#just. WHERE THE FUCK AM I SUPPOSED TO FIND ALL THE TIME NECESSARY TO WORK ON ALL THESE ASSIGNMENTS

[nikkashidashipper]

man this fucking sucks huh

[unexpectedbrickattack]

Hiding the rest of this HUGE comic behind a readmore for ur sanity

Hes got the keenest eye for these things!

Now that this is hiding behind a readmore i can justify writing an essay in here. Nothing big tho i am just very chatty :)!

Postgame where Peppino still gets visits every now and again from the bosses of the tower. I already drew one for the noise (lmao) but i wanted to draw each of the main four interacting with him in some way.

Pepperman is a refined and well renowned artist. His art is highly sought after and his advice is not taken lightly. He has many MANY fortunes to pull from to make his visions a reality and to influence anyone to do anything. Except for Peppino.

From the very first fight, Pepperman is immediately, overwhelmingly obsessed with this stout little brawler. He is much much more than what meets the eyes. He is initially extremely offput and annoyed that a human so boldly decided to waltz into his domain, and he expects to be able to steamroll and bully this…beast…out of his place of work. He is refined when he wants to be, but he is quick to use his brute strength to get what he wants if only bc he knows he can do it

And so when he decides to fully charge and thrash this little trembling human, expecting him to skitter away the second he gets struck, he is completely unprepared for when he gets launched to the other end of this room. The human looks so incredibly PISSED, like a bull seeing red, and suddenly this little altercation suddenly became a real actual ‘knock your teeth out’ brawl. This human is only like half his height, but his punches and bashes fucking knock the wind out of him.

And like ! To add insult to injury!!! After he wins the fight! He visibly deflates, the adrenaline seemingly wearing off. Hes just this trembling fuckin whelp again !!! Whimpering as he fucking runs back out through the portal to do god knows what. And Pepperman could not be any more fucking intrigued. Like this no name came in, whooped his fuckin ass, and went about his day. Its unreal

While Peppino is running around climbing the tower, Pepperman is in his room losing his mind. Hes obsessed. No one has challenged him in this way. No one has fought him and WON. He is ALWAYS able to bully people into submission either through brute force or with money, and he got his ass handed to him !! He needs to know more. Its quite literally consuming him.

Cut to the final fight, set up for a rematch; and he knows he is going to get steamrolled again but it is SO exhilarating to get another chance to see this humans form up close again. This time he can try to commit everything to memory. Its all such a blur though, and in a quarter of the time it took to end their first fight, its over. He gets to watch the human fight the gunslinger with his bare hands, no gun necessary, and he doesnt even bat an eye at what looks to be a clone of himself. He is a force of nature tearing through every single defense, and when Pepperman watches the actual final fight with the bizarre little pizza man, its like hes caught in a movie. The rain, the storm, the atmosphere. He wishes he could burn the entire scene into his mind.

So when everything returns to normal, he takes the time to travel for days to come and find this little human named Peppino. The memory is still strong and vivid but eventually, details will start to slip his mind. He needs to find this human, convince him to sit and do some still life sessions with him to help cement the humans appearance in his head. He hasnt had to resort to…asking for permission for anything in a loooong time…he bullies people into doing what he wants but Peppino is not your average person, and if he wants something from this man, he’ll have to meet him at his level.

He...can make an exception for Peppino...he supposes.

[stall1iion]

champions love - five

Liked by f1wags, y/nupdates, maxverstappen1, y/nofficial, redbullracing and many others

f1 and there is our ice queen, arriving in fashion to her first race of the season in Spielberg! 🇦🇹 A new fashion queen on the grid perhaps? 👀

#F1 #Formula1 #AustrianGP

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username1 oh she looks beautiful

⤷username4 right? Like can Max fight??

username69 so we're gonna ignore that f1 admin is a figure skating fan??

⤷f1 of course I am 😼

username15 f1 fashion game is SO BACK

⤷username27 lewis and her are about to show up slaying 🫡👏🏾

⤷username9 no literally, Fashion Queen and King of the Grid

username90 I met her! She’s genuinely so nice!

username62 lewis has some competition fr

username12 she flew to austria for a MAN?? 🤨

⤷username44 to be fairrrrrr that man is MAX VERSTAPPEN and her boyfriend so….

username8 of course she’d be more focused on an outfit then supporting max

⤷username7 relax?? She’s literally wearing a flowy shirt and some jeans, just because she got dressed doesn’t mean she’s not there to support

username37 ice queen? Ice flop maybe

⤷username35 oh yes, a two time olympic champion, truly embarrassing of her 🙄

username3 great another american ruining the sport

⤷username77 surprised she isn’t fat like all the others or is her shirt hiding that?

⤷username98 I was trying to ignore your blatant xenophobia and sexism but like I genuinely can’t, one: her and logan aren’t ruining the sport at all and two not all americans are fat, you see fast food and automatically assume and it’s crazy when one good click on the comment above and you’d see she’s an olympic figure skater and better than you’d ever hope to be

⤷username35 let them hate, they find every little thing to hate on because they can’t be them. See how many hoops they have to jump through to say anything offensive

liked by bsf1, bsf2, maxverstappen1 and many others

y/n.jpg time to see my first ever vroom vroom race in person but at least I have my newest pookie with me 💗

tagged: lilymhe

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bsf1 pookie we miss you 😢

⤷y/n.jpg i miss you too 😢it’s time for me to watch men go vroom vroom in fast cars

bsf2 why didn’t you take us??? 😭😭

⤷y/n.jpg because you had work pookie?? 😞

⤷bsf2 oh…yeah….like i wouldn’t quit to go to a race 😞😢

⤷y/n.jpg yeah no…keep that bag, I promise i’ll take yall when you guys are free ♥️

alexalbon omg is that where my girlfriend went???

⤷y/n.jpg sorry she’s my girlfriend now 🫶

⤷lilymhe I know where home is 🫶

⤷alexalbon UMM???

maxverstappen1 was the meme necessary?

⤷y/n.jpg yes it was, my vibe was incomplete without it

⤷y/n.jpg expect more btw 😋

⤷maxverstappen1 oh god 😐

⤷y/n.jpg good luck on your race ☺️

liked by landonorris, bsf1, bsf2, and many others

y/n.jpg …so that was a tough loss um…how do you feel after that?

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landonorris how the fuck you think I feel?

⤷y/n.jpg I have a gift for you

⤷landonorris stop I’m supposed to be mad rn

⤷y/n.jpg what he say fuck me for? 😟😔

username2 😭wtf? why is she so unserious

bsf1 how was the race in person?

⤷y/n.jpg loud as fuck 😭

⤷y/n.jpg it was like going to a hotter, louder monster truck show

charles_leclerc the meme?

⤷y/n.jpg your very memeable charlie, it’s a talent really and one that will be showcased on my page way more often

⤷username99 CHARLIE??

lilymhe we still on for drinks?

⤷y/n.jpg of course

⤷username5 max didn’t win and literally caused Lando to crash, what does you need to get drinks for?

⤷y/n.jpg see I don’t know if you know but it’s called, I’m my own grown ass person who can get drinks whenever I want

username4 not her making fun of Lando after her boyfriend ruined his race

⤷username7 *liked by author*

what are you talking about? Lando quite literally responded and he’s obviously not mad at her nor is she making fun of him

username9 both were scrapping and made mistakes. We’ll get em next week!

username23 just wait till next weekend, those guys are going to boo every chance they get, don’t be discouraged!

⤷username44 oh you must’ve missed it but they already started making comments towards her, apparently a fan of hers asked for a autograph and some butthurt fans called her all kinds of names

⤷username23 oh wow, yeah I would’ve never guessed from this post

⤷username1 y/n is not new to getting hate, after her first championship some commentators were calling her a possible “one hit wonder” and fans were saying her coach was better off coaching others

Y/N L/N Talks All Things Sport-Like, Relationships And Careers

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon 163,713 likes

View transcript

“Our next guest is an expert on skating and ice, her olympic career on the rise, please welcome Y/N L/N!”

[Inserts Y/N with cheers] “Welcome to the show! Uh you look fantastic, thank you so much for being here”

“Thank you for inviting me, Jimmy! And for the food!”

“No problem! Figured it was the least I could do after the flight here, um…so y/n your career has always been eventful but it's currently exploding right now and everyone’s talking about Y/N L/N and so I wanted to show you this photo and tell me if you remember how growing up in figure skating was” [shows a picture of younger y/n in her first competition]

“Oh….this was when I was 12, I had just started competing after begging my mother to sign me up for a skating academy for like a whole year [laughter]”

“Did you win this competition?”

“No [laughs] I got like fourth place and was convinced I wasn’t made out to be a skater and went home that night and cried the most i’ve ever cried I think”

“Wow, here’s you like what..six competitions later and look you’ve got a gold medal” {shows a different picture of her on the podium with a bright smile] [insert cheers and laughter] “I’m so happy for you, what did it feel like?”

“Um, well it felt like I was right all along, that my mom and coach were right and it just gave me a huge boost in confidence after that”

“And- I mean- look at you now two time olympic champion back to back, that is amazing- absolutely amazing. Uh- a little birdie told me that when you first signed with Team USA- um you were in a Chick-Fil-A drive thru when you got the call”

[laughter] “Um..yeah! I was actually at work- um, i worked in a chick-fil-a like ten minutes down the street from my house and I got the call from the recruiter and I was like “oh god, I can’t be on my phone at work but I have to take this…screw it” and i picked up the phone and if you ever watched the draft for the nba then it’s kind of like that, I remember I squealed and dropped to the floor as I accepted and I just could not shut up about it for the rest of the day”

[laughter] “yeah well that must’ve been an amazing feeling! To know your accomplishments have been recognized and that you were about to go to the big leagues”

“Oh yeah, I was riding on that high for like a week, it felt like- yeah- i did it. I mean, I felt like I kind of made it already when I won the rest of my competitions growing up but that call was the little cherry on top, you know? I was 18 years old at the time of the phone call, just out of high school but then it was like a massive dump where I was unsure of myself and if I really was that good. Hate really got to my heart during that time, I had already reviewed a large amount of misogyny that I had almost given up too many times to count”

“I had to push myself and remember why I was there, first and foremost my passion for the ice, and I wasn’t going to toss away my dream due to bigoted men around me. They wanted to see me fail and I wasn’t going to let them succeed”

“Beautifully said. I know recently a few fans have reacted poorly after the results of the most recent grand prix in Austria..how do you feel about that?”

“Well um, I get that they're mad, you know? No one wants to see a driver forced out of a race following a collision but again, I had nothing to do with that, you know? [laughter] Um..just because I’m dating Max does not give them that excuse but again, there will always be haters and so I do what I do best and ignore them the best I can; I know not everyone can respond maturely and things can be said in the heat of the moment so I try not to hold it against them”

“Right, well what are your plans for the future? Is another championship in the cards? Another career even? Maybe a more serious relationship outcome with Max?”

[laughter] “Um well figure skating is definitely the dream, you know, a lot of people will say I’m too old to be on the rink but frankly, there is no maximum age to figure skating, i’ll retire of course when I’m ready but um, that’s no time soon [laughter] um growing up I was really into psychology. Obviously as an athlete I know the importance of mental health and how it can truly affect your performance and career but I was obsessed growing up, probably from all the late night reruns of crime shows like law and order and 48 hours {laughter}’

“and um I don’t know about the last one, we haven’t really talked about anything like that, I think we both enjoy our lives together but i wouldn’t be opposed to any sort of change”

“Great! Well um, Max if your watching, there’s your sign right there [laughter] um…I googled you today to see what pops up and um..”

“Did you not know who I was beforehand?”

“No [laughter] no- i can do..I know all your poses and I can do it”

“Oh can you?”

“I can do it, no- no I just wanted to see what pops up and it says did you mean: ice queen or ice princess and I think that’s kind of fun, tell us about that”

“Um, I definitely didn’t do that- I guess someone at google loves me or something [laughter] but the nicknames ice queen or princess is from the 2018 Olympics when I won my first championship and that day I was wearing a white and silver costume that I was absolutely shivering in [laughter] but um- yeah, the judges and everyone liked it so much and I think the name came from one the judge's comments on my performance actually and everyone just ran with it and i liked it so much that I kept it [laughter]”

“Can I just tell everyone some of the stats you have right now, because wow. You are currently the highest paid figure skater at a net worth of 90 Million dollars. You are a 5 time US champion from 2011 to 2016 and 6 time World Champion from 2017 and 2023, you have countless endorsements with brands such as Disney, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Visa, Campbell’s Chevrolet, Coca-Cola, Kraft, and United Airlines. You’ve been given the James E. Sullivan Award for ‘Best Amateur Athlete, U.S. Olympic Committee ‘Sportswoman of the Year’, Readers’ Choice ‘Figure Skater of the Year’, Teen Choice Award and ‘Cosmogirl of the Year’” [takes in a deep breath] “phew…that was a lot to read [laughter] but yeah, that is all you’ve done since you were 12, that’s amazing!”

“It sounds so much grander and shocking when you read it all out like that! [laughter]”

“Yes well it was lovely speaking to you and wearing out my vocal cards reading all that [laughter] this is Y/N L/N, everybody! [cheers and applause] Thank you for coming! Stay tuned for our next guest after the break!”

→ Face claims: (completely forgot to do these but we have: Lori Harvey and Zendaya) 

→ y/n and lily left the grid while waiting for the race to start to get food (she wanted authentic local food)

→ in the interview y/n did shade both lando fans and lando himself 

Author's note!

Hey guys! I worked hard with this one lol! Could not figure out how I wanted to do the interview and just decided to type it as if it was like a little youtube clip of the show so the brackets are like youtube captions. I wanted to wait until after Austria since I finally got the story aligned with recent events (obviously a fictional version of them). Plz don’t send any hate for the shade I threw in here, I love Lando and in fact do have his merch but his response to today’s race was slightly immature and dare I say whiney, plus i did steal some actual comments from instagram posts under red bull so :/ also had to include the weird thing europeans do where they hate on americans for seemingly no reason? Like I've gone to Europe and the hate I get is actually mind boggling. ANYWAYS! Hope you enjoy this chapter, maybe put in some request for what you’d like to see in the next because i have NO IDEA. 

