while Stan was talking at him. No sudden movements or words. “Mhmmm. That’s what I thought. I will decide when I have had enough…” He spun around towards Bev, but he froze and grabbed onto Bill as his stomach lurched and the room began spinning. “Okay, I’ve had enough.” Bill nodded towards the others and helped Stan make his way to the bathroom.

“Hey.” Eddie said, pulling his boyfriend’s attention to him. “Come take a walk with me?” He asked, fluttering his eyelashes a little and biting his lip. Richie gulped at the sight, alcohol and general lust for Eddie.

“Yeah. Yeah, okay.” He said and allowed Eddie to pull him through the crowd and out the back door. They started walking down the familiar path, but Richie figured he needed to break the silence anyway. “So, where exactly are you dragging me off to, Spaghetti Man?”

“You know where.” Eddie said with a playful roll of his eyes. They reached the barn a few minutes later, and Eddie pulled open the barn door. Richie threw himself on top of the stack of bales of hay while Eddie closed it behind him. He giggled when he saw Richie struggling to sprawl out on the rough material. “Hey, I’ve got a better idea.” He headed over to the small set of stairs that led to the loft and he climbed up them easily.

“I’m coming, I’m coming, hold on…” Richie froze at the top of the stairs when he looked at what was in front of him. “Eddie....what is all of this?” He looked from all of the twinkling lights hanging from beams, to the hatch that allowed the moonlight to shine in, and finally to the bed. Covered with tons of blankets and soft looking sheets.

“Richie, I want you to make love to me.” Eddie said, taking his hand and pulling him towards the bed. Richie shook his head, and then stopped moving.

“Eddie. No. You want to wait until you’re married. You’ve been saying that since we were kids. I don’t want...I don’t want you to just change your mind because you think that I need sex to be fulfilled. I love you, just the way you are, we don’t have to…”

“Do you not want to have sex with me?” Eddie asked, face dropping as he looked at Richie. “Is that what this is? You don’t find me attractive and you don’t want to sleep with me?” Eddie said, tears filling his eyes. Richie’s heart dropped.

“No. Eddie, no, listen to me. That’s not it. You are the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life. I just don’t want…” Richie promised, trying to explain his feelings, but failing miserably. “I don’t want you to regret it.” Something changed in Eddie, like a switch was being flipped.

“There you fucking go again, thinking you know everything.” Eddie shook his head, he was pissed off now, no one got to decide for him. “You like challenges, huh, Rich? I know you do. You can’t resist them. I challenge you to do your very worst, Tozier. To wreck my virgin body. Think you can handle that, or should I go back to the party and find someone else to do it for me?” Richie’s jaw dropped open in shock, he had never heard Eddie talk like that before.

“Challenge accepted.” Richie murmered, moving to press a bruising kiss to Eddie’s lips, pulling him with him towards the bed. He pulled his own jacket off and toed out of his shoes, then let himself fall back on the bed, sliping his shirt and jeans off before leaning up on his elbows to watch Eddie. “Going to do a strip tease for me, Eds?” He asked half joking, but there was a sparkle in Eddie’s eye.

Eddie licked his lips as he looked down at Richie. He let his jacket slipp off of his shoulders and drop to the ground. His scarf was next, he shimmied with it a little, dropping down and pulling back up so that his jean clad ass was on display for Richie. He dropped the scarf to the ground and pulled his sweater over his head, tossing it in Richie’s direction. He took his time unbuttoning his shirt, not wanting to destroy it even in the heat of the moment. Richie watched him eagerly as more and more of his toned little body came into view. He turned around again, as he slid his jeans down over his hips and ass, kicking them off and leaving him only in his tiny grey briefs. He wiggled his hips for Richie putting on more of a show for him. He turned around and stepped on the mattress moving over Richie and then dropping down until he was straddling him.

“Holy fuck. That was the hottest thing ever, Baby Boy.” He let out as he ran his hand up and down Eddie’s torso. Eddie ground his ass down on Richie’s dick, moaning when he felt how hard he was already.

“Mmmmmm no. The hottest thing you will ever see is me riding this pretty cock of yours, but there’s some work you need to do first, don’t you think?” Eddie asked sweetly, and Richie almost came right then and there. He nodded and let Eddie move off of him a little to lean over the side of the mattress. He came back with a condom and a bottle of lube. “I think you’re going to need these, but first, there’s something I want to try for you.” Eddie smirked at him and moved down the mattress, hooking his thumbs in the waistband of his boxers and pulling them down, letting his erection spring free.

Eddie smirked at Richie one more time before taking his leaking cock in his hand and leaning down to tease the head with his tongue. Richie’s hips thrust up without him even thinking. Eddie used his other arm to push down across Richie’s hips and keep him still. He took just the head of his ock back in his mouth, a little tentatively, and began sucking. Richie threw his head back from the feeling. Eddie decided to push himself a little bit further, he licked a strip up Richie’s entire length first, and then slid his mouth around his dick. He could only take a few inches in at first, but he worked his way down little by little. Richie was moaning and writhing on the bed beneath him, obviously unphased by Eddie’s inexperience.

