#kids can be jerks sometimes but they have to learn how to be jerks first

[cutpaperbleedswater]

My Attempt of Haymitch’s perspective of Peeta’s arrival to 13 (obvious Sotr spoilers)

Mockingjay 

It must be midnight, it must be tomorrow when Haymitch pushes open the door. “They’re back. We’re wanted in the hospital.” My mouth opens with a flood of questions he cuts off with “That’s all I know.” -196

Haymitch’s grinning at me. “Come on, then,” he says. -197

Peeta’s awake already, sitting on the side of the bed, looking bewildered as a trio of doctors reassure him, flash lights in his eyes, check his pulse. I’m disappointed that mine was not the first face he saw when he woke, but he sees it now. His features registers disbelief and something more intense I can’t quite place. Desire? Desperation? Surely both, for he sweeps the doctors aside, leaps to his feet and moves towards me. I run to meets him, my arms extended to embrace him. His hands are reaching for me too, to caress my face, I think. 

My lips are just forming his name when his fingers lock around my throat.  -198

I know Haymitch would have come to my defence if he hadn’t been utterly unprepared. -200

Sunrise on the reaping

 She sure looks like Louella. Same size, same height. Heart-shaped face, big gray eyes, long dark braids. Her fingernails are bitten down and there’s a scar on her forehead that matches the one the real Louella got falling off our cistern.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~

But this isn’t Louella. In the same way you instinctively know the waxed pearls on the table lack juice, this girl lacks Louella’s essence.  -135

————————————————————————

Plutarch is, not for the first time, pissing me off. Really should’ve seen it coming. Once he got the rescue mission green lit, he decided the best use of my time would be in Command. After firmly ensuring both Katniss and Finnick were put together in the crazy ward, using some words that Plutarch lectured me on like I’m still sixteen and the arena can still be taken down by a fucking potato. Would have to be one heck of a potato, the arena seems to have expanded so much that it takes up most of the space in my lungs. Normally I’m able to stave it off with my liquor but 13’s probation law has ripped that possibility from my ever shaking hands. Part of me, a tiny part that died when I came home to find my ma and brother burning alive, is glad I’m in such a state of awareness because I have been anticipating this for weeks. 

I sit in some chair, that could really use a comfier cushion, as I wait for the team to arrive back. I get my entertainment from watching Plutarch make stupid faces upon learning some news he doesn’t like (it’s a way to ease the constriction over my heart because of the fear that it could concern my kid). My feet are level with my head and resting against some sharp table that I can feel pierce my skin to no end. It’s good somehow, reminds me to stay diligent or whatever it is that all these Thirteen soldiers mutter as then run (walk with a brisk pace) through they never ending dove halls. Sometimes the chaos makes my skin crawl but sometimes it makes me remember how much I still have left to lose even after all I did and the promises I made that kept me alive when I couldn’t imagine a worse fate. 

My girl once told me to never let the sunrise on the reaping and this is the way some idiot has decided to go about that. By making an unstable seventeen year old girl, who is the only person not aware of how much she loves the kid, the figurehead of a long awaited rebellion. She is a hard pill to swallow at the worst of times when she acts surlier than I can remember being, not saying much but still, and an even harder one at the best of times. When she looks carefree like Louella, when she leaves like Lou Lou, when she sings like Lenore Dove, when she hunts like Burdock, when she gives herself power in a situation where she had none like Maysilee and most of all when I see myself in her, both when she’s being a jerk and other times like when she took Rue under her wing, same way I did to Lou Lou. Despite all that, I have been waiting too long to tell her any resemblance of good news that I can’t wait for this mission to be done. It cannot fail. It will not. 

It seems the mission doesn’t fail, but takes a good time longer than necessary. So much so that when Plutarch tells me it was a success, I had woken from a two hour nap. There’s a wicked crick in my neck from the position I slept in but it doesn’t stop me from finding the girl with Finnick where I left them. As I see the lost look in her eyes, it makes me doubly anxious to give her the news. I shove the door open and both their eyes snap to mine. 

“They’re back,” I tell them. “We’re wanted in the hospital.” 

I see some life flood into her eyes and notice how she chews her jaw open, no doubt to ask a million questions that I don’t know the answer to myself. So I cut her off by saying “That’s all I know.” 

The journey to the med bay feels like the exact opposite to the time Asterid March drugged me with sleep syrup. Instead of my world slowly collapsing to darkness, I feel the word slowly come into light. I see a gurney with a bald Johanna, she had too much fire than what was needed and overall reminded me too much of Maysilee, more specifically my first thoughts of her. Her burns and the wild look in her eyes makes guilt appear like a hole in my chest that takes and never gives back. 

My feelings of melancholy are somewhat disrupted by the reunion of Finnick and Annie. I know there love is not easy but it’s as true as anyone’s ever doubted. They kiss each other in a way that reminds me of the job I had to do. I lead Katniss to a room that has Boggs in front. He tells us Peeta’s currently still under effect from the gas and to go in. I turn to Katniss and see joy shine in her eyes. I can’t help my grin.

“Come on, then,” I say. 

We enter and all of a sudden I’m more aware of my heart rate than I have been in at least twenty five years. It stops and starts in my chest because whatever is sat on that bed looking lost and bewildered as the medical team attack from all sides, with marks that I have never seen on my skin before, all over his frail looking body is not my kid. It’s not Peeta. But for my hearts sake I try to pretend nothing is amiss, an attempt aided by the emotion that shines on both kids faces’. However Not Peeta’s takes on an undertone that I feel in my gut that I should pick up on, but I’m still hung up on the love in the girl’s eyes and the confusion in his. 

There’s a threat present in this room, where, I cannot say.  Not Peeta seems to have the moral fibre of some mad man, as he sweeps away the hovering doctors with just one arm. He jumps to his feet and makes his way towards the girl. She runs to meet him, with her arms outstretched in a way that predetermines an embrace and he seems to return the gesture in a way, his hands reach for her, looking like they’ll make impact on her cheeks, probably to caress them and I make a mental not to make myself scarce if I see any kissing. I see the elation on her face as her lips form her name. Then it slowly changes to fear, then pain, when his fingers lock around her throat.

Suddenly the rug is pulled out from underneath me. The manic anger on Peeta’s face reminds me of Lou Lous screams of “Murderers!”. And I know in the way you know to never trust a seventeen year old to lead a revolution, that this boy is not her Bread boy. 

[minicy]

I love talking to kids about disability bc

1. they often just Get It, and

2. they have 0 concept of disability as a tragedy or something pitiable.

I've watched kids get into an argument with a teacher bc they thought wheelchairs were cool. I told a kid that I can't stand for too long sometimes and they replied, "That's okay, I can't do cartwheels sometimes, but I just do other stuff then. You can sit down with me if you want". Today a girl asked me what the headphones on a classmate's desk were for and I told her that headphones are important for some kids because noises bother them, and she said she wished she had headphones at home, because her baby brothers make a lot of noise and it makes it hard to think. The idea that different people could use tools at different times is intuitive and simple and when accessibility aids are explained neutrally, kids don't see them as bad or unfortunate, they're just things that are useful.

Even mental disability!! In Kindergarten the other day one of the kids asked me why his table partner got stickers when nobody else did. I started off by saying, "Well, when you do your work well, it feels good, right? That's your brain giving you a reward," and the kid just right away went, "Oh, and the stickers are like his reward?" YES! You are 5 and have a better grasp on ADHD than most adults! Kids blow me away every day.