Taglist: @boiohboii @ale-522 @ietss @theseerbetweenus @jaxx-7 @sainzluvrr @the-untamed-soul @ashy-kit @hc-dutch @nichmeddar @delululeclerc @sweate-r-weathe-r @dhanihamidi @tellybearryyyy @luvsforme @samantha-chicago @theblueblub

༉‧₊˚  CHAMPIONS LOVE ༉‧₊˚

⤷ Following the messy breakup between Max Verstappen and Kelly Piquet, Max’s manager comes up with a solution to divert the attention – a fake relationship. His new girlfriend? Two time olympic gold medalist figure skater, y/n for the USA team. Easy? Well…

[satzumosupremacy]

Elite Bodyguard Series: Pt.1

Leader’s First Dibs

Male reader x Jihyo 2.5k Words

Tags: Small intro to series, Smut

Intro: Being an elite bodyguard can be tiring; you’re always looking for threats. You started from the bottom as a security guard, worked your way up the military ranks, somehow ended up in the Navy SEAL, and then a part-time job as a bodyguard for celebrities in the Korean industry. Your portfolio was undoubtedly captivating to many people, but they often ask you why you became a bodyguard during your time off. It’s simple—the amount of stress and workload just by working for the government to keep a country out of threats, and you’re always at risk of not coming back after an operation.

You remembered being deployed to South Korea years ago and fell in love with the nature there. During your time off, you hated staying home because there wasn’t anything to do. Until your superiors gave you an opportunity to work as a bodyguard for celebrities.

You’ve met celebrities along the way, talking and having conversations when necessary. JYP signed a contract with your agency, and you get paid higher than others with your military operations and knowledgeable background. You took JYP’s offer and became a primary bodyguard for Twice. It doesn’t stop there; you work for other companies when you have the time. Seeing how mentally stable you are is an accomplishment for many people.

As there are many units in the branches, you aren’t the youngest, oldest, tallest, strongest, or the best of the best, but you sure are one of the coldest and precise shooter during combat. Even having a name to yourself that only the SEALS knew—Brees, the nickname was given by the higher-ranking officers comparing your accuracy and aura to that of the Saints football quarterback. Although you didn’t find the nickname fond enough, it grew on you as time went on. You aren’t a sniper, but a respectable ground unit. Hell and back was where you were as you get used to society again, thanks to Twice and many others.

Working with Twice is fun; they get you to laugh. It was unprofessional of you, but no one cares. You became good friends with Jeongyeon; she always took care of you while you were doing your job. You unknowingly opened up to her—it’s something you don’t often do with a client. Jeongyeon was the primary reason why your heart soften up and blended in with society again. Tzuyu is the quietest in your eyes, but she’s very beautiful—enough to make you fall in love with her. You keep your career as professional as it can be, sadly. Wealth generates to you after all those years; you don’t spend much but only on necessary needs, owning a big house with three cars—a minimalistic lifestyle. 

———

You have to be with Jihyo today; she’s very mature by your standards. You get to her place freely; you’ve been trusted enough to be free around celebrities by yourself. You knock on the door, and she welcomes you to come in. "What’s the agenda for today, Jihyo?"

"Nothing; I just want you to keep me company." 

"You’ve got to be joking. I’ll get suspended since this isn’t my job to accompany you inside your own house, ma’am." 

"Don’t call me ma’am. We know each other very well already. Plus, the company is okay with this." 

“Jihyo, what am I supposed to be doing exactly?” You laughed.

"You’ve been working very hard; I want you to relax today." She gets on top of you while you sit on her couch. 

“Ji-”

“You deserve us.”

“What do you mean by us?”

"All nine of us, whenever we want you. Stop being so professional around us sometimes. It’s okay to enjoy some time with us. Come on, I want you today." 

You gulped, staring at each other. "I never imagined this from you, Jihyo." 

"Oppa, It’s different when there are no cameras around." She guides you closer by your chin and gives you a passionate kiss. You hug her, feeling her bra strap and gorgeous body. "That’s right, relax and fuck me." 

You glue your lips to hers; it’s soft as she moans quietly and arches closer to you. "If a word gets out, I won’t be able to work for you girls anymore." 

"You’re so wrong. If they do, I’m terminating my contract." She whispered in your ear. Your cock gets hard underneath your pants. She takes your shirt off violently; her desires surprise you, and you take her top off afterwards, seeing her big, tasteful tits with nipple covers interrupting a sight to see. You take her covers off gently and throw them to the side. Jihyo grabs your nape, pushing you towards her and give her tits a taste. "Big, aren’t they?" 

“They are.”

“You want to see me fully naked?”

“I do, Jihyo.”

She stands up, stripping seductively as you stare at her gorgeous body. Adrenaline rushes throughout your body; it seems like a dream to see a client go to this extent. Jihyo sits on top of you again, grabbing your hands to caress her tits. She looks at you, smiling and having a good time in her home. "May I take off your pants?"

“You may, Jihyo.”

She takes off your pants and your boxers. Jihyo gives your hard cock a kiss. "Looks amazing; may I have a taste, sir?" 

“Why are you calling me sir?” You chuckled.

“You called me ma’am. What do you expect.”

"I’ll take that back." You gently put your hand on her cheeks and your thumb right on her lips. She sucks on your thumb, using her tongue as she stares right at you. "Fuck, you’re so hot." 

She releases from your thumb, kissing the tip of your cock all the way down to the base. You keep looking at her, amazed by what the leader of Twice is doing to you. Jihyo wraps her mouth around your cock, slowly bobbing and using her tongue. She caresses your chest and holds on. You grab her hands off and hold onto her hands; you feel how soft her hands are. 

Jihyo doesn’t stop sucking you off; it’s slow, but you feel every nerve and pleasure she’s giving you—just what she wanted. You let her hands go and play with her hair. Jihyo smiles with the corner of her mouth and gives you a quick chuckle. She sucks you off deeper, hearing how wet she got your cock to be with her own saliva. You grunt quietly, tilting your head back into the headrest of her couch. You glide your hand from her hair to her cheeks; it’s softer than you thought, and everything about her body is amazing. 

“Jihyo, I want it inside you.”

She doesn’t respond, only getting up from her knees and getting on top of you again to insert your cock slowly. You both exchange groans while looking at each other. She covers her mouth, but you remove it in a matter of seconds. You love her voice and want to hear how her moans can sound even better. You nod at her slowly, and she chuckles at your desire to hear her moans. 

The sex is more natural with you both knowing each other enough to be naked. Jihyo glues her lips to yours and kisses each other, passionately fighting for dominance. It gets more messy as it turns into a tongue fight as both of your mouths coat each other with saliva. She searches for your hands and grabs them, pinning you down without any movement. She breaks the kiss, giggling along and staring at each other. 

“So aggressive, Jihyo.”

“You feel so good inside me.”

“I love how tight you are.”

“I bet you want to see how tight the rest of us are.”

“It does get me wondering.”

“Focus on me, you’re fucking me right now.”

You break out of her pinning you with ease. She gets surprised when she sees how easily you can break out. You grab her nape quickly, kissing her aggressively and passionately as she groans in pleasure. She grinds on you faster and holds onto your shoulders. Her breaths become heavy, and her moans become subtly louder. You grab her ass, caressing them with little gentle slaps. You hold on to her hips after; it gets more passionate as it goes on. The house becomes filled with her wet pussy grinding on your cock. You grunt harder, closing your eyes, until she puts her hands to the side of your face for another round of kisses. 

You couldn’t stop staring at her with those lustful eyes she’s showing you. She doesn’t stop grinding, riding you slowly—almost giving you a dance performance naked. Her tight pussy gets you overwhelmed; she’s moaning harder, and you both exchange silent breaths. Jihyo’s body tenses up momentarily from the feel of her thighs. You pull her closer to you, kissing her neck as her head leans on the headrest on the couch. "Cum for me, Jihyo." 

She grinds faster, moaning and squealing louder as she gets to her limit. A pause—body tenses up quickly with her body squirming hesitantly—that's pinning your thighs in. You hold her by the nape with your other hand on her back. You hug her in as she starts to cum, and Jihyo’s moaning right by your ear. You firmly grip her ass, spanking her gently as she rides out her orgasm. You kiss her shoulders until she catches her heavy breath.

“Cum inside me, I want it so bad.” She said while catching her breaths.

"I’m going to lay you on the couch." You grab onto her body with ease, tossing her to lie on the couch and take the lead. Her nape is on the armrest; she’s staring at the ceiling while you slowly thrust inside her. You give Jihyo's neck a kiss as she hugs you tight. Her moans turn into erotic groans, and her voice is so beautiful that it turns you on even more. "Such a beautiful voice, Jihyo." 

She couldn’t say anything, only groaning as you keep thrusting. You get to your limit, grunting and breathing harder. "I’m going to cum." 

“In..side.”

You erupt in her, as deep as you can penetrate, with her body squirming with your thrust. She starts squealing from feeling your warm cum deep inside her. You make out with her neck, breathing hard as you finish. In a quiet living room with only heavy breaths being heard, you pull out with cum oozing out quickly onto her couch. She scoops some of the cum and gives you a taste. 

“You taste good.”

“Can I have you again sometime?” You asked Jihyo.

“Of course. Just call me whenever. You want some ramen?”

“How can you ask me for ramen so casually after we fucked.” You burst into laughter.

“Oppa, I should treat you since you came over.”

“If you don’t mind making it.” You put on your clothes with Jihyo and she goes to the kitchen.

“You know who you should fuck next?”

“Tzuyu?” You confidently said daringly.

"Hmmm, I don’t know about her; she plays hard. I never said any names; do you like Tzuyu or what?" 

“Honestly, she’s interesting, I would date her if I have the chance.”

“Beautiful isn’t she?” Jihyo added.

“Very.”

“I even took a shower with her. Aren’t you jealous?” She teased you.

“No, I want to know her more.”

“Well, you’ve got a lot to make up. She will open up to you if she’s interested enough. By opening up, I meant letting you know her, not her legs.”

“I’m not that dumb, Jihyo. Wait, you’re on a pill right?”

“Don’t worry, we all are.”

“If I do this with idols, do you think Tzuyu will care?”

“As long as you show her love, I’m sure she won’t care. You should get Momo naked next.”

“She does have an amazing body.”

“I bet she will drain you constantly. You’ve seen her dance.”

“So, do I ask her or you will ask her?”

“Don’t worry, she will give you a call.”

Jihyo brings the bowls of ramen, "let’s eat. Another round of sex after?" 

“Settle down, Jihyo.” You laughed and eat the ramen.

After finishing the ramen with Jihyo, she washes the dishes right after. You relax on her couch while watching TV and on your phone. Jihyo comes back to sit next to you, caressing your thighs as she comes closer. Jihyo doesn’t say anything; she only wants to have you inside her again. Her lips glue to yours, passionately kissing loudly while you start to caress her body. Her lips are tasteful—hints of ramen broth as you keep kissing her. You grab her nape, gluing her lips right on yours as she fights for dominance. She holds onto the side of your face, kissing you more while she groans quietly. 

Jihyo breaks the kiss, catching her breath as she looks at you. “Can we have a quickie instead? Cum in my mouth.”

“I will, Jihyo. Get on your knees.”

She gets down, pulling off your pants and boxers, sucking you off quickly right away. You play with her hair, feeling her jawline and her cheeks as she keeps bobbing her head. You both look at each other lustfully. You love her eyes—dilated pupils from being turned on as she sucks you off. You love how mature she is by pleasing both of you and not taking the moments in a more amateur way. You start to breathe harder, loving the way she sucks you off so passionately. She squeezes your cock, jerking you off slowly, sucking and licking your tip consecutively. 

“Fuck, Ji-”

"Mm-hmm." She gave you a reply, you couldn’t tell what she was saying. Jihyo keeps her pace as she plays with her tits, showing you a view that you couldn’t look away from. Jihyo removes her hand, sucking you off deeper as she gags quickly, releasing from your cock to cough. Jihyo stares at you while she jerks you off—her eyes become red, and a small amount of saliva drips off her chin. You wipe her chin off, and she goes back to sucking you off. 

"You’re going to make me cum, Jihyo; keep going." You gather her hair into a ponytail, and she sucks you off quickly. Jihyo makes slight gags and chokes as she tries to make you cum inside her mouth. "Just like that, don’t stop. I’m going to cum." You grunt harder; you grip her hair, overwhelmed by her sucking you off. You erupt inside her mouth, Jihyo pauses and looks at you with gratitude. You hear her swallowing all your cum as she uses her tongue on your sensitive tip. 

Jihyo kisses your tip, and you lift her head up with your hand on her chin. Your thumb wipes off the cum on her lips, and Jihyo sucks on your thumb slowly. She gives you a seductive smile while you catch your breath.

“You loved it didn’t you?” Jihyo said.

“I did.”

“You taste so good, glad I was the first to get it.”

“I want to taste you, Jihyo.”

She nods, “you can next time. It’s only so I can get more of you.”

“That’s very sly of you, Jihyo.”

[aralisj]

I find the scenes of Al-Anon so interesting because they give us a glimpse into Carmy's inner monologue and the ideas behind some of his fuck ups.

The problem is Carmy thinks in a very literal, black and white sort of way, so whatever "advice" (in quotation marks because people are there to share their experiences not to directly solve each other's problems) he gets from the meetings is taken to the extreme.

So someone shares that routine and consistency helped them get through their grief? Time to implement a French brigade, even if he knows it's an outdated system that creates a toxic environment. Someone at meeting says that it's necessary to remove yourself from toxic situations? He alienates himself from the rest of the staff when they're arguing (aka all the time) which isn't good or sustainable since he's supposed to be leading the kitchen. He hears that it's important to keep his side of the street clean? He overloads himself to the breaking point to keep the restaurant afloat because he doesn't know where his street ends.

For season 2, we get only one Al-Anon meeting but it's vital to understanding Carmy's arc and eventual, inevitable breakdown. So, summed up, he says that he feels like he's supposed to be having fun and he doesn't know how to do that. Cut to being in a relationship with Claire. Their scenes together are gentle and quiet, and the contrast with the rest of the rest of the show is so stark that a lot of people have disliked the whole concept and taken it out on Claire as a character. Here's the thing: this is just another example of Carmy taking things to an extreme - and the tone of the show reflects that.

Relationships should be fun and conflict free, right? So he keeps the worst parts of him and his job out of it (Claire does the same to a degree). This is also why he doesn't pick up when Sydney calls and he's with Claire, and why he doesn't respond to Claire while he's in the kitchen - his two worlds cannot mix. Ultimately, this leads to his finale meltdown speech, because his relationship with Claire never truly melded with the rest of his life and has become unsustainable. His priority is and probably will always be the restaurant. And even though Claire tried to be supportive, she was a reminder of the past that didn't let him move on from his grief.