“God, Baby Boy. That mouth. Ahhhh, Eds, I’m gonna cum.” Richie was moaning more and more, getting close to finding his release. Eddie pulled off, stroking Richie from root to tip a few times, until Richie’s body tightened up and he blew his load all over Eddie’s hand and his own chest. Eddie stroked him through the aftershocks, then looked down at his hand that was covered in Richie’s cum. He thought about it for a minute before looking Richie dead in the eye and lifting his hand to his mouth, and starting to lick it off. “Oh my fucking God, Eddie that’s fucking filthy…” Richie groaned out as he watched his boy.

“Mmmmmmmm. So good.” Eddie moaned, as he leaned down to lick a stripe up Richie’s chest, collecting the rest of his cum on his tongue. He caught Richie’s mouth in a kiss, letting him taste himself. Eddie pulled back, and kept his eyes trained on Richie. “Richie, are you going to open me up so I can take that pretty cock of yours, or do I need to do everything myself?”

“I’ve got you, Baby.” Richie said, pulling himself up into a sitting position. Eddie crawled down the bed a little bit, staying on his hands and knees and popping his ass out for Richie. “Oh, Baby Boy. Those briefs are doing nothing to hide that beautiful ass of yours.” Richie moved behind him, palming one of his cheeks in his hand. Eddie moaned at the feeling, and Richie gave him a little pat, before he pulled the fabric down over his ass, leaving them bunched up on his thighs. He used his thumbs to spread his cheeks apart. “My God, Baby Boy. You’re killing me. Soft and hairless. So pretty.” Eddie mewled at the compliment.

“Come on, Richie. I need more. Give me what I need.” Eddie begged, and Richie leaned in licking all the way from Eddie’s balls up his crack. “Oh fuck!” Eddie had never felt anything like it before. He’d never even played with his own hole, Richie’s tongue was the first stimulation he had ever had down there, and it was enough to make his cock drip precum into his briefs. Richie repeated the action, letting his tongue poke lazily at the ring of muscles. He suckled around his hole, finally breaching the muscles properly with his tongue. Fucking gently into the heat. Eddie moaned at the intrusion, it felt weird, not bad but weird. Richie kept playing with him, gently licking his hole open. He moved his hand around on the bed, trying to find the bottle of lube, he snatched it up quickly when he felt the hard plastic. He gave Eddie’s fluttering hole a light kiss before pulling back completely. “Are you going to fuck those long fingers in me? Come on, Richie. Do it.” Eddie instructed. Richie was taken aback by how vocal Eddie was.

Richie popped the cap of the bottle off and let some of the slick liquid drip down his fingers. He closed the bottle before dropping it back on the bed. Her rubbed the tips of his three lubed up fingers around Eddie’s hole, teasing circles around the muscle until Eddie was groaning and whining from being forced to wait. Richie took pity on him and began to push his first finger in slowly. Eddie choked out a sob at the feeling.

“It’s okay, Eddie. You’re doing so good for me. Taking my finger, just relax baby, so good.” Richie praised as he pushed his finger in the rest of the way. He could feel Eddie relaxing and took the opportunity to slowly begin thrusting his finger in and out, letting Eddie get used to the feeling. It was strange, feeling this full, but Eddie knew that there was so much more to come. Richie waited until Eddie was moving his hips back to meet his thrusts before he added a second finger, careful to keep them still so the stretch was bearable. When Eddie signaled that he was ready to continue Richie began twisting his fingers and scissoring them open, on one of his thrusts he hit something inside Eddie that ripped a scream out of his throat.

“Ugh. Fuck, Daddy, right there.” Eddie moaned, and Richie froze at what Eddie had just called him. It was unbelievably sexy, and Richie was pretty sure that he should be ashamed to admit that. Eddie seemed to realize his slip because Richie was no longer moving. “Your two fingers are in my ass and that’s what trips you up? Keep fucking moving, Daddy. Open my ass for your cock.” Richie choked on his own spit, but began moving again, thrusting in to hit that spot again, before adding another finger.

He made sure that Eddie was good and stretched, not wanting to hurt him when he thrusted in. He had Eddie flip over on his back and pulled his briefs the rest of the way off of his legs. Eddie pulled his legs to his chest, giving Richie space to move between them. Richie tore open the foil packet and slid the sheath down his shaft, he added more lube, making sure everything was nice and slick before moving into position over Eddie. He looked down at the love of his life, trying to make sure that this is what he wanted.

“We can stop right here, Eddie. We can wait. I love you so much, I’d wait forever.” Richie said looking into his eyes. Eddie looked up at him, with a smile on his face, and it touched Richie’s heart.

“I love you too. Now stick your fucking dick in me now. Did I stutter?” Eddie sassed, looking at Richie with determination in his eyes. Richie nodded, knowing that Eddie knew his body better than anyone else. He pressed the tip of his cock against Eddie’s hole, and then slowly pushed in. Eddie’s mouth flew open and he screwed his eyes shut at the feeling, so new. Richie went slow, inch by inch until his hips were resting against Eddie’s ass. Eddie gasped out a breath. “Holy fuck.”

“Are you okay? Is it too much?” Richie asked, trying to keep the panic out of his voice. Eddie just nodded that he was okay, taking a few deep breaths. He relaxed. “Do you want me to move?” Richie asked and Eddie nodded again. Richie started thrusting in, slowly and gently, barely moving at first. Eddie quickly started to get inpatient, he knew that Richie was holding back.

