#inspired by how my initial thoughts playing the game were

[strixcattus]

How contrary you are, based on which route you first got in Slay the Princess

Level 0: Do exactly as you're told, no questions asked, ever (First route: Spectre)

Level 1: Try to do as you're told, but you just can't help but poke around at the edges of your options (First route: Tower, Adversary, or Razor)

Level 2: Go for the low-hanging fruit of outright doing the opposite of what the Narrator wants you to do (First route: Damsel)

Level 3: Start out almost trusting in the Narrator and still decide he's full of nonsense (First route: Prisoner)

Level 4: Refuse to listen to the Narrator, but actually also screw the Princess too we don't need either of them (First route: Witch or Beast)

Level 5: Take a third option (First route: Nightmare)

Level 6: Actually, wait, take a fourth option (First route: Stranger)

[leilakisakabiri]

Jealousy, Jealousy (Gavi)

Summary: You realize that Gavi never gets jealous when other guys are around you and it makes you question if he still likes you. 

Warning(s): None

A/N: Hey! I had some inspiration to write so here I am! I’m trying to release shorter fics while I work on my longer ones. Requests are open!

Word Count: 2.5k+

Masterlist

The first time it happened, you felt relieved that Gavi had decided not to make a scene and instead chose to calmly defuse the situation.

The two of you had been at a club late one night, the high from Barcelona winning hours before pumping through your veins. He had his arms wrapped around you as you both danced to whatever Spanish song the DJ was mixing.

You laughed as he spun you around before pulling you closer, leaning down to whisper in your ear as he moved a strand of hair out of your face. 

"I'm going to grab another drink. Want to come?"

His breath was hot against your ear, and even though it felt like a million degrees in the club, and you were sweating through your dress, you still shivered, his voice sending shockwaves through your system no matter how many times you heard it.

You looked up, locking eyes, "I'm good, I'll save our spot."

He kissed the top of your head before letting go, "Ok I'll be back in a second. Try and find the others if you can."

You gave him an awkward thumbs up as he walked away and he chuckled before disappearing into the crowd.

The two of you had been dating for just shy of three weeks.

You had been friends for months before dating, with you initially being introduced to him through his hometown friends. Then there was a three-month period where you both liked each other but were too scared to admit it and ruin the friendship. Finally, Gavi caved after spending two weeks away from you without contact while he playing in the U.S.

Since he admitted his feelings for you that night on the steps of your shitty college house, he had jumped straight into the relationship, inviting you to his games, to hang out with his friends, and private dinners. You on the other hand still felt like an awkward pre-teen girl every time you were with him, he just made you feel giddy inside, and you reacted to things he said so intensely that the only way to cover it up was with strange humor and stupid jokes.

That led you to now. Sometimes being around him was so overwhelming because you were always scared you would say something to embarrass yourself, and although he never made you feel any less worthy you couldn't help but feel like he could be with someone much better than you.

As you stood there contemplating, you felt a body collide with yours, effectively pulling you out of your thoughts.

You stumbled, feeling hands come up to grip your elbows, stabilizing you.

"Shit- my bad."

You looked up seeing the guy holding you sporting a white button-down and an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, those guys just pushed me. Some friends." He said referring to the group of five or so extremely drunk boys behind you.

You shook your head, "No worries, I wasn't paying attention either."

He smiled, leaning a bit closer, hands still on your elbows, "Hey do I know you? You look really familiar.”

You squinted your eyes as you gazed at him, trying to figure out if you knew him.

"Eh I go to Universitat de Barcelona if that helps."

His eyes lit up at your words, and he nodded, "Yeah, that's totally how I know you. I think you're in my biology class."

You groaned, "No way the one at 8 a.m.?", he nodded, "I'm barely awake for that lecture." you muttered.

"Mean either but it's hard not to notice you."

You only heard half his sentence and looked at him confused, "Sorry what?"

His lips tugged up in a smile as he bent down, shifting closer to you, "I said it's hard not to notice you."

You felt your breath stop as you realized what you had gotten yourself into. You made a move to shy away when you heard Gavi call your name.

You lifted your head seeing him approaching as he carried your drink, "Hey who's this?"

You went to interject and tell him it was no one but the guy next to you interrupted, "Hey man, I got to school with her.”

Gavi nodded, accepting his answer as he handed you your drink, "Oh class friend?"

You went to speak but were again cut off by the guy next to you, who had still to let go of your elbow.

"Something like that."

You saw Gavi's posture slightly straighten at his words but he relaxed a second later, "Alright."

The guy turned to you saying something about seeing you in class and then proceeded to give you a hug, his arms wrapping around your lower back.

You noticed Gavi watching the exchange but he made no comment.

You approached him timidly, unsure of if he was going to say anything about the situation, but he paid it no mind, going back to casual conversation with you.

At the time you let out a breath, thankful that he seemed intent on letting you handle your own situation.

That thankfulness soon turned to annoyance and then confusion when similar situations happened time and time again and he made no effort to speak up.

You supposed it was good he never got jealous because you knew it could get very overbearing very fast, and yet, you couldn't help the twinge of defeat you felt every time someone tried to make a move on you and he did nothing to stop them or even show a ounce of emotion.

Slowly it was making you start to question your relationship with Gavi.

Why did he not get jealous? Was it because he didn't see others as a threat? Or didn't feel the need to because you weren't as pretty as the other girls he was seen with? Maybe he simply didn't care? Or perhaps he wasn't the type?

You knew the last one couldn't possibly be true because he was absolutely the type. His entire career was based on his passion, determination, and aggression to get where he wanted. His aggression is what made him so competitive and a loyal player. So if he was so driven and passionate on the field, why was that not carrying over into your relationship?

It wasn't until almost two months later that things came to a boiling point.

It was the last game of the pre-season for Barcelona and spirits were high, everyone hoping they could seal off a great season, and enter a new one, with a win.

The stadium was filled to the brim with fans and reporters. The family section was also full with player's partners and families coming to support them in the final game of the summer.

You were sitting next to Anna, the two of you talking about school, work, and life.

Eventually, the game started and you went into full-on fan mode - cheering along when Barca made impressive plays and booing when they were tackled.

The stadium was abuzz with energy, and you basked in everyone's excitement.

You gripped Anna's hand as you saw Gavi running up the sidelines towards the other team's defense, Joao running parallel to him.

You saw him sidestep, dodging the defender, and suddenly the ball was soaring, perfectly landing at Joao's feet as he placed it into the back of the net.

The two of you jumped up, cheering along with the rest of the crowd. It seemed like Barcelona would have its victory after all.

After the game, you stayed in the family section for a while chatting with Pedri's parents as you waited for the players to make a re-emerge.

You bid goodbye to them when you got a text from Gavi telling you to come down.

You made your way down to the field, waiting behind the barricades for him to appear.

The other team's players appeared first, signing fans t-shirts and taking photos.

"Need something signed?"

You saw a player from the other team approach you, waving a sharpie in his hand.

You pointed at your jersey playfully, "No thanks. I'm a Barca girl if you couldn't tell."

He grinned, "Ahh c'mon what will it take for me to convince you?"

You shrugged your shoulders, "Ride or die sorry."

He clutched his hand to his heart in mock offense, "Ouch. I'm hurt, but I'm not giving up."

You gave him a smile, remaining polite, as you looked over his shoulder for Gavi.

"Oh I know!" he exclaimed, directing your attention back to him.

He wiggled his eyebrows before taking off his shirt, "Here, new jersey for you."

He held it out to you, and you gave him an unimpressed look.

He rolled his eyes playfully, "Alright fine. I'll sign it, but only cause you asked so nicely."

You watched amused as he signed the jersey before offering it to you.

You squinted your eyes at him.

He dangled the jersey in his hands, "C'mon take it. You know a lot of people would pay good money for this."

You reached out to grab it, "Fine, but only because I'm going to sell it later."

He held up his hands in surrender, "It's yours now. Do whatever."

You thought the conversation would end there but he made no effort to leave, "Who are you here with anyway? Someone in Barca?"

You opened your mouth to respond but were cut off.

"Me."

You whipped your head to see that Gavi had silently approached the two of you.

Besides yourself, you felt a tiny part of you waiting with bated breath for him to do something, to finally dig his boots in the ground and say something, but he remained impassive.

"Hey."

"Hey, you ready to go?" Gavi asked.

You nodded your head, unsure of how to leave the situation.

"I can lift you over the barricade if you need." The other player spoke up, and your eyes immediately flitted over to Gavi's to gauge his reaction.

His eyebrows furrowed but he didn't say anything.

You debated for a second, just to get Gavi to react, but quickly decided against it, opting to just walk around the barricade.

You approached the two of them quickly and with a hasty goodbye followed Gavi as he left the pitch. You heard the other player shout a 'see you around', and you waved in response.

You broke the silence first as you walked the empty tunnel, "Great game baby. You did amazing."

"Thanks."

His reply was clipped.

He went to hold your hand and you shifted the jersey last second to your other hand, catching his attention.

"What's that?"

"Oh, that guy gave me his jersey. I'm going to sell it." You explained, telling him how you were expecting to make hundreds.

He listened along till you finished.

"Can I see the jersey?"

You nodded handing it to him.

You swung your joint hands as you walked, talking to him about the game as he examined the jersey.

Abruptly he dropped your hand, mouth set in a firm line.

Your eyebrows stitched together, "What's wrong?"

He cleared his throat before handing you the jersey.

"I think there's something for you on it."

"I forgot something in the locker room, I'll be right back." He continued.

You looked down confused, eyes scanning the text before it clicked.

The jersey had the player's phone number on it.

You lifted your head seeing him already walking away, "Gavi wait. Can you stop for a minute?"

He turned around but continued moving, "Yeah what?"

"Stop moving!” You exclaimed, your frustration building as he continued to not express any interest in the situation.

He finally halted and you closed the distance between the two of you.

"Is there something wrong with me? Do you not like me anymore or something?"

He seemed taken aback by your words and several emotions flitted across his face, "What are you talking about?"

You took a breath, it was now or never.

"I'm not trying to sound conceited, but I'm pretty sure that guy was hitting on me-"

"He was." Gavi confirmed.

You continued, "So then why don't you care? I'm your girlfriend, so why aren't you getting jealous when other guys hit on me?"

"You want me to get jealous?" He asked incredulously.

"I mean I don't want you to become super overprotective or anything, but it would be nice if you at least acknowledged when someone is trying to get with me right in front of you. I know I would get jealous if someone was saying that to you."

"You don't think I get jealous?" His voice had a hard edge to it, and suddenly you felt like you might have read between the lines wrong.

You shrugged your shoulders, unsure, "I mean you don't show it."

"Of course I'm going to notice when some guy is eye fucking my girl one foot away from me, I'm not fucking blind."

"Then why don't you say anything?" You pressed.

“Shit y/n that's cause I don't want to scare you away!"

His admission only confused you further, and you lowered your voice acutely aware that your shouts were probably carrying far in the quiet tunnel,

"Scare me away? Why would that scare me?"

He shook his head, "The press is always making me out to be this bad guy. This kid that doesn't know how to get his temper in check and - mierda y/n - I don't want to get into this right now."

You relented, unwilling to give in, biting the bullet, "Alright so next time someone asks to lift me up, their just being friendly right? Trying to be helpful?"

His eyes blazed, "That's not what I meant and you know it."

You lifted your hands in frustration, "No Gavi actually I don't know that. You act like you don't even care."

"I care! Trust me y/n I care!" He argued.

"Then show me."

His lips were on yours before you had even finished processing what you were saying. His skin felt hot against yours as his fingers sank into your hipbone, crowding you against the wall.

You lost your train of thought as you got lost in the sensation he provided you. One hand went to tangle in his hair, as the other draped around his neck bringing him impossibly closer.

One of his hands slipped under your shirt, as he kissed you senseless. You finally pulled away for a breath but he didn't stop, moving to lay a trail of kisses from the sweet spot behind your ear, down your neck, and onto your collarbone.

You left out a soft moan underneath him, the feeling causing tingles in your spine, and a fluttery feeling in your stomach.

"We should really sto- fuck gavi - so-someone could walk in any moment." You reminded him.

"Just gotta leave a mark." He replied.

You nodded before his words caught up to you and you pushed him off, "What? No marks! I have to meet your parents tonight." You whined.

He grinned, not looking the least bit apologetic, "At least people will know you're mine now."

[utilitycaster]

Daggerheart Character Build thoughts!

I am actually out at work and haven't checked the version that's since come out, but I did participate in the character build beta, and the NDA is officially lifted, so here's my thoughts from that! It's definitely limited since I just made a L1 character and didn't go through gameplay, though I surmise about some aspects of gameplay.

Overall, it clearly seems to be made by people who love a lot of things about D&D 5e but wanted both more flexibility and more simplicity, which is difficult. I think they succeed.

To that end, it takes away some of the crunchier aspects (precise positioning, exact amounts of gold) and I think for some people that will be a problem, and that's valid, but ultimately this game wants to both allow for interesting mechanics in and out of combat while also not being terribly math/map/resource management heavy. It is a hard line to walk; most systems either go hard crunch or go entirely gooey.