The difference in this instance is that the season ends before he can atone, find a middle ground (like he did with the rest of the "advice") and make it work for him.

(I am aware this probably has more to do with the fact that the writers didn't hope to be picked up for a season 2, and so they gave us as much closure as possible for season 1. The success of season 1 gave them enough confidence to leave it open ended this time around)

[corpsebasil]

I'm sorry but knight! Nikolaï got me hORNY—

So just think about it: like, kinda a corruption kink but the other way around? The Princess being very, VERY MUCH INTO HIM and being like "damn Imma bang that man"

And Knight Nikolaï being loyal to his duties so he's trying to not understand or see her advances, but god damn his patience and will to stay professional are wearing thin just like the clothes of the princess seems to gradually become around him uhuh

ARGBLBLBLB HAND ME THE HOLY WATER RIGHT NOW

Dear mother above—

^^^ me and you walking to his room.

Sir Nikolai isn’t a man that is unused to being fawned over. Women and men alike—nobles, citizens, who gives a shit—all want him. The man is literally sex on legs just LOOK at him. LORD.

The one person he’s surprised to find attracted to him, though, is you. Your royal highness. Aka the princess of Ravka and his personal charge. He takes his role of protecting you extremely seriously. He does a security sweep practically every time you enter a room. He keeps his eye out for any possible threats, always a step behind you. Always.

Yes he finds you pretty—who doesn’t—but the idea of sleeping with you goes against every moral fiber of his being.

It starts small when you realize you aren’t going to get your way with him at first.

DRABBLE UNDER THE CUUUUT

Oh god he’s so beautiful anyways—

“Sir Nikolai.”

“Princess.”

You’re watching him from one of the chairs in your sitting-room as he works, sorting through some documents as you’re supposed to be reading. You literally cannot focus.

The rustling of papers and the occasional shift of his body in his chair are the only sounds occupying your rooms as of now and, to your chagrin, you can’t stop staring at his hands. The way his fingers run over the documents, the way he licks his thumb quickly to flip a page, good God.

“I can feel you staring.” He says, not even sparing you a glance as he works. You scowl.

“I am not.”

He raises one eyebrow and you slump lower in your seat, face hot.

You’ve had a crush on your personal guard since pretty much forever and you know that he knows. He finds it entertaining to tease you sometimes; he’ll find excuses to help fix your hair, he holds your hand a bit longer than necessary when escorting you out of a carriage, and he especially enjoys the look on your face when you see him flirting with other women of the court.

I picture his grin like this.

Also Elliot Knight is fucking gorgeous.

He just smiles at you from across the room and goes straight back into his conversation.

You know from gossip around the court that he’s an absolute god in bed. The maids—those damn gossips—all giggle and blush as they whisper about a night with him or someone they know, their voices not quiet enough to stop you from picking up a few details while they clean.

You want him. You want him so bad it makes you look STUPID.

If you’re going to get this man on top of under, behind, down low, up high, all the positions you then you’re going to have to start being a little bolder, sweetheart. You start small: staring more openly and forcing yourself not to look away when caught. Brushing against him when you walk by just to have an excuse to be close to him. Making comments out of the blue about how you’re just so bored and touch deprived.

Poor you.

He catches on instantly.

“Princess.” He starts one evening, watching you as you approach him clad in one of your adorable nightgowns that leave nothing to the imagination. Picture Aelin’s gold nightgown, HA. His teeth are grit so tightly that he can actually feel his jaw hurt as you walk by. “Where is your robe.”

Not a question. He knows exactly where your robe is because you left it on his bed after sneaking quickly through the shared door in your chambers. He’d made the mistake of telling you he’d be right back and you took your chance. You’d be giggling like a fiend when he knocked just now, eyes dark and expression unamused.

He didn’t bring the robe, though. Oddly enough.

“It’s too hot for a robe right now.” You lie, ignoring his annoyed stare as you pour yourself a glass of bourbon from a decanter. “Besides, this dress is new. Don’t you like it?”

“You forgot the rest of it.”

“This is the newest style!” You argue, grinning to yourself as you feel him watch your back. The material is thin as hell and Saints you look fucking magical in it.

Meanwhile Nikolai, behind you, is feeling warmer and warmer the longer you fix yourself a drink. His eyes roam across your bare skin, his blood burning in his veins as he watches the slight sway of your hips. He can imagine running his hands along those long legs of yours, skin soft under his fingers.

How responsive would you be for him? Would you be loud or quiet? Calling out his name or only gasping and whining for him? Would you let him kiss your thighs before he buries his mouth between your legs? Would you let him bend you over his desk or set you on top of it?

Lord have mercy—

He licks his lips thoughtfully as he continues his observations. Surely you’re taking longer on purpose so that he can stare.

The clink of the glass hitting the counter snaps him from his fantasies before he realizes he’s been caught blatantly checking out your ass with his mouth hanging open a fraction.

Shit.

Your smile is devious and proud when you turn to face him, leaning slightly back against the table to meet his eyes.

“Something wrong, Sir?”

“Princess.” He clears his throat and glances up at the ceiling for a moment. “This isn’t appropriate.”

“I’d hope not.” You snort. You walk towards him and he stays still, every inch of him tense. He doesn’t look away as you tilt your head, chin lifted up to his in offering. He doesn’t take the bait.

“Princess.” He grits out. “Please. Stop.”

“Stop what?”

“You know what.”

“I’m not doing—”

But you shut up when his hand reaches out to snatch your wrist in an iron grip, your fingers hovering barely an inch away from his chest. The gap in his loose shirt reveals smooth, golden skin, your fingertips frozen.

You glance up with a tiny gasp and he’s watching you, his eyes darker and more serious than before.

“I cant let you start anything.” He breathes, hand tightening on your arm. “Not like this. Not with me.”

“Why?” You question, face falling as you look up into his eyes. “Why not?”

“You’re jail bait, kid.”

“What does that mean—”

“Your father would kick my ass if he saw me with you. You know that.” You huff through your nose and attempt to pull away but he holds fast. “Y/N,” he starts and your heart aches. Not ‘Princess’, Y/N. “you have no idea the things I’d do to you.”

You freeze as his head lowers a fraction, nose barely touching yours. Your breaths are unsteady as he tucks your hair behind an ear, hand framing your face.

“You’d never want to leave my bed.” He adds and the ache shoots from your heart to right between your legs. “The things I’ve thought about you.” He closes his eyes and, after a beat, whispers a quiet ‘fuck’ before practically tearing himself away from you.

You don’t even have time to protest before he’s heading back to his rooms and shutting the door behind him.

Ughhh OAJAOSK I NEED HIMMMM

[chevelleneech]

Put me in the writer’s room, Tim!

Y’all know what would really spark Eddie’s feelings realization in s8?

Buck going missing.

Not injured, because he’s been physically hurt enough, but just missing. I don’t think we’ve seen him lost and the others having to find him, because the only time that would have been necessary was during the tsunami, and they didn’t know he was caught in it.

So I imagine it something like what the show Found did. They had a great episode where a couple went missing on a hike, and the woman got seriously injured, so the guy— a nurse— stayed with her to give her his blood until help came. Now, neither Buck nor Tommy are nurses, but I imagine Tim and co could figure out a way to have them go on a hiking date, then Tommy gets injured— solely because I do not want Buck injured again— and Buck secures him in one spot as he tries to find his way out of the ravine they fell down or something.

And because I’m not a BuckTommy hater as I’m sure some of their fans think, this would also serve as an episode that could open the door for us to learn what exactly Buck likes about Tommy. What is he seeking by dating Tommy, and whether or not in a moment of life and death, if Tommy is the person Buck wants to have a future with. An episode like this could easily be a “Buck Begins Again”, and focus on his sexuality and whether or not he truly never realized he likes men or was just suppressing it.

Now, imagine all of that happening on Buck’s day off around mid-day, then the next morning the 118 are starting their shift and everyone is confused as to why Buck isn’t at work. Gerard doesn’t give a fuck, obviously, and feels it’s an easy win to firing him, but Eddie is all… “No, something must be wrong. Buck is never not here..” So they call Tommy, but he of course doesn’t answer. Then they call Bobby, who talked to him the day before maybe, and says something like “He said he and Tommy were headed back. Maybe they got caught up or he’s just running late?”

So of course when Buck doesn’t answer anybody all morning, they all start to freak out because Buck doesn’t ghost people. He is the complete opposite of the type, but everyone is also still caught up at work and with Gerard and Councilwoman Ortiz breathing down their necks, they can’t jump to look for him. But you know who can? Maddie. And maaaaaayyyyybe we can wiggle it where Eddie had a scheduled trip to Texas to finally talk to Chris is person, but he’s conflicted about going now, because… it’s Buck. Chris would hate him even more if something happened to Buck, but he’s worried Chris will feel pushed aside again if he doesn’t go.

He ultimately decides to stay and help Maddie look for Buck though, because 1) if Gavin is really gone, obviously there’s no scenes to be had in Texas 2) he slowly realizes Buck means way more to him than he thought possible.

And because I am a Buddie prefer-er, Buck would also end the episode realizing dying on the side of a mountain as he grows increasingly dehydrated and tired, that the people he’d miss saying goodbye to the most does not include the man he walked up the mountain with. It’s Maddie; his sister and the woman who raised him to be the kind man he is today. Bobby; the man who took him under his wing and treated him the way a true father is supposed to. Christopher; the kid he didn’t know he wanted, but has given his heart to as a step-father-figure. And Eddie; the man he built a family unit with and whom he broke down over nearly losing more than once, whose home is a place of peace and comfort for him.

All of that said… am I looking forward to whatever s8 has in store? Not completely, and I already stated my piece on why. The way this season ended was pretty subpar, and because Tim and co refused to have Buck and/or Eddie so much as mention in passing the assumptions people have about them dating or any possible feelings for each other, I truly am not awaiting anyone’s future story arcs. I will still watch and care for the characters, hopefully, but putting thought into whatever eventually plays out on screen? I’m done. As of right now in canon, nothing is being resolved, everything is repetitive, and the actors are reaching a point of being like, “I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m sure it’ll work out.” Which is a bad sign. So I’m in headcanon all the way territory, and will enjoy what the actors I support put out as objectively as I can.

[calliesmemes]

QUIZZICAL QUESTIONS

ASKBOX PROMPTS FEATURING MYRIAD QUESTIONS TO ASK ANOTHER

CHANGE gendered words if necessary.

SPECIFY muse for multimuses.

I. WHO…?

“   Who did this to you? ”

“   Who are you? ”

“   Who is it? ”

“   Who are you talking about? ”

“   Who put you in charge? ”

“   Who will be able to stop them now? ”

II. WHAT…?

“   What are you doing here? ”

“   What would I do without you? ”

“   What have you done? ”

“   What are you so afraid of? ”

“   What’s got you so worked up? ”

“   What are you hiding from me? ”

“   What’s got you so worked up? ”

“   What if that was you? ”

“   What if we’re stuck here forever? ”

“   What was that? ”

“   What did you just say to me? ”

“   What if I mess this all up? ”

“   What do you mean? ”

“   What is the meaning of this? ”

“   What made you change your mind? ”

III. WHEN…?

“   When was the last time you slept? ”

“   When did you figure it out? ”

“   When will we be there? ”

“   When will this be over? ”

IV. WHERE…?

“   Where is it? ”

“   Where are you? ”

“   Where did it all go wrong? ”

“   Where am I? ”

“   Where have you been!? ”

“   Where are you from? ”

V. WHY…?

“   Why don't we find somewhere quiet? ”

“   Why did you lie to me? ”

“   Why do you need to know? ”

“   Why should I tell you anything? ”

“   Why did you leave? ”

“   Why would you say that? ”

“   Why should I care? ”

“   Why should you care? ”

“   Why would you ever trust anyone? ”

“   Why would you believe him? ”

VI. HOW…?

“   How did you do that? ”

“   How am I supposed to be normal about this? ”

“   How long has this been happening? ”

“   How did you find me? ”

“   How can you be so selfish? ”

“   How could somebody do something so cruel? ”

“   How can I make you understand? ”

“   How can I help? ”

“   How often does this happen? ”

VI. DID…?

“   Did you ever really love me? ”

“   Did you know? ”

“   Did we win? ”

“   Did I just say that out loud? ”

“   Did you just do that? ”

“   Did you really mean that? ”

“   Did you kill them? ”

VII. WILL…?

“   Will you marry me? ”

“   Will you come home? ”

“   Will you please just leave me alone? ”

“   Will you come over ? ”

“   Will you ever let someone else care for you? ”

VIII. CAN…?

“   Can I start over? ”

“   Can you do that? ”

“   Can you forgive me for this? ”

“   Can I come in? ”

“   Can you come over? ”

“   Can you please shut the fuck up? ”

IX. IS…?

“   Is it alright if I stay here tonight? ”

“   Is she alive? ”

“   Is it bad? ”

“   Is everything alright? ”

“   Is something wrong? ”

“   Is the meeting over? ”

“   Is there a problem? ”

X. MISCELLANEOUS…?

“   Are my prophetic visions a joke to you? ”

“   We are friends, are we not? ”

“   It’s inevitable, isn’t it? ”

“   Do you believe in fate? ”

“   Could we have ever made it work? ”

“   We’ve been doomed from the start, haven’t we? ”

[tala-bez-i]

At first sight Chapter Forty-Five

(m!reader x Bonten!Haruchiyo Sanzu)

Fluff/slash/reader is male/cursing/BontenTimeline/drugs and alcohol mentioned/violence/blood/death

All characters that appeared in the Tokyo Revengers manga and anime belong to Ken Wakui.

Words: 4388

This chapter may not be pleasant to read for some people.

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

The middle of the night, one of the warehouses of the lumberyard in Kōtō. 

You would never have thought that you would ever end up in the same place, at the same time, and for the same purpose as Tomoko L/n, your older sister. 

Both of you, probably from the same source, got a tip that Yuji Yuu L/n, your older half-brother, would appear that night and in that location, and that this would be your only chance to catch him. 

Your sister did not actually become a private detective as she had planned, but under the influence of your father, Kenzou's, pleas, she agreed to accept a promotion to investigator and was given the case of prostitute murders, which she had been working on unofficially. Very unofficially. 

She hid from her superiors the fact that she was related to the suspect and, which was hard to believe, no one tried to check it. L/n was a fairly common surname, so no one suspected any connection. The only trouble would have come if DNA tests had been conducted, which fortunately, had not been necessary so far... At least your brother hadn't left any biological traces behind. He had people to do his dirty work and his hands remained clean. 