[nezz-cringe-crib]

growing up is realizing that dipcifica was actually a pretty damn good ship and holy shit i totally misjudged this pairing.

i never really liked dipcifica mainly because of how it got represented by the fandom, but looking back on it, it would've made a lot of sense and it would've been beneficial for both of them to date each other. and even in a completely platonic sense, their dynamic worked well enough that they could've done a lot more together.

dipper is a very nerdy awkward guy, clearly. he likes solving mysteries and sometimes he gets a little in over his head because of it. and his silly little awkward teenage love life reflects all of these things. that little shrimp was disney's #1 simp, it's actually insane. whenever he'd start to fall for a girl it'd end up going pretty terribly because he'd have no idea how to just act like himself and he'd also become a little bit of a jerk. (i'm not trying to like dog on dipper btw. he's just a kid and these are all understandable flaws, especially at his age and at the time period gravity falls took place in). however, with pacifica, a lot of these flaws are manageable solely because of how they're introduced to each other. dipper hates pacifica at first and wants nothing to do with her, but eventually they're forced to work together and realize "huh. we actually make a really good team." for dipper, this gradual building of a relationship is really beneficial to him. he wouldn't just go head-first into simping for some random girl and he'd also learn to respect her as a person and realize when he's being a little bit of a dick. being with pacifica, platonically or romantically (though personally i think romantically would strengthen their pros more but thats just my personal taste), would've helped dipper become a better person.

this goes for pacifica as well. pacifica's homelife is extremely controlling and it's what groomed her into becoming the mean girl that she's first presented as. as the show continues though, it's clear that she doesn't really want to be mean to anybody. she only acts spoiled because she doesn't know what else she can act like. she wants to connect to people but she's been so forced into this fake rich life that she has no idea how to be genuine with anybody. that's why her having a connection to dipper is so important. dipper is a little blunt, and he especially won't hide that from pacifica because he initially hates her and her family's lifestyle, so this'll eventually help pacifica realize "oh shit. i'm kind of a dick. my family are kind of huge dicks." and we do end up seeing this from her in "Northwest Mansion Mystery". she learns how to be herself, learns who "herself" even means, and learns to stand up for who she is when she figures that out. also pacifica's pretty damn smart???? especially socially???? she could absolutely help dipper do a lot of things when it comes to mystery solving, and with her status it'll most likely be things that dipper could never pull off and never even thought about because that's just what he's used to. they'd both end up learning a lot from each other because they'd be dragged into environments that they're not familiar with, but the other is. and their different perspectives/lifestyles would help the other view their environment in a new light.

not only is their relationship genuinely really beneficial to the both of them, but i also just know that their dialogue and scenes with each other would be so damn silly i can't not say yes to it anymore. i also just personally like headcanoning them both as bisexual so that's a plus for me.

anyways, tldr: i was wrong about dipcifica and its actually really good, i just think people should really analyze their relationship more since the way the fandom presents it (or how ive personally seen the fandom present it) is a little icky and shallow at least in my opinion. yay for dipcifica being silly little goobers :3

[lemon-koii]

•|Sad TWST headcanons

𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒚𝒖𝒍

𝑅𝑖𝑑𝑑𝑙𝑒 𝑅𝑜𝑠𝑒ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑠

If his mother calls him before or during eating a strawberry tart, he'd have a hard time finishing his tart after their conversation even if it has no relate to it. He would clutch his hands and just stare at his strawberry tart for a few minutes and eat it slowly. Still remembering the first day he tasted a tart, but not a good way

𝑇𝑟𝑒𝑦 𝐶𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟

Doesn't like it when people yell at him when mad as it reminds him when Riddles' mom yelled at him and his family for 3 hours straight. Although, he wouldn't react much if you yelled at him, but he will definetly hold a grudge

𝐷𝑒𝑢𝑐𝑒 𝑆𝑝𝑎𝑑𝑒

After Riddles' overblot, he'd not only get nightmares about it, he'd also get nightmares of Cater getting impaled with a spear from Riddle. In some dreams, Cater died, right infront of him and his roommates would have to wake him up. He pleaded them to not tell Cater but one of them slipped(It wasn't Ace. I refuse to believe he's THAT much of a jerk and clumsy)

𝐶𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝐷𝑖𝑎𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑑

Whenever his sister would call him, he'd just stare at it ringing. He doesn't want to talk to them but he also don't have the heart to reject it. Sadly, he can only do this when he's alone since people will point. But when he gets close to the prefect, he'd ignore the ringing and tell you to do the same. Just don't pester him and point at it more than 3 times

Comforts Deuce in a non-obvious way whenever his roommates accidentaly told him that Deuce had nightmares about his impalement

𝑅𝑢𝑔𝑔𝑖𝑒 𝐵𝑢𝑐𝑐ℎ𝑖

Tons of bite and scratch scars from his childhood due to fighting over food with another group of hyenas. As a male hyena, he's pretty tall in their book so he's the one to mostly go out to hunt and fight for food

Sometimes has to give up his food to female hyenas

𝐾𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑚 𝐴𝑙-𝐴𝑠𝑖𝑚

On the outside it looks like he trusts his siblings a lot but deep down he doesn't. He loves and trusts his baby siblings but once they reach the age of learning about the hierarchy, he'll start to doubt them but won't show it. So when they do end up trying to kill him, he'll be heartbroken but not surprised

𝐽𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙 𝑉𝑖𝑝𝑒𝑟

He was 14 years old when he first killed someone to protect Kalim. One of the most traumatic event in his life but as he got older, it bothered him less and less. When he looks back at his first kill, he'll cringe. Thinking, "God why did I cry and puke that time? I should've expected it"

𝑂𝑟𝑡ℎ𝑜 𝑆ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑑

Somehow got a hold of a file full of old pictures and videos of H!Ortho and when he has nothing to do, he'd watch it privately. Observing how past Ortho acted and will try to recreate does actions.(It gives Idia tons of flashbacks)

𝐿𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑎 𝑉𝑎𝑛𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔𝑒

Back when Silver wad a kid, he'd give Lilia every egg he found during Easter. But the moment Lilias' eyes spotted a black egg with bright green designs on it, he'd go quite and just stare at it. Remembering Meleanor and egg Malleus

𝑭𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔

After overblots, they really want to vent to their parents but they can't. Crowley pressured them to not tell anyone or their grades and the schools reputation will be at risk

[nephilimeq]

Emotional Growth in 9-1-1

This newest episode is so interesting, because looking at Eddie it becomes obvious that we are looking at a man who is emotionally neglected and stuck at the age that he got Shannon pregnant.

Because he is.

He had a kid so young that he never had the chance to figure out who he was as a person, and then he used his identity from the military straight into the LAFD as trying to tell himself that he's someone who saves other people.

He also felt like he was saving Christopher when he became a single father, so that was an easy transition for him.

But then Christopher goes and makes an emotional decision to leave, and I feel like a part of Eddie is only just realizing that he never had that autonomy at any point in his life and it's sort of this panicked knee-jerk reaction to go straight out to him because he doesn't know what else to do and doesn't have the emotional maturity to stand up to the consequences of his actions and try to fix himself.

We see this in the way he is doing things like growing a mustache or shaving it off and then reenacting Risky Business.

He's not facing the emotions.

He's avoiding them...

...versus Buck who has had the chance to experience a lot of the world because he was emotionally neglected. He went out and traveled the world and figured out what parts of himself that he liked and didn't like, and then became a firefighter because he knew he wanted to help people (even though that is a part of his trauma, the people pleasing, most of it is completely honest).

We see him in therapy several times, and it's obvious that over the seasons he has been trying to come to terms with the darker parts of himself.

And now he's at a point in his life where he's just discovering another part of his identity, he's now finally secure in it...and then when Tommy left it felt like part of him was leaving.

Buck's endgame has to be Tommy because it's the only thing that makes sense in terms of his character arc.

To fall in love and make that home.