The dice mechanic (2d12, Hope and Fear system) is fantastic; look it up but I think it handles mixed successes more gracefully and interestingly than a lot of games.

The playtest was not super clear on armor and evasion choices (or indeed what evasion means; it seems to be sort of initiative but sort of dex save, or maybe more like the Pathfinder/old school D&D varying ACs by scenario?). It was much, MUCH clearer than D&D on weapon choices (part of why I play casters? Weapon rules in D&D are annoying and poorly explained and many people rightfully ignore them) so I'm hoping this becomes clear when there's a full guide rather than just the character creation info.

The character creation questions by class were fantastic and in general, and this is a theme, this feels like it guides people towards collaboration. FWIW I feel like D&D has that information, but the way it's presented is very much as flavor text rather than a thing you should be doing. Daggerheart makes this a much more core part of creation. The Experience mechanic is particularly clear: you better be working with your GM and really thinking about background, rather than slapping it on as a mechanic.

The other side of character creation questions is that it really encourages engagement with the class, which is something I've talked about. I think either subversion for the sake of subversion, or picking a class for the mechanics and aesthetic but not the fundamental concept, will be much harder to justify in Daggerheart, and I think that's a good thing because when people do that, their characters tend to be weaker.

The downtime is designed for you to write hurt/comfort fanfic about and this is a compliment. There are a number of mechanics that reward RP, particularly one of the healing mechanics under the Splendor track. I feel like a weakness of D&D is that when you try to reward RP it's really nebulous because there's not actually a ton of space to put that - you can give inspiration, but, for example, the empathy domain Matt homebrewed actually feels kind of off because it's based on such fuzzy concepts amid mechanics that are usually more rigid. Daggerheart comes off as much cleaner yet still RP-focused, and I'm excited to see it in action.

A judgement of Candela and I suppose Daggerheart might be that it's designed for actual play. I've mentioned before that I know people who are super into the crunch and combat and numbers of TTRPGs and are less story-oriented, and again, that's valid, but actual play is just storytelling using a ttrpg and so yes, a game that encourages RP while also having mechanics to support that and influence it is an extremely good goal. I am not an actual player, but I do like D&D games with a good plot and not just Go Kill Monsters, and I want to play this. (I also have some real salty thoughts about how if you modify an existing game for AP purposes that's staggering genius apparently, but if you make your own game how dare you but that's another post).

And now, the classes/subclasses. I am going to sort of use D&D language to describe them because that's a point of reference most people reading this will understand, but they are not one-to-one. A couple notes: everyone can use weapons and armor. HP is not totally clear to me but it seems to be threshold based - everyone has the same HP to start but people have different thresholds and armor, so the tank classes have the same amount of HP but are much harder to actually do damage to.

All classes are built on a combination of a subclass and two domains. There are 9 classes and 9 domains. This technically means that if you wanted to fuck around and homebrew you could make up to 36 classes (27 additional) by just grabbing two domains that weren't otherwise combined, which is fun to consider for the potential. Anyway I cover the classes and briefly describe domains within them. You can take any domain card within your domain, regardless of subclass.

There are six stats. Presence, Instinct, Knowledge, and Strength map roughly to Charisma, Wisdom, Intelligence, and Strength. Dex is split into Agility and Finesse; Agility covers gross motor skills (jumping, most ranged weapons, "maneuvering") and Finesse finer ones (lockpicking and tinkering, though also it does cover hiding). The really big wins are first, no CON score, so you don't need to sink stat points into something that grants no skills but keeps you alive. The second one is that the "hybrid" classes spellcast from their physical stat. This is fucking fantastic. The thing about ranger or paladin or the spellcasting subclasses of rogue and fighter in D&D is that if you don't roll pretty well you're locked into the core stats and CON and nothing else. (This also doesn't have rolling for stats: you assign +2 to one stat, presumably your main, and then distribute two +1s, two 0s, and one -1.)

Your HP, Evasion, and Thresholds are set by class, and there's a core ability; the rest is all from the cards you take for subclass and domain.

Leveling up is very much based on taking more domain cards (abilities) but has a certain degree of flexibility. It's by chunks: in leveling up anywhere levels 2-4, you can, for example, increase your proficiency by +1 once, so if you wanted to do that at level 2 but your fellow player wanted to wait until level 4 and take something else at level 2 instead, they could. It allows for more min-maxing, but also everyone has the same level up rules and differs only in the abilities on the cards, which is very cool.

Bard: Grace (enchantment spells) and Codex (learned spellcaster stuff; the spells available are definitely arcane in vibes) based, Presence is your main stat. The two subclasses map roughly to lore-style stuff and eloquence. Core class ability is sort of like inspiration but not entirely. It's a bard; I like bards a lot, and this is very similar vibes-wise to your D&D bards. If you like D&D bards you will like this.

Druid: Sage (nature spells) and Arcana (raw magical power spellcaster stuff), Instinct is your spellcasting/main stat. The two subclasses are elemental but frankly cooler than circle of the moon, and a more healing/tranquility of nature focused one. I really think Marisha probably gave feedback on this one, because the elemental version is really strong. You do get beastform; it is quite similar to a D&D druid under a different system, as the bard, but the beastform options are, frankly, better and easier to understand.

Guardian: Valor (melee tank/damager) and Blade (damage). Strength based for the most part (Valor mechanics assume strength) though you could go for like, +2 Agility +1 Strength to start. This is barbarian but like. 20 times better. It is, fundamentally, a tank class, and it is very good at it, with one even more tank-focused subclass and one that is more about retaliatory damage. You do have a damage-halving ability once per day, but really guardian's questions are incredible. I think Travis and Ashley likely gave feedback. Also rage doesn't render you incapable of concentration as that doesn't seem to be a thing, so multiclassing seems way more possible (you are, I think, only allowed to do one multiclass, and not until you reach level 5 minimum, which I am in favor of). Yes, you can be a Bardian.

Ranger: This is what I built! It is based on Sage and Bone (movement around the field/dodging stuff) and it is Agility-based, including for spellcasting, which is a MASSIVE help (as is, again, the fact that CON isn't a thing.) The subclasses are basically being really good at navigation, or animal companion. Most importantly to me you can be a ranger with a longsword and you are not penalized; Bone works with either ranged weapons or melee.

Rogue: Midnight (stealth/disguise/assassination spells and skills) and Grace-based. Yes, rogue is by default a spellcaster, which does help a LOT with the vibes for me. One subclass is basically about having lots of connections (as a spy or criminal might) and the other is about magical slinking about. Hiding/sneak attack are also streamlined. I will admit I'm still more interested in…almost everything else, but I think it evened out a lot of rogue weaknesses.

Seraph: Splendor (healing/divine magic) and Valor. This is your Paladin equivalent. It is strength-based for casting, again making hybrid classes way less stressful. Questions for this area also incredible; you do have something not unlike a lay on hands pool as well. Your subclasses are being able to fly and do extra damage; or being able to make your melee weapon do ranged attacks and also some extra healing stuff, the latter of which is my favorite. Yasha vibes from this, honestly. Single downside is this is the only class where they recommend you dump Knowledge. I will not, and I never will. Now that I don't have to make sure CON is high? I am for REAL never giving myself less than a +1 Knowledge in this game.

Sorcerer: Arcana (raw nature of magic/elemental vibes) and Midnight based. Yes, sorcerers and rogues now share a vibe, for your convenient….less enthused feelings. Instinct-based, which intrigues me, and the core features are in fact really good. The two subclasses are either one that focuses on metamagic abilities, or one that is elemental based. I would play this for a long-running game, though it's not my favorite, and I can't say that for D&D sorcerer (except divine soul).

Warrior: Blade and Bone, and the recommended build is Agility but you could do a strength build. Fighter! One subclass is about doing damage and one is about the hope/fear mechanics core to the game that I have NOT talked much about. I will admit, the hybrid martials and Guardian are more interesting to me but you do have good battle knowledge.

Wizard: Codex and Splendor. Wizards can heal in this system; farewell, I will be doing nothing else (jk). Knowledge-based, and you can either go hardcore expertise in knowledge, or be a battle wizard.

Other scattered thoughts: healing is not as big a deal here; there is no pure cleric class! There is also no monk, warlock, or artificer. There is not a way to do monk as a weaponless class really though you might be able to flavor the glowing rings as a monk weapon and play a warrior. Wizard, meanwhile, with the right experiences and high finesse, would allow for some artificer flavor. Cleric and Warlock are the two tough ones and I will admit those are tricky; I feel like you'd have to multiclass (which you cannot do until level 5) between perhaps seraph and a caster class and you're still going to come off very paladin.

[hedgehog-moss]

Inspired by your last ask! What are the best French books you’ve read that have no English translation yet? I read Play Boy and Qui a tué mon père (really loved the latter) last year and it feels so fun to read something that other Americans can’t access yet

I'm too nervous to make any list of the Best XYZ Books because I don't want to raise your expectations too high! But okay, here's my No English Translation-themed list of books I've enjoyed in recent years. I tried to make it eclectic in terms of genre as I don't know what you prefer :)

Biographies

• Le dernier inventeur, Héloïse Guay de Bellissen: I just love prehistory and unusual narrators so I enjoyed this one; it's about the kids who discovered the cave of Lascaux, and some of the narration is written from the perspective of the cave <3 I posted a little excerpt here (in English).

• Ces femmes du Grand Siècle, Juliette Benzoni: Just a fun collection of portraits of notable noblewomen during the reign of Louis XIV, I really liked it. For people who like the 17th century. I think it was Emil Cioran who said his favourite historical periods were the Stone Age and the 17th century but tragically the age of salons led to the Reign of Terror and Prehistory led to History.

• La Comtesse Greffulhe, Laure Hillerin: I've mentioned this one before, it's about the fascinating Belle Époque French socialite who was (among other things) the inspiration for Proust's Duchess of Guermantes. I initially picked it up because I will read anything that's even vaguely about Proust but it was also a nice aperçu of the Belle Époque which I didn't know much about.

• Nous les filles, Marie Rouanet: I've also recommended this one before but it's such a sweet little viennoiserie of a book. The author talks about her 1950s childhood in a town in the South of France in the most detailed, colourful, earnest way—she mentions everything, describes all the daft little games children invent like she wants ageless aliens to grasp the concept of human childhood, it's great.

I'll add Trésors d'enfance by Christian SIgnol and La Maison by Madeleine Chapsal which are slightly less great but also sweet short nostalgic books about childhood that I enjoyed.

Fantasy

• Mers mortes, Aurélie Wellenstein: I read this one last year and I found the characters a bit underwhelming / underexplored but I always enjoy SFF books that do interesting things with oceans (like Solaris with its sentient ocean-planet), so I liked the atmosphere here, with the characters trying to navigate a ghost ship in ghost seas...

• Janua Vera, Jean-Philippe Jaworski: Not much to say about it other than they're short stories set in a mediaeval fantasy world and no part of this description is usually my cup of tea, but I really enjoyed this read!