Just like with Tetta Kisaki... Similar method of operation... 

For almost two months since your conversation with Takemichi Hanagaki, you had spent a lot of time trying to sort out all your memories. You tried to separate the two chronologies and even started a journal on your computer for this purpose and wrote down everything you could remember from your... How should you put it? Your previous life? No, you didn't die... Your previous timeline? The universe? 

You still felt frustrated because every term didn't seem to fit, but you had to start somewhere. You were conducting your own investigation. 

*bang, bang, bang!* 

Three bullets fired from the gun of one of the men belonging to Yuu and his companion, Mina, passed right next to your head. You ducked down behind a pile of wood, behind which you managed to find a relatively safe shelter. You looked to your left and saw Tomoko preparing to fire from her hiding place. She was in a much better position than you. While she was protected from above by a protruding platform, there was nothing above you. You cursed quietly. 

Despite the fact that you both came to the place where Yuji met with another, much smaller criminal group, you and your sister came alone. Completely without backup. You both did something stupid and there was no way back. 

Sure, she could have called for backup, after all she was a policewoman, but you? Calling Bonten wouldn't be stupid, but... To spite Sanzu, you left your phone at home. 

Why to spite him? Because lately he's been following you more and more often through the installed app. You had quiet days again and you knew that if you got out of this mess unscathed... 

*bang!* 

*bang, bang, bang!* 

Several larger splinters flew in all directions and you felt at least one of them hit the side of your face, causing grazes. Yes, if you made it out of this unscathed, the love of your life would kill you at best, at worst, torture you before he did. Such disobedience... 

“For fuck's sake, Y/n! Do something!” Tomoko shouted, giving you an angry look. 

You cursed and leaned out of cover to shoot at the opponent who was hiding behind a similar cover as you. You aimed and before the man could hide, you shot him straight in the head, killing him instantly. 

“Where's Yuji?!” You shouted back to your sister, trying to aim the gun at another opponent again. 

“How the hell am I supposed to know?!” She cursed loudly, firing two shots and silence fell. “Move!” 

You both left your hiding places at the same time and ran to the next pallets filled with wood prepared for transport. You leaned out from behind yours, but you didn't see any movement, so you looked at your sister. 

She signaled you to approach the gate connecting the hall you were in with the next one, choosing the path as close to the wall as possible, and at the same time she would choose a similar path, thus you should be able to surround the opponent. Of course, if there was still someone alive. 

You followed her instructions and, passing the next piles of neatly stacked wood, you checked if anyone was hiding behind them. There was a ringing in your ears and although you hated this type of situation, you liked this incredible feeling when adrenaline was coursing through your veins and every time it happened, for a split second you thought about Shuji Hanma, starting to understand him. 

You pressed yourself against the wall on either side of the open gate to the second warehouse hall and looked at each other. Tomoko's face was one of concentration and determination, but you saw something in her eyes that you were 100% sure was in yours as well. You both regretted not coming to the scene with backup. 

That you also had to argue with Sanzu... 

“Forget about it.” Sanzu said, trying to keep his voice calm, though his hand movements showed a high level of nervousness. 

“This is our chance...” 

“Not there, Y/n. I can't go there with you, and no one else will, do you understand?” 

“Why? This is a high priority.” You said, setting down your glass of alcohol, maybe a little too abruptly, and a bit of it spilled onto the bar counter. 

“Because we have a transaction to make, for fuck's sake.” The man answered, raising his hands in the air as if he was asking God for more patience. “We planned this over a month ago and there's no way we can change it, do you understand? There's no way we can change the date!” 

“Then I'll go by myself!” 

“Y/n don't you understand what I'm saying? Forget about it!” 

“Give me a few men and we'll deal with Yuji once and for all!” 

“Shut your mouth!” There was an angry glint in his eyes, and you knew that the man was going to lose his patience any minute. “That son of a bitch and his whore... We'll get them some other time! They have to wait because we have more important things to worry about!” 

“A drug deal and a few traitors! The usual!” You grabbed a bottle of vodka and threw it at the wall. The glass shattered everywhere and a dent appeared in the wall. “I worked all these weeks to get him and now that I have the chance, you... YOU TELL ME TO LET IT GO?!” 

“Y/n...” 

“SHUT UP, SANZU! FOR FUCK'S SAKE! I'M FUCKED UP WITH THESE PIECES OF SHIT! I'M FUCKED UP WITH TRAITORS! I'M ORDERED TO KILL YUJI AND THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO DO WHETHER YOU FUCKING LIKE IT OR NOT!” 

“Don't use that tone with me, L/n!” He grabbed your shirt and yanked it roughly, pulling you closer to him. His face was very close to yours and the tips of your noses were almost touching. “What you're saying borders on betrayal, do you understand?” He growled through clenched teeth. “Undermining the authority of someone higher up than you, ignoring their orders, and not caring about the syndicate's interests...” 

“What lack of care?” You growled, looking into his eyes. “Hunting down a guy who threatens the syndicate's fucking interests is lack of care?” 

“Transactions aren't...” 

“I don't give a damn.” 

“Drug dealing is one of the most profitable businesses we have, when will you understand that?” 

You didn’t say anything for a moment, just looked into his eyes. Of course he was on drugs, but being under the influence of alcohol yourself, you knew you had no right to pay any attention to his condition. 

“Give me the men…” 

“No.” 

“At least two.” 

“No, L/n and that's my final word.” 

“Kakucho wouldn't see a problem.” 

“I'm higher than him.” 

“But lower than Mikey and he wouldn't see a problem either.” You said and after a moment you felt a punch in the face. 

Your head turned to the side at the blow, but another tug on your shirt forced you to look the pink-haired man straight in the face again. 

"Not. In that. Tone. Dog.” He pushed you with such force that you fell into the bar and two more bottles shattered on the floor. “You have to stay home tomorrow and wait for me to come back.” 

“Shouldn’t I go with you, boss?” You asked mockingly and the man grimaced. 

“I don’t want to see you during the transaction. Otherwise I’ll give in to temptation and shoot your fucking head off like I’m going to do to all the other traitors.” 

“So now I’m a traitor?” You asked, standing up straight and straightening your shirt. 

“If you disobey my order, you will be.” The other man said and looked around. “Clean up this mess.” 

In principle, the subject of the argument shouldn't be taken seriously and you should have let it go, but you weren't in the mood at the time. It all started when you couldn't take Yuuta to your place this weekend. The boy was feeling really bad, probably developing the flu, and on top of that, he broke his arm two days earlier when he fell out of a tree, which of course his grandfather had forbidden him from climbing. 

It was also a week during which you found yourself reaching for alcohol more often than usual. Mainly because you felt inexplicably tense and stressed. You felt like you were about to explode, and you only calmed down after the argument with Haruchiyo. 

Today he hadn't spoken to you once, but you knew he had been watching you through the app. You wouldn't be surprised if he had also checked the cameras he had placed all over the house. When you found one in the bedroom, you were furious. It was your home... But you were the man's property whether you liked it or not. One of the downsides of being close to Sanzu. 

That's why you decided to leave your phone at home, and you knew that unless the device itself changed position, Sanzu wouldn't check the cameras to see what you were doing at the time. You left the device in the bedroom and faked the bed, so he thought you were asleep. Classic. 

Now you were regretting that decision. You should have listened to him and let tonight go. You were sure that the pink-haired gangster had already discovered your ruse and was now searching for you, but you had a feeling it was too late. 

“We’re going in there. I think I saw them.” Tomoko said, snapping you out of your thoughts. 

“And what next? He had about twenty more men with him…” 

“Fuck them… No, we can’t give up now.” She said, as if reading your mind. “Forget it, we’ve gone too far. There’s no turning back. It’s either us or them.” 

“Fuck… Maybe call for backup?” 

“I would, but I left my stuff in the car.” She said nervously. 

“What?” You looked at her in disbelief. “You can’t be serious…” 

“Call Sanzu or someone else.” 

“I can’t…” 

She looked at you questioningly. “No signal?” 

“No phone.” You replied and the woman froze. 

"You're kidding." 

You shook your head feeling embarrassed and irritated. 

“If we succeed, I will kill you.” She replied and made a hand gesture signaling you to move on. 

You had barely crossed the threshold of the gate when more shots rang out, aimed straight at you. It was only by a miracle that you managed to find shelter, although you felt another splinter of wood from the bullets hit your ear. 

“Fuck...” You touched the sore spot and felt moisture under your fingers. 

When you looked at your hand, your fingers were covered in blood and with every movement of your head, you felt discomfort. 

“Are you okay?” Tomoko asked worriedly. 

“It's just a scratch...” You replied, trying to stay calm. “Just a splinter...” 

“Don't touch it.” 

The gunfire stopped and you heard a deep voice you would rather never hear again. 

“Tomoko!” Yuji’s voice carried through the hall as if through a PA system and a shiver ran down your spine. “Tomoko!” 

“What do you want?!” The woman shouted back, trying to discreetly peek out from behind a pile of wood. 

“Lay down your weapons and surrender! And as your relative, I will guarantee you a safe retreat!” 

“What?” You looked at your sister. “You know this is a bluff...” 

“I don’t think so... You know how much he supports the ideology of the family...” 

“Tomoko! Please put down your weapon and surrender!” The man's tone didn't change one bit. 

“I'm in the police, Yuji!” The woman shouted as she changed the magazine to a new one. 

“I know you've followed our father's path and I'm proud of you for that! Leave this traitor and surrender!” 

“I'm not a traitor!” You shouted. “You are, Yuji!” 

“Tomoko, please!” Your brother ignored you completely, turning back to the woman who rested the back of her head against the wood. “Otherwise, you leave me no choice and I really don't want you to get hurt!” 

“Your men shot at me, Yuji!” 

“Those men weren’t mine!” 

“Tomoko…” You said quietly, having a bad feeling. 

The woman closed her eyes for a moment, then shook her head. “Fuck you, Yuu! If Y/n doesn’t kill you, I will!” 

“You have one last chance, Tomoko.” This time the man’s voice was quieter, but still perfectly audible. “Please.” 

“No! You’ll have to kill me!” 

There was silence for a moment, and then the words you never wanted to hear were spoken. 

“Your stubbornness is worthy of our family, little sister. Fine. If that’s your wish.” His voice was cold, and concern appeared in the woman’s eyes. “Minako!” 

There was a bang that you recognized immediately as something much bigger than a gun, and your sister's head snapped back, red blood spraying everywhere. You watched in horror and complete shock as Tomoko's body slumped to the dusty floor of the lumberyard's warehouse, as if in slow motion. 

He killed her. He killed her before your eyes. 

He killed her... He killed her... 

Ignoring the warning shout of one of Yuu's men, you jumped towards your sister's body. You completely ignored the flashes of blue lights that were visible from behind the high windows of the warehouse, and the quick stomping of feet. 

The only thing you could focus on at that moment was Tomoko's face. On her forehead was a large hole in the entrance from a bullet fired from a sniper rifle. Just like in your dream, after which your life changed. 

You wanted to touch her, but for the first time in your life you felt afraid to do it. What will you tell your father? 

You knelt down next to her body and checked the pockets of her jacket. To your surprise, in one you found a small bag with white powder and a phone. You turned on the screen and saw a half-full range icon. She could have called for backup... You could have gotten out of this unscathed... You could have caught them all... 

“Tomoko...” You said quietly, looking into her half-closed, dead eyes, but as soon as you heard the shouts of people coming from the hall you were in a moment ago, you jumped to your feet and, ignoring the possibility of danger from Yuu, ran to the wide-open exit of the warehouse. 

You managed to run outside to an empty smaller square and as soon as you looked to the right, you noticed the police cars standing there. However, she called for backup... 

You ran to the passage in the fence, probably made by the fleeing criminals your stepbrother was working with, and you used it. With the last of your strength, you managed to get to your motorcycle, which you left near the lumberyard, and continued your escape. 

Your mind went blank, and your body moved as if on automatic. When you entered a dark alley, you stopped. You wanted to scream, but you couldn't get a single word out. You had to do something... 

You unlocked the phone you had taken from your sister and dialed Sanzu's number, which you knew by heart. 

“Tomoko?” The man answered almost immediately, his voice dripping with rage. “If you see Y/n, tell him I'll kill him when he gets home.” 

“Tomoko's dead.” You said quietly, your voice trembling. 

“Y/n?” He asked, not hiding his shock. “What are you talking about?” 

“Tomoko's dead.” You repeated, and felt the first tear roll down your cheek. “She's dead.” 

“Where are you?” 

“She's dead...” 

“Y/n, where are you? Hey!” 

“Fuck...” You groaned, lowering the hand you held the phone in. “She's dead.” 

“Y/n?! Y/n!” 

You lifted the phone to your ear again and swallowed hard. “I don’t know… I was at the lumberyard in Kōtō…” 

“Which one?” 

“The one by the car parts…” 

“Turn on the location, I’ll track you, Y/n.” Sanzu’s voice was composed and you could clearly hear that the man was moving. You did as he told you and after a moment the man spoke again. “Stay where you are. Do you understand? Don’t move.” 

The entire time you were waiting for the pink-haired man, you sat against the cold wall of the building with your head buried in both hands. You could hear the sounds of police sirens and ambulances nearby, but you couldn’t move. You didn’t want to. This was your end. You could feel it in your bones. 

As soon as Sanzu appears, your life will end. You broke his order and because of your stupidity Yuji will become more cautious, which will constantly threaten Bonten's interests. You committed a betrayal that will not be forgiven and you will not get another chance... 

A large white transporter stopped before entering the alley and three men in work clothes jumped out of it, ran to your motorcycle and led it to the back of the vehicle to load it inside. Normally you would react to this, but not this time... 

“Y/n?” A man whose voice you knew very well approached you. 

“I fucked up. I completely fucked up, Sanzu.” You said without lifting your head and the man crouched in front of you. 

He lifted your head by your hair, and you looked into his eyes, which were full of anger. “You dumb dick...” 

He pushed your head back, stood up and sent you a strong kick straight to the face. You felt your nose burst under the impact and felt the metallic taste of hot blood in your mouth. 

You fell to the side and the man kicked you in the stomach a few times. You groaned in pain, but didn't try to protect yourself, knowing it would do nothing anyway. 

"You complete idiot! Fucking moron!" He kicked you in the head and grabbed you by your clothes, lifting you up with one, strong yank. "Look at me!" 

You barely carried out the order and this time, in addition to anger, you saw pain in his bright eyes. You swallowed hard, and your hands tightened around his wrists. 