“Fuck me like you mean it.” He let out, wrapping his legs around Richie’s waist to pull him in tighter. Richie sped up a little bit, pumping in and out in a rhythm, Eddie rocked his hips to meet his thrusts, legs still wrapped around his waist. The discomfort had turned to pleasure and now he wanted more. “Richie! Harder! Fuck me harder, Daddy. Please!” He cried out and Richie tried to move faster to satiate his boy, but Eddie was moaning like a porn star and Richie was a little lost. Eddie raked his nails down Richie’s back, trying to encourage him to go faster, and Richie cried out from the mixture of pain and pleasure. He wasn’t the most experienced, and his only other partner had definitely not been as enthusiastic and receptive as Eddie.

Eddie was done waiting, he rolled them over so that Richie was on his back. Eddie straddled him again and grasped his cock, he held it in place and let himself sink down on it, feeling Richie way deeper than he had before. He started to pound himself down on it hard and fast over and over, rocking his hips until Richie’s cock was brushing against his prostate with every thrust. Eddie braced himself with his hands on Richie’s chest. He kept fucking himself down, his own cock slapping up against his belly from his movements. Richie lay beneath him, trying to thrust up in time with Eddie’s thrusts, watching his boyfriend get himself off by using his cock like a toy.

Richie could feel his stomach getting tight, his body racing towards his climax. Eddie was doing so well for him, his tight hole milking his cock perfectly. Eddie slammed down one more and Richie was cumming in the condom, screaming Eddie’s name as his body started to tingle all over before going numb. Eddie kept bouncing, hitting his prostate, and then wrapped his hand around his own cock, flicking his wrist just how he liked it, and cumming in thick streaks across Richie’s chest. He let himself catch his breath then carefully moved off of Richie before falling onto the mattress next to him. He could already feel how tender his ass was, but it was worth it.

He grabbed a pack of baby wipes that he had left off to the side and wiped himself and Richie down a little bit. He wanted a hot shower, but he wanted to curl up with his love even more. Richie opened his arms and let Eddie snuggle into them, pulling the sheets and blankets up over them. It was quiet for a moment before a thought popped into Richie’s head that he had to voice.

“You were right. Watching you ride my cock, is the hottest thing that I’ve ever seen.” Richie admitted as they lay wrapped up in each other. Eddie giggled and pressed a kiss to his cheek. They fell asleep intertwined, the sounds of the party in the background and the moon shining through the hatch.

[seokjinsonlyone-main]

in which harry suggests a second trial...

part 5 to the “Starbucks” series: part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4

It'd only been a day, but Y/N felt like she could finally breathe again. She felt lighter. It sort of felt like part of her was missing, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. She experienced a similar feeling when she moved out on her own and when she broke up with her ex but also when she left a store without getting something she really liked or when she passed up on a food she was craving in the grocery store. 

Meeting Harry was a major life event. She may not have known him for a long time, but he had always been important to her. From the first time she watched the video for What Makes You Beautiful he was important to her. No matter how awkward or wonderful or distorted their brief little thing was it was important to her. Naturally, its ending was going to evoke some sort of response from her. She genuinely thought she was doing the right thing by asking him to leave, though. If it was true that everyone had a person, which she liked to believe, she knew that she wasn't his. He didn't get tunnel vision as if she was the only person in the room. There wasn't any uncontrollable fire flaming between them. They were a firework, at best. In the moment they were bright and beautiful, but all too soon they fizzled and dissolved into oblivion. Her and Harry just happened to be at the oblivion stage in their relationship, but no one ever sees a firework and immediately regrets seeing it so she was choosing to be glad that it happened.

Of course that was something she decided in her mind. Her heart was not on the same page. Her heart told her that the lightness she felt was emptiness. It whispered how she should've actually heard him out instead of putting her thoughts into his mouth. It mocked her by clenching every time she replayed the scene that unfolded the day prior in her mind. He was gone and it was by her own volition and her heart didn't like it. It was a good thing she was great at ignoring her heart. 

The war waging in her inner consciousness was too much. She needed to get away from it all, so she decided a run was in order. She hated running. She didn't like the way her lungs would burn and her legs would revolt against her once she settled down for the day, but there weren't any better options. She didn't have a gym membership or a bike or any exercise equipment at all. Exercising usually wasn't her thing. However, it was a proven stress reliever and it released endorphins which was something she desperately needed at the moment. 

She rushed around her apartment changing into something moderately suitable to go for a run in. She was hyping herself up in front of the door, giving herself the final boost she needed to actually carry out her plan when she heard a knock. She cocked her head to the side wondering who could be on the other side. Her rent had been paid on time, all her friends were either in class or at work, and her mom always called before coming over. She physically jumped back at the sight of Harry standing at her door, cheeks flushed and nose red, beanie tossed over his hair, bearing flowers in one hand and a box of chocolates in the other. 

Her mind was a complete mess. It was as if she could feel the thoughts racing through it. She couldn't comprehend his presence. Her eyes roamed over him trying to come to terms with the fact that he was actually there, standing in front of her, with flowers and chocolates. "Are those really in season?" she asked after remaining shell shocked for an unbearable amount of time. It seemed to be the only thing that her mind successfully processed in the moment. 

He shifted his gaze from her to the bouquet in his hand. "Uh... S'pose so. Didn't really ask... I just... thought they looked nice so..." he said then cleared his throat. "Can I come in?"

She nodded furiously, stepping aside. She toyed with her lip for a few seconds, one hand still on the door looking at him standing in front of her home a day after she told him to leave. "I'm sorry. I'm just... como se dice... shook, like, what on God's green earth are you doing here?"