Essays / literary criticism / philosophy

• Eloge du temps perdu, Frank Lanot: I thought this was going to be about idleness, as the title suggests, and I love books about idleness. But it's actually a collection of short essays about (French) literature and some of them made me appreciate new things about authors and books I thought I knew by heart, so I enjoyed it

• Le Pont flottant des rêves, Corinne Atlan: Poetic musings about translation <3 that's all

• Sisyphe est une femme, Geneviève Brisac: Reflections about the works of female writers (Natalia Ginzburg, Virginia Woolf, Sylvia Townsend Warner, etc) that systematically made me want to go read the author in question, even when I'd already read & disliked said author. That's how you know it's good literary criticism

Let's add L'Esprit de solitude by Jacqueline Kelen which as the title suggests, ponders the notion of solitude, and Le Roman du monde by Henri Peña-Ruiz which was so lovely to read in terms of literary style I don't even care what it was about (it's philosophy of foundational myths & stories) (probably difficult to read if you're not fully fluent in French though)

Did not fit in the above categories:

• Entre deux mondes by Olivier Norek—it's been translated in half a dozen languages, I was surprised to find no English translation! It's a crime novel and a pretty bleak read on account of the setting (the Calais migrant camp) but I'd recommend it

• Saga, Tonino Benacquista: Also seems to have been translated in a whole bunch of languages but not English? :( I read it ages ago but I remember it as a really fun read. It's a group of loser screenwriters who get hired to write a TV series, their budget is 15 francs and a stale croissant and it's going to air at 4am so they can do whatever they want seeing as no one will watch it. So they start writing this intentionally ridiculous unhinged show, and of course it acquires Devoted Fans

Books that I didn't think existed in English translation but they do! but you can still read them in French if you want

• Scrabble: A Chadian Childhood, Michaël Ferrier: What it says on the tin! It's a short and well-written account of the author's childhood in Chad just before the civil war. I read it a few days ago and it was a good read, but then again I just love bittersweet stories of childhood

• On the Line, Joseph Ponthus: A short diary-like account of the author's assembly line work in a fish factory. I liked the contrast between the robotic aspect of the job and the poetic nature of the text; how the author used free verse / repetition / scansion to give a very immediate sense of the monotony and rhythm of his work (I don't know if it's good in English)

• The End of Eddy, Edouard Louis: The memoir of a gay man growing up in a poor industrial town in Northern France—pretty brutal but really good

• And There Was Light, Jacques Lusseyran: Yet another memoir sorry, I love people's lives! Jacques Lusseyran lost his sight as a child, and was in the Resistance during WWII despite being blind. It's a great story, both for the historical aspects and for the descriptions of how the author experiences his blindness

• The Adversary: A True Story of Monstrous Deception, Emmanuel Carrère: an account of the Jean-Claude Romand case—a French man who murdered his whole family to avoid being discovered as a fraud, after spending his entire adult life pretending to be a doctor working at the WHO and fooling everyone he knew. Just morbidly fascinating, if you like true crime stuff

[imthebadguyyy]

Arms

pairing : sirius black x reader

fandom : marauders/hp

synopsis : sirius realizes there's no place that feels more like home than your arms.

warnings : self depreciating thoughts, insecurity

a/n : felt like wandering into the realm of the marauders! do let me know if you want more :) inspired mildly by francesca by Hozier

sirius sat with james, while remus and peter sat across from them, both pouring liberal amounts of gravy onto their plates. james was also digging into an obnoxiously large amount of roast potatoes and chicken, barely pausing for a breath as he scarfed down the food.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

the great hall was not buzzing with the sound of students chattering as it usually did, and the sound remained at the decibel of a small hive of bees, while the professors murmured softly at the grand table, the munch of the many treats laid on the table for the christmas eve dinner.

sirius himself didn't feel that hungry, fork half heartedly poking at the beans on his plate. his eyes roamed around the hall, taking in the tiny mass of people at the other tables, and at dumbledore pulling mice out of his purple witches hat - his christmas special.

that very morning, his owl had dropped off a rather nasty howler from his darling mother, once again choosing to call him a colourful variety of insults and ending with her usual "disgrace and traitor to the black boodline" bullshit, followed by a chorus of "mixing with mudbloods and muggles" that had him clenching his fists in frustration.

then, his father orion had also decided to grace him with a scathing letter he burned the moment he received, but not before catching the words "shame to my bloodline", which once again had him sighing and rubbing the sore spot on his temples.

he had ignored it initially, focusing instead on the beautiful hand knitted scarf, golden watch and basket of sweets and treats he had received from euphemia and fleamont, with a small engraved gryffindor lion at the back of the watch.

he had also received a leather jacket from you, and homemade strawberry pies that you had made with help from the elves in the kitchen, and a set of silver rings to go with his pre existing ones.

remus had gifted him a muggle record called rumors from a band called Fleetwood Mac, that you had freaked out over and told him you'd listen to together because they were your favourite band ever and you'd be damned if he discovered your favourites on the album without you.

james himself had bought him bundles full off tricks and games from hogsmeade, and a framed picture of the marauders, along with a small replica of his own quidditch jersey because, "everyone has to know you're my number one fan pads!"

even marlene had gifted him a bunch of chocolate frogs, and mary had got him a postcard from venezuela and chocolate because her parents were visiting. lily had sent him muggle posters of his favorite bands as well.

but despite the merriment, the niggling insecurity of not being enough played on his mind the whole time, creeping like a shadow, insecurity slithering through the corridors of his mind, casting doubts where there once was light.

his mind was spiralling, as he looked at his plate, gulping as a sudden lump appeared in his throat. james was reading a letter from his mum to remus and peter, telling him about their travels in egypt, and peters mum had sent sweets for them to share at dinner.

oh how he longed for a mom who would write him sweet letters and send him sugary treats instead of venom coated words and flame bursting letters, a father who would teach him how to tie his tie properly for class, or tell him tales of his childhood.

sirius longed for a family to love and hold him always. and the closest he had to that was you and james.

as his thoughts turned to you, he was distracted by a sudden crash as the doors were flung open, as you rushed in, followed by the two friends with whom you sang as part of the hogwarts band, your red robes flaring as you rushed to find your spot beside him at the table.

with a pant, you flung yourself down, taking heaving breaths to calm your racing heart.

"well hello little miss" james said through a mouthful of peas, making you scrunch your nose in disapproval. "where were ya?" remus asked, piling on food onto your plate before it changed course.

"i was at band practice! we just lost track of time and then had to rush because we were so hungry!" you exclaimed, while your hands reached for sirius' under the table, taking his cold palm in yours, squeezing it tenderly to get the blood flow back in them, bringing it up for a quick peck to the knuckles before interlacing his fingers with yours.

sirius felt his heart physically slow down as he watched you, laughing a joke remus made, poking fun at james and messing around with peter. he watched as you cut the roasted potatoes into smaller chunks, dipping them in extra butter as you popped them into your mouth, and the way your eyes sparkled when you smiled.

he watched the way your hair fell, little strands framing your face as you brushed them off impatiently, all while leaning forward for a slice of a chocolate tart and icecream that had just appeared.

he watched as you put a slice of apple pie on his plate, topping it with a healthy dollop of cream, and passing it to him with a saccharine sweet smile and a murmur of "your favourite siri!" and he felt his heart flutter again.

what he didn't note was the crease in your eyebrow as you looked at your friend, the darl circles under his eyes, the slight stoop to his posture, the way his smile came out forced, lips pressed tight together with none of his gorgeous smile lines appearing around his eyes and lips.

he failed to note the way you drew a sharp breath when you felt the rough skin of his palms, coarse from all the times he dug his nails into the delicate skin to control the rage and hurt he felt at his family. the way your eyes softened as you looked at him, the way his lack of obnoxiously lewd jokes and quick wit made him look so vulnerable that it shattered your heart into a million pieces.

after the crackers were pulled and you had packed up a "grow your own warts" kit and many a butterbeer flavoured candy and a few white mice, he squeezed your hand again, gesturing towards the gryffindor common room, leaving the boys chatting with a few members of the ravenclaw quidditch team who had stayed back for christmas as well.

murmuring the password to the fat lady, you stumbled into the common room with sirius, who had his arm wrapped tightly around your waist. you sunk into your favourite armchair, and giggled when sirius fell into you with a muffled "thump"

even though you were 'just friends', you knew him better than anyone else and he knew it as well as you did.

the cozy red armchair with its plush cushioning looked as inviting as ever as he settled into it, legs haphazardly tossed over yours. affection was a major part of your relationship with sirius, having become fast friends since the first year at hogwarts.

ever since you were joint at the hip, bonding over a shared love of music, shared comfort in silence, shared trauma and a love for leather. you were as much a part of the marauders as any of the other boys, and sirius couldn't quite point to the time when you had become such fast friends.

he buried his head into the crook of your neck, inhaling deeply, absorbing the lilting notes of vanilla and shea, and fiddling with the loose strands of hair at the base of your neck. you hummed softly, some melody that had been playing on your mind, hands gently running through his dark locks, nails scratching softly at his scalp.

"you okay?" you asked, noting the tenseness of his shoulder muscles, and the still present frown between his eyebrows.

a non commital shrug was the only response.

worry began to seep into your mind, surprised at how your usually bubbly bestfriend was decidedly unbubbly.

"you don't seem okay babe" you stated, lifting his chin so he was looking at you.

his stormy gray eyes reflected doubt and insecurity dancing like lightning, casting shadows of uncertainty that loomed deep in his mind.

to your surprise, tears welled up in his eyes, mirroring raindrops, poignant with a tempest of emotions swirling within, creating a tumultuous scene of vulnerability and insecurity.

"oh sweetheart.." you cooed softly, shuffling so he was engulfed in your arms. you felt him bury his face deeper into your neck, clinging to you desperately as if he was worried you'd disappear into thin air.

"talk to me honey" you whispered, trying to coax him out of his hiding place.

just as he opened his mouth to speak, the door to the common room swung open and remus james and peter trooped in, followed by a few other gryffindors.

they stopped short, taking in the scene before them, their best mate in tears in the arms of the girl he loved who happened to be his best friend.

"mate are you-" james began, only to be cut off by a glare from remus.

"who don't you go up to our dorm y/n? I'll make sure no one goes up" remus said, staring at your pointedly, offering a soft smile to you when you nodded.

"i think we'll take you up on the offer, is that okay with you siri?" you asked, still softly stroking his hair.

he nodded against you, and followed you silently as you took his hand in yours and draped an arm around his torso, pressing a kiss to his temple as you led him up the winding staircase to the boys dormitory.

as soon as you were inside, you led him over to his bed, gently pushing him down so he was sitting, eyes looking unseeingly at the posters and polaroids that graced his headboard.

with worried eyes, you watched his gaze flicker back and forth, trying to fight back the tears that threatened to spill over.

"talk to me siri, im right here" you cooed, kneeling down in front of him, hands resting on his knees, drawing tiny circles with your pinky over the material of his robes.

"are you here with me love?" you asked, watching the black in his pupils darken as he spaced out. you watched as he jolted a little, looking at you almost alarmed, before the tears began to drip down his cheeks.

the first drop had you sprinting into his arms, wrapping your own tightly around him, kicking your shoes off as you squeezed him tight, knees resting in between his own, as he sobbed into your chest.

you'd seen him cry before, but never like this. broken sobs spilled from his salty lips, dampening the material of your robes, and small choked sounds escaped his lips, along with deep strangled breaths as he gripped your waist to keep himself grounded.

he cried for what seemed like hours while you whispered sweet reassurances to him, kissing his cheeks, his nose, his forehead and his hands, placing his hand on your chest to feel the steady beating of your heart.

"m' right here darling, let it all go, I've got you, i promise, I'll be right here to hold you honey" you whispered to him, rocking him back and forth like a child.

sirius gripped you even tighter, clinging to you as if you were his lifeline.

eventually, his sobs slowed,and he pulled back, eyes red and swollen and face glistening with tears. even when his hair was messy and he looked like a wreck, he looked ethereal.

"oh my beautiful boy" you said, kissing the top of his head. "tell me what you need" you said, interlacing your hands.

"you, just need you" he said, and the way his broke on the word 'you' shattered your heart into a million pieces.

"just give me one second darling, okay?" you said, walking into their bathroom and taking out a clean handkerchief from your pocket. you soaked it in some water, bringing it back to him, gently wiping his eyes and then his face with it, leaving kisses on every spot you cleaned for him, before taking a comb from his nightstand and slowly untangling the mess that his hair was.

sirius watched as you combed his hair, eyebrows furrowed in attention, and he swore his heart fell even more for you.

"d'ya think you can tell me what's wrong sugar?" you asked, biting you lip when he flashed you a smile at the nickname.

"yeah" he nodded, tugging you down so you were cuddled into his side. "oh wait!" you exclaimed, fishing some chocolate out your pocket and offering a piece.

he took it with a smile, letting it melt on his tongue as he looked at you.

you were now snuggled into his shoulder, your ankle intertwined with his as you lay across from him, hand gently holding his, as his other hand traced patterns on your hip.

"darling mother of mine sent me a howler this morning for a christmas present" he said with a dry chuckle.

"did she now?" you said, anger simmering deep in your bones. "yeah, and then sperm donator sent me a lovely letter as well" he said, chuckling a little at his own nickname for his father.

"mmhmm" you said, tracing his thumb.

"yeah, jus' caught me off guard" he mumbled

"you do know that whatever they say is not true, right?" you asked, looking straight into his eyes.

"yeah but- fuck, darling, it gets hard sometimes. sometimes I feel like I am a traitor and failure. sometimes i feel like I'm not worthy of being a human, I'm not worthy of being a friend, I'm not worthy of being loved i-" he broke off, looking at the ceiling.

"you are more than just a name, sirius. you are worthy of being loved. you are worthy of being human, and you are worthy enough to have friends who care about you" you said firmly, forcing him to look back at you.

"it just hurts me sometimes" he admitted

"i know sweetheart" you cooed again. you felt like no words you said were enough when it came to this topic.

"am i really worthy of being loved?" he asked suddenly, turning his face to look at you.

"of course" you said. the silence got louder for a moment. "siri?" you asked, voice lighter than honeycomb.