"What were you thinking, huh?" 

"I wasn't..." You replied quietly. 

“You weren't thinking. Exactly!” He slammed your back against the wall of the building. “I should kill you now, you know? I should blow your fucking stupid head off, L/n. You're lucky. You're fucking lucky.” 

You looked at him again, completely missing his words. 

“When I found out you weren't home...” The corners of his mouth twitched as if he wanted to smile, but he didn't. “I called Mikey. He ordered you to be taken to the hideout.” Oh, fuck... “He wanted to talk to you about your sister... And now, because of your stupidity, she's dead.” 

You shook your head slightly and felt the pain near your ear again, caused by the splinter embedded in your flesh. “She came there regardless of me. I didn't contact her about it... You have to believe me, Sanzu...” 

“I don't give a damn.” He growled through his teeth and threw you on the bare ground. “Tie him up!” 

Two men approached you and tied your hands behind your back, pressing your aching face into the ground in the process. They lifted you up and dragged you to the car, which Haruchiyo had already entered. 

You thought they would put you in the trunk, but they pushed you into the backseat, right next to the pink-haired gangster and slammed the door shut behind you. After a few seconds, the car started moving suddenly. 

The man radiated a cold, almost icy hostility, but at some point, his hand moved to your head and his fingers began to absently stroke your hair, making your heart start to break. You were sure that this was the last tender gesture that Sanzu would ever give you. This time you won't make it out alive... 

You gasped for breath, feeling an unpleasant lightness wash over you, and you lost consciousness. 

“Darling…” A quiet female voice, as if from somewhere far away… 

“Baby... Y/n, it's time to get up...” A gentle brush of his hand on your cheek... 

You squeezed your eyelids shut and slowly opened your eyes. The first thing you saw was a white ceiling, but somehow much lower than if you were lying on a bed. 

“Y/n...” You let out a grunt in response to the woman's voice and the face of a young woman appeared in your field of vision, her light blonde hair falling like a curtain over your face, tickling your cheeks and forehead. “Good morning, love.” 

You blinked a few times, not understanding what was happening. They didn't get you to Mikey in time and you died? You didn't know this woman... 

“What the hell?” You asked indistinctly and the woman giggled, moving away from you. 

“You know? That's not how you greet your own girlfriend, Y/n.” 

“Girlfriend?” You mumbled under your breath as you sat down on the bed... 

On a futon. You were sleeping on a futon. 

You looked around the small room, which turned out to be a bedroom with half-painted white walls, as if everything was being renovated. 

What is this place? 

“Hey, handsome…” You turned your head towards the voice and saw that the young woman who woke you up was leaning against the door frame, which was still not actually on its hinges. “Butter toast, scrambled eggs, and strong coffee?” 

“Yes, please.” After a moment, you answered automatically, feeling your stomach start to growl. “And some vegetables, if I may ask...” 

The woman smiled sweetly at you and went somewhere, probably to the kitchen, because after a moment you heard the electric kettle you bought together yesterday in the store being turned on... 

“What?” You mumbled quickly getting up from the floor and stepping on a small, women's handbag, which you picked up and looked inside. 

You pulled her wallet out of it and opened it. The first thing you saw was an ID card with a photo of a woman named Emi Nakayabashi and then you felt a strong headache. 

Flashes of memories from your first meeting at the police station, where you both worked, appeared before your eyes. You as an investigator, she as a lab assistant. 

You doubled over, pressing your hands to your temples. 

Bonten was your enemy. 

After the defeat of Izana Kurokawa and Tenjiku, you abandoned your life of crime and followed in your father's footsteps. 

You broke off contact with Haruchiyo Sanzu, even though it was the only thing you didn't really want to do, but he forced you to. 

"If you try to get in my way again, L/n, I'll kill you. If you're not with Mikey, then you're against him. Against me." 

What the fuck happened?! You fucked up with Yuu and were supposed to be taken to the Bonten hideout? What was all that supposed to mean?! 

"Honey?" You felt a gentle touch of a woman's hand on your shoulder. "What happened?" 

"It's just a headache..." You answered her as politely as you could, trying to control your emotions. 

“Come, you'll sit on the chair...” She led you to the small kitchen, which was already quite nicely furnished, although there were still unpacked boxes from the move on the countertops. “Try to eat something, please, I'll give you a pill.” 

You did as you were told, although after the first bite your stomach cramped and you felt like you were about to throw up. 

You closed your eyes and pursed your lips, trying to control the unpleasant feeling. 

“Here you go.” The woman opened your hand, placed the pill on it and gently brushed the hair away from your forehead. “It's probably a slight poisoning from the paint fumes. And the seller said it was non-toxic… 

“It's nothing, thank you, darling.” You said, feeling your lips stretch into a gentle smile on their own. “We're free today, right?” 

“Yes, but you have to send the report, like you promised your superior.” The woman answered you and you nodded. 

“Sorry... Don't make me breakfast, Emi... I'll eat later.” 

“Poor thing.” She said quietly, caressing your cheek and you felt loved. “Your laptop is in the other room.” 

You kissed her hand and directed your steps to the indicated place. You sat down at the small desk and turned on the device and opened the appropriate folder. It turned out that you were investigating a man nicknamed Yuu, who was connected to the murders of women. 

So that didn't change... 

You returned to the desktop, and only then did you notice another folder, which had a hidden name and was protected by a password, which you immediately remembered. The birthday of your dead mother. 

You opened it and when you started reading the documentation inside, you felt as if your heart had jumped into your throat along with your stomach. 

You were investigating the Bonten case, specifically Haruchiyo Sanzu. You were hunting him as well. 

<PREVIOUS/NEXT>

[rad-o-saurus]

I AM BEGGING YOU HOW DID YOU MAKE THE CHUM MASK

I'm probably not the best to ask for costume making advice but i will do my best to explain my process as comprehensibly as possible. Luckily i took pictures during it's production!

This post is kinda long but hang in there lol

Step 1: Research

Since there is no tutorial on how to make a fish head, i had to find tutorials that deal with characters with a similar face shape and and skin type for both construction and material. Any fursuit head tutorial should be watched just to get a general feel for what you're getting into though.

(Link of playlist of video tuts i used for reference)

Step 2: Planning/Sketching/Gathering

To start i recommend taking a picture of yourself and drawing the head around it to plan where to place things like eyes and jaw (if you want a movable jaw) . It's also important to measure your head/plan out how big you want the head to actually be concretely. I adapted the design as best i could while still retaining likeness. Know exactly what your head is gonna look like before you start

EX1: Sketch for look and measurements (i had many others this is just the cleanest)

I then had to decide what material I was going to use for certain parts of the cosplay. Following the tutorials i gathered essential materials like Upholstery foam, a balaclava and elastic band for the jaw but i had to improvise for more case specific parts. The hair and teeth are made out of cardboard and the eyes are just Styrofoam balls for example. I also cheaped out a little for the skin, opting to just buy gray fabric instead of the preferred minky.

I also kept a log to track my progress, schedule myself and take notes when changes need to be made so that can be useful as well

Step 3: Production

Finally it is time to make the damn fish!!

3.1:Bucket head

I used the bucket head method (which basically just consists of wrapping a piece of foam around your head gluing it and putting a top) since it was the simplest to do.

I then cut out the necessary holes and started adding the other foam to get the shape base of the head.

I then kept adding on foam in general shaped and started sculpting it. Normally fursuit makers use a fancy saw but if you have a bread knife (serated) and a pair of good scissors you should be good to go.I also painted and paper maché-d the Styrofoam eyes at this point.

(sculpting process also for tail too)

Don't forget to try it on every once and a while to make sure everything works as it's supposed too and looks how it's supposed too (also make sure you can see because I didn't and it's very hard too see in that thing)

Ex 2: Swag

3.2: Skinning and accessories

By this point I started making the teeth and the hair which was simple enough since i've used cardboard as a material before.

The real tough part for me would be to skin the thing which required that i learn how to sew.

I first had to make a pattern which required that i wrap my precious fishy boy in duck tape and then draw out the different sections of the head for them to be sewn together later. It was definitely hard to get used to but I'm thankful that I learnt how to do it because it actually helped me better understand Uv wrapping in 3D texturing !

I did the same for the tail! (Btw if you ever decide to do this please wrap your foam base in plastic wrap because removing the duck tape otherwise is difficult and can even rip off some of your foam)

When all was done and sewn in one piece wrapped it around the head, glued the hair and started painting the details like scales and mussel as well as glue on the mesh in order to hide the eye holes.

Step 4: Fuck around you funky fish!!!

If you have any additional questions about the costume feel free to ask, i will be happy to answer!

Have a Fishtastic day!

[tritoch]

miscellaneous wol characterization thoughts post-dawntrail

since wolund is supposed to be as close to canon wol as possible i think about this stuff a lot. huge spoilers through the end of 7.0. non-exhaustive list

we're WAY more chilled out now. very consciously avoiding combat or taking up arms until absolutely necessary. in retrospect you could sort of tie that back as far as the endwalker patches so maybe my new canon is now just that wolund lays down his sword after the zenos fight. we're done looking for new fights because we fought our greatest rival at the end of existence in a place made real by our willpower and where we were strengthened by our emotions. the conflagration of our clash scorched even the stars--and now we are kind of burned out!

there's a recurring thing where alisaie keeps saying you should take a break when you've not done any more work than the rest of the team, and there's also the moment where she's like "oof okay. i guess you gotta go into living memory. aight :\" and i think that's fun. as far as scions go this was really her and g'raha's expansion emotionally.

so much of the wol's stuff here is about what you don't do or say. you don't step in during the bakool ja ja fight, either the kidnapping or the wuk lamat fight. during valigarmanda, you very pointedly don't talk about prior experiences fighting primals or even your experience with the auspices, because this is wuk's big moment and you've gotta let her have it. you don't ever draw direct comparisons to emet-selch or other things with wuk lamat when sphene comes up because you're letting her figure things out herself. we've evolved from hot-blooded hero to wizened mentor, and we've gone sharply back to a heavensward-ish number of dialogue options. we're VERY quiet.

the gulool ja ja fight really is the one time you cut loose! and you're explicitly denied the chance to test yourself against him in his prime 1 on 1. there's a subtle undercurrent that basically every single fight in dawntrail is kind of "beneath" the wol in the sense that it doesn't require their exclusive attention in the way that Only You Could Fight Meteion, even if you're clearly the strongest combatant and wuk lamat says they couldn't have beaten zoraal ja without you. no one except gulool ja ja really takes your full measure in this expansion. i think a g'raha-level fighter probably could have helped the wuk lamat team clear everything just fine, and he's definitely supposed to be below you and estinien level even if he's an all-rounder.

that kind of denial of anything truly satisfying on the wol's level...seems very intentional? it's interesting that after the credits you're explicitly like "yeah i'm gonna be outta here soon." shadowbringers you had to resolve the scion's dimension hopping problems, endwalker cuts you off before you can say what's next, but here you're like "yeah this was fun but honestly not that big a deal to me. i like you and i know you think of me as surrogate family after losing your dad and mom and brother but i am in fact gonna bounce." the key is obviously more immediately interesting to the adventurer than anything about tural.

oh my god. oh my god wolund is already a deadbeat dad to a young woman in her 20s. he's gonna ditch wuk lamat too. my god what an asshole. this is so fucking funny.

i think i'm gonna go back and have wolund be a scholar as early as 6.1 and see how that changes things for me. i think i'll find it a lot more satisfying if i'm like "he came to tural because he's done fighting" instead of the "he now loves fighting even more" i'd been carrying through endwalker patches.

[deadprompts]

𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚆𝙰𝙻𝙺𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙳𝙴𝙰𝙳 𝚂𝙴𝙰𝚂𝙾𝙽 𝟼 𝙿𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙿𝚃𝚂.

content warning applies. change any pronouns / wording if necessary.

my people have guns. yours don't.

we're still here.

i can’t watch more names go up on that wall.

hell, they're all gonna be doing that.

i do not appreciate you killing my men.

they made a lot of demands, even more threats.

i know that is a mighty, big, nasty pill to swallow, but swallow it you most certainly will!

this is the next world.

that’s a stupid name.

confrontation's never been something we've had trouble with.

it happened and now it's done.

you want to live, you take chances.

i'm not pissing off a pregnant lady.

the world is trying to die.

the people around you dying, that's the hard part.

the only thing that keeps you from being a monster is killing.

i want to show you the new world.

if you have to eat shit, best not to nibble.

your dad was an asshole.

things can get better. we can make them better.

this is what life looks like now.

doing this will start us down a road where nothing matters.

we're gonna give it to them.

we don't leave anyone behind.

you got one of our guns.

we all have a job to do.

we can't turn back because we're afraid.

look, i get it, my dad killed your dad.

do you have any idea who you are talking to?

someday this pain will be useful to you.

this is your way of life now.

shit’s continually been hitting the fan.

you work for me now.

i like you people.

you keep choosing this life, you will die.

you don't really think that you were gonna get through this without being punished, now did you?

things aren’t as simple as four words.

you are so gonna regret crossing me in a few minutes.

you’re a survivor. you always were.

you can cry.

it’s dangerous, you should change it.

but are you gonna live through it?

and what do you get in return?

i don't take chances anymore.

somebody like that they're gonna die no matter what.

most of the people here don't even know how to fight, even if we had ammo.

we got here together, and we’re still here.

you see? i have leverage.

you still got family and you still got a home.

these dicks just got a good story.

i find this whole conversation pretty funny.

your world’s about to get a whole lot bigger.

trust us.

i wanted to kill him.

there is no right; there's just the wrong that doesn't pull you down.

i will not allow you to kill me. i will not allow that.

we need food. you have it. we're willing to work for it.

sucks, don't it? moment you realize you don't know shit.

we have to come for them before they come for us.

i fully respect the hair game.

then i'll get supplies for your people.

i'm going like i should have.

we keep going for them.

i like the way you call bullshit.

ya'll don't think you're being stupid right now?

you're some kind of stupid, getting knocked up at a time like this.

shit kid. lighten up.

i'm gonna beat the holy hell outta one of you.

i don't wanna kill you people.

we're going to have to fight.

be kind to each other.

y'all are worse than a bunch of evangelical second graders.

i am not like you.

i still think i got some of his brains in my ear.

we don't need to leave breadcrumbs.

dibs is dibs.

when they come for us, we’ll end it. the whole thing.

this was supposed to be a dress rehearsal.

i trust you.

you're one of the most important people in the world to me.

good luck, dumbass.

you wanna make today your last day on earth?

you point a gun at me, and i’m the asshole?

people you love, they made you who you are.

we pissin' our pants yet?

i'm not planning to die today.

you're the one who's afraid to die. and you're going to. you will die.

you go or you stay. those are your choices.

i know this sounds insane, but this is an insane world.

you need to know things aren't as simple as they might seem.

i have come to believe, all life is precious.

they're all your people.

you're smarter than that.

walkers, people, anything that gets anywhere near me, i kill them.

jesus! you look fucking shitty!

listen, i'm a little nervous here.

are you going to kill me?

which one of you pricks is the leader?

things moved slow here, and then things just started moving fast, too fast.

don't come after me, please.

you thought you were safe. i get it.

you live with it or it eats you up.

you can breathe.

did you take one of my protein bars?