He held out the flowers to her as he sat the chocolates down on her table. "I'm not really satisfied with how things went down yesterday."

She furrowed her brows. "What?"

"I want to talk to you again."

She looked around her in search of something that would tell her what was going on. She couldn't believe what was happening. "This is actual life. This doesn't happen in real life. You can't just– You can't– There isn't, like, a reset button. You can't call backsies in real life."

"We're not resetting. It's more of a… second trial. Like, in a science experiment." He noticed her look of disbelief. "It was a bit presumptuous of me to show up yesterday and just expect to fix things overnight, I know. But, you were crying when I left yesterday so I know you're not happy with how things turned out either. I know that you like to think, and I know that you already had your mind made up before I even showed up. I know that you're good at tucking emotions away, but I want to know how you feel. I've been a prick, but this time I choose not to let you go."

She scoffed. "What is this? You literally just put a whole album out about how you suck at communicating. I didn't sign up for this!"

He cracked a small smile. "We'll call it self-improvement."

She shrugged moving into the living room to sit. "I've never been one to stand in the way of a person bettering themselves, so…" she said, motioning for him to have a seat in the opposing chair. 

They eyed each other waiting for someone to start talking. "I thought about you and everything that happened all night."

"And?" she asked, raising her eyebrows and folding her arms and crossing her legs.

"And… first of all, I need to know if you'll be able to forgive me for not getting in touch with you. I really am sorry. You don't have to forgive me today or tomorrow but just eventually. Is that..." he gulped, "Is that something you can do?"

She uncrossed her arms and legs, figuring that looking intimidating wasn't necessary when he obviously had some sort of agenda that he put thought and effort into. "Sweetie, I made my peace with that when I realised you weren't hitting me up anymore." Keeping things pent up messed with her head and was annoyingly distracting. She needed a clear mind to be functional otherwise she had the tendency of being caught up on that one thing which led to a lack of productivity, so she let go of that a couple weeks ago. "My problem was what it signified."

"Okay, that's the second thing," he rushed out. "You don't get to tell me what you mean to me." She snarled at him. "I gather that you believe in soulmates or summat, but just because I met you in a coffeehouse doesn't mean that we weren't meant to be together. Like, have you ever thought that maybe that's how we were supposed to meet?" He crossed the room to sit beside her, then gently nudged her chin up, forcing her to make eye contact with him. "Isn't it crazy that I just happened to be there at the same time as you? And, you just happened to anonymously buy me coffee? And, the barista just happened to tell me that it was you? And, you just happened to charm and endear me so much that I had to see you again that very night? Is that all just a coincidence?"

The gears were turning in her brain. He made some valid points. She'd been so caught up in the fact that he wasn't immediately taken aback by her like in some fanfic, that she forgot that she wasn't that kind of person. She said it herself just the night before. She was normal. She wasn't the kind of person that turned everyone's heads. She was the kind of person you didn't see unless she bought you coffee. He could've easily just thanked her or reimbursed her and went on his way, but he didn't. He saw her. He could've genuinely forgotten about her. He could've been anywhere in the world, but he was here, basically fresh off of tour, begging for forgiveness and a fair chance with flowers and chocolates. "You're appealing to my insanity..."

"And? Is it working?" he asked, cracking another grin.

She pinched her index finger and thumb together. "Just a little," she laughed. He pulled her into a hug and god she forgot just how good it felt to be wrapped up in him. 

Her smile had worn off by the time he pulled back, though. There were other things she needed to consider. "I still don't know what you expect out of this, Harry."

His mouth pulled down into a frown. "What do you mean?"

She shrugged and her voice raised an octave. "I don't know! Like, I mean, do you see a future for us? Is there even an us?"

He pulled his collar away from his neck despite the fact that he was wearing a t shirt, finally showing some form of discomfort. "It's a little early in the relationship for that kind of question, don't you think?" he forced out, leaning back against the couch and running his hands through his hair. 

"So, this is a relationship?" she inquired, propping her knee up and turning to face him.

He ran his palms up and down his thighs. "I mean, the beginning, yeah. It's not really developed much, but there's definitely an us. If you want it to be, that is." He turned, facing back toward her, putting the ball in her court.

"I… don't know..."

"You don't know?" He was confused. He thought they'd made progress.

"Have you heard of Schrödinger's Cat?"

"I– I–ummm… showing's what now?"

"Schrödinger's Cat. It's a physics thought experiment. So, basically there's this cat, and it's in a box, but until you open it, it could be considered both dead and alive."

"Okay..." he responded, obviously perplexed as to what that had to do with them.

"I don't date casually because I'm not in the business of getting my heart broken. I know it may seem like I ignore my emotions a lot, but I'm actually quite in tune with them. And to be completely honest, I fell in love with the thought of you before I even knew you. Now I do know you, and despite everything that's happened, I think you're lovely. So, actually being involved with you and it not working out would… crush me."

"Or it could work out and we could be really happy together. Because, I mean, I can see us together. Like, as a couple. You're not just a fling to me, you know?"

The earnest look in his eyes made her want to commit right then and there, but she needed to be sure about this before she made any decision. "Can I– Can I think about it?"

"Of course," he agreed quickly.

They sat side by side in an awkward silence for a few minutes before she spoke up. "I was actually about to go for a run before you showed up."