"theres something Ive been wanting to tell you" he got out in a rush. "ever since we met on the train on our way here, from the tender age of eleven, my heart silently declared its allegiance to you. each passing day has been a testament to a love that started as a whisper and has grown into a resounding echo in my soul. darling, with every sunrise and every moonlit night, my affection for you deepens, as if there's an infinite well within me, filling with the boundless affection i hold for you. you are the constant melody in the symphony of my existence, and i fall harder for you with each beat of my heart" he said, turning to look at you.

you felt tears welling in your own eyes, and it only felt right when you leaned forward, pressing your soft lips to his slightly chapped ones.

to him, you tasted of strawberries and cocoa, warm and sweet and oh so extravagant, a taste so luxurious he couldn't get enough of it.

to you, he tasted of cigarette smoke, mint and cocoa, an intoxicating taste you couldn't get enough of

his lips pressed deeper against yours, hand grasping your waist tightly, pulling you flush against him, as he poured all his love and passion out for you.

time stopped, the world slowed and your heartbeat dropped to the lowest of lows. relaxed. calm. loved.

finally, when your lungs began to burn from the lack of oxygen, you drew away, chests heaving as you looked at each other.

a slight flush lay on his cheeks, tinges of red littering his cheekbones. you could feel a heat thrumming in your own cheeks, and your heart felt like it was racing a million miles an hour.

"i don't know how long I've waited to say that to you" he breathed out, nuzzling his nose to yours.

"since our shared days at eleven, my heart has been a clandestine haven for the enchantment you brought into my life. you don't know how happy you made me with this. in the quiet dance of our days, my affection for you has blossomed into a resplendent garden, and with every sunrise, I find myself immersed deeper in the captivating allure of our love. you are the symphony that resonates in my heart, and i cherish you always" you told him, pressing a kiss to the swell of his cheekbone.

sirius felt his cheeks burn a deep red, and he tilted your lips up to press a searing kiss to them again.

"i love you" he gasped against your lips, drawing you closer to him.

"i love you too" you murmured against his lips moulding your body to him.

and as sirius lay there in your arms, pressing kisses as sweer and delicate as spun sugar against every part of your body but especially your lips, he realised there was no other place that felt more like home than your arms.

you.

you were his home.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

a/n : I've missed writing so much!! i really hope you enjoy this, and as always likes reblogs comments opinions etc are appreciated!! sending u all love and happiness and remember, my inbox is always open and i love making new friends!! marauders is a new field for me but if u have any reqs/ideas please do send in asks! happy reading ☺️♥️

TAGS

general : @roslastyles420 @hopeful in love @bluesongbird

TO BE ADDED TO THE TAGLIST SEND ME AN ASK OR A DM SPECIFYING WHICH FANDOM ❤️

[mimimui]

okay bllk boys as your not so bf was so good BUT IF you are willing to, could you do a sequel where reader either distances themselves or something along those lines

distance (doesn't) make the heart grow fonder (blue lock)

[ first part ] wherein you distance yourself from (character).

includes: isagi, bachira, chigiri, nagi, reo, rin

tags: one-sided, use of profanity, angst if you squint hard enough, boys annoyingly oblivious to reader's feelings, not proofread

a/n: (again) inspired by my not-so bf. i know the longing and mixed signals all too well :p this request has been collecting dust in my ask box but living rent-free in my head so .. enjoy !

you were always the one initiating conversations with isagi. not like you minded though, as long as you got to talk to him, you were happy. you can remember the first conversation you had with him as clear as day—you asked him which page the assignment was. you thought it was an absolutely brilliant plan to start talking to him regularly. it worked, obviously.

but then you noticed how dry his messages were. when you sent him three or four, he would reply back with one. isagi wasn't usually like this, no, he would return your energy all the time. it didn't bother you at first because you know he's busy with his sports, but his disinterest was getting more apparent.

you thought you were a bother to him; you thought you were annoying him, so you slowly stopped talking to him until neither of you spoke to each other at all. you stopped greeting him when you saw him, and you always saw his indifferent facial expression. uncaring, unconcerned.

it's like he forgot all about the conversations you shared. had he suddenly forgotten how close you two were? had he never cared about you? bullshit.

you waited for bachira to put his arm over your shoulders like he usually does, but he didn't today. you brushed it off, maybe he just wasn't feeling clingy yet. bachira always is touching you one way or another when you're together, but he suddenly stopped doing it.

you found it weird when he quickly retracted his hand from you when yours brushed against his. you also found it weird when he was suddenly leaning away from you in class, rather than leaning towards you. it was really weird when he was purposely standing far away from you. no matter how much you tried to get close, he would just move.

saying this only hurt you a bit was an understatement. of course it hurt you a lot, why was bachira suddenly ignoring you? you don't recall doing anything wrong or making anything awkward, so it's uncharacterisitc for him to be so... distant from you.

you decided to do the same. ignore him, distance yourself from him, and stop talking to him. you don't even know if he still considers you a friend.

chigiri slowly stopped asking to borrow your things. you didn't see anything wrong with it, but when you see him borrow things from other people, you feel a bit off about it. you thought it was stupid to feel this way—why is your heart sinking when you see him go up to someone else when he needs something?

you always gave him what he needed. you were always there when he needed something, and you were always happy to help. you loved helping him, actually. the smile he gives you when you let him borrow something is something you treasure.

it shouldn't hurt to see him borrow things from other people, it feels stupid to act this way. but you can't help it. you wouldn't be bothered by it, but the way he also stopped talking to you is what irks you the most. 'okay, you don't need to borrow my things anymore, but at least talk to me?' you think.

chigiri always gave back the things he borrowed from you safe and sound. the only thing he's ever stolen was your heart, and you're afraid he'll return it broken.

you sigh once again as you wait for nagi to go online on the game you two agreed to play together. he said he was going to go on soon, but it's been an hour, and you're bored out of your mind. you message him once more, hoping he'll reply this time. your smile drops as soon as you see his message: "can we play next time? im tired"

there was in fact no 'next time', because you haven't played a game with nagi in forever. every time you ask him to play with you, he will always reject you. he isn't the kind of person to decline a game invite, so you thought it was weird for him to suddenly be tired of playing video games.

games aren't as fun to play when you're alone. but nagi isn't joining you, so you just don't play at all. you were only ever excited to play because he was with you. when you see him online, you're quick to open the in-game chat, but then you notice he's playing with someone else.

it shouldn't bother you, really, but it's funny that you closed your game and went offline. you haven't played that game since.

you understand that reo was a busy person, but you never thought he'd get busy to the point where he no longer has time to spend with you. before, he'd always put in the effort to make time for you, no matter what. but it seems he's forgotten about your planned hangout again because he didn't show up.

the barista gave you a free drink and tried to give you words of encouragement, but you were quick to thank and dismiss them. you left the cafe that day wondering if you meant anything special to reo. he's always treated you differently than others, that's for sure. but did it ever actually mean anything?

you stare at the opened delivery app on your phone, debating on whether or not you should disconnect his online payment from your account. i mean, it's not like you mean anything to him anymore, so it's wrong to use his money.

you sighed as you reconnected your own account, ordering your usual. that was the last connection you had to reo.

you knew rin didn't prioritize relationships. hell, it wasn't on his priority list at all. but you had a glimmer of hope inside that maybe, just maybe, he thinks about you in that way. that maybe because of you, he'll consider being in a relationship.

you knew you and rin were not just friends. friends don't do the things you two do. so when you two flirt, you feel giddy. you thought that rin meant something more with his flirtatious actions, but when he calls you 'just a friend', your stomach drops.

he shares with you that he enjoys flirting for fun, and meaning nothing of it. of course he doesn't talk about you directly, but that's what it feels like. rin says it as if he's sharing a fun fact about himself, even feeling proud of it.

he notices your expression and asks why you look like that. you say it's nothing. nothing, just like what you are to him.

thanks for reading (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)

[bambiesfics]

Hi, this is just to spring off of another TLOU blog’s post, which I thought was aptly worded: Please find that post here! and please find the original twitter thread on Pro-Palestinian resources here!

I just wanted touch on how inappropriate it is to use a genocide as an excuse to morally posture over other people in our community because you’re itching to play an own ego-stroking game of ‘whose a better activist than who.’

Outside of the strikes, and days dedicated to raising awareness coming here to say asinine, innapropriate comments such as “Y’all can’t stop posting about pixel pussy?!” Is extremely unhelpful and is just something that sows undue resentment in our community. When you do things like that, we know what you’re really saying, and it’s not nice. What you’re really saying is “You guys are shitty people for still having any remaining vested interested in this community, unlike me, someone whose an enlightened online activist. I’m above caring about that childish little 2D lesbian and the sapphic community it brought forth, despite the fact that my initial interest in her is why I was ever even apart of this community I’m mocking to begin with. I’ll pretend my corrosive virtual-signalling insults and jabs are coming from a ‘good place,’ and aren’t rooted in being self-serving at all! I’ll pretend that I’m not using this genocide as a vehicle to stroke my own ego for rising above ‘petty, immature things’ like sapphic media, sexuality and community. I’m highkey so much better than you all, I’ll just refuse to admit that outright. Instead I’ll continue to subtly mock your intelligence and distract away from helpful posts about this genocide, and hope you won’t see what I’m doing for what it is. My favourite activity during genocide is not to educate people and commit myself to Palestinian liberation, but rather throw stones, hide my hands and demean well-intentioned posts just because it makes me feel good. Realistically, not one person in Gaza was tangibly helped by the insults I left in the TLOU tags for people to see, but I won’t stop because I’m just a girl….obviously.”

Hey, listen: I’ve been to protests where the organizers, MY PEERS, were other university students who were 18-22, who have had the diligence to remind everyone in the crowd to NOT ENGAGE WITH ZIONISTS. Why? Because it wasn’t safe, because their goal was to inspire a conflict in what is intended to be a united camaraderie in support of PALESTINE 🇵🇸. If those young adults can keep steadfast to their goal of mobilizing for Palestine, then I believe these bad faith actors on TLOU tumblr should learn not to sow shame in people for simply posting a drabble (when not striking) in a community whose fiction they lavished the fruits of, not too long ago. Why? Because it’s not helpful. Because instead of posting helpful resources to aid Palestinians and educating your followers on the zionist Neil Druckman, and to remain mindful of the Zionist themes in the game, you’re using that voice, the tlou tags and it’s reach, just to demean people. It’s such a wasted opportunity to speak up. Hey, if you’re going to say anything in regards to Palestine, then say something helpful to them! That’s an easy enough ask. The yellow jacket community on twitter figured out what pro-revolutionary activism looked like as a community, and I’m proud of them.

I’ll put this in the Ellie x reader tags because I know people who say things like that, either tend to frequent the tags or the tumblr algorithm will push it because of their interests.

[chris-continues]

Unconventional, Unusual, and Unapologetically Yours

Inspired by this text post I made!

In which you enter a relationship with an unfamiliar creature.. yet he’s the sweetest person you’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.

TAGS: @beanibon @vashfantasy @h4venpha @lune010

WORD COUNT: 1.6k

Available on ao3!

NOTES: I cranked this out in like less than an hour I think. Uncanny Vash makes my fingers type like the fucking wind LMAO- ALSO I MIGHT DO PT2 <33 ^^lmk if you don’t want to be tagged! Some people asked and I know others like uncanny Vash a lot, so I thought you’d enjoy. I tried to add a bit of creature Vash as well, please feel free to comment/reblog if you enjoyed! And lmk any ideas you have :D

Your boyfriend deviated from what one would call the standard partner. 

Well, not that such a thing was negative. He was by far one of the most beautiful people you’d ever seen, that much you noted from your first encounter. An abandoned warehouse, where you’d been forced to do an odd job when tight for cash. “Get a photo of the infamous Humanoid Typhoon!”, they said, giving you directions out of town. The warehouse then had appeared nothing short of shady, with its shabby walls, unfamiliar state, and a slight mildewy smell you weren’t too fond of. 

That would soon change, becoming your safe haven, as you recalled how you’d met. 

Your tentative steps inside, phone flashlight beaming as you explored for a good few minutes before- “Ah!” You jolted, the wide smile of a tall man, startling you. He apologetically waved his hands before you, attempting to reassure you, “Aw god, I’m sorry- I didn’t mean to scare you!” 

“It’s uh, fine, yeah.” You cleared your throat, turning your flashlight down slightly, “Who are you?” “Vash.” He chirped, quite literally. “And you?”, he offered his hand, ever so charming. If you recalled correctly, his pupils dilated a bit too much at the touch of your hand against his.

Humanoid. Not human.

It took you an embarrassingly long time to connect the dots, your attempt to search for the man of the hour futile (or successful, depending on how you viewed it). Searching for any extending corridors, or perhaps a hidden room. His company was originally slightly unsettling, as he was a stranger just tagging along for the ride, but he had no ill intent and with each sweet remark you found your night to not be a complete failure, swearing you’d return next weekend, same time to find the Humanoid Typhoon together. 

It turned into a game of stalling. 

Searching the same wall as last week, fingers tapping at the eroding wood of the building. His fingertips had brushed yours a handful of times as he blamed it on the darkness, a slight squeak leaving him each time, and maybe it was your fatigue riddled mind but you almost swore a slight glow emanated from him each time. 

After the 3rd week of searching you really didn’t care about finding this Typhoon guy anymore, figuring he was just some urban legend. Why did you keep going? For Vash, of course. He was a great listener, funny, and seemed to enjoy your company, and you really enjoyed his, and by god were you absolutely horrendous when it came to romance. So continued your pining of poking and prodding at an abandoned warehouse at the late hours of night. Too nervous to ask for his number (you found out later he didn’t have a phone), too shy to initiate anything further. 