Because unlike Eddie, Buck has had the chance to have a lot of different relationships in several different ways, so he knows what it's like to have an infatuation versus actually being in love, and Tommy feels very emotionally different from every single other relationship that we've seen him have on screen.

The only relationship in which we saw Buck being himself.

The only relationship where he felt seen.

The only relationship where he was happy.

The only relationship where he was finally Evan, without the trauma behind his name anymore, and not just "Buck".

...and the fact that we have seen Tommy's character in previous flashbacks as part of all of the "Begins" episodes, it would be the perfect parallel for Tommy to be where Buck ends and Evan begins.

By Eddie running away to Texas and letting Buck stay in his house, it is very synonymous with how Buck is stepping into that chapter of his life of settling down and creating his own family outside of anyone else's expectations.

Eddie was Buck's first real friend in the 118, one of the first ones to start to let him feel seen.

...but now Buck no longer needs that constant validation. He is stepping into a much more healed version of himself, even if he still is a little bit impulsive sometimes—though his impulsiveness can be good, we've seen that on the job. It's saved more than a few lives when no one else might have taken the risk.

Because of how Buck has grown, we have seen him actively learning from his mistakes—versus Eddie, who is still running from them, which is why this plot line makes a lot of sense to me.

Eddie can't grow where is.

Buck can.

That's why Buck living in Eddie's house is so symbolic, because it's a way of showing how different the two of them are now. Buck can grow and move forward in a place that Eddie was never able to.

He recognizes change and embraces it. He jumps into the unknown with two feet—it's the one thing we have seen consistently from him over the seasons, and I think this is where Buck is taking a moment to breathe and really think about what he wants next.

If the writers do it right, we will see Buck settling into himself even more...

...and then reach back out to Tommy.

Feeling more settled, he and Tommy will finally talk and all of their issues will be dragged out into the open and dealt with.

They both acted impulsively but in different directions when they broke up, and I think this season will be about Buck finally slowing down and looking before he leaps.

But he'll still leap ;)

[sailorblossoms-rankane]

(Posting my threads on tumblr so I can talk to fellow Akane/Rankane enjoyers, part 1) (manga exclusive, I haven't seen the 80s anime)

When Kasumi says this, Ranma has already experienced both sides of Akane. He likes both the fire and the sweetness, but he doesn't know how to get the sweet side... and therein lies the problem.

Early on we learn that even if Akane defies others' very rigid ideas of femininity because she [gaps] likes to have short hair and "acts like a boy," she wants to be beautiful. she wants to feel loved and wanted. When Ranma calls her uncute, he's picking at her biggest insecurity.

And so Akane retaliates by beating his ass. He can be a jerk, but I don't think he ever wants to hurt her (he can't think of anything else/tries to make it up to her if a line is crossed) but he picks fights with her constantly because he doesn't know how else to get her attention.

He's no fan of being punched if it feels like a rejection and/or he doesn't get what he did wrong, but he knows damn well he's going to be sent flying when he teases her, and he does it constantly anyway... you gotta consider that on some level he likes it.

I think Ranma likes it as long as it is unserious because he loves fighting, but he refuses to fight with Akane physically/hit a girl, so the pull and push of teasing her and her hitting him with toon force (gotta remember this is slapstick) is a version of sparring. Martial arts is what he knows best, after all.

Ranma likes Akane's fiery spirit. He also picks fights with her to "fire her up" because he doesn't like seeing her sad. If Akane is sad or genuinely mad at him, Ranma can think of anything else.

Another part of Ranma teasing her is that it's a way to hide his feelings and "protect himself" ... but when Akane is down, he can push through and admit he actually finds her cute. I think the first time he says it it's "easy" because he hasn't yet realize how much he likes her.

Ranma is casual when he calls other girls cute because it doesn't matter as he doesn't have feelings for them. But once it dawns on him how much it matters with Akane, it becomes very difficult to say it, because there are feelings attached to it.

But even if Ranma picks on her insecurities, a character defining moment comes with Ranma telling her that he thinks short hair (the hair Akane chooses when she's truly herself, as opposed to trying to conform to an idea of beauty/love) looks better on her.

Being sincere and vulnerable with Akane gets him her very coveted sweet side, but as simple as it sounds and as much as he wants her to be "cute" with him, it's very difficult for him in practice.

Just like how Akane sometimes jealously hits him, Ranma picking on her can also be jealousy. Plenty of examples with Ryoga but this sets the stage. Look at him trying to get her attention when the doc makes her blush. He wants her attention on him, not on other guys.

Adding to their fights (Ranma picking on her, Akane hitting him) being like sparring: part of it is not wanting to "lose" ... Ranma reacts to Akane hurting his feelings, and Akane also reacts to Ranma hurting her feelings, and so neither can "give in" and admit shit.

So much is going on in their dynamic, and much of it is set up in the first couple of chapters (including that if Ranma gets comically kicked by Akane, he likely had it coming... they even spell out that this is how it's going to work, and boy does he earn some of those punches)

Another thing playing into Ranma shielding his feelings so much I think is that when he meets Akane, some of the first things he learns about her is that she's immensely popular and than she liked someone else. That would fuck with anyone's confidence.

I've said Ranma teasing Akane is like a kid pulling on the pigtails of the girl he likes, and in one of the first chapters he literally pulls her hair ribbon to get her attention lol

[milla-frenchy]

Room 301

2k7 | Joel Miller x fem reader | ao3 | Masterlist Summary: Joel finds out that babysitting isn't your only student jobWarnings: 18+ mdni. PWP. Age gap unspecified, escort, dirty talk, praise kink, sir kink, size kink, spitting, pussy slapping, light degradation, oral (m/f), unprotected piv, creampie. No outbreak a/n: @not-a-unique-snowflake-blog thank you for correcting me, as always. ILY 💕🫶🫶🫶 Thanks to @noxturnalpascal who had this idea: PROMPT: Pick a Pedge Daddy character - Joel Miller, Frankie Morales, Dave York, etc. (it can be Canon or Non-Canon/AU/No Outbreak). PPCU Daddy is surprised - and excited - to learn that the grad/postgrad student he hires to watch his child sometimes also works as a: stripper/dancer/cam-girl/onlyfans-model/dating-or-escort-service (or straight-up SW) *1000 word Minimum - 2000 word Maximum

"Good night, Mr. Miller!"

You close the front door behind you and quickly walk to your car. You’re a student, in your final year. Babysitter is your job for the first part of the evening. Sarah Miller is one of the children you regularly babysit on weekend evenings.

In the second part of the evening, you’re an escort.

A few months earlier, in a club, someone asked you to join their escort business. You had never considered it before, but the money to be earned, the relatively “classy” and secure side of the site you would work for, made you decide. However, you wanted to continue babysitting, and start escorting sparingly. 

You arrive at the usual hotel about thirty minutes before one of your regulars, so you can have time to get ready.

Joel is single, and regularly he pays for an escort.

That evening, he surfs his usual site, and he’s looking for something fresh. He has his regulars, but from time to time he likes to fuck a new one. He loves to see how they react under his fingers. Loves their look when they see his cock for the first time, then when he sinks into them. How they take his cock. His subscription costs him a lot, but he has never been disappointed.

He scrolls lazily on his phone until his thumb stops on the screen. He scrolls back a little and stares at a photo. He can’t see much of the escort's face, but it's enough to put him in doubt. Is it really Sarah’s babysitter he’s looking at?

In 10 minutes, you’ll be here to babysit Sarah. He puts his phone down and waits. When you arrive, he greets you as usual, but lingers to look at this little mole, just above your mouth. This mole, that made him scroll backwards.