"Right, sorry." He popped up off the couch, stuffing his hands in his pockets, slowly walking towards the door. She grabbed her keys and followed him. "Before I go, let me do something," he said then pushed his lips on hers before she even had a chance to wonder what he was about to do. She was so surprised by his sudden, bold action that she didn't respond for several seconds, but when she did she felt like she was floating on water. He worked over her lips like the waves ripple in the sea.. And, when he suckled on her bottom lip drawing out a sweet moan from her then went back in and dipped his tongue into her mouth, she decided that she wouldn't mind drowning in him. 

He rendered her completely speechless when he finally drew back from her and spent the time she needed to recover from the kiss gently smoothing his thumb over her bottom lip with one hand and rubbing circles into her lower back with the other.. "What… was that?" she sputtered after a minute or so.

"Just figured you'd need some data. Can't draw conclusions for an experiment without sufficient data."

She nodded, then rubbed her hands up his chest and slithered them around his neck going in for one more round of "data." "Okay, okay," she said, turning in his arms and opening the door quickly before she completely lost herself in him. "Wait," she said grasping his hand, as he began to walk away. He raised his eyebrows at her. "How long will you be in town for?"

"However long it takes for you to open that box." He winked at her with a splitting grin spread across his face, then walked away leaving her leaning breathless against her door.

[changseobbing-blog]

Untitled: Bff-L

Exo Fanfic

Baekhyun x Reader

Word Count: 1.6k

Angst/Fluff

Warnings: Mentions of depression, low mood.

Curled up in a blanket is your safe haven. 

You don’t feel like venturing out into the real world today, not when you’ve felt close to tears for the last week. Nothing is wrong in particular but when you’re suffering from depression it’s never that clear-cut. Generally, you have good days and you’ve fought hard to reach a place where you can live mostly happy.

You’ve been through the therapies and tested medications until you found what works for you. You’re mostly able to focus on all the good things you have to appreciate in life.

Today isn’t one of those days. Today you feel like it would be better if you never existed. Being awake and present is exhausting. You make an instant decision and reach for your phone to cancel the plans you had for the day. You were going to let yourself rest, sleep and hope tomorrow will feel a little better.

You know from many years of trial and error that it’s ok to feel sad and take a day for yourself. Sometimes forcing interaction isn’t always the best thing for you in your personal war with mental health.

Losing one day of the battle won’t affect the long-term outcome. You need to recharge to pick yourself up and enjoy things again and eventually you’ll get there.

You plan to only leave your bed to use the bathroom and get water. Your favourite duck feather duvet hugging your body and providing comfort as you drift in and out of consciousness watching funny dog compilations on youtube to distract your mind. You keep your phone on silent to prevent yourself from overthinking since you hate bothering your friends all the time.

They love you and would do anything for you but you don’t want to seem needy or annoying, they all have busy lives and their own problems and you don’t want to burden them despite what they say. You don’t want anyone to feel the way you do…

A knock on the door startles you awake. You weren’t expecting any company. So you pause your laptop and stay silent. Hopefully, they’ll go away. You daren’t look at your phone because you don’t have the energy to explain yourself further, you just want to be alone.

The knocking stops and you relax momentarily. Then you pull the blankets over your head and groan when you hear keys jingle in the lock and someone steps in loudly calling out your name.

You should have never given him a key.

Byun Baekhyun, your best friend of 10 years and also a giant pain in the ass who doesn’t seem to have understood you cancelling the plans you had with him and your other friends.

Maybe if you hide under your duvet he’ll think no ones home and go away, but you soon find out that doesn’t work when you hear the creak of your bedroom door and he immediately snorts.

“Y/N, you aren’t being subtle...I can see your foot”.

You huff and yank your traitorous foot under the covers as you feel his body weight sink into the edge of your bed.

“Didn’t you read my text?” you mumble meekly from under the blankets.

You feel him pull the covers down enough to reveal your eyes. You stare up and your best friend tiredly as he takes in your appearance. You know your hair must be everywhere and there are bags under your eyes. You probably looked how you felt and you realise he’s figured you out when he cocks his head and frowns slightly.

“Didn’t you read the seven replies I sent you back?” he counters, eyebrow raised but eyes soft.

You shake your head in response and look away, his concern making you feel self-conscious. You don’t even know why you feel like this, Baekhyun is one of your biggest supports. He’s seen you at your worst, never judged and accepted every part of you without question.

You’d met back in high school and had instantly clicked. He was your complete opposite. Loud and friendly, dragging you along with him as he created chaos and mischief. He was actually one of the first people to notice you weren’t being yourself. You had suddenly isolated almost everyone and taken a break from college due to stress.

He was away at a different college but when he visited you for the holidays after you’d been ignoring his texts he’d seen right through the mask and facade you were trying to hold together. He had stayed up with you all night as you cried and accepted that this was something you had to get help for.

He was there when you admitted to your parents how badly you were coping and did his best to support you and help explain to them as they struggled to understand. They still don’t fully understand but at least they’re trying.

Baekhyun on the other hand dove right into the deep end, he read books and looked up articles on how to support someone struggling with depression. He never pushed you into anything you were uncomfortable with but never let you slip back to the darkness alone.

Thanks to him and your small group of close friends you managed to pick yourself up, graduate college and find a job that you enjoy. They’re there when you want to socialise and give you space when you don’t, always offering a shoulder to lean on and an ear to listen.