Aha, until one night. 

Your searching had become less investigative of the building and moreso of each other, legs crossed and sitting in the middle of the warehouse with music playing from your phone on occasion. Discussions ranging from god knows what, each interesting in their own right. What confused you was that something as mundane as you telling a story in which you got your neighbors mail left him at the edge of his seat, but you simply chalked it up as him being a good listener and eager to engage in conversation, (that being partially true). Exhaustion creeped at you one night though, your horrendous sleeping habits having caught up with you as you rested your head against the derelict floorboards and gazed up at the ceilings. 

Vash had a habit of humming to fill in silences, and much like the rest of him you found yourself inexplicably drawn to it.. So sue you for being soothed to sleep by such a thing.

He didn’t tell you until much later, but that night he’d let his hand graze the back of yours, feathers peeking from beneath his jacket with the slight bumps ever so comforting against your skin. You let out the cutest hums, rolling just a bit closer to him.

His breath caught in his throat, as he let himself touch your hand just a bit more. His long, inhuman tongue laved over his several rows of sharp, unnatural teeth in a fidgeting motion. His pupils expanded, admiring you. You always appeared a bit nervous or tense around him- of course that diminished over time, he noted, but why were you so nervous? God, he hated being like this sometimes. To be.. A normal human companion of yours was something he found he craved. Every week, waiting for you in this dingy, subpar hiding place..

You were the highlight of his week. 

He had to hold himself back from instinctively curling into your side, wrapping his lanky limbs around you and allowing his vertebrae to extend to his full height.. Several feet taller than you. He wants to engulf you whole, keep you forever close and cherish you with chirps you couldn’t possibly understand. 

When you awake, he lays beside you. His body is as stiff as the wooden planks lining the warehouse floors, glancing at you as you finally make a move.

You scoot an inch closer.

His breath hitches in his throat. 

He can feel a draft making its way through the building,your body shivering as you shift just a bit closer.

“You.. are you cold?” He hesitates, arm stiffening as the fabric of his jacket meets the sleeve of your shirt. 

“Yeah, kinda..” You murmur, eyes darting away from him then back to him- god, you could stare at him and never tire of it. 

Your arms are pressed against one another, his fingers- wait, they’re uncharacteristically smooth, toying with the end of your sleeve. Oh god. The cutest guy you’ve ever met and he’s- oh god- you’ve dreamt of this more than you’d care to admit, hugging a pillow to sleep most nights, mind drifting to the cute guy you meet every weekend outside of town. 

Your fingers graze his once more, breathing pausing once more.

He intertwines his fingers with yours.

You think you’re going to die.

He chirps happily, and with your curiosity getting the better of you, you can’t help but ask, “What’s that noise mean?”

He blinks owlishly, sheepish smile crossing his face, “Oh uh, I don’t know really. It just.. happens?”  

“Ah, mhm. That’s fair.”

You peek down to your intertwined hands, only to see-

“Vash?”

His mouth gapes open to speak, and you get another peek of his- oh god, now that it’s morning you can see better.

Rows upon rows of his sharp teeth. His mouth forcibly staying together in one piece rather than three. Unnaturally long limbs. Feathers sprouting from him. 

“You.. you’re not human, are you?”

Oh god. He scared you. He’s so ugly, and you’re frozen, backing away slightly- “Oh my god you’re not- are you?”

The Humanoid Typhoon.

“Yeah. I.. I am.”

It takes you a moment to collect your bearings, mouth agape. “You.. you  never planned to hurt me, right?” Your eyes are wide, hands in your lap as you now sit up, legs criss crossed. 

“God no! Never! Oh god, I'm so sorry.” He buried his face in his hands, hiding it from the peeking rays of sunlight peering through the wood of the warehouse. “I don’t try to hurt anyone really, it just.. happens.” He swallowed thickly, “You can leave, if you’d like. I won’t hold it against you.”

You shake your head adamantly, “No, no I trust you. Just surprised me is all. I’ve never seen anything like it, I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Vash.” Your hands fidget within your lap, “I enjoy your company and you not being human won’t change that.”

He peeked at you from his fingers, pupils dilated. “..really?”

You nodded. 

He certainly didn’t appear very convinced, but as you offered one of your previously fidgeting hands out to him.. he took it. Hand much larger in yours, inhumanly smooth- you found upon closer inspection he had no fingerprints. 

You stayed like that for god knows how long, until you checked your phone, “Shit! I’m sorry Vash, I’ve got to-” Aw god, his face, he was so cute..

“I’ll return soon.”

He walked you to your car parked outside. 

Your next few visits were a lot more different. He never directly said it, but before long you started staying the night, pressed close to one another, easing closer and closer to one another with hesitant touches. His eyes pleaded for your company each time you left, a small pout forming on his lips. 

You hated leaving him each time. 

Your first kiss was sweet, clumsy, and absolutely adorable. Just like him. 

He laid atop you, the world’s best weighted blanket, wrapping his unproportionate, lanky limbs around you to pull you flush against him. “I like you Vash. A lot.” You admitted into his hair quietly, shyly kissing the crown of his head. He chirped excitedly, a few clicks escaping him as he shifted to have your eyes meet, lips peppering pecks on your cheeks, jaw, and the corners of your lips. 

You both were too nervous to initially confess, just basking in one another’s company. 

“Like you too.” A series of inhuman noises escaped him, elated by your flustered giggles. 

He almost felt bad for temporarily silencing you with a shy and quick peck to your lips. His eyes widened, before going in for another. 

Another, another, another, purring contentedly as he pressed closer to you in hopes to mold you both into one. 

Your hands tentatively reached to cradle his face, grinning into the dorky kiss you two shared. 

Now though? You glance at him, wrapped in a mini nest you two share atop your bed. He nuzzles into your neck, teeth gently nibbling at the flesh as the rays of morning peek through your bedroom window. His legs hang off the bed with how tall he is, but he couldn’t care less.

Is it unconventional? Sure. Unusual? Most definitely.

But you’ve never been more happy than you have with him.

[softdykellie]

ੈ✩‧₊˚ motion sickness part ii | ellie w.

previous part here | next part here soon

PAIRING: modern!ellie x fem!reader

SUMMARY: having grown up together, everyone knew eachother in jackson. when a brooding newcomer owner to a tattoo shop comes along apparently charming her friendly florist neighbor things seem to take a turn.

WARNING: alternative universe! purposefully all lower case. multiple part series. not a very eventful beginning as ellie’s relationship with reader is slow burn but it will start evolving after this one seriously trust me!

WORD COUNT: 632

ellie. you tasted her name on your tongue and melted into the feeling, flushed. dina had certainly manifested her wishes into fruition, you thought. stared at the girl for way too long, getting familiar with her features and vacant gaze towards the alcohol filled shelves against the main bar wall, freckles like starry war paint, eyebrow scar, pale green iris, peach pink lips, auburn hair gently brushing her shoulder at length. breathtaking, you immediately named the feeling, but she looked worn, tossed around. you blamed it on the bruised eye, caught onto sky grey vibes.

a silly game blossomed into your heart years ago, the inspiration for your flower shop really: how everyone you meet could be described by the floral language. dina thought hers too common, but it was your favorite, a daisy, standing for loyal love and “i’ll never tell”. jesse, a white jasmin, sweet love, amiability. even abby, coriander. you did not know the girl at all, but you saw red carnations grow behind her in the way spiritualists would claim to see auras. red carnations; “my heart aches”.

“flower shop girl, yes, that’d be me”

“cute” she mumbled sipping on the beer dina had given her before promptly pretending to be busy elsewhere though noticebly eavesdropping.

“you’ve got a lot of tattoos on you” jesse pointed matter of factly, earning a chuckle “perks of the job?”

“the job” ellie repeated his words in light humor as if minimizing her own career with the sound “yeah, i guess. you want one?”

“fuck, yeah! maybe a dragon up my back or or you know a snake, i don’t know, what do you usually draw?”

“pretty things” she answered before taking you off guard with a head movement that pointed you out amongst them all “like her” she twisted her body around to meet your face “what would you get, flower girl? roses?”

“the sun” you answered “what does that say about me?”

ellie smiled a weak smile, raising the sleeve of her grey t-shirt to expose a beaming sun by her bicep, detailed sad expression in black ink across its center. you took notice of everything. ferns and a moth grew from her hand to the very end of her forearm and covered scars you could only assume to have been self inflicted. a sword pierced through the spare space of skin next to a phoenix and finally angel wings alongside a well hidden initial: J. you wouldn’t ask, but you wanted to.

“trying to figure that out myself”

you hadn’t noticed when abby left, only that she was gone when a couple dollars slipped past you towards the ground from the countertops, extra tips for dina. you wanted her extroverted ways to carry the conversation, ask the newcomer about the altercation, but she seemed to enjoy playing dutiful dedicated owner more. small talk failed you, and ellie was uninterested.

you planned out your next meeting in your head, showing up with cookies as they do in the movies, catching glimpses of her sketches on the wall, giving them backstories to fill the gaps. it wasn’t so strange to be eager as you were taking into consideration how rare these opportunities had presented themselves: you never left jackson, not even on vacation. the world was meant to turn on its axis but you were destined to stay still, an agoraphobia rooted into your veins like movement would burst your chest open, bloody and broken. the flowers had been a therapist’s idea: to take care of something innocent as a purpose, exist outside the shell of a body you painfully cared for in pure obligation. your personal garden arsenal though, had meaning. yellow tulips, that’s what you were. the flower for unrequited love. the one tattooed by ellie’s hipbone you were yet to see.

[ijwrsmff]

Yandere! Vander x Reader

A request I got in DMs =~= It took a while to get to it, but here's the second story of the day! I got inspiration and knocked it out. I gotta head to work soon, but I hope y'all enjoy it!

Tw; swearing and yandere-typical behavior.

Word Count: 1,297

You didn’t think anything was wrong…at first. You were a good bit older than Vander’s kids, and they became like your own as well. They were a rowdy bunch, and you considered yourself just as much of a cool parent as Vander was. Although he could be much more strict than you. Never wanting the kids to “risk” their lives or legal action when going topside. 

After a while, you began to go with them. Just in case things went awry. Vander wasn’t aware of it for a while, but when he found out he was livid. It was a side of him you rarely saw. Initially, you thought he was mad at you for taking the kids on a risky mission to help him afford their living expenses, but no. He was mad for something entirely different. 

“The hell is wrong with you?” It wasn’t an angry yell, but rather a venomous mutter. “You’re risking your life for a few coins, don’t you know how dangerous that is?” He walked closer, and you stood your ground. You would defend those kids, and yourself against him. It wasn’t the first time, but it still made you anxious. But in your heart, you knew he’d never hurt you or those kids. 

“How else are we gonna pay for everything? It’s not like running this place is cheap, we know you’ve been struggling with it.” As he walked towards you, his look became even more…unhinged. “We’re just trying to help, and I wouldn’t ever let those kids hurt at the cost of my own life.” You decided to play his game and take a step closer, but you were completely caught off guard by his next action. 

He grabbed you, not roughly by any means, but enough to keep you in place. He was stronger than you, by far. You knew no matter how much you struggled he would only let you go when he allowed it. “That’s the whole problem. You baby them too much, they can take care of themselves. Especially Vi. She’s the oldest, she’ll make sure they don’t get hurt. You, on the other hand, are weak. Sensitive, and naive.” He leaned forward and his look turned softer. “You’re better off to stay here with me.” 

You glared at him, and ended up trying to take a step back to get some space, but he didn’t let you. “Vander, they’re still kids. If you’re not going to go with them to make sure they’re safe then I will.” Your gaze almost faltered, but you tried to show your determination in that look. Even as you could see the wheels turning in his mind, you tried to show you were brave enough to stick up to him. 

“No…no you won’t.” His voice was soft, and it was clear he came to a decision. Without another word from him, he dragged you to the basement of your home, where you stayed with him and the kids. “I figured something like this might happen eventually…” Despite your words of protest there would be no way to stop him with how strong he was. 

The basement was a place no one was allowed, and only Vander had the key. Not that anyone could get in or out without help from several, with how big and heavy the door was. It was almost like a vault, and you and the kids had always thought it was a place where he kept the finds that wouldn’t sell, or a place with items of significant value to Vander. Even now…that might still be what it’s used for. 

But those thoughts were halted when he opened the door to find a large room. A fridge, kitchen, bed, closet, and desk. “Vander…what is this?” You looked around the room, which was almost like its own home although in a single room and looked at him in confusion. He wasn’t…going to keep you here…right? “Vander?” He wasn’t answering, but his eyes looked full of resolve. 

He thought long and hard about his words, and eventually dragged you to the bed and shoved you down. “Don’t worry…you’ll be safe here. No risk, no threats, any of it. You have everything you need. Food and water, a bed to sleep in, and most importantly…me.” He smiled softly, and eventually headed back to the door. “I’ll come see you every day, I promise. You’ll love it here. It’s not much, but it’s the best I have.” 