He smirks, and goes out to meet a woman he fucks from time to time. When he pushes his cock in her pussy that night, he thinks of his kid's babysitter.

When he gets home, you’re sitting on the couch, watching Narcos. He wonders why the actor is wearing such tight jeans when his bulge is so visible.

You get up and ask him if he had a good evening. He smiles at you and says yes. He pauses before asking if everything went well with Sarah, and you tell him everything was fine, as usual. You gather your things and leave, wishing him a good night.

Joel watches you walk to your car and he heads upstairs. He goes to his daughter’s bedroom to check on her, and closes the door, seeing that Sarah is sleeping.

He walks to his bedroom, lies down on the bed and picks up his phone. He finds your page and looks through your photos. The escorts' bodies are much less hidden than their faces. He looks at your curves. Your breasts pressed between your hands. Your pussy covered in red lingerie. Your ass, barely covered by a black thong. He pulls his cock out of his pants and boxers, and grabs the lotion from his nightstand drawer before starting to jerk off. He thinks about you and wonders if you're with a client. He jacks off with long and slow movements, and imagines the noises you make when you’re getting fucked. The noises you would make if he was fucking you deep. He imagines your mouth around his cock and how you would suck his balls. He jerks off harder and cums, sending squirts onto his lower stomach. He doesn’t even take the time to clean himself before booking a slot with you.

The next weekend, he had asked Tommy to watch Sarah. 

He arrives at the hotel, goes to room 301 and sits in the Chesterfield chair, waiting for you. 5 minutes later, you enter the room. You take off your trench and turn towards the chair. Your eyes widen when you see him.

“Mr Miller?!”

He looks at you and doesn’t answer.

“Oh my god, it’s so embarrassing… I’m sorry, I will notify the escort service of the situation and you will be reimbursed. I am really sorry, Mr. Miller.”

He smiles and says “I think you don’t understand, baby. I booked because I knew it was you.”

You frown and tell him it’s totally inappropriate.

“Well… Considering the way I catch you looking at me sometimes, I'm not sure it bothers you that much.”

“No, Mr. Miller, I assure you I don’t-”

He smirks again, and you stop talking. He’s right. Ever since you started babysitting his daughter, you can't help but sneak glances at him. But you thought you were more discreet, though.

“Now darlin’, I’m your client tonight, so do what you’re getting paid for, and come suck my cock.”

His attitude shocks you a little, he’s the father of the child you babysit, and there has never been any awkward situations between the two of you until now. But his talk, the way he commands you, turns you on. After a few seconds of hesitation, you walk up to him, get on your knees and undo his pants. You take out his cock and pause before looking up at him.

“Come on, baby. Don’t tell me you’re afraid of one cock? That would be embarrassing as an escort, right?”

You lean down, take his shaft in your hand, start to jerk him off and take his tip in your mouth. It's so wide that it barely fits, but you do your best. 

“Look at me, when you blow me, baby.”

You try to put your embarrassment aside and glance up at him. The moment your eyes meet, his are so dark, so full of desire that you forget your reserve. You want to give him value for his money, but above all, you want to make him forget everything while he is in this hotel room with you.

You let the saliva build up and then flow down his shaft, while you swirl your tongue over his slit and let the precum invade your mouth. 

“That’s it darlin’. That’s good. Deeper now.”

You go further down, squeeze his thigh with one hand, letting your mouth go down his shaft. You then caress his balls with your other hand, while you keep his cock buried all the way to your throat.

”Shit, baby… can't believe this naughty mouth is the same that dares to talk to my daughter.”

You moan around his cock hearing him, and hold yourself back from slipping your hand into your panties and touching yourself. You pull back and suck him again. He puts his hands on each side of your head and pumps your mouth with his hip thrusts. You stay still, without moving, eyes closed, while he’s fucking your mouth roughly.

“Yeah, just like that. Fuckin’ take my cock.”

He growls as his fists clench in your hair. He stops and holds you, your mouth full of his cock. You hear him breathing heavily.

“‘m gonna fuck your throat now. Eyes on me baby.”

You stare at him, and he pulls back, before sinking his cock in your throat. He holds your head so tight that you couldn't pull back even if you wanted to. You let him fuck your throat, as he thrusts deep inside 3 or 4 times, slowly. You feel tears welling up in the corners of your eyes, as his shaft sinks fully. He holds you and says “Don’t move. Don’t fuckin’ move.”

You follow his command, your eyes still fixed on him, and you feel his cock twitch in the back of your throat.

“That’s good, darlin’. Fuck…”

He finally releases you, slightly, still setting the pace. He leans towards you and pulls your head back, saying “open”.

You open and he spits in your mouth. He caresses your chin and tells you to swallow. You do so, and you don’t take your eyes off him. You know that’s what he wants. His attitude keeps turning you on, and you feel that your panties are soaked.

“Take off your blouse and skirt, and lie down on the bed.”

He looks at you, still sitting in the Chesterfield chair, while you undress. Then he stands up, removes all his clothes and lays down on the bed, his shoulders between your thighs. He pulls aside the fabric of your panties and reveals your pussy.

“You’re fuckin’ soaked, baby…Now ask me to eat you out.”

“Eat my pussy, please.”

He slaps your clit and you cry out in surprise.

“Ask better than that."

“Would you eat my pussy, please, sir?”

“Much better. We’ll have to work on your manners, darlin'.”

You don't even have time to wonder if he's really planning to fuck you again, before he slides from your soaked hole to your clit, with the flat of his tongue, in a long stroke. You moan as he now pushes his tongue into your pussy and his nose rubs against your clit.

“Mmmm you taste good.”

He licks you again with a long stroke and pushes two fingers into your pussy, focusing his tongue on your clit. His beard rubs against your thighs and fuck… he knows how to eat a pussy. You bend your knees and spread your thighs to offer yourself even more to him, your hands gripping his curls. He raises his head and his chin shines with your wetness. 

“You spread like a slut for me, who would have known you were such a whore when I hired you?”

Being far from shocked, you moan under his words as he starts sucking your clit again. His free hand pulls on your bra to release a breast, which he grabs in his hand.

“Fuckin talk to me, baby.”

“I love that. You eat me so well. Please-”

He stops and says “manners.”

“I’m… I’m sorry, sir. It’s so good, I forgot my manners. Please keep going, sir, I would like to come in your mouth, please.”

“Good girl”, he says, before starting to swirl his tongue over your clit again.

He pushes a third finger into your pussy and you roll your hips against his mouth, trying to grind yourself against it as much as possible.

“That's it baby. I can feel you’re gonna come.”

You moan louder and louder and he adds "come on my tongue, baby. Come on the tongue of the man who pays for two of your jobs"

“Fuck”, you say as you grip his hair and come in his mouth, shaking.

“There it is… That's good, baby, you're doing so well.” 

You jolt again at his praise, your pussy squeezing his fingers one more time. He kneels between your thighs, wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and asks:

“You want this cock, baby?”

“Yes I do, sir.”

“Take it, then”, he adds, lying on his back next to you.

Shyness makes you doubt your actions again the moment you straddle him, after taking off your panties and bra. You’re so close to his face. The face of one of your employers, much older than you, but above all, the father of a child you babysit. Joel seems to understand what's making you hesitate, and his gaze becomes softer, more familiar to you. 

“What happens here, stays here, baby.”

You nod and grab his cock, pressing his tip against your entrance. You stare at his chest and start sinking on it, when he stops you.

“No, not like that. You look at me when you fuck yourself on my cock. You look at me, and don’t take your eyes off me.”

“Why?”, you whisper.

“Because I wanna see you suffocate when my cock tears you in two. Because I want you to realize that it’s my cock, that you’re gonna impale yourself on. Because I want you to remember that, the next time you come to my house and I open the door to you, even if we don’t refer to it outside of here.”