You are brought back to the present, realising you’d spaced out when a hand reaches out to tuck some hair behind your ear, Baekhyun starts to brush your hair soothingly with his fingertips.

“It’s ok, you don't have to leave your bed. I just figured you’d want some company and a Planet Earth marathon, maybe some pizza?”.

You space out again under the comfort of his touch but as your brain slowly processes his offer you feel your eyes well up, suddenly overcome because you for a moment didn’t feel like anyone cared. You don’t know what to do with your feelings so you just sniff and nod.

A warm roughness swipes over your cheek to wipe away a stray tear and you realise its Baekhyun’s thumb. He moves and crouches down next to the bed to meet your eye level, he smiles at your warmly then taps his chin in thought.

“Do you want me to invite anyone else? I could kick always Jongdae’s butt at Mario Kart and make him throw a tantrum for your viewing pleasure” he offers playfully causing you to break your first smile of the day.

“No, I think your annoying ass is plenty of company for a day if you’re insisting on staying” you sigh.

Secretly you’re glad he’s here to keep you out of your head. It’s never exhausting being around Baekhyun, everyone thinks your crazy for how long you’ve been friends and have put up with him. I mean, they’re right and you are crazy, but Baekhyun always says he’d rather drive you crazy then let you feel like you’re going crazy.

“I guess I should get up and properly dressed so we can go buy some snacks?” you whine, gesturing to your teenage mutant ninja turtle pyjamas and stretching your arms to mentally prepare for leaving your bed, but your best friend shakes his head and drops a paper bag in your lap. Your favourite snacks spilling out the bag.

You cuddle a bag of Popchips and start to tear up again but Baekhyun waggles his finger at you.

“Why are you so surprised that I’m here with the snackage, we both know I’m the best and also the smartest, and most handsome and talented…”

Your face creases up in confusion as you watch him start to ramble off in his own self-praise but decide to let it go today. You’ll roast him another day, right now you remember that you’re hungry and remember the existence pizza.

“So extra large cheese with all the toppings” you interject, pulling out your phone from under your pillow to access the pizza delivery app. Baekhyun plops himself next to you on the bed, sitting above the covers and grabbing a spare throw from the ottoman to cover his legs.

You work in unison as he sets up the tv and you finish ordering the pizza. You realise you’re already feeling better, the distraction from someone who understands and cares about you already starting the clear the fog of your mind and as you settle into your pillows and David Attenborough's soothing voice starts to fill the room you feel calmer.

You feel safe and validated and when he asks if you want to talk you open up to him about your thoughts and feelings, he listens patiently and never interrupts. He offers you comfort and assures you things will get better with time as he wraps his arm around your shoulder and rests his chin on the top of your head.

You stay that way for the rest of the evening, even after the pizza is devoured. The warmth and the familiar smell of Baekhyun’s aftershave keeping you grounded and you look up at him appreciatively for a little while. His mouth hanging open, round wire-rim glasses sitting at the end of his nose as he slouches against your headboard engrossed in the show. Floppy honey coloured hair sitting in every direction from what you assume was the wind outside.

When he looks down at you with warm eyes and soft smile, you already know tomorrow will be better.

[writer-and-artist27]

3, 4, 8, 11, 12, 13, 15, 18, 22, 23, 24, and 25 for the get to know your author ask?

Ahhhh! An ask! Thank you, anon. :) Anyways, let’s do this!

3.) What order do you write in? Front of book to back? Chronological? Favorite scenes first? Something else?

Considering my working on both Civilian Pianist and The Sea and Stars, I’ll have to say it depends. For CP, I tend to write from front of book to back in terms of the order, with chronological stuff coming with it, but with interludes and so on, I’ve had to delve into the timeline for the sake of consistency. I usually collaborate with Josh and Leo in that regard when it comes to keeping things on track. 

For S&S though? I try to do the same, just with sprinkles of many conversations with Lang and by extension, Beta, on keeping the CYB elements true to some extent (big ones being Kei and a lot of the CYB characters). Sometimes, this leads to me writing favorite scenes first, but then they go into storage for me to figure out for later. Most of the time, it’s still chronological first.

4.) Favorite character you’ve written

I’m actually going to exclude Tomoko from this question considering she is me to an extent. But for actual original characters barring influence like that, Hisako and Judai have been my favorites, with Hisako basically being able to say a lot of things that Tomoko just doesn’t say or won’t, and Judai being that funny, protective-yet-lenient dad I thought he might’ve been had Canon GX gone that way. A runner-up for this category is actually CP Kakashi though, since writing his floundering throughout the entire process of figuring out his feelings for Tomoko have been amusing. :d

8) Favorite genre to write

Emotional fluff. That’s all I can use to describe it. There’s a reason why a lot of early CP had so much hug-inducing fluff, and aside from me getting used to writing for Naruto in general, I enjoy writing those moments of lighthearted joy that Tomoko has when seeing friends (which in a way has shown up again and again in S&S whenever she hugs Kei). It’s only with CP going into arcs such as the Chunin Exams and everything leading up to Kannabi that adding in the emotion really got me going because of how emotionally open I myself can be. 

11) What aspect of your writing do you think has most improved since you started writing?