[willowalmondstar]

After the sixth time you raced, your horse threw you into the dirt.

It was overdue, really, and you felt guilty, but that emotion was second to the throbbing in your head and the rock stabbing your back where you landed. Though it was a sunny, cloudless day, a gray, shadowed shape swam into view, and you wondered vaguely if you had a concussion.

“Thank you, Soul Steed. That will do,” the hooded figure murmured. Not a concussion. Worse. Your horse huffed, and hooved feet stomped away. “We’re not done,” you called weakly, and, of course, no answer came.

It was too bright, even at the edge of the Hollow Woods, and the fallen leaves slipped in the mud as you tried to sit up. Face in hands, you waited for the lecture, but Avalon was oddly quiet this time.

“I checked with Ydris before finding you here. Thank you for that.”

Sarcasm. He must really be irritated. “I got sick of him,” you muttered, lifting your head. 

“Well, the feeling is mutual.” His voice was flat. You always knew when Avalon was watching you, even though you had never seen his eyes. “Really, Soul Rider, how many times must we tell you not to ride angry?”

“Enough times that it’s really pissing me off,” you snapped. 

One of the nearby runes crackled with Pandoric lightning, and Avalon silenced it with a wave of his hand in a rune pattern. “Fripp doesn’t know what to make of you right now.” “So he sent you to track me down instead?” “No. That’s not how it works, and you know it.” You did. This was not a hierarchical organization, like Dark Core. This was Avalon finding you because he cared. “Pushing your horse like this is unacceptable, naturally, if it were unwelcome. I happen to know your particular steed does not mind a bit of hard exercise, and will stop you if necessary.” You both acknowledged your position in the dirt. “However, it’s unbecoming.”

Unbecoming. An interesting way to put it, but, then again, the Druids were always interesting, with interesting perspectives and interesting magic. It’s why you stayed. It was all so fucking interesting. Nothing more intellectually stimulating than an island of magic that was, by all intents and purposes, truly unknown to everyone but a few dozen people. You included.

“We can’t have a Soul Rider going off the deep end,” he said, and you could not tell if he was more sympathetic or amused. “Alex has similar . . . emotions, you know. Have you two spoken?”

“Oh, yeah. Us girls do nothing but gossip.”

Avalon’s robe rustled in the wind, and this familiar sound calmed you a bit. He did not know what to do with your newfound anger. Neither did you. Neither did the other Soul Riders. It would be so much easier if you were a Dark Rider, throwing Drakonium bombs and spitting insults and welcoming the acid rain of Garnok bringing about the End. 

It was exhausting being so goddamn nice and helpful all the time.

The pain in your tailbone reduced to a simpler ache. Avalon held out his hand to help you up, and you took it. “Guess we’re walking back,” you said. After a few minutes, you added, “I’ve never seen you ride.”

“That is not required for my position as Keeper,” he replied. 

The answer dug into your brain, settling into irritation. “Another fascinatingly vague answer. Do you guys even know what you’re doing, or am I getting blisters carving runes all day for nothing?” 

“I am just one piece of Aideen’s puzzle. I do not have all the answers, but she has laid a path for us.”

You were lucky Avalon was patient. A certain blue squirrel would have bitten you by now.

The truth was, you were exhausted. It seemed that every day you lost both the battles and the war. “Avalon,” you said, and he turned to you. “I can’t let go of this anger. I’ve got nowhere to put it and nothing to fill where it is. I can’t keep drawing magic from wherever I’ve been getting it all this time.” The magic of friendship, you suppose. Buttercups and hand-holding and rainbows. You missed it. 

Like you had seen him do many times before, like when he finally understood a spell or approved of a plan, he nodded. “We can work with that, Soul Rider. You are not the first-“

“-and I am not the last,” you finished, knowing the phrase from the frequency it left his mouth. It may have been a comfort to him, but it scared you shitless. An eternal war with a goddess you’d never seen and a kraken that haunted you in and out of dreams. 

Avalon shook his hand out of its sleeve and held it out to you. You took it. “Let us go, Soul Rider. Our work awaits.” And with his confident help, it felt possible, and your anger melted. Just a little. 

[0ystercatcher]

ok now that i have a little time. time to post about my america journey. this ones about restaurants and service work. im sorry in advance but also im not because im objectively Correct.

dear american friends. tipping there is bullshit, retarded, insane, fucked up. restaurant service does not need to be that involved, complicated, annoying or intrusive. yes i understand the us kind of sort of runs on its service economy, yes i understand work is work, yes i understand often its corporate policy and yes i still fucking hated it. there is genuinely no good reason for anyone to be paying 15%+ ON TOP of the actual prices at a restaurant. yes yes i undeerstand the wage issue yes oh all powerful american yes you deserve to be properly compensated for your labors but the way youre also just supposed to accept random customers are the ones who owe you 15%+ MINIMUM (and some places had like an 18% minimum, for real what the fuck) is genuinely crazy to me. im also going to be real min wage in wa for all tipped workers is the normal min wage so you cant even bullshit me w the federal rates or whatever. its a crazy policy. it makes no sense in the vast majority of cases and it makes servers ANNOYING ill get into this also. again yes i understand the reasons people often bring up as to why this is the case but i still simply disagree this is the best way to do this.

also once again sorry. servers are fucking annoying when everyones angling for tips. sorry. i simply do not want to be bothered 5 times while im eating my slop or whatever just to get asked if the food is good or whatever. im eating it just fine brother please just leave me alone. yes im being a cunt yes im getting borderline misanthropic with this but for real i find it crazy, insane, stupid, that people will genuinely respond to this with like. the vaguest arguments about how if you dislike eating out just dont. bc like i dont dislike eating out at all but this particular way of dealing w customers is like. fucking crazy. i want...to just enjoy the meal. this is where i could get into the other thing that deeply annoyed me abt the usa and once again im going to be evil but its the fake nice small talk w cashiers or whatever like look. look. i am not mean in person. i believe treating people who are just doing their jobs in your presence with respect and dignity are absolute necessities and i prommy i am very nice to people when i am consuming products or services. i do in fact, say please and thank you. but bro americans go crazy with it and yes yes corporate policy yes this and that. but oh my god i was sick of it by the end of the trip even if i was also getting better at it. i simply do not think you need to exchange a minimum of 2 unrelated pleasntries to begin any sort of transactional interaction though and again im not opposed to hi, please, thanks, thats obvious and necessary. but to be fucking honest i dont want the beloved talented barista who made me a delicious espresso to ask me if im having a nice day. i dont need it. i dont need to ask it back either this guys just working like what exactly are they gonna say. they dont need to be wasting their time like this. i am there for coffee or whatever the fuck else no offense to them obviously but we all know this is true. so why. why bother. why bother with any of this. the third world does just fine without it. why bother. i think this may have been the thing i disliked the most.

[maybankiara]

PHONE SWAP (DREW STARKEY)

22: BETWEEN THE LINES

summary: Addie Mallory is just your average economics student when she meets Drew Starkey at her local Target in Atlanta. This is where the story is supposed to end – a short meeting and a picture to go – except Drew accidentally leaves with the wrong phone, and the story begins, instead. w/c: 3.3k a/n: addie and holden having a sweet moment at last...or are they? read on wattpad previous part | series masterlist

Virgin Mary | 3:47am what are the odds on this being a big mistake

Me | 8:02am 0:1000000000 Me | 8:02am stop freaking out, you’ll be fine

Virgin Mary | 8:30am Addie Virgin Mary | 8:30am i am going to Tom’s Virgin Mary | 8:31 amfor all of the fucking holidays 😩

Me | 8:35am Marianne Me | 8:36am my beloved Me | 8:36am you said you wanted this, you said that this is the best for your relationship, you said that this was the right thing to do Me | 8:36am and Tom said he wants to take this step Me | 8:37am you’re just scared bc it’s a big deal

Virgin Mary | 8:38am AND WHAT ABOUT IT 😡

Me | 8:40am it’s okay to be scared Me | 8:40am but you’ll be fine ❤ Me | 8:40am let me know when you land

Virgin Mary | 8:42am supportive bitch Virgin Mary | 8:42am ❤

◇

It’s evening time at the Weatherby-Mallory residence, and there are nearly half a dozen’s worth of cups scattered over the living room. Some are on the TV stand, next to a framed photo of the roommates and their friend group that Wes got Marianne for her birthday; some are next to the wall, far enough to avoid potential spills; and some are on the coffee table, nearly hidden between pages and pages of files, all compiled into little folders with corners sticking out.

  It would be an ordinary evening for Addie, except this tends to be the setting of her bedroom, not the living room. With Marianne gone for the next few weeks, though, Addie’s life has already consumed even the shared areas of the flat, and Addie finds herself to be a bit spoiled by the newfound commodity – she doesn’t see how that tiny space was ever enough for this much work. Although, now there are Holden’s files, folded away between and over and under her own, so she may be overestimating it a little.

  Her phone dings, somewhere in the pile. She drops down from the couch, a little ungracefully – her foot gets stuck in the pillow and she nearly kicks Holden’s shin tugging it out. He chuckles and she groans, and then she’s rummaging through the files until she finds the phone, its screen still lit from Marianne’s text.

  ‘They landed!’

  ‘Oh, good,’ says Holden.

  ‘Mhm. I’ll tell her you say hi.’

  Addie’s fingers are fast at typing, even though she needs to fix a typo here and there. She asks Marianne how the flight was – it’s always a necessary question, seeing as Marianne likes flights just about as much as Addie likes clowns. Maybe even less. The one time they’d flown together to Boston, Marianne had a full-blown panic attack during one of the turbulences and Addie spent the rest of the flight trying to calm her down.

  But it’s good, she tells herself. She had Tom with her.

  (Or that’s why it wouldn’t be good, her thoughts say, and she shoves them away.)

  ‘You look worried.’

  Addie huffs. ‘I’m not.’

  ‘You sure?’

  She glances at her phone once more before putting it down, on yet another pile of papers still needing to be looked at. She gets back up on the couch, draws the fuzzy scarlet blanket back over herself, then pulls her knees close to her chest; Holden’s eyes don’t leave hers.

  ‘I don’t know,’ she admits. ‘Should I be? I mean, Marianne and Tom… You know they’ve not been on the best of terms. Even if Marianne says things are better now.’ She lets out a little sigh, stretching her legs across the couch, almost far enough to touch Holden’s thighs. ‘I hope they don’t kill each other.’

  ‘They’ll be fine,’ he says. Addie half expects him to put a reassuring hand on her leg—it feels like one of those moments—but he doesn’t. ‘They have their ups and downs, but so does everybody.’

  ‘Yeah, but this will either make or break their relationship.’

  ‘I thought you said they’ve been doing better since after her birthday.’

  ‘They are,’ she says. She pulls her legs back, wrapping her arms around them and resting her head on her knees. ‘I just don’t know if that’s enough.’

  ‘Still, it’s more than likely that this will improve things between them.’ He gives a smile that’s both soft and the sort of smile you give when you’ve said all there is to say about something. ‘Come on, work will distract you from worrying about them.’

  Addie bites her lip. ‘Yeah.’

  His gaze drops and he’s fully immersed into a Balance Sheet that Patty asked them to look at. His red pen is quick to run across the paper, and it’s as if any thought of Marianne and Tom has already vanished from his head. 

  She tells herself that Holden’s right. She’s too subjective. 

  But she doesn’t manage to convince herself of that, nor does she manage to get back to work. The papers are staring at her – notes upon notes of information about a client’s accounts and receipts of purchases of property involved, as he is suing a property investment company for scamming him out of about a hundred grand. At this point, Addie’s looked over the case so much that the numbers are starting to merge, the calculations are dancing on the page, and some of them even look like the letters M and T until she blinks it away.

  Usually, Addie loves catching scammers. She loves fighting for the good side. She loves when she can be crunching numbers and putting them into actual economic trends of property values and similar – but it’s just not coming to her. 

  So she puts the papers back on the coffee table, picks up her mug, instead. 

  ‘They were arguing a lot last night,’ Addie says and waits for Holden to look up at her before continuing. ‘He came over because they were leaving together and I heard them yelling all the way from my room. Neither of them really wanted to go like this, but they bought the tickets back in, like, October. Before all this shit went down. And they didn’t want to waste them.’

  Holden glances down at the papers, then back at her. ‘Is that the only reason why they went? Because of the tickets?’

  ‘I don’t know. That’s what Marianne hinted at, but I still think they’re both hoping for fresh air to do them some good.’

  ‘What do you mean, fresh air?’

  ‘Metaphorically,’ she explains. ‘Different country, different setting, different circumstances. I spoke to Tom the other day and that’s kind of what he said, too. Changing where they are might be the thing they need.’

  ‘That’s not really how things work, though.’

  ‘Why not?’ Addie cocks her head. ‘They’re getting a new perspective on their relationship. Taking the next step, with her meeting his family.’

  Holden lowers the files onto his lap, running his hands through his hair. SHe knows that look—the I’m going to give you all my attention now look—and waits for his eyes to meet hers, heavy and unwavering. He takes a deep breath before he speaks, his lips shut tight until he’s ready, and she’s seen him do this so many times before. Always before he says something he’s convinced is right about.

  So Addie is waiting. Expecting. Not sure what she’s going to hear. 

  ‘Look, you can’t fix a relationship that’s not really going anywhere,’ Holden says, at last. ‘Both people need to put the effort in. To be the people they need to be in this relationship, for the other person. You can change the environment the relationship’s in, sure, and maybe it works for a while, but it doesn’t change that if they’re not a good fit, they’re not a good fit. Marianne keeps the issues between them from you for a reason, and that’s because she knows the truth.’