So you raise your head, stare at him, and lower your pelvis. And god, he was right when he said his cock would tear you in two. You feel it parting your folds and you can't hold back a long moan.

You keep impaling yourself on his cock, more and more, going down his shaft without stopping or slowing down, your eyes fixed on his, while he has placed his hands on your hips now, but letting you be in control.

His stare has changed too. His confidence has given way to pleasure and you can't help but smile, until you reach the base of his dick. You stay like that for a few seconds, full of his cock, and you catch your breath.

“So tell me…. since when did you wanna fuck me?” he asks you. 

“Fuck, I…I don’t know…”

He holds your hips so you stay grounded on him, and can’t avoid his questions.

“Days? Weeks? Months?”

“Oh god…hu…Weeks or months, I guess.”

“Oh baby you wanted this cock for so long?”

“Please, I wanna move…”

“Last question. Do you think about that big cock at night in your bed?”

“Fuck…Yes. Yes I do. I touch myself thinking of your cock.”

He smirks and finally releases the pressure on your hips. You start rolling them, barely lifting yourself with every movement of your hips. You rub your clit against his lower abdomen and you seek your pleasure again, even though you came in his mouth a short time before.

“Fuck look at that… you’re using me to get off, my cock deep in your slutty pussy…”

You bite your lip and realize that what you’re doing is unprofessional. You should act for his own pleasure. But you can't. And you don’t want to, for now. His cock is so good, and you feel that in less than two minutes you’re gonna come on it.

“It’s ok, baby. Use me, come on my cock. It’s here for it.” 

“I…fuck. I’m gonna cum, sir. Your cock is so thick and…my clit...fuck...my clit..it’s so good. I’m gonna…I’m gonna come, sir. Can I come, please?”

“Come for me baby, come on”, he whispers, and as you’re coming on his cock, he presses harder on your hips, to keep you fully buried on him.

You fall onto his torso and he caresses your back until your spasms stop. You come to your senses and sit up straight, before realizing that you are still impaled on him, and that his cock is still just as big and hard inside you. Your pussy clenches at this sudden movement.

“I’m sorry, I’m-”

“Fuck, baby. You just came twice in a matter of minutes, what fucker would be mad after that?”

You nod and smile gently.

“Lie on your back, now, baby.”

You do as he asks, and once lying on top of you, he says, his eyes fixed on yours “my turn to fuck you.”

He thrusts into you half way suddenly, and you can't help but suffocate. He pulls back, and immediately sinks in again and bottoms up.

“Fuck… you’re so fuckin’ tight. ’m gonna ruin that pussy, baby.”

He fucks you quickly and goes deep with each stroke. You feel his balls slap against your pussy and…he fucks well. One of the best fucks you've ever had. Maybe even the best. You hold on to his biceps and let him fuck you.

“Come on baby, use your words, tell me what you feel.”

But he’s fucking you so hard, so good, that you can’t answer.

“Oh baby… what’s goin’ on? You can’t talk anymore, I’m fucking you that good?”

“Yes…yes, sir.”

“Come on baby, give me more. Your other clients fuck you like this?”

You can’t answer, but you shake your head, while he’s still pounding you.

“No? Not a single client fucks you as good as me?”

You shake your head again. 

“You know it won’t be the only time we fuck, right? I’m not even done with you, and I already miss your pussy. Fuck…you’re squeezing me so tight…fuck.”

“More”, you say.

“More what? Words.”

“I want you to fuck me more… I… shit… I want more nights.”

“You’ll have them, baby. Ah fuck..I’m gonna fill you, baby….That’s what you want? To be filled by my big cock?”

“Yes…Yes please sir, fill me up!”

He thrusts in again, twice, three times, and you feel his spurts of cum filling your pussy.

“You're gonna empty my bank account with that pussy baby, damn…”

*******************

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The other fics based on this prompt: Dancing is a dangerous game @noxturnalpascal ; Webcam for beginners @iamasaddie ; Birthday surprise @aurorawritestoescape

[sweetbillwriting]

Way Out of Line

SEVEN

Character: Keith Toshko from Barbarian (2022) played by Bill Skarsgård.

Warnings: 18+, NSFW, heavy themes.

My family and I had gone to Aspen since I was seven. My dad's practice went well, and we had recently bought the house we lived in now; the one before had been much more modest. I had never seen myself belonging to a class; for me, my family was just an ordinary family, but after I had started college, I had realized what a safe environment I came from. Jason and I were given trips, expensive clothes, and had done the activities we wanted since we were kids. I started to go to the hairdresser every fourth week when I was twelve. For me, money wasn't that big of an issue and probably why I didn't react that much to the news that Keith was rich. The only thing I could think was that it might be easier to get my parents to accept us as a couple if he could give me economic security, but otherwise I just thought about his divorce. It wouldn't be easy for him to become a single man.

The thought of his divorce was what destroyed the trip for me because I couldn't really enjoy the present. The only thing I could enjoy were our late-night conversations and what he had taught me. He was the one teaching me how to masturbate. My finger transformed to his during our conversations and also his cock, even if my fingers were much smaller.

“I’ve gotten something for you. When you come home, your dad will receive a package for me that he will put in my bedroom, but then you can get it.”

I looked at him with a small smile, believing it would be jewelry or maybe a dress, now that I knew he had money. He sat with a bare chest against a white wall with some fluffy brown pillows behind him. I sat naked on the bed of my hotel room, tired after having two orgasms.

“What is it?”

“It's a dildo,” he said with a smirk. Just the word made me blush but another feeling followed. Was it disgust? I couldn't tell, but it obviously showed on my face because Keith laughed.

“Baby, it's nothing weird. Especially not when I work like I do. I will be away like this again, and I think you need a better replacement for me than your small hands. It will hurt again when I come home otherwise.”

I didn't say anything because I only thought about the plastic manhood and felt the weird feeling spread through my chest. It was one thing to call him daddy and show my naked body on Snapchat, but receiving a sex toy? Even if I didn't know if I believed in Jesus, I could feel him judging me from above.

“It's classy, I promise. And pink.”

I swallowed hard because to me his cock was also pink, and even if I had learned to appreciate his cock’s appearance, I didn't need a plastic replica in my nightstand drawer.

“And it's smaller, so it will be kinder than me,” he joked, even if he always was kind when we had any form of sex.

“Okay…” I said with an exhalation, prepared to give it a chance. I could look at it first. Keith smiled sweetly.

“There is also lube and handcuffs in there.”

“Keith!” I said now with rose-red cheeks that made him laugh.

“What? Come on, baby girl, it's nothing. It's just for fun, but we don't have to do anything. I guess… You just make me so fucking horny. The pictures of you… I look at them so much it's unhealthy. I've just parked somewhere to jerk off sometimes and…” He dragged his hands through his hair like he was embarrassed, and I laughed at his awkward body language. He looked so sweet when he looked all uncomfortable, but he was dirty under that sweet persona.

I could see how his eyes fell to my naked breasts again, and without looking up, he corrected his phone and how he sat so I could see that impressive erection lay against his belly. I giggled, and he smirked and dragged his hand over his shaft.

“What is it, princess?” He said with a smirk. “Are you laughing at Daddy?”

“No, Daddy,” I giggled and bit my thumb, attractively.

“Otherwise, I must spank you even more when I come home.”

“Even more?”

“Yes, you’ll be punished for not accompanying me to Detroit.”

“You never asked!”

“You should have asked, so this is your fault, baby girl. Daddy shouldn't need to do all the work.”

He smirked teasingly, and I scoffed, amused at him.

“Can you get on all fours over your phone so I can see if you're wet for Daddy?”