Hm… that’s hard to say since there are still moments where I go to early CP and think, “Holy crap, I wrote that?!” in an incredulous voice before rereading again and realizing, “Hey, this is kinda cute.” But for the aspect I’ve improved in the most, I would like to think I did a lot in the fight scene and rising-action/tension categories. Early CP had so much fluff, it was easy to accidentally lose people in it. But when getting into the hard-hitters, well, they hit hard with my most recent work, so I’m proud to look back at those chapters and pat myself on the back for making them.

12) Your weaknesses as an author

Ah. This question. Well, I can only think of two:

Falling back on others a little too often when my writing muse comes to a screeching halt (I mean, Lang’s seen a lot of my stuff when I’ve floundered to the point where I’m surprised she still likes reading my stuff, and there have been many moments where I held myself back from calling Josh and Leo for the sake of trying to figure something out on my own)

Missing commas and em dashes (basically “—”). This is yet another reason why early CP is kinda on the love-hate category for me, because past me missed so many commas. Argh.

13) Your strengths as an author

Just one I can think of:

Delving into the emotions of the character I’m writing in. Even if I struggle with understanding the character in some way (e.g. Kei since she is Lang’s OC, not mine, so she’s harder to write for), getting into their minds and showing the emotion that can come from them is my specialty somehow. Whether it’s because I’m so emotionally open in real life, or just me trying to understand the motivations of the people around me, it shows in CP and S&S really well to where I’m proud (and also kinda mortified) when reviewers comment saying that they’ve cried. Definitely have come a long way from last year, even if I still flounder from embarrassment at seeing my early stuff.

15) Why did you start writing?

I can only really think of a few reasons. Hope you don’t mind the long text post. *scratches head* Then again, you’ve come this far, and I’m grateful. :)

To convey an idea I really wanted to write that no one had really done so far. I’ve said before that CP started with the question of “What if Kakashi had a best friend?”, and that still stands. Adding in how there are very few Civilian OCs that I’ve seen in the Naruto fandom, along with the low coverage of civilians in Naruto in general, that was one factor.

Lang inspired me. Simple as that. Catch Your Breath literally caught my heart when I discovered it in the summer of 2015 (at least, I think it was 2015, I can’t fully remember), and when seeing Kei, I wanted to try writing something along the lines of that too. Not to mention, it’s because of Lang that I got back into Naruto, and I can’t thank her enough. 

Silver Queen’s Dreaming of Sunshine made me see beyond fanfiction again. Shikako caught my heart just as much as Kei.

I wanted to reflect on the growth I’ve done so far as a person. There’s a reason aside from angst as to why I had Vy die at age 18 to the point of it affecting Tomoko in her new life, since so much has happened since then. I’m still attending college, figuring things out little by little, but Tomoko is essentially that self-reflection that I never got to do until now. And seeing how I could’ve been while also exploring the current me in writing has been very much worth it.

I wanted to see what it was like. Posting on Fanfiction and all. Cross-posting on other sites (including AO3) was never really my thing, and my old FFN profile was just sitting on the website, dusty and all after a few select reviews for an old fanfic a friend was doing, so I just dusted it off and got to work.

18) Were there any works you read that affected you so much that it influenced your writing style? What were they?

Yes, there were. No doubt about that. For fanfic stuff…

Catch Your Breath. Still my main inspiration to this day. 

Dreaming of Sunshine, especially since it started the whole SI-OC genre in general.

Deja vu no Jutsu, for the worldbuilding and the limits that a writer can surpass (since Vixen Tail wrote a lot to take in, and it’s hard when your brain’s not hardwired for binging), and

Inoue Shiori by Hermionechan90. This was actually the first ever Civilian OC fic for Naruto I ever read, and after seeing Shiori’s accomplishments and her realm in the shinobi world, it got me thinking.

As for books…

Dan Brown’s Robert Langdon series. For the mystery and attention to historical detail.

Robert Galbraith/JK Rowling’s The Cuckoo’s Calling and following books in the Cormoran Strike series, for being a mystery series that I found myself loving.

22) Are there any subjects that make you uncomfortable to write?

Sex scenes or anything related to smut, period. First, because I’m a demisexual person and the idea of Tomoko doing that kind of stuff equals “WHAT.” 

(Not helped by how Hisako is my spiritual avatar in the sense of protecting the girl, just because she’s so precious to me and the idea of her doing that equals O^O). 

And secondly… well, those CP fans who have seen Chapter 21 and my later “Announcement” chapter will easily understand why. For others, let’s just say I’m not as protected from society’s stuff as it might seem. I’ve seen some uncomfy stuff too, and it’s hard. 

23) Any obscure life experiences that you feel have helped your writing?

I feel like this is a weird answer, but strangely, my interactions with the older members of my family factor into this. The reason why I personally feel Judai and Hikari are so powerful in CP’s narrative (and not just because they’re honoring my original fanfiction roots in trying to write for Yugioh GX or their being our main heroine’s parents) is because my real Mom and Dad are personally involved in my life. I try to keep them updated every day I can, they help me whenever they can, and it’s been a mutually beneficial and loving relationship. I’ve seen my parents falter and worry, as Judai and Hikari have in-story, while also having a first-hand idea of how even adults in a child’s life can make mistakes (considering how things in life can be - my parents coming from Vietnam more so). So, having them in my life really helped in fleshing out the adult figures in Tomoko’s life, Judai and Hikari included.

24) Have you ever become an expert on something you previously knew nothing about, in order to better a scene or a story?