  He gives her a tight-lipped smile and then his eyes and hands are back on the file in his lap; if Addie wasn’t a part of the conversation, she could’ve been fooled that it hadn't happened. Over. Just like that.

  ‘Well, I think they’re a good fit. They care about each other enough to at least try to be the partner they need to be for one another.’

  Holden glances at her, but doesn’t say anything other than ‘Fair’.

  Addie just stared at him.

  ‘I’m going to make myself a cup of tea,’ she says, getting herself out of the blanket. ‘You want some?’

  ‘Sure,’ says Holden, not looking up from the paper he’s scribbling notes on.

  The walk to the kitchen is brisk. It’s a little bit chilly out of the blanket, and she thinks she should probably turn the heating up a little – but the tea will warm her up enough. She fills the kettle and turns it on, rubbing her upper arms as she leans against the countertop. The sight of snowflakes moving in the wind past her window makes it feel even chillier.

  Addie’s mind replays Holden’s words, over and over again, as she hears the papers rustling in the living room. She wonders if he’s right – if she’s just hopeful and naive, thinking that her best friend could come out of this victorious. Marianne is fighting for it. Tom is fighting for it. They’re trying, and Addie feels like that’s the bit that Holden is missing. They’re not just accepting the status quo – they’re trying to find the issues and fix them. 

  Or, really, Addie is starting to think that it’s the effort to be the right person for someone that is worth more in a relationship than just being the right match from the beginning. It’s about growth, and most importantly, growing with the person. 

  That is why she thinks Marianne and Tom will stick it out. Will see how far they’ve come when all the worries are stripped away, once in England, and why they’ll be able to bring it back all the way to Atlanta. 

  The kettle brews to a halt, steaming their kitchen window until she can no longer discern the snowflakes. She thinks of Drew, and how excited he was for the snow, and wishes she could go out and have fun in it – anything not to have to think about things. 

  She doesn’t think Holden would be too keen on it, though, so she abandons the idea. Really, maybe it’s a good thing. It’s the most productive she’s been in ages, only coming to the kitchen to brew tea or coffee, or eat, in between hours-long bursts of working on cases. She’s burned through more tea in the past few days Holden’s been here than she has in months, it feels like, but she’s also burned through as many cases. She can’t think of the last time she was so productive. 

  Or so tired.

  Addie calls out to Holden. She pours water into the mugs, one for his coffee, and one for her tea (she doesn’t think she’ll ever fully forgive Marianne for getting her so addicted to tea when coffee is right. there.) and get back to work in the living room. Everything ends with getting back to work.

  If she gets all the work for the internship done today, she could spend the next few days focusing solely on fixing up the loose threads from her thesis, and then hopefully things will remain at a constant level and she’ll manage to get everything done and over with before she goes home.

  Home. 

  Her plane ticket is booked for less than two weeks from today, yet she can hardly picture herself coming home. She’s not been since last Christmas, and even though her family came to visit back in May, it’s not the same. She was working on her Master’s, even then, and maybe Addie is just a little bit tired of working.

  ‘We’re having tea in the kitchen,’ she announces. ‘We need a break.’ 

  Holden argues they can keep working. Addie reiterates her statement, holding the mug to her chest, and he drags himself into the kitchen a few moments later, frowning at her lazily as he leans his side on the doorframe.

  ‘What’s the long face for?’ Addie asks.

  ‘We have a lot of work to do.’

  ‘Yeah, but we also deserve fifteen minutes of not doing it.’ She nods towards the dinner table, where his coffee sits, steaming. ‘Fifteen minutes for a cup of coffee won’t kill you.’

  He walks over to the table with a defeated sigh and Addie follows. He takes a sip and huffs at the temperature, and she can’t help but laugh as she holds her hands over the steam of her tea – and when he blushes, she presses her palms to his cheeks. 

  ‘Addie,’ he says, smiling. ‘Your palms are wet.’

  Addie just shrugs. ‘They’re also really warm.’

  ‘They always are.’

  ‘No,’ she says, ‘they’re always cold when I’m working because my blood circulation is terrible and stress makes it worse.’

  ‘Right.’

  His hands are over hers for a couple of moments before he brings them all down, and she’s back to holding her tea. Her thoughts grow calmer and the tea warms her up on the inside as much as it warms her hands – Addie feels lighter. Watches the snow fall, and enjoys the moment of peace.

  ‘I’m really excited to get home,’ she says, feeling a smile coming on. ‘My sister, Liyah said she’s got a bunch of things planned for us and my dad apparently has a list of things he wants to teach me before I’m gone again.’

  ‘Things like?’

  ‘Cooking, I think. Even though I have Marianne for that – or, actually, probably because of that. Probably car stuff, too.’

  ‘What, like changing a tyre?’

  ‘Ha-ha. Very funny.’

  Holden shrugs, like he’s trying to say he had to do it. Even the self-satisfied grin is starting to break through, and she can’t help but smile back.

  ‘He wants me to get a car,’ she explains. ‘To be less dependent on other people and public transport.’

  ‘That’s not a bad idea.’

  ‘But I like public transport,’ Addie argues. She thought she knew that – that he’d be on her side in this. ‘It’s better for the environment.’

  ‘That’s a fair point.’ He glances around the kitchen. ‘You’ve still got leftover lasagne from Marianne left before she left, right?’

  Addie nods, accepting that the conversation is over. ‘You wanna heat some up?’

  Holden nods and she spends the next few minutes watching him struggle with navigating his way around the kitchen. It’s amusing, really, and she doesn’t feel bad about it – she laughs into her cup every single time he tries to find anything, and looks for it in the wrong place at least five times first.

  ‘I don’t know if I’m going to stay home for long,’ he says then, once the oven’s on and the lasagne is finally heating up. There’s an expression on his face that Addie doesn’t recognise – heavy. Conflicted. ‘My brother’s in his teenage destruction arc and it’s driving my dad crazy.’

  ‘Shouldn’t you help him out?’

  ‘He can handle it better than I could, even with his Parkinsons.’

  Addie finds herself staring at him, comprehending this information – information that she feels like should’ve come up at least once in their just-under-two months of being together. ‘Your dad has Parkinsons?’

  ‘Early stages,’ he says. ‘It’s not really a big deal. They caught it early and he’s on medication, so he’s doing alright.’

  ‘You never said.’

  ‘Didn’t think it was important.’

  ‘Holden, it’s your dad.’ She waits for him to say something, but he’s just staring at his cup. ‘I feel like that’s more of a reason for you to stay longer. To help him out.’

  Holden sighs. He leans back into the chair and she feels his legs brush hers before finding their own space under the table. ‘He’s been going fine. Jack’s only fourteen, so it’s not that bad. Besides, if I’m home and having to look after Jack, I can’t concentrate on work. I can’t risk the quality of my work dropping because of that. Don’t want to reduce my chances of Grubson giving me the job at the end.’

  Addie didn’t even know that was what he wanted – but she doesn’t have the energy to deal with another bombshell. ‘It’s nice that you’re so determined and hardworking, and it’s one of the things I like about you most. But at the end of the day, no one should put work over people they care about.’

  ‘Well,’ he says, slowly, as if choosing words carefully. ‘Work’s what puts bread on my table.’

  Addie’s jaw clenches. ‘Work won’t be by your side if things go sideways and you need someone to help you out.’

  Holden has a confused face, then frowns. ‘Am I meant to read between the lines?’

  ‘No, I’m not—I wasn’t talking about us,’ she clarifies, feeling her heart thumping in her chest. ‘I was talking about choosing work over family.’

  ‘Right,’ he says.

  He doesn’t say anything else. Addie wishes he would.

  The oven timer runs out and he tends to the lasagne, leaving her to ruminate in her own thoughts. She refuses to – she’s thinking about Holden’s relationship with his family and his work, the fact that he hasn’t felt like sharing the fact that his single father has Parkinsons and a teenage son to look after, or the fact that he wants to stay at Grubson, even though she thought he’d said it wasn’t where he could put his degree to best use. But money talks, and so does stability, and Addie feels like she neglects to think that’s one of the most important things for people who grew up in unstable households like he has. 

  They eat the lasagne and her thoughts don’t shut up. 

  ‘So,’ he says, ‘have you found any evidence of the scam in the Magellan v The State case yet?’

  ‘I don’t feel like talking about work,’ she says.

  ‘Okay.’

  He helps her clean up the kitchen once they’re finished and tells her to thank Marianne for making the lasagne. They’re back to work, but Addie’s motivation is long gone, and it’s taking a lot more effort than it should to get things done. To read. To make notes. To sit by Holden and bite her tongue before she asks questions that’ll probably reveal more things he hasn’t told her. 

  She glances out of the window and notices the sky’s gotten too dark to see the snowflakes anymore. Her heart clenches, and she realises she’s done. She’s tired. The kind of tired that tries to drag you down with gravity and not let you get up until a year has gone by.

  ‘I’m going to bed,’ she announces. ‘I can’t think anymore.’

  Holden looks up from the heap of papers he’s holding, taking out the pen from between his lips. ‘That’s fine, I was thinking about going home soon anyway.’

  ‘I thought you were staying another night?’

  ‘Yeah, sorry,’ he says. ‘I need to keep working, and I don’t want to bother you..’

  Addie lets out a surprised chuckle. ‘Don’t be ridiculous. You’re not bothering me. You can keep working in the living room as long as you want, I don’t mind.’

  ‘Yeah…’ he looks around, then leans forward and kisses her on the lips. ‘It’s better I go. If I stay, I’ll just want to join you, and I’ve got too much left to do.’

  ‘Okay,’ she says. He kisses her again, and she feels her cheeks heating up.

  In the end, she walks him out, and lies in bed alone, knowing she’s going to be alone in the entire flat, and she’s going to wake up alone, too. Thinking about everything Holden said. Think about the things he didn’t. Not only that, but Marianne is on the other side of the planet, and Addie is unable to do anything if things take a turn for the worse.

  It’s not a good feeling.

◇

23: A CASE OF THE BUTTERFLIES 

most people on the taglist have left/changed their urls, so lmk if you’d like to be tagged in future chapters!

[galexystern]

butterfly wings

chapter three; fall 1984

pairing; steve harrington/eddie munson/reader aka steddie/reader, steve/reader, eddie/reader

rating; T

warnings; fluff, angst, au - canon divergence, fucked up the timeline a bit, smoking weed, shotgunning smoke

word count; 3.8k

desc; eddie gives you a nice surprise, steve gets to know you better, and all three of you share some smoke.

read on ao3 / series masterlist

Winter comes and goes. In fact, the whole rest of the school year comes and goes in a flash. The summer comes in hot and heavy, and you suffer in the sweltering bookstore. You swear that you'll get another job next summer if they don't add air conditioning. You beach it up with Nina and Mark. You and your friends take a road trip into Illinois and hit Chicago hard. You attend the annual Taste of Chicago and explore the State of Illinois Center. You even manage to find a gay bar—Jesse goes wild under your and Hailey's supervision and Vickie's awkward flirting somehow nags her a girl's number. She gets embarrassed every time any of you bring it up, but you can each tell she's proud too.

Junior year sneaks up on you and hits you like a freight train. It doesn't even slow down, just pushes you into the deep end as soon as it starts. You try out for the fall play and drag Jesse into auditioning too. Surprise—he loves it (he's an English nerd like you, so you knew he would). The difficulty dial turns up on all your classes except math, which has never been your strong suit. While you're stuck a year behind everyone else, you're pleasantly surprised to find Eddie in your class.

"Well hello there, stranger," he says as you take the desk next to his.

"Hi!" You exclaim, happy to have a friend in the class.

Eddie laughs at your enthusiasm. "That's the most excitement I've seen for a math class in a long time."

"Oh, yeah," you say sarcastically. "I'm all about math. I dream of it at night."

"And here I am, a fool for dreaming about you instead." He winks and you blush madly. You set up your notebook and pencil perfectly, just for something to do instead. You hear Eddie chuckle and then there's a loud handclap from Mrs. Dolip, making everyone jump.

"If she's gonna do that every day, I'm gonna have a heart attack," Eddie whispers to you under his breath.

"Don't worry," you whisper back, "I know CPR."

You can feel his eyes on you and you know you're still blushing, but you also smirk, all the while watching your teacher write the first lesson on the board.

A week later, while Mrs. Dolip is blabbing on about equations, Eddie speaks out of the side of his mouth. "Have you thought about my Hellfire offer at all?"

You wince and shake your head minutely.

"Okay, angel. No sweat." Your breath hitches at the pet name. "Just keep it in the back of your mind for me." You nod and he lounges back in his desk.

Another week later, Eddie stops paying attention to the worksheet you two are supposed to be finishing and props his head on his hand. "You know, D&D is a lot more fun than this."

You give him a look. "Anything would be more fun than this." The page is full of fractions that keep drifting away from your eyes.

"Fair," he muses, "but D&D would be as fun as doing the school plays. I know you enjoy those."

"I do, but there are things I enjoy more, you know."

"Like what?"

"Reading. Fleetwood Mac. Cats. Taking a walk by the Seine."

"Paris, huh?" You nod. "But what about an alternate world where magic exists and fairies are spiteful and dragons terrorize villages and wizards command the elements?"

"Sounds a little dark for my tastes."

"You're the one who said Fleetwood Mac." He gives a cheeky smile. You roll your eyes and get back to work.

A month after that, just when you've forgotten about D&D, Eddie says after class one day, "You could be a princess, you know. Or a bard. Or a really good thief who always takes what they need but must leave something they want."

"What?"

He shrugs. "It's a curse. Balance is necessary."

You put your pile of books on your desk and turn to him. "Eddie, what are you doing?"

"A great question, milady." He beams. "I'm courting you."

"You're what?" You feel like you're choking on the words.

"To be my apprentice," he clarifies. "My successor."

"Oh." There's a faint sense of disappointment. "Well—"

"Before you say anything, just gimme some more time. I've got some tricks up my sleeve." He winks but there's a pleading in his voice. "Gimme a chance."

You study him, fingers adorned with silver rings constantly fidgeting at his sides, hair wavy and out of control, the same faded leather jacket he always wears shining in the florescent lights.

You sigh. "Okay."

He brightens considerably. "Really?"

"Yeah. Court me or whatever."

"That I can do, angel!" With that, he sprints out the door. You follow at a leisurely pace, not really sure what you're getting yourself into.

;

The next Steve-and-Nancy drama comes around, except this time, you're somehow in the middle of it. It was a crazy sequence of events that led up to it. It started at home.

"I'm going to the store. Do you need anything?" Nina had called from the foyer while putting on her shoes.