I blushed again. It was obvious he liked it when I became embarrassed and felt challenged, but as I was told. I always did what he wanted because I realized I liked it too. I liked the power he had over me and how he made me feel small but sexy.

He told me to touch myself, and I could hear him jerk off even if I couldn't see him. Just that was a turn-on. I knew he probably took some screenshots too, because he always did. He was a dirty old man who jerked off in his car between house showings, but I liked it, and I sent him more photos without him even asking. He liked close up videos of me masturbating but he also liked innocent photos of me pouting in discontent. He liked when I woke him up with a sweet message or sent him a video of me doing my makeup.

I wondered if he was in love with me, if he thought about me as much as I thought about him. It did seem like it because every night he called me when he was away. He did the last week he was away too.

“So what, you share a house with that girl now? I asked on the phone. He hadn't video called me that night but voice called me instead in a hushed tone, probably so the girl wouldn't hear him.

The Airbnb he stayed in had been double booked, and because of some conference in Detroit, neither of them could find another place to stay. He told me the girl was probably a few years younger than him and was quite nervous in his presence. I couldn't understand why; Keith was the sweetest man.

“But like… Where will you sleep?” I asked carefully.

“On the couch. I can't let a woman stay on the couch, my mom taught me better,” he joked, and I made an amused sound even if I was worried.

“Where is she now?”

“She’s in the bathroom.”

I swallowed hard. I was Keith's mistress; could he cheat on me too? He had an easy chance now, in another town, living with some girl without a connection to him, his wife, or me.

“Is she pretty?” I asked with a dry, nervous voice.

“Baby…” he said with a sigh.

“Please just answer. Is she pretty?”

Keith was silent on the line a few too many seconds, and that really said it all to me, but he still answered.

“I guess she is, but…” he sighed again.

I had no idea how Keith was towards other women. He was a sweet, good-looking guy. Tall and manly. I didn't even know if he needed to be any certain way to get women's attention, but I still wondered if he was the flirty kind. He had caught me on his hook so easily even when I had considered myself elusive.

“So what are you doing, baby girl?” He tried to change the subject; it was painfully obvious, but I let him. I didn't know what more I could say on the subject.

“I’m just watching a series.”

He tried to get me to talk about the series, but our conversation died quite quickly. I noticed by the questions he asked that he prepared himself to hang up.

“I will never forgive you if you sleep with her!”

The words suddenly burst from me, right before we would say goodbye.

“I will not sleep with her.” He sighed, and I could hear irritation in his voice.

“Yes, you will! I know you will! Look what you're doing to me! My dad is your best friend!”

I was a crying desperate mess, spilling out my fears on him.

“How can I trust you?!”

Keith was silent on the line until I heard a low, unamused laugh.

“Ohh… Wow! I think it's time for us to hang up here… I need a drink. I… I’ll see you around.”

“Keith… Daddy…” I whined. I said the pet name in an attempt to gain his attention, but he gave me a low goodbye before hanging up. I looked at the phone in my hand, now crying silently to myself. Why did I say all that? I hadn't even so much as thought about how our relationship could tell you about him as a person. Now, it clearly came up as soon as I felt unsure about him.

I thought about calling him back, but something told me Keith wasn't the person who would see that as a type of love language; he would just see it as annoying. Instead, I wrote a message on Snapchat:

I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it, and I trust you. Please just call tomorrow or something. I really like you, Keith.

He opened it but didn't answer.

×××

Dad stood by the entrance door with the anonymous brown package in his hands. He casually chatted with the delivery guy and dropped the package to his side. I had heard him say it was to Keith Toshko, so I knew what my dad held in his hand, while he didn't have a clue. He closed the door when the delivery guy turned his back on him and then looked down on the package. It was as big as a small shoebox, and he could easily hold it in one hand. I stood by the stairs, having paused in my steps after hearing the delivery guy say Keith's name. My dad looked at me, looked again at the box, then stretched his arms out towards me.

“Can you put this on Jason's bed for Keith?” I looked at the box like he gave me a loaded weapon and put my hands behind my back, afraid to even touch it. It was no longer for me, but it was still meant to be for me.

“Why can't you do it?” I asked with a small voice. My dad furrowed his brows.

“Sure, I can. I just thought you were on your way up?”

“I must study.” I said it shortly and ran up the stairs without looking back at him. It felt like he would be able to see by me or the box that we belonged together if we were in the same room for too long. It wasn't a realistic thought, but in my world of sadness, secrets, and lies, it was. I had already lost Keith, so now I would do everything to be my dad's little girl again.

×××

I stared at the book lying on the pillow in my lap. The letters could have been Chinese letters because I couldn't understand them anyway. I just thought about mine and Keith's conversation from the day before. I regretted it so hard that I had even asked him about the girl he had to share a space with. I should have just pretended I didn't care at all, like it was just normal that he would share a house with a girl he didn't know, but every emotion in my body became hard to control, and I could feel emotions I had never felt before flying around my heart. I couldn't even name them or differentiate them. It just felt like some sort of creature had started to chew inside of me, on every organ, and wanted to break free.

Of all of the feelings, I could differentiate two, though: two feelings I often felt with Keith: curiosity and horniness. I want to look through that package. I wanted to see what he wanted us to explore. He had thought about us when he ordered it. Because he wanted to be with me.

I tried to continue to read in my book about 1800th-century English but let it glide down from the pillow in disinterest. I needed to get the package. Keith had said I should do that, so carefully I sneaked down the hallway to Jason's room and opened the door slowly. Mom had cleaned it since Keith had left it, made the bed with new sheets, and left the few items Keith had forgotten on the dresser (a pair of black socks, AirPods, and a pack of cigarettes), but there wasn't a box on the bed as I had suspected. I walked into the room and looked around confused until I saw the box behind the dresser opened. The panic attacked me quickly, and I almost ran up to the box that really was opened. It was obvious what had happened; my dad had opened it. My dad had opened the box containing his daughter and best friend's sex toys. A numbness spread over my face and hands while I looked into the box. There was just a fuchsia-colored card in it with the company's logo.

It was quite awful of my father to open the box without permission, and I wondered what he would do with the contents. Did I want to know? I hoped he maybe had taken it hostage to bully his friend, but I couldn't stop other thoughts from coming over me. They were thoughts I hadn't even imagined in my wildest fantasy I would have.

I sneaked back to my room again with even more weird feelings, and the creature became even bigger, eating on my lungs. It was just all too much, and there wasn't anyone else to blame but me who had instigated it by showing my breasts to my dad's best friend.

×××

A week later, when I came home from campus on a late afternoon, I could feel another energy as soon as I came into the hallway. I knew he was back. I didn't even take off my outerwear; instead, I stood with my beating heart, waiting for it to come up through my throat.

They couldn't have heard I had came home, or they didn't care because I could hear both my parents and Keith from the living room. My parents laughed at something while Keith made a sound like he was embarrassed.

“But who is she then? You can trust us to not tell anyone,” said my dad curiously.

“It's over now.” Keith was short in his answer but didn't sound irritated.

“Why? Because of the divorce?” Asked my mom.

“We can say it like this: she was far too young.”

My dad made a weird laugh I hadn't heard before, and it sounded like my mom gave him a hit in the chest.

“How young?” He asked. He sounded excited, like he was the one dating a younger woman.

“Far too young. It's hard being with someone who—”

I stomped into the living room, still in my dirty boots and red coat. Keith sat in the white armchair closest to the entrance door with the back towards me. My parents sat on the matching couch with their faces towards me. Keith turned his face and looked straight at me.

“Hey, hey.” He gave me a small smile and a nod. I didn't have the opportunity to register his feelings.