He opened the door, and you screamed as you rushed at him. “Vander you bastard! Let me out of here!” As you swung, he turned around and grabbed your fist. His look was calculating, and you couldn’t make out what he was thinking. “The kids will know something is up! They won’t just let you trap me here like this!” It was the best defense you had, but he didn’t seem to care. 

“People go missing in the lanes all the time. They’ll be sad you’re gone, but they’ll be okay. They’re tough kids.” He grabbed both your arms, preventing you from screaming again and said, “I can take care of them. Just as I can take care of you. I can even teach you to cook some of the dishes you like me to make for you.” He smiled for half a second before going to his usual cold expression. 

“Vander you’re crazy! You can’t just keep me here like some sort of prisoner!” You kicked him, but he wasn’t phased. Within seconds, you were on the ground several feet away from the door. “LET ME OUT OF HERE!” You rushed at him once more, but he was already out of the door as you banged against it. 

Within days, your will was nearly broken. He came in, talked to you and left. Every night. You became silent at some point, and simply did whatever he said. Ate when he told you to, slept when he told you to, anything. Hoping that eventually, he would let you see the kids again. He talked about them a lot, how they would still go topside to get some extra coins. How they missed you, but grew closer to them when they realized they could lose him too. 

After several days, of which you lost count, you were completely broken. When he entered, your eyes were glazed over. He smiled, and touched your cheek. You didn’t even flinch anymore. He talked to you, or rather at you, but you couldn’t form words. Those kids…they missed you. You considered them your own. And Vander…you loved him. You did before, but did you now? It was hard to say. 

Before he left, you walked up to him as he approached the door. The only words you could think to say, sat on your tongue as he looked back at you. This was the first time you’d willingly touched him without him prompting it. He turned, and smiled, but the smile was small when he heard your words…

“Vander…Please…Let me go.” Tears had fallen for days and days prior, there were none left for you to shed. Broken was the only word that seemed fitting of you. And even as he replied, you couldn’t find it in you to cry, or scream, or do anything, really. 

“Not before…not now…not ever.” He turned and kissed the top of your head, and left. 

This was your life now. Sitting alone, your only contact with another living soul being from the man you loved. In some form or another. He was all you needed…he was all you wanted. Sitting and waiting for him to come back, didn’t seem so bad. He loved you so much he couldn’t bear to let you go. And maybe…just maybe…

You didn’t want him to. 

[modernperplexity]

Mine Ch. 2: The Waiting Room

Chapter Rating: E (+18) Minors DNI, mention of alcohol consumption and substance abuse.

Word Count: 2539

A/N: Chapter 2 is here y'all! Thank you for bearing with me. As some of you may have read in my last update, I moved across the country. It took some time to get settled and to get in a headspace where I could write again. Anywho, I am excited for you to read this chapter. We'll get to see more of the boys and Frankie being a great dad 🤍 As a reminder my asks are always open. I hope you enjoy Chapter 2!

Quick shout out to @splashofbi-fic-reblogs your comment on chapter 1 inspired one of the lines, thank you for that!

If you'd like to join the tag list click here :)

Mine Masterlist

Chapter 2 : The Waiting Room

“Catfish..what happened back there? It seemed like you were on your A-game. I thought you’d asked her to text you or-” 

“Can we talk about this later?” Frankie closed the front door behind him “I’m exhausted, besides we have to go pick up Cami in the morning. My mom has...she has a date.” Frankie groaned internally, instantly regretting the last small detail he let slip.

“Shit man, even your Mom is dating...” Santiago chided with a chuckle until he was met with Frankie’s strong gaze in response,“Alright, alright...G’night”

Frankie couldn't sleep that night, despite feeling exhausted. The events of the evening kept him restless, replaying his time with you and thinking of ways he could have done better. My god was he rusty, Santiago was right, it had been too long since he had put himself out there. Pope had been a great friend, teasing aside, who cared about Frankie's well-being and encouraged him to move forward and past the darkness that he had seen his friend grapple with. He was the reason Frankie had downloaded the latest dating apps only to never complete his profile. He figured if he met someone, he prefer it to be in person. 

His thoughts raced through the night. Would anyone want someone so broken with a past like his? Would you? You were so beautiful, smart, and interesting and he was just Francisco Morales the ex-pilot and recovering addict. It’s not like it mattered anyway, he reckoned he’d never see you again. His eyelids eventually grew heavy, as the Netflix show he left playing lulled him to sleep.

“Frankie..” Your heartbeat quickened for two reasons. First, you’d never imagine you’d see the man ever again. Second, your boss had just entered the waiting room and talked with the receptionist at the front desk. Luckily, she was too far away to notice the lack of formality in your interaction.

“Santiago, that little shit.” Frankie muttered under his breath. Your mind too preoccupied to fully register the moment.

“Uh..why don’t we make our way to my office?”

He followed close behind as you walked down the hall. It wasn’t lost on him how Camila’s eyes sparkled when she saw you. How she ran up to greet you and took your hand immediately. His heart was melting at the sight until the moment caught up to him. He had lost your number and figured you misinterpreted his lack of initiation as a sign of rejection. Now he was here, in your office. He thought it some trick of fate, or the handiwork of one he referred to as Pope. 

Camila had no patience for you both and had contently occupied herself with the toys you had laid out for her session. Frankie inched toward the edge of his seat, “I’m so sorry. I would’ve called-”

“There’s really no need to explain, Mr. Morales” You waived him off, denying every inch of curiosity that urged you to hear his explanation. He has a child! A daughter, who so happens to be your patient. And what of her mother? Had you given your number out to a married man? 

How is this happening right now.. here out of all places!?

“But I want to... Please.” His pleading voice interrupted the racing thoughts that held your attention. How could you deny those deep brown eyes? You quietly surrendered with a nod. 

“If you don’t mind..” You looked out the sidelite of your office door, searching for any passersby in the hall, “keeping your voice low, the walls are pretty thin.”

“Right..well, the ink on my hand smeared when I grabbed the beers. I tried to make out the numbers but they were too far gone. I was kicking myself for not asking you to write down your name and number in my contacts or asking you to text me....or-” He sighed and looked at Cami who had now moved on to the animal puzzle at the kid-sized table to the left of him.

His earnest expression rendered you defenseless “Oh god-” A chuckle got away from you, “I’m so sorry, I don’t mean to laugh at you. It’s just- I don’t know if it was the alcohol or my nervousness but I was trying to be mysterious and I see now that it completely backfired. Full disclosure, I never give out my number like that.”

The worry lines on his forehead eased their tension and a half smile sheepishly emerged over his pouty lips, “There was quite literally nothing I could go off. I considered asking the bartender for the name he saw on your credit card but I didn’t want it to seem like I was some creep.” He laughed, “Santiago, would not stop teasing me the whole weekend. He’s been on me to start dating again.” His hand dragged over his mouth, “God, I’m gonna kill him”.

“So… you’re not married?” You moved from the edge of the desk to a chair closer to him. Your eyes searching his for an answer.

“No, I’ve never been. I thought about it- thought it would be good for Cami when we found out we were expecting but Ashley… Camila’s mother, left us when she was still a baby.” He looked at his daughter with such devotion and admiration. You could see the hint of pain behind his eyes. 

Your heart sank, “Mr. Morales, I am so sorry. I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult that must have been for you and Camila.”

“I really wish I could change things. I know I had my faults, I just wished I could’ve turned things around sooner for Camila’s sake. If I had, maybe she’d still have a mother and maybe she wouldn’t be so affected…” He couldn’t grasp why he was opening up like this, so quickly and effortlessly. It was not like him at all. It took him weeks to muster up the courage and talk about this with Will and Ben, who had both been a rock for him during his relapses and recovery periods. Hell, it took him a while to even realize what he was feeling. There was something about your presence, your soothing voice, and your gentle eyes that made his defenses dissolve.

“Is it…is it my fault?” You looked at him with concern, “That she is having a hard time talking?”

“You can’t blame yourself, Frankie” His heartbeat quickened at the sound of his name, “There are so many factors that play into why general speech delays happen- genetics, pregnancy complications, environmental factors... Please don’t punish yourself for this.” 

You turned your gaze to Cami, who had so many of her handsome father’s features. She was all Frankie, from her warm chocolate curls to her rosy little lips. “You’re here and that’s what matters. I promise to do my best to help you and Cami achieve her goals.” The tightness in your throat reminded you that regardless of the gravitational pull you felt towards him the night you met, you needed to be professional. Your hard work and license were on the line. 

Get it together, state your boundaries. 

“With that in mind, I have to be upfront with you. I do my best to establish a professional relationship with my patient’s parents, but as you can already imagine there are lines I do not..cannot cross regardless of how we first met.”

“I understand. I would not want to jeopardize you in any way.” He lifted his cap to run his fingers through his hair, “But if it’s okay with you, I’d like to stay and participate in Cami’s sessions.”

“Oh.. absolutely! I think it will be beneficial. You’ll get to see and learn the techniques I use during her sessions so you use them at home” The half-smile that quickened your heartbeat made its appearance once more.

You taught him the techniques you’d be using and activities that he could implement at home to help foster a learning environment for his daughter. Cami was quick to engage with you and receptive to your encouragement. She was particularly fond of bursting bubbles and clapping along to the songs you sang with her. Frankie felt a sense of warmth well up in his heart as he watched his daughter enjoy her time with you. Although he couldn't act on this feeling, he chose not to resist it.

“Jesus Fish, we were starting to get worried. I was about to run out to get backup cases of beer in case you didn’t make it.” 

“Sorry, we couldn’t find Bunzy. Pope and I just about turned the whole house upside down looking for him.” Ben rushed over to pick up Cami who had been reaching for him stuffed animal in hand, as they stepped into Ben’s backyard. “Tio Ben!” she exclaimed. 

“HOLY SHIT! She.. she.. just said my name!” 

Frankie’s chest swelled with pride at Camila’s progress, hardly noticing Ben’s profanity. Content in knowing that Cami was now beginning to use new two-word phrases.

“Ben! Language!” Will scowled at his brother and took a break from manning the grill to place a kiss on Camila’s cheek, “Tio Will is so proud of you!”

“I’m sorry! This is a big f-reaking deal!” Ben was beaming at the fact that his name was the first of the group to be mastered by little Camila. “Guess those speech sessions are really paying off eh? Thanks to a certain…therapist?” A knowing smile appeared on his lips as he glanced at Frankie, whose face turned multiple shades of red in response.

 “Pope, seriously!?” 

Santiago took a sip of his beer “In my defense…yeah- I got nothin’.”

“Nice of you to inform everyone…don’t think I’ve forgotten how you left out a key detail that night!”

“Don’t get too worked up Catfish. You’ve been acting different ever since the night at the bar.” Will added as he cracked open a beer, handing it to Frankie. “It didn’t take long to figure out.” 

“OH yeah! Your dad’s got it…BAD” Ben added as he placed his black cap on a giggling Cami, “So… are you going for it? What’s the plan?”

“There is no plan, there can't be a plan” Ben groans, “She could get fired, and lose her license.. Besides, Cami does so well with her. I mean, you heard her earlier. I don’t wanna mess this up for her. Lord knows I’ve already put her through enough.”

“What about after Cam graduates?” Santiago grabbed a piece of steak and sat down at the patio table, “She’s already saying Ben’s name and it’s only been…what.. a couple of weeks?”

“She made it clear that our relationship is strictly professional” 

“Papi! Eat!” Camila’s cries for food offered a welcome distraction from the current topic of conversation. Frankie reached for the toddler-friendly snacks he packed and settled her on his lap. Hearing his little girl’s progress both in and out of the speech clinic gave him peace; something he hadn’t experienced in a long time. 

“Hey! Sorry I missed your call. I was at the gym earlier. I’m just picking up a few things for tonight.” You chimed over the phone as you scanned the wine selection of your local Trader Joe’s. Michele had planned a wine and paint night at her place- something you hadn’t done in a while. This meant one thing, she was going all out and would be expecting an update on your current situation. 

“Oh, take your time! But do you think you can bring extra popcorn? Turns out Lexi can make it after all.”

“Sure, no prob- oof!” You glanced down at the curly pigtails of a little girl who had quite literally run into you, her little arms wrapping around your calves.

“Miss!” She said, grasping you a little tighter.

“Hey, Michele? Let me call you back.” You squatted down to greet her, “We really gotta stop meeting like this Cami. Your father wouldn’t want you to get hurt.” You chuckled for a second until it dawned on you. 

Shit! Where’s your dad?

Your heart began to race, your eyes searched down the aisles until you heard him calling Camila’s name in a panic. His face relaxed the instant he turned the aisle and spotted you walking toward him, Camila’s hand in yours. Your breath caught at the way his tan jacket framed his shoulders, how the curls you were so fond of peeked under the brim of his cap.

He rushed to his daughter scanning her face, her small cheeks engulfed by his hands “Jesus, Camila, don’t ever do that again!” The way he kissed and held her stirred up a warmth in your chest. A reaction proving more and more difficult to push away the more you saw him.