"Um," you'd uselessly shouted back while thinking. "We need Pop-Tarts and lemonade. Maybe also some Arnold Palmer's? And tampons please!"

"Check, check, and check," and then she was out the door.

About twenty minutes later, you heard a honk from outside—your sister's way of telling you she's back and to come help with the groceries. You slipped on some boots and grabbed the first heavy jacket you felt in your closet, since a chill had set in recently. You walked out the door, down the stairs, and to the car. Nina had the trunk open and you pulled out one of the bags. You started walking back to the building, not paying enough attention evidently, because you ran into someone halfway through the parking lot.

As if in slow motion, the bag broke open and things went flying. Nothing broke but it was almost worse what actually happened: a box hit the ground with abnormal force and sprang open, propelling tampons into the air. You looked at the person you bumped into through the spray and were mortified to find Steve Harrington staring back at you with a smirk.

Worse still, when the tampons had fallen back to the ground and rolled around on the pavement, Steve reached out and pinched the jacket you were wearing. "I wonder where I've seen this before," he teased.

You looked down and sure enough, you were wearing Steve's letterman jacket.

You just froze, staring at nothing with wide eyes, sure that this whole situation could not get worse. And yet, it did.

"Steve!" Nina said happily, joining the two of you. "Where have you been?"

"Hi, Nina. Just around. At school, practice," he answered cordially, still looking at you with mirth in his eyes.

"We've missed you. You have to come for dinner. What are you doing tonight?"

"Absolutely nothing," and you could hear the cheekiness oozing from the words. "I'd be honored to join."

"Great!" With that, she just walked away and disappeared into the building.

"Oh my god," you breathed, and Steve finally burst into laughter. "Oh my god," you repeated, moaning this time.

"Your face! It was priceless!" There were tears in his eyes. "That was the best thing I've seen in a long time."

That piqued your interest, but it could be examined later. You had to survive this mortification. "I'm so sorry," you said, "I'm so sorry!" You dropped the broken bag, scattering more items, as you rushed to pull off his jacket. "I forgot!"

Steve's hands darted out and stopped yours from moving. You looked up at him. He was smiling. "There's nothing to apologize for, beautiful. You don't have to take it off now. It's cold out here." He dragged it back over your shoulders and you had to hold in a shiver. "I wouldn't be much of a gentleman if I made you strip out here."

Your eyes widened and he laughed again. In an effort to draw attention elsewhere, you dropped to the ground and started collecting the tampons and other stuff. Steve joined you. You tried to use the bag but it was useless. Without any other option, you took the tampons and shoved them in the pockets of the jacket, making him laugh again, louder this time. You laughed too, seeing the ridiculousness in it all. All you and Steve could do was laugh for a minute, just crouching in the middle of the parking lot.

As the giggles faded and breathing evened, you started picking up the other things. "Here," Steve said, and held out his shirt, making a kind of basket. You giggled again as you piled items into the makeshift pouch, until everything was off the ground. You two stood and both supported the weight of his shirt.

"I never imagined I would kind of understand what it's like to be pregnant," Steve joked, and it took a lot of effort not to become completely useless due to laughter.

You both got inside and helped put away the groceries. You were thankful Nina had already started cooking and didn't seem to notice how you'd carried the items inside. As soon as everything was away, Nina was directing you and Steve to help prepare and dinner got underway.

A few hours later, after you'd finished eating and cleaning up the table, you and Steve escaped to your room. "Here," you said sheepishly, handing him his letterman jacket. He took it with a grin and laid it on the back of your desk chair. You sat on your bed while he examined your room.

He looked at your collection of manatees. "Each one is from a new city we've moved to," you explained.

"There's so many." Steve sounded both awed and a little sad.

"Yeah, we've been a lot of places."

"Why?"

"Nina and I are army brats. Dad was moved from base to base a lot. It was cool to see the world, but making friends was always hard." You breathed deep. "They died a couple years ago. Car crash. Can you believe it? Dad was in the fucking military and a random accident is what officially takes them away?"

"I'm sorry." His voice was gentle and soft and kind.

You forced your voice to stop wobbling. "Anyway, Nina got custody. We've moved a couple times so she could find a good enough job to take care of us both. But her job at the hospital here is really nice. She likes it a lot. And it feels pretty stable."

"Where's the one for here?"

"We haven't been able to find one yet. We do have to get it local and for some reason, Hawkins just doesn't sell manatee merchandise." Steve looked back at you and matched your grin.

"What's your favorite one?"

You stood and moved to join him. You picked out a small, delicate manatee. "This one's from Hawaii. We weren't there for very long, but we found this at a tiny shop in Maui. Hand-carved and hand-painted."

"It's beautiful." But Steve was still staring at you.

"Thanks," you whispered, face heating. Realizing your position, you cleared your throat and stepped away. "So, um, how's Nancy?"

It was like being doused in cold water. Steve's expression hardened, though he carefully returned the manatee to its rightful place before stalking away. "It's fine."

"Sounds like it." You said it simply, but it broke through. Steve sighed and perched on the end of your bed. You sat next to him. "Wanna talk about it?"

"I don't even really know what's wrong," he started, sounding confused and lonely. "This past year was great. I thought we were past all the stuff from last year. But...it feels different. Feels like something's off."

"Have you asked her about it?" He shook his head. "Might be a good place to start. Communication is key."

His lip quirked up. "Maybe." There was silence for a few minutes. You were just about to touch his hand when he sprang up from the bed. "So what are you doing for Halloween?"

Shocked by the sudden topic change, you stammered, "Um, something with my friends? Like...horror movie night? Maybe?"

Steve nodded seriously. "Are you dressing up?"

"I'm not sure. I have an idea but there's not really anywhere to wear it."

He lit up. "Come to the party! Tina's party! Nancy and I will be there. And you can bring your friends."

"Are you sure?" Your brow furrowed.

"Totally! It'll be fun. Here," he grabbed a pen and scribbled something onto a piece of paper on your desk, "that's her address. Easy to get to from here!"

"Um...okay—"

"Great!" He beamed. "Well, I gotta go! Those essays won't write themselves!" With that, he awkwardly dashed from the room, grabbing his jacket in the process.

"Bye, I guess," you said to the empty room, completely bewildered.

;

And that's how you're here, at Tina's Halloween party.

"Are you sure we're invited?" Vickie asks nervously.

"Duh!" Jesse replies, already dancing to the beat, "Steve invited us personally."

You shrug, feeling a little helpless. "He did."

"So let's have some fun!" Hailey yells. She grabs Jesse's hand and they plunge into the crowd, immediately heading for the dance floor. You look at Vickie, who looks right back at you.

"Drinks?" You offer.

"Drinks." She confirms.

So you two also head into the fray, in the opposite direction, eventually finding a communal punch bowl that must have six different kinds of alcohol in it for how pungent it smells. You and Vickie ladle some into cups and try it.

"That's nasty," Vickie coughs. You agree. You both keep drinking.

"Hey, you made it!" You hear Steve before he appears, dressed like Tom Cruise in Risky Business. He stops short when he sees you fully. "Whoa."

You look down self-consciously. "Does it look okay?"

"You look sick!" He exclaims. "Not sick like ill, but like super cool. Carrie is such a good choice. Who did the blood?"

"Jesse, Hailey, and I took turns," Vickie answers, and Steve grins.

"Looks awesome!"

"Thanks, Steve." You try not to blush. "Hi, Nancy," you add when you see the girl appear next to him.

She smiles—well, more like grimaces—in greeting before taking a cup and dipping it right into the punch bowl. You and Vickie exchange a side glance, but Steve just follows her lead. "Let's dance," she shouts to him. He gives her a thumbs-up and waves at you and Vickie before disappearing into the crowd.

"Something's not right there," Vickie says to you. You already knew that, but you didn't want to see it right in front of you either.

"I'm gonna get some air," you tell her. She nods and you weave through the people, finally finding the doors leading to the deck and backyard. When they slide open, the cool air is a relief on your hot skin, and you breathe deep in relief.

"Didn't expect to see you here, princess."

You jump at the voice and turn to see Eddie leaning against the side of the deck, surrounded by a cloud of smoke. "Jesus Christ," you choke out.

"I gotta stop scaring you, angel, or I'm gonna have to give you CPR. And I'm not certified." You half-smile, heart still racing. Seeming to sense that, Eddie motions to you. "Come sit down. Get your breath back."

You do as he recommends and sit in the chair next to him. Good thing it's metal, otherwise the fake blood you're wearing would soak in.

"You look great, by the way," Eddie appraises. "Superb fake blood placement. Very authentic."

You smile in thanks, still calming down. "What're you doing here?" You ask when you feel you can.

He holds up a metal lunchbox. "You don't know I'm the local dealer?"

You shake your head. It's news to you, but not altogether surprising. You tell him as much.

He chuckles. "I'm guessing you're not out here to buy?"

"No. Just to get some fresh air."

"Well, shit." He starts to wave away the smoke from his almost-spent joint. "Sorry, princess."

You wave a hand. "It's fine. Actually..." Eddie raises an eyebrow in interest. "I'd be down. To partake. If I can."

"Course you can," he says with a wicked grin. He pulls a fresh joint from behind his ear. "And for you, pretty lady, it's on the house." You go to grab it, but he brings it out of reach again. "But only if we can share."

You nod eagerly and Eddie claps his hands together. "Excellent." He drags a chair over and sits next to you. He hands you the joint and you put it between your lips. Expecting for him to hand you the lighter, you're startled when he leans forward instead, flicking on the flame and lighting it for you. As you inhale, the burning embers set his face aglow a little. He's very pretty.

You finally exhale, releasing the smoke into the air. "Well done, angel," he says, impressed. You shrug nonchalantly as he takes his drag. When he exhales, he creates little rings out of the smoke.

"Whoa! Can you teach me to do that?" You ask excitedly.

He laughs. "Of course."

A little while later, first joint gone and second started, you're just about getting the hang of smoke rings when the door slams open. You and Eddie both turn your heads quickly to see Steve in the doorway, breathing heavily.

"Steve?" You say hesitantly. He looks at you. He has devastation written all over his face. "What's wrong?"

"Can I get a hit?" He asks, ignoring your question.

Eddie hands the joint over without argument, clearly seeing what you're seeing. Steve takes a long drag before exhaling loudly, relaxing as he does. He collapses in the chair near you and Eddie.

"It's over."

"What's over?" You ask.

"Me and Nancy."

Eddie sucks in through his teeth. "That sucks, man."

"Steve, I'm so sorry."

"She called me 'bullshit'," he spits out. "Called our whole relationship 'bullshit'." His tone turns sad. "Said she doesn't love me anymore."

You feel terrible for him. "Steve, you're not bullshit."

"Apparently I am." He inhales from the joint again.

You pluck the joint away, take a quick drag, and hand it to Eddie. Placing a hand on Steve's, you order gently, "Steve, look at me." He swings his head to you sadly, eyes heavy. "You are not bullshit." He scoffs but you interrupt. "Steve." He shuts his mouth. "You are not. bullshit."

Steve gazes at you, then directs his attention to Eddie. "She's right, man," Eddie confirms. Steve looks back at you. You give him a small smile, which he eventually returns.

Temporarily resolved, you turn to Eddie and motion for the joint. You suck in greedily, inhaling quickly. You hold it in for a few seconds, and then release it—finally making a correct smoke ring.

"You did it!" Eddie yells.

"I did it!" You echo.

"Great job, beautiful," Steve commends, and you smile angelically at both of them. You give Steve the joint, who takes a drag and hands it to Eddie. "You guys ever shotgunned?" He asks once he's exhaled.

"Obviously," Eddie answers with contempt, but you're confused. "Like a beer?"

"No, smoke," Steve clarifies. You shake your head.

"You don't know how to shotgun, princess? Well, we gotta remedy that," Eddie continues.

Steve explains. "It's when you blow the smoke into another person's mouth."

You're having trouble trying to picture it, and Eddie senses it. "Here, Harrington and I will demonstrate." It feels like a challenge.

One that Steve is up for. "Let's do it, Munson."

They both stand and step in close to each other. They're about the same height—Steve's just the tiniest bit taller—but their mouths are pretty level. Eddie takes a drag, lets it sit, and then lines up his lips with Steve. He exhales the smoke directly into Steve's mouth, who inhales it deeply. They're centimeters from kissing. It makes you squirm a little.

"Nicely done, Harrington," Eddie says, impressed.

Steve does a little bow, making Eddie laugh unexpectedly. You try to hide a smile. Then they both look at you.

"Your turn, beautiful," Steve says.

"Okay." Your voice is a little small.

"You wanna do it?" Steve asks Eddie, but he shakes his head. "All yours, dude."

Steve sits back down and scoots closer to you. He looks deep into your eyes. "Okay, come close." You do so and your body heats up in the proximity. "I'm gonna do it. You just hold those pretty lips open, okay?" You nod, trembling a little. Steve takes a drag, holds it, and then leans in even closer. You can practically feel his mouth on yours. You're almost unprepared for the smoke as it comes billowing towards you, but you inhale as you're supposed to. Steve stays close for a few seconds, the eye contact too intense to break, until you accidentally puff out the smoke into his face. He leans back and coughs. 

"Sorry!" You exclaim.

"It's alright," Steve answers with a smile. "No harm done."

"You wanna try, angel?" You turn to Eddie and nod. Steve hands you the joint as Eddie comes close this time. You inhale, letting the smoke roll around in your mouth, and then lean in and blow it into Eddie's waiting lips. He inhales it greedily and there feels like electricity between you as he doesn't break his gaze. You can't seem to close your mouth. The moment only ends when Eddie turns his head up and releases the smoke into the night sky.

He looks back down at you. "Good girl," he murmurs, and you feel like you could die.

You collapse backwards, exhausted from the tension.

"How was that?" Steve asks.

"Great," you answer dreamily, and he smiles.

"We're honored we could pop your cherry, princess," Eddie adds cheekily.

You shiver—and then keep shivering.

"Oh, beautiful, you're cold," Steve points out. You don't feel cold; you actually feel hot, from being so close to both of them, and seeing them so close to each other. But there are goosebumps on your skin and you can feel your teeth start to chatter. "Let's get you inside."

All three of you stand and move towards the door. Eddie opens it and lets you and Steve step inside before following and shutting it behind him. You already feel better.

Vickie comes rushing up to you. "We gotta go. It's almost my curfew." She takes your hand and pulls.

You turn back to catch glimpses of those beautiful boys. "Thank you!" You call out, hoping they hear you.

chapter four