I would like to say ‘yes’ to this, but for once, I don’t think I can. I’ve had to research things to the point of knowing the subject matter better (e.g. wartimes in Naruto, looks into the psychological state that Tomoko might have, etc), but I still had outside help in the form of Josh, Leo, and by extension, Lang, Beta, and Abalisk. So I can’t call myself an expert. But considering how a lot of my stories have been rooted in emotion, I think I’m in fair territory.

25) Copy/paste a few sentences or a short paragraph that you’re particularly proud of.

Oooh. Well, I don’t want to say too much, but an entire snippet for you, anon! This is all thanks to you~ :D 

The following scene was actually something I wrote while I was on my summer road trip, thinking it would be for the aftermath of S&S Chapter 13 (where the Drunk Guy incident happened, just with a better ending in the final version), but after some convos with Lang, Beta, and Leo, this specific scene ended up being scrapped (especially since Tomoko was saved much earlier than in CP, with the culprit not even being able to touch her). That doesn’t mean I still don’t like it - no - I just feel bad that I wasn’t able to include this!

Being set up to rest in my room for most of the day felt almost suffocating. Even if I knew it was for my own good.

Apparently trying to cook pancakes on my own after a long night seemed to not be the best idea I had in mind. Even if it sounded good at the time.

I gave everyone I knew such a bad scare last night, I had thought making them breakfast would be a good way to cheer them up. Instead, everyone was clamoring towards me, bustling me back into bed without even letting me finish cooking.

If I wasn’t physically a child already, this said more than enough.

Trying to sleep was difficult though. I wasn’t sure whether it was because of the endless stream of thoughts going through my head about what had happened and what I should be doing now or the state of my throat (which Kei did try to tend to again this morning before putting me back into my futon), but my eyes just couldn’t close. Sure, I could blink, but actually falling asleep didn’t seem like an option.

So instead, I was left staring up at the ceiling, counting the number of tiles up there while occasionally testing my voice with some light singing. Needless to say, it didn’t go so well.

“Haaa… haagh.”

I could’ve been a wheezing teapot if I didn’t know any better.

At least a notebook and pencil was left in reaching distance for me to use if I wanted to talk. My throat seemed to not be happy with me if I tried anyways.

I was already reaching 30 tiles when the door opened. Without even sitting up, I knew it was Kei from the casual sleepwear and messy black bedhead alone, walking in with a tray of food.

“You doing alright there, Tomo?” she said, voice quiet but still recognizable.

With my voice gone, I could only really nod and put on the best smile I could offer.

It was a broken smile, but a smile nonetheless.

But judging by Kei’s face, she didn’t believe the smile or me. Instead, she locked the door behind her, walked over to set the food to my right side and then hung her head. She wasn’t looking at me, but I could tell she was disturbed about something.

Then, she looked up at me with resolute eyes. “… I think I’ll ask Minato-sensei if I can take a break from missions.”

My heart froze.

Whether or not my panic showed on my face, Kei seemed to notice it enough and shook her head. “I know what you’re thinking, Tomo. This is the time of the Third Shinobi World War, and I should get some more experience out there before Kannabi happens.”

I nodded my head as fast as I could, not even caring that my hair was slapping my face while doing so.

“But Tomo, you didn’t see it.” Kei took a breath, and I didn’t miss how her hands clenched the sides of my blanket. “You didn’t feel your own chakra when it happened.”

Now I was feeling confused. In my funk, I sat up and reached over to grab the notebook, flipping to the first blank page to scribble. It took a few moments, but by the time I looked up at her again, Kei was inclining her head at me in confusion once I turned the notebook over in her direction.

What do you mean, Kei? What does my chakra have to do with this?

“Tomo…” Kei then sighed, reaching over to poke my head. “Tomo, Tomo, Tomo.” With each repetition of my new nickname, she poked my forehead, and I found myself getting a bit irritated. “I’m a sensor, remember? And even if you’re okay now, you didn’t feel your chakra when you got attacked yesterday. You… You didn’t know how close you were to… well.” She paused, looking up at me again and I couldn’t miss the amount of emotion rolling through her eyes. “I almost lost you yesterday, Tomo.”

Oh. I opened my mouth, then closed it. The throbbing in my throat was becoming more obvious.

What am I supposed to say right now?

“I-I can’t…” Kei clenched her fists again as she looked down. “That can’t happen again. Until everything boils down, I want to be there for you if any bastards target you again.”

I could only find myself mouthing Kei’s name before closing my mouth again.

What was I supposed to say?

I glanced down at my own hands before the lightbulb went off. Then, I turned to another page in the notebook, scribbling again. Near me, I could hear Kei’s confused grunt at my actions. I was honestly hoping what I was writing was enough to reassure her.

Kei needed to hear my opinion at least. Even if I couldn’t physically voice it.

When I finally turned the page over in her direction, I tried to hide my own gulp.

I’ll be okay. I’m not fully alright now, but I’ll be okay. You don’t have to worry about me, Kei. You should focus on your training and your work so that this doesn’t happen again.

I’ll be alright.

Once Kei finished scanning my message, she looked up at me with softened eyes before reaching over. The last thing I was expecting was for her to push my notebook down into my lap before pulling me into a hug. “Tomo, you’re not fine at all. And it’s okay for you to rely on friends sometimes, y’know.”

I opened my mouth again, only to close it.

A hand started to run through my hair. “You’re my friend, Tomo, so let me be here for you. Please.”