“Thank you so much!” he breathed,“I turned away for a second and she was gone. She must have seen you from afar.”

“Oh, it’s no problem at all! I’m glad I bumped into her.” A smile lingered on your lips.

Frankie noticed your post work out glow, how your cheeks displayed a rosy shade of pink to match your workout gear that hugged the curves of your body. You looked different today, your demeanor was more relaxed out of the confines of the clinic. All this, thanks to your favorite yoga instructor. He wasn’t sure if it was the manner of your meeting or the fact that your smile never faded whenever he spoke to you that spurred on confidence within him. Surely a compliment would be harmless.

“You look very pretty today Miss” 

“Oh…thank you” You instinctively smile, and turn your attention to Cami in hopes Frankie wouldn’t notice you blush in response, “So do you two have anything fun planned today?”

“We just stopped by for some snacks before heading to the park. Thought it would be a good way to get her energy out… what about you?” He took a step closer, allowing you to take in the woody scent of his cologne, “What do speech teachers do on their days off?”

His question suddenly broke the spell cast by his scent, “I have a date…a girl date really”, you fumbled your words nervously, “My best friend planned a wine and paint night and put in charge of the wine and the popcorn.”

For a brief moment, you could have sworn you saw a tinge of disappointment cast over his expression at the mention of a date. You didn’t want to dwell on it too much, not here. Not now while you felt more susceptible to his charm.

“I’ll have to try that sometime. Though I have to admit, I don’t think Cami’s paint brushes will do” He chuckled turning to look at his little one who was starting to fuss, “Well...I won’t take more of your time, I think Cami here is ready for the park. See you Monday?”

“See you Monday.”

You bit your lip trying to hold back the grin he gave you as you walked towards your car and lifted the phone to your ear, “I was going to wait until I got to your place to share but.. guess who I just bumped into?”

Previous Chapter / Chapter 3

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[9w1ft]

Hi! I'm a longtime kaylor lurker, but I saw you and your anons were trying to think through the reason for this Travis Kelce push and I thought I'd share some perspective as an American who's not exactly a football fan per se, but is from an area of the country where football is very popular so I'm kind of an ambient fan by default. I'm very sorry this got a little long, but I do think there are some really interesting dynamics at play here, but the tldr; is - broad appeal for the American premiere and politics.

There are some optics about Travis Kelce that are I think getting lost in the NFL-to-Swiftie translation that may be important. He's a famous football player, yes, but NFL fans skew heavily towards older men in non-urban areas, which also means NFL fans skew conservative. Travis Kelce promoted Bud Light when transphobes in America were boycotting the brand, and is also partnering with Pfizer for a public health campaign to promote the COVID-19 vaccine, which is very controversial for American conservatives. He's also known as a very stylish man (which is weird to say but is pretty uncommon among American athletes, especially white ones, and he's well-known for it) and before Taylor, all of his known/rumored exes have been Black or mixed (I could write an essay on the racial dynamics alone of this weekend, but... suffice it to say it's there and messy). I'd also heard rumors that he was closeted before he got together with Taylor, but I never really looked into them that deeply so I don't know how true they are, or whether they arose just because he dresses well and doesn't usually date white women (sad but true that for a portion of Americans, that would be enough to make them doubt his masculinity and therefore heterosexuality). Which kind of gets to my point - before this, a lot of the more conservative wing of NFL fans saw Travis Kelce as controversial, "beta", not sufficiently manly, despite the fact he is a champion football player. I know all of this sounds a little insane, please remember that these are the people electing Donald Trump and going after drag shows and banning books with LGBTQ+ people in them.

So, with that slightly more nuanced image of Travis Kelce, I think that makes the clearest takeaway from this weekend, at least for me, how extremely traditional all-American it was. Football player, blonde girl cheering in the stands with his mom, driving off in his convertible after the game, them making a point to correct the initial reporting that she had paid for people's meals so that he's the one renting out the restaurant for her. To be clear, this isn't really how Travis Kelce is normally seen, and already I've seen some hit tweets with people dunking on conservatives criticizing Kelce for being insufficiently manly by responding something along the lines of "uh, he won the Super Bowl and bagged the world's most famous pop star, I think he's doing okay" - so, reading between the lines, he's performed (specifically) white masculinity very successfully. And for Taylor, too, I think we've already seen a lot of people saying how she's finally with a "real man" - he's very tall, he's very athletic, he's American, I think a lot of the joking anti-Joe "he's got a real job" comments fall into this bucket as well. She is performing white American womanhood in a very specific way, a large part of which is that she's being framed as not the 'dominant' partner in the relationship in the way she was in her relationship with Joe (by virtue of their differences in wealth and success).

So I think this is re-orienting both of their images into a new, very traditional, Americana-inspired direction. I don't think this is a market Taylor has really gone after maybe since she moved into pop in the first place, but especially not in recent years, when she swung very hard into a much more urban liberal niche (basing herself more out of NYC and London than Nashville, associating herself musically and socially with people like the Haim sisters, Phoebe Bridgers, MUNA).

I don't think we can know exactly why she's leaning this direction yet, but if I had to guess it's more about the American documentary premiere. In Hollywood, typically for the biggest box office impact you want a "four-quadrant movie" - one that appeals to the four biggest demographic quadrants (male/female and under 25/over 25). Taylor Swift's fanbase skews female and young, with a solid presence over 25 as well, and like I said earlier, the NFL's fanbase skews male and over 25. I don't think showing up to a football game will make a bunch of NFL fans suddenly want to see her documentary on opening night, but it may make them more inclined to go see it with their girlfriends, wives, or daughters a few days later, instead of staying at home, and that would have a very big box office impact.

I also think she *might* be looking at the political optics, and wanting to not only move on from MH but also put herself in a kind of solidly centrist-liberal place (she likes good ol' American football but also the vaccine! she votes Dem but she's not one of those New York liberal elites, she eats chicken tenders with seemingly ranch! - truly seems like this is a couple tailor-made (or maybe Taylor-made ;) ) to appeal to swing voters), which I think is very much where she tried to position herself with Miss Americana as well and which seems relevant given her voter registration push recently and as we move into an election year. I'll be very interested to see if she does anything further politically, or says anything about politics in her documentary again. Between her voter registration effort and his Pfizer partnership and the timing of both, politics is actually the angle I'd bet on driving this.

hi! thank you for sharing these thoughts, it provides more context for everything! i do think it shapes her persona in the public eye, and it’s interesting to think how that might benefit her in ways other than a profit motivation

[hopelesswritergall]

Taglist: @howyouloveyourdragon / @simp-aholic @daenerysapologist

Thank you @sapphire-writes for giving me inspiration. Your thin ice series was truly a Masterlist

Thank you @daenerysapologist for making me write this

Thank you @valeska-fics for beta reading this and reminding me that comma’s exist…….. You’re a legend

And of course my love @simp-aholic for being there for me :))

Let me know what you thought of this in the comments or hey… maybe even reblog and follow??? WOWOWWWW

A rather peculiar meeting

Cregan was one of THE star players for the White Stags. The ice hockey team that belonged to the university of Kingslanding

He had been playing ice hockey since he could remember. His first few memories he has were of him on the ice. Him getting his first skates, scoring his first goal and receiving his own very custom made Jersey.

Now this brings us to the modern day. Cregan Stark, the star player. He was a centre-sniper. He had the insight and intelligence (so he says himself) to be at the centre, he was the leader of the team. And of course he had to stand out and be a sniper. Making the most important goals.

All of this meant that he was adored by fans, not just from the university, but from everywhere in King’s Landing. They would come to your university just to watch him play.

You were never the biggest fan of ice hockey, due to not understanding it mostly. But eventually Helaena convinced you to come and see a match, because as she said “You need to have a social life. You can’t be a hermit forever.” Which you countered with “But I like how I am now.” At that response she just gave you the look.

So here you are, at the match of the White Stags, totally voluntary. Cough cough

It was during the second period that it went wrong. About ⅓ done with the game and at the 23 minute mark. It all went south

The sound of the crowd was almost deafening, they were cheering very loud for their beloved star player, Cregan Stark. You hadn’t seen much of him yet during the game so you didn’t exactly get the hype around the man. As the crowd began to go silent, you saw a tall man approaching the goal with the puck at his stick. He was weaving, dodging all the defending players of the opposing team. He pulled his stick back ready to swing and score… when he saw you. His heart stopped and he could swear everyone else around him disappeared and it was only you two. He didn’t think and with all his force he shot the puck at the goal only, he wasn’t looking at the goal anymore. He was looking at you. Without you or him noticing flew the puck with an abominable speed right at your face. And then it hit you. No literally the puck hitting your nose sent you backwards. As the crowd goes completely silent and Helaena looks at your face, her eyes widening and Cregan now realising what happened. As you slowly reach up to your nose, afraid of what you’ll find. When you retract your hand it is crimson coloured. Your nose wasn’t the shape it used to be.

“How bad is it Hel?” you asked her, afraid of what she would answer.

“Well, you didn’t like your nose anyways right? Plastic surgery wasn’t off the table yet?”

“Hospital?” “Hospital!”

And as much fun as you were having watching a game you initially didn’t like, you and Helaena rushed outside the stadium and she grabbed your car keys off of you.

“Omg it’s not an automatic?? BABE, I CAN'T DRIVE WITH A SHIFTING STICK!!”

“FUCKING LEARN, IT HEL! IM DYING OVER HERE!” you retorted

One hell of a car ride later.

“Remind me to never let you drive ever again…”

You walked to the emergency room and you got some forms to fill out. Name, age, birthday, how it happened and your insurance were all asked. As you handed them back in, you and Helaena sat down waiting for a doctor to come and help you. After what felt like an eternity, it was only 70 minutes, a doctor came to take you for some examination to see where the broken bone was and what they’d need to do.

After everything was done and they had manually readjusted your nose, they’d bandage it up. You’d gotten a nice gauze around it and secured it tight. You’d have to walk around like that for 3 whole weeks. Guess who’s skipping classes? No, not you, we aren’t that irresponsible…

So you went to all your classes and you just put up with all the weird looks people gave you. You hadn’t, however, seen or spoken to the hot guy who caused it all. You did door his friend, Jake? Jame? Jacle? Oh, Jace! Yeah, you did spot him a few times, but never his other half. It was the day that your gauze could come off that Jace spoke to you, which was weird considering he never did before.

“Uhm hey.. I don’t know if you’d still like to, but my friend would like you to come to another one. He promised he wouldn’t hit you again at the.. Uhm. Well you know.” He gestured to his own nose. “Fine. Sure, I'll be there. But I swear to god Jake,” “Jace” “I swear to god Jace if another puck hits me I’m done. And I don't care how cute your friend is, I won't see another match again.” With that said, you left to go study in the library. As you were walking away you could hear Jace say “I told you man. The Jace way always works!”

It was Friday and the day of the match. You were slightly excited to see the game, as that would mean you would see the cute guy again. Sure, he has broken your nose, but every couple has been there. Right?? As you entered the stadium and found a seat, you couldn’t help but think if he actually liked you, like that Jace guy had hinted at. Well, no more time to think about that. The players were coming to the rink. When Cregan came to the rink, everyone cheered, and that included you as well. He glanced up, and saw you sitting in the stands. He couldn’t help but make a plan to show you he liked you.

After the game was over, and won by the White Stags. Cregan skated over to where you were sitting. Hetook off his jersey, which had gotten whistles from a few people, rolled it into a little ball, and threw it at you. It hit you again…… this time it wasn’t as hard as a puck, but it still caught you by surprise. “What the?” As you looked down, you saw Cregan giving you the most adorable grin you’ve ever seen. He might look like a big confident guy but he wasn’t always. You gave him a smile as you put on the jersey. You would be going to a lot more games after that one.

[berryhobii]

I also have another drabble idea! (i'm the same anon from the last ask, I hope I'm not asking for too much)

I can imagine the Late for work couple being really playful and cheeky when it comes to who initiates sex first. Could you do a drabble where they do No Nut November? Like, them competing to see who can last more without touching the other one and overall sex (and both of them trying to seduce each other than order to win)

That's everything from me. Thank you so so so much sweetheart

Thanks so much for the request!! I kept rewriting this because I was making it WAY too long but I think I’ll still post the longer version with more backstory and everything soon. The way I described Jungkook in this is definitely inspired by Seven ft Latto! The gold chain has me in a chokehold!! Enjoy!💜

~

Jungkook was gripping his controller hard enough to break. He tried so hard to stay focused on the television but how could he when you were walking around the house in the skimpiest robe known to man? Why the hell was that even considered clothing?

The navy blue robe was practically see through. He could just barely see your nipples, the dark areolas beckoning his mouth and fingers to pinch and lick at them. Your thigh tattoo was on display, looking shiny and vivid from the body oil you had applied after your bath. This past week, you had done all of your pampering—nails done, a fresh wax, and you had given yourself some knotless boho braids that looked absolutely divine on you.