“Honey!” My dad laughed awkwardly. He probably didn't think I should hear what Keith spoke about, and he gave my mom a pointed look.

“We've already eaten, but I saved you a plate.” My mom jumped up from the couch and approached me. “Take off your outerwear and I can warm it for you. It's schnitzel.”

I nodded a little but looked at my dad and the back of Keith's head. My dad still smirked, amused and proud, at Keith, like he was living through him, and my mom probably let him because they had been married for so long. Little did they know it was their daughter Keith talked about. That he got me to call him daddy and take his cock until I was bleeding. I wondered if my dad would smirk if he knew that.

I ate by myself in the dining room and let “the grown-ups” continue to talk, then I went to my room without saying anything to them. I still couldn't grasp my feelings, and hiding felt like the best option, but couldn’t for long because there was knock on my door just after 30 minutes.

“It's me…” said Keith through the door. I held my breath while I thought about what I would do even if I knew what I wanted, but I didn't know if I was ready.

“Come in.”

I sat under the cover, just dressed in panties and one of my many spaghetti tops. The clock was just 7pm, but it looked like I was ready for bed. Keith opened the door but stood at the threshold, dressed in a plaid flannel shirt and gray sweats. His feet were bare even if our floors were so cold.

“Are you okay?” He asked with care, as he walked into the room slowly. I nodded a little, waiting for him to talk because I had no idea what the creature would do if I opened my mouth.

“Good… Ehm… I'm sorry for talking downstairs… I shouldn't have, but your dad kind of found out I was seeing someone.”

Keith was classy to not tell how my father knew, but I knew all too well, but still I just nodded.

“Can I sit down?” Keith pointed at the bed, and I nodded again. He sat down softly on my floral sheets, and he dragged his hand over a pink velvet pillow. He looked around in my room, and I could guess what he was thinking—that I was just a little girl. He licked his plump lips and moved a bit nervously on the edge of the bed.

“I don't want us to end things like enemies. I don't want you to believe I am an asshole…”

“I know you're not,” I finally got out, and he looked at me with kind green eyes.

“But we must end things.” He added but looked at me in the same way. “You're young, and I don't think you're ready to be with someone so much older than you. I will always have women around because that's what a man of my age life looks like. I'm not a college boy.”

My throat had stopped working again even if I wanted to protest.

“I'm in the middle of a divorce. I worked with many different people, and I will not be by your side all the time, and maybe it's best if I move away from here. I don't want to complicate things for you.”

We looked deep into each other's eyes while I still was quiet. Keith swallowed in discomfort but didn't look away; he probably hoped for an answer, but it never came from me. I just tried to control the thing inside of me.

He patted my knee lightly, like some uncle would do, then he stood up.

“I hope we can be friends…” It was the last thing he said before leaving me alone.

×××

I sat by the breakfast table while my parents and Keith ran around the house in panic; I just buttered my bread unbothered even if I was the one that had created the mess. I looked at Keith standing in the hallway, dragging his hands through his slicked-back hair and threading his fingers together on his head. He wore a dark blue knitted sweater over a white button-up and black jeans and looked really dapper, but now he had messed his hair up so much he looked like he had walked through a storm.

“Are you sure you had it in the bathroom?” asked my mom as she nervously looked up at him. She was probably afraid she had by accident tossed it away—his wedding band.

“Yeah, I had put it next to the soap, then I thought I had put it in my toiletry bag, but it's not there,” said Keith, but he sounded quite unengaged, and it was then I realized he looked straight at me.

I looked down at my toast, spreading the orange marmalade over it so it mixed with the butter. I wouldn't say anything, and I knew Keith wouldn't cause a fight in front of my parents; that would expose everything to them. I heard Keith sigh loudly which turned into an irritated grunt. I didn't need to look to know that he was putting on his outerwear.

“I'm really so, so sorry, Keith. I will continue to search for it. It must be here somewhere.”

“We will find it… But May will not be happy…” Said Keith, trying to cover up his irritation. I looked up when I heard him say his wife's name. I couldn't see him anymore because he was behind the wall, but I could see my parents standing in the hallway, looking towards the entrance door where Keith was.

“She probably understands. You haven't worn it for a long time,” my mom tried to offer some assurance, as she walked closer to my dad, probably to get some support.

“Understand I've replaced my wedding ring? I don't think so. We had decided that we would collect all things of value to put in the safety box until we know how we will share it, and then I’ll come and say I can't find my wedding ring? She will not like it…” Keith sounded stressed, and I could see my parents felt the same thing while they looked at him.

“I think she will understand,” tried my mom again while my dad nodded.

Keith was silent, and even I could understand his annoyance, even if I was the thief. His ring still lay in my toiletry bag, and I would let it lie there for a while. I liked the thought of Keith's wife being really mad at him and him suffering. Even if Keith had let me go really nicely, I was still mad at him, but also, by holding on to that ring, it felt like I had some sort of effect on their divorce and that I wasn't as powerless as I had felt before. It felt like I could cause them to not get along and that Keith would never look at her again. Until I felt I didn't need that power anymore, I would give the ring back, but then and there I liked the power I had too much. Keith left as smoothly and silently as he did most things in life, but I knew he was irritated and that he had started to suspect me as the thief, but I would let him come and try to get it back if he dared.

×××

I hoped he would suspect me. I hoped he would suspect me so hard he felt forced to talk to me. I couldn't say why, but the thought of him being a bit mad at me turned me on even if I had lost him and he might just be angry at me for real. It was like anger was better than not getting any attention from him at all.

I got what I wanted because the next day when I came home, he leaned against the doorframe to the living room, and it looked like he was waiting for me. His hands were pushed down deep in the front pockets of his medium blue jeans, and his feet were bare. He wore just a simple black tee and looked relaxed with his hair messily styled back.

“Hey…” he said, dragging out the word so I understood he wanted to say something. I gave him a look but played nonchalant and took off my boots and my coat. I wore that little pink skirt he had commented on once before, and I could see he gave it a fast look.

“Can we talk? We're alone…” He stood up to his full height and made a lazy nod towards the living room.

“Why?” I asked with some attitude. I wanted to annoy him; I wanted to get some other feeling out of him other than that sweet, collected Keith he showed to the rest of the world.

“I was just wondering about something,” he said, just as nicely, and messed with a cuticle on his thumb.

“Then ask,” I said with a shoulder shrug.

Keith looked at me with big eyes, but they turned annoyed, and he looked away with a sour expression.

“Can we just sit down and talk like two grown-ups?”

“Grown-ups?” I said annoyed. “I thought I was just a little girl! Too young for everything!” I crossed my arms but still stood there, just welcoming a fight.

“For fuck's sake, Jaqueline…” Keith muttered and scratched his forehead. “I was just wondering if you've seen my wedding ring.”

I looked at him sourly, but I could see how he knew I was the one who had taken it, but he wanted me to say it myself, the same way you could teach kids to be ashamed. I felt ashamed when I looked at him because I couldn't really say why I had taken it. It was a childish act, but I didn't want to say to him how childish I actually was.

“I don't know. Maybe you have dropped it?”

“I haven't worn it since Christmas, and you know that too.”

I looked away like I didn't care, still with my arm crossed. Keith sighed but moved closer to me, so close I could smell his scent and needed to curl my neck in a C motion to see him.

“I’ll ask again…” His voice had changed. It was much darker and heavy, and I looked at him with an emotion similar to fear. “Have you seen it?”

He looked at me straight in the eyes, and I couldn't look away. His eyes were mesmerizing, big and hypnotic like the cat in Alice in Wonderland.

“I… I…” I stuttered and felt myself swaying on weak legs. I took a hold of his t-shirt just so I wouldn't fall backwards. I wanted to continue to play cool, but I couldn't, and instead I pushed my cheek against his chest and felt my eyes well up.

“I just want you to be mine...!”

I could both feel and hear Keith take a deep breath, then he laid his hand on the back of my head and patted my hair.

“You're jealous.” He said matter-of-factly. The word caused irritation to grow in my chest, and even if a tear fell, I pouted.

“No.”

“Yes, you are. You're a jealous, silly girl that believes every woman around me is your threat.”

“No…” I said but this time it was a bit shameful. I was jealous. I was jealous of his wife, who got to be his for real. I was jealous of that girl he lived with, who he could have done something with if he wanted to because he hadn't promised me anything. I was just the silly girl he could play silly games with.

Keith pulled me away from him, and with his hands on my shoulders, he looked at me. I stood with my eyes down at the ground so he wouldn't see my tears. If I had looked at him, I would have seen him smirking, amused at me, how he loved to make fun of me.

“Say you're jealous,” he teased, but it made me just start to cry more, and he laughed a little and pulled me against his chest again.

“You're so silly…” He laughed a little but bent down to give me a kiss on the nose. I looked up at him with hope it meant he forgave me.

“But you're my little silly baby.” I smiled carefully because I didn't dare to believe he had forgiven me. Keith laughed sweetly again, then gave me a soft kiss so I would understand we were back on it again.

×××

We sat together on the couch in the living room and looked at the ring between his fingers. I had gotten it for him, but to my surprise, he dragged me down the couch to look at it with him.

“I'm not in love with her. It was a long time ago I was in love with her,” said he and looked up at my face but lowered his eyes at the ring again.

“May?” I asked carefully, even if I knew. I had laid one of my legs over his and sat turned towards him, leaning my head against the back of the couch. Keith sat with spread legs, patting my nylon covered leg with his other hand.

“Yeah. May. We met when I was 25. That's a long time ago now…” He looked at me with a sad little smirk. I knew he looked at me that way because of the age. I was eight when he was 25.

“Got married when we were 28. We're the same age. Almost exactly, actually; her birthday is two days after mine…”

I looked down at my hands. Even if he said he wasn't in love with her, I could feel the emotions behind his words, and the jealousy we had talked about before made itself clear again.

“Our marriage died so slowly… I can't even really say what happened between us; it was just… A natural death?” He laughed a little and laid the ring on the coffee table. He turned to me, and when I looked up, I met his kind eyes and a bit of a worried smile.

“You okay?”

He dragged a hand over my thigh soothingly, and I faked a smile. I still felt jealous even if he said he didn't have feelings for her. Keith smiled crookedly and took my hand in his and kissed the inside of my wrist a couple of times. I looked at him with soft eyes and moved closer and closer to him so I could touch his lips with mine and feel my chest pressed up against his.

“I want you to be mine…” I whispered and looked down to see the part of him I knew I had some power over. I laid my hand over his belt, ready to open the thick leather, but he stopped me and laid his hand over mine.

“I know what you want, honey… I get that, but… If she finds out… Ehm… ” He dragged his other hand through his hair, stressed.

“I know about your money.”

I understood why he had such problems ending his sentence because he tried to keep his wealth a secret, but I already knew, so it felt easier for both him and me to just say I knew. “I know about your company and all that.”

Keith gave me a surprised look that transformed to an uncomfortable grimace. He lowered his eyes but nodded a little.

“Yeah… Yeah… She wants money. She would gladly see me cheat so she could get some of my family's money.” He looked up at me and moved closer to me.

“I can't let that happen because it was me who said to my family she and I would have a successful marriage. That we didn't need a prenup. And it's not my money. It's ours, my family's and… Fuck, I can't fuck this up, honey. However much I would like to be with you, I can't fuck this up.”

I understood what he meant but still had a hard time accepting it, so instead I got stuck sitting quietly and looking out over the room. Keith didn't say anything either for a long time until he stretched his arms like it was time for something else.

“Do you have any assignments I should look at?

I turned my eyes to him. At first, I couldn't understand what he was saying but nodded slowly when I finally did and thought about my schoolwork.

“Should I look at it?” He asked, patting my knee carefully. I nodded again and stood up as if I was in a trancelike state. I had too many thoughts, so it felt like it took longer for my brain to process my environment. I started to walk slowly towards the stairs to get my laptop in my room but turned around when my brain finally found what I had been wanting to ask.

“So it's over between us now?”

Keith looked up at me and dragged his hands over his jean-clad thighs.

“Do you want that?”

I gave him a strange look because I couldn't understand why he asked me that.

“I mean…” Keith stood up and approached me closely. It felt like I had forgotten how tall he actually was because I felt so small with him in front of me.

“I can't have a relationship with you, and I can't do anything about how my life looks… But of course I would want us to have our thing…” He smiled carefully and took my hand so he could play with my fingers. “The question is, do you want that? I understand if you feel that isn't fair…”

His eyes were big and full of emotions, and even if I knew the answer, I stood quietly and looked him deep in the eyes. He pulled me closer to his body and laid my hands on his chest.

“Hmm?” He said it like it was a real question, and it made me smile.

“That's okay… I want to—” I searched for the right word but couldn't find it, so in the stress of just talking, it didn't come out as I wanted.

“I want to love and sex with you.”

Keith looked amused when my cheeks grew redder and redder.

“I understand what you mean,” he said with a laugh, and then he leaned down and kissed me, healing everything that had happened before and soothing my embarrassment.

×××

The laptop stood in front of us on the coffee table with my assignment open, but Keith and I were busy making out. He pushed my hand against his crotch and dragged it over his erection harshly. When I started to do it by myself, he pushed me against the back of the couch with my legs up so he could drag his hand over my sex that was concealed under cotton panties and tights. I wished to have him closer but didn't dare to touch him more than over the jeans. Keith was not the shy one, though, and I could feel how his fingers worked between my legs. I thought he tried to just make it nice for me, but then he took a break from our kisses, looked me straight in the eyes, and then with a loud sound, he tore a big hole in the crotch of my tights. My eyes widened to double the size, and Keith smirked evilly while his fingers crept in the hole, moving my white panties to the side.

“Daddy just needs to be a bit closer, baby girl…” He kissed my shoulder while his fingertips dragged through my arousal that increased at every touch. I looked down at his fingers touching me. When he noticed, he was quick to spread me open so I could see my own wetness. Slowly, he pushed in the tip of his middle finger inside me and got me to make a low moan. After just a drag of one finger, he instead pushed three in me. It hurt, causing me to move involuntarily, but he stopped me from moving more.

“Daddy, just needs to stretch it out a bit so you can handle his cock. Your pussy is too tight for me…” he said with a smirk, holding his fingers inside of me. I breathed deeply, my feelings going wild but I never got the chance to answer because both of us heard the front door open.

×××

“Hey?” My mom looked at us in the living room. I had pulled down my skirt, and Keith pulled the laptop onto his lap, but we still sat as close together. She looked at us confused, seeing my leg lying over one of his and my chest pressed against his arm. I just smiled to make it seem normal. Keith had just given her a quick smile before he continued to look through my assignment. He tried to make it seem like he was busy.

“He helps me with the language,” I said to my mom and smiled sweetly, but she didn't smile back. She just looked at us intensely for a long time.

“I think we need to talk, honey.”

×

[questmouse]

Some Qftim: Reborn facts because why not ＼(・w・)／

Facts about Drew Brothers (Aka: Bendy & Boris)

Bendy can read/write in cursive. Meanwhile, Boris can't read or write in cursive.

Boris has learned many things from Bendy about being a mechanic, infact Boris learned at the age 8 about: Repairs, Maintains Machinery