He loved seeing how much more confident you got after completing your princess treatment. He always thought you were gorgeous but you just hit different after you got all dolled up.

Something else was hitting different too. His frustration.

You hummed as you moved around the living room, wiping down surfaces and adjusting things that didn’t even need to be touched. He knew you were doing this on purpose. Why else would you be fake cleaning right as he tried to play his games? It wasn’t even Sunday.

He tried to focus back on the screen, eyes stinging from not looking at you.

“Accidentally” dropping something, you bent over right in front of him and the sight almost made him choke on his tongue.

You weren’t wearing any panties! Your bare cunt was on display, the folds glistening from your natural wetness, thighs bare and needing hickies all over them caused by his mouth.

Fuck! You knew how much he loved eating your pussy and you were practically waving it in front of his face. You tease!

Growling, he quickly stood to his feet and rushed out of the room to go take his millionth cold shower in the past several days.

You smirked when you heard him rush off, body burning from the excitement. You almost had him. You’d have to up the ante next time.

This bet was your idea. After you and Jungkook had gotten into a small scuffle over who was the horniest between you, you decided to challenge him. November had barely been a week away and the bet was too tempting not to offer. Never one to back down from an opportunity to gloat, Jungkook accepted before blowing your back out as a punishment for teasing him.

The bet was on.

~

Jungkook had arrived home from the gym a little while ago, showering and grabbing a light snack before he started dinner. You had texted him a little while ago saying you were on your way home from work.

You always came home stressed after work and you texted him earlier complaining that someone ate your lunch which meant you were probably cranky as hell right now.

Perfect.

He started chopping vegetables as he waited for you, eventually hearing the beeping of the keypad by the door. He paused for a moment, hearing your huffs and grumbles as you took off your shoes.

“Baby! You won’t believe what happened at work today!” You slammed your purse down on the counter, not even looking at him and beginning to pace the room. He turned around to lean against the counter, arms folded and eyes amusedly watching you.

“First, Suhyun spilled coffee all over my work laptop! Then someone ate my lunch and stole my lunch bag! You know the purple one with my name rhinestoned on it? Yeah! That one. Then my heel broke so I had to super glue it back on and if that’s not horrible then-“

Your rambling was cut off when you finally turned to look at your husband, words getting caught in your throat at the absolute marvel that you were devoted to for the rest of your life.

Shirtless. Tattooed. Hair tied up. Sweats low on his hips and bulge pressing against them. And your favorite gold chain around his throat. You’ve had your hardest orgasms with that chain dangling in your face.

Swallowing to wet your dry throat, you stuttered out, “uh…..hi.”

He smirked. You were so easy.

“Hey princess. Welcome home. How was your day?”

You held your lips together, knowing that if you spoke, you’d beg him to pick you up and fuck you right in this kitchen.

He pushed himself from the counter, 3 steps bringing him to you but each one made your pussy clench. Once he was standing close to you, you formed your hands into fists, hard enough to make your nails hurt. His soap smelled so good and droplets of water were dripping from his hair and down his chest.

You wanted to lick it off.

“You aren’t going to give your husband a welcome home kiss?” He asked, rolling his lip piecing with his tongue.

Son of a bitch.

Jungkook didn’t like your lack of response so his large hand reached out to grab a handful of your ass, pulling you right into his body. You could feel his bulge on your leg, your hands resting on his pecs. Oh no….

“You feel so tense. Are you okay? Do you want me to do anything about it?” His low voice itched your brain in the best of ways.

You wrenched your eyes shut, trying to ignore the building feeling in your lower belly. You considered it both a blessing and a curse that you had such a hot piece of ass for a husband. A blessing because he was your personal eye candy that no one else could touch and a curse because you currently couldn’t throw your feet behind your ears and have him pound you through the kitchen table.

“No. I won’t lose.”

He smirked, delivering a swift slap to your ass that caused a broken moan to come from you. You could feel his erection starting to grow just as fast as your walls were slicking up.

“Come on, princess. Let’s end this.” His other hand trailed up the front of your blouse, popping the buttons to reveal your heaving breasts. You melted into his touch as he began pressing kisses to your cheeks and neck, nipping at your skin.

You’ve been so touched starved. You two haven’t even been cuddling like you used to with all the sexual tension. And now he was standing here looking like a thanksgiving meal and this stupid bet was telling you that you couldn’t ride his face?

Ughhhhhhhh.

You should pull away but his hands and mouth felt like bliss on your skin.

Jungkook suddenly pulled away, your whine getting caught in your throat when he flipped you around, pushing your back so that you were bent over one of the stools by the kitchen island. With deft hands, he pulled up your skirt, groaning when your heady scent hit his nose.

“Fuck I love your pussy.” Wasting no time, he dove in, sucking at your clit over your soaked panties. You moaned out, reaching behind you to grab at his hair.

You were so desperate that just a few licks already had you feeling close. No! You couldn’t lose! But his tongue felt soooooo good.

Eventually, your panties were too much of a hindrance for him. Grabbing the thin material, he harshly pulled at them until they ripped right off of you. You gasped at his show of strength. Normally it would make you angry but you couldn’t think about that when his tongue was back on your clit.

Jungkook licked and slurped up all of your juices, sucking at your clit and pulling the most desperate of noises from you. Your squeals fueled his own desperation, his mouth working overtime to bring you closer to the edge.

Your hips pushed back into his face, sensitivity running up your back but you wanted more. You haven’t cum in over 2 weeks and you didn’t think you could handle it anymore.

Jungkook brought both hands up to roughly slap at your ass, pulling the cheeks apart to dive deeper into your cunt. His own cock felt hard enough to cut glass. He needed to be inside of you. Bet be damned.

Standing to his feet, he tugged his sweats down just below his cock, giving it a few tugs before diving into your heat.

Your mouth dropped and you could have cried from relief at the feeling of his cock stretching you open.

He immediately set a fast pace, wanting to make you cum as soon as possible.

You reached your arms back, silently telling him you needed support. Ever so in tune with you, he grabbed both of your arms, tugging you back so that your chest was hovering over the island stool.

“We’re never doing this shit again. I’m gonna have this pussy when I want. Understand?” He growled out but you couldn’t even hear him, your ears ringing as mind numbing pleasure coursed through you.

Your head hung low and your knees shook from weakness. You were going to cum and you were going to cum hard.

But the bet……your resolve was crumbling. Who the hell cared which one of you was more horny? At least you were horny for one another and that’s what mattered.

His cock jammed right into your soft spot, your eyes rolling to the back of your head as a pleasured smile spread on your face.

“Now cum on this cock.”

You were about to but then you remembered what would happen if you lost. That could not happen!

Gathering your last brain cells that he hadn’t knocked loose, you stood up, wrenching your arms from his grasp and stumbling away from him.

Your pussy throbbed with wanting to cum but you had to hold strong.

Both of you sat in silence as you tried to regain your breath and you made the mistake of looking at your husband.

The sight made you want to hop right back on his cock—he was dripping with sweat, his hair had come out of his ponytail and was being pushed back by one of his buff arms.

And his eyes were staring down at you hotter than a thousand suns. He was pissed.

“I…..won’t….lose….”You panted out.

His head tilted, jaw clenching and cock hard and shiny with your juices. Your mouth watered just looking at it.

“We’ll see about that.”

It was gonna be a long rest of the month.

[wordsinhaled]

have some of the WIP of my dreamling messy meetings AU, inspired by @valeriianz - who posited that dream & hob need more meet-uglies! valid!

in this AU, morpheus is hob's neighbor AND... surprise... also the guy who regularly steals hob's favorite table at the pub. they start up a game where they decide who gets the table each time they're both there by presenting each other with increasingly obscure words, and whoever can't define the word without the use of a dictionary has to give up the table for the night (i don't know, this just seems very on brand for them). etc, etc.

pining, vocabulary, gin & tonic, piano sonatas, frustrated romcom... that sort of thing. :)

-

Hob’s got this neighbor, you see. A neighbor he’s never actually seen, except silhouetted indistinctly behind window-curtains in the evenings, but who has a habit of always playing the piano at odd hours; and does he not realize other people actually live and have proper Circadian rhythms within a certain radius of him? Don’t misunderstand—Rachmaninoff is lovely, truly, it’s just Hob would really adore what is apparently the privilege of being able to sleep a full night, occasionally, like regular folk who aren’t blessed with virtuosic skill and perfect pitch. 

Incidentally, Hob and Morpheus like to frequent the New Inn on the same days and evenings. 

Or, it would be more accurate to say that Hob often patronizes the pub at the same hours as “the stranger at the pub, bit of a prat really,” which is how Hob is forced to think of him the first time he resolutely refuses to get up from Hob’s favorite seat in the house. Eventually, he becomes just “the stranger at the pub,” because he keeps turning up and haunting the place like a particularly picturesque wraith, and he’s also obstinate about not giving Hob a proper name to call him. 

One day, in Hob’s mind, he somehow transmutes into “the handsome stranger at the pub,” and that’s—well. Hob doesn’t know quite how that happens. 

Even more recently, he’s been occupying Hob’s thoughts as “his handsome stranger,” despite Hob not having any right or any grounds to make any sort of claim on him at all. 

It’s all because of their game, Hob supposes. 

Morpheus had been the one to come up with it, this odd little way of deciding who gets the prized table by the window. 

Well. Rather more precisely, as far as Hob is concerned, the person who masterminded their little arrangement was “this bloke at the pub, Gwennie, obnoxious like you wouldn’t believe, sitting in my spot, where, mind you, I’ve sat and done my marking for five bloody years straight and everyone knows it—except him, no, not Mister ‘I’ll Sit Anywhere I Like,’ who’s got zero concept—none!—of the joy of coming to your favorite pub of an evening, and knowing your favorite table is free, and using your favorite pen to mark exams while having a pint of your favorite ale. I mean, the audacity of—” 

But much to Hob’s chagrin, at this juncture his head of department had walked into the staffroom, Gwen had looked at him a bit pityingly, and he had had to rein in the rest of his bluster.

She should pity him, he’d thought; the things he had to live with! Bach’s Goldberg Variations, expertly though his elusive neighbor might execute them at three in the morning, were rapidly becoming Hob’s sworn enemies. And now there was this stranger, who had draped himself over Hob’s banquette as if he owned it and, smirking up at him, had said blithely, “I see plenty of other tables empty at this pub tonight.” 

“Yes, but,” Hob had said, depositing his messenger bag on the chair opposite, undeterred, “this one is mine.” 

“Oh?” The man flicked his eyes away from Hob, down to the table’s surface, which was nicked and worn, scored with generations of drunken mementos: etched messages, crude symbols, lovers’ initials united with plus signs and corralled by hearts. “Will I find your name here, then?”  

[mamaluigi2018-commsopen]

Sonic's Final Frontiers An absolute climatic finish to an outstanding game and story. I loved every single bit of Frontiers. It is now my new favorite Sonic game and one of my absolute favorite games of all time.

Right from the start, how it changes the original ending of Frontiers. I enjoyed the initial ending but it was severly lacking in the narrative and missed that climatic feeling, Final Horizons changes just about everything and lets you play as the whole cast, something not done since 2006, all with their own unique abilities. Letting Amy Knuckles and Tails be playable was such an amazing feeling, getting to feel these characters again and even allows us to explore more in depths their inner turmoils and how they want to grow and change for the better. And even in moments where they captured the cyber corruption as well, just from the first interaction, they were kneeling in pain. Puts you in retrospect that Sonic was contracting the corruption 4 times on 4 seperate islands! He was going through so much pain, but the thought of helping his friends was what kept pushing him. And with Sonic taking on each of the the main titans spirits and going through trials, really helped in bringing the Ancients to peace and allow them to take a part in helping save their world, And it all came to an end in the climatic battle against The End. I love every single moment of this fight because it has everyone giving their all to stop this monster. Sonic's strong will to take the cyber corruption and use it to enhance his Super Form past its limit, Sage's devotion to protecting Eggman, Eggman's wit of using The End's weaponry against it, and Amy Knuckles and Tails supporting up the shield to protect Sage and Eggman wanting to help out Sonic for what he's done for them. All ending in Sonic letting his Cyber Corruption take hold, letting it slowly corrupt him just for the sake of protecting his world and friends, letting Eggman fire him into The End and destroying it for good, not without sustaining heavy damage. That's why I love the Sonic Series so much. The characters have so much emotions and personalities, they have such a wide range of characteristics, Sonic of course being the most stand out. Even though he says himself he's not one, he shows himself to be a true hero, not letting anything get to him and wont let anything not reach his goal of protecting those he cares about. Even at the cost of his own life, if his friends are safe, then thats good enough for him. And thats why I cried at the end. Just from Sonic's devotion is inspiring and such an amazing drive to protect those he cares for. And after all is said and done, letting Sage live to be with her father and even letting Eggman show how proud he is of her, even to calling her "his daughter" to her personally, is such a heartfelt and amazing note to leave off of. I love this game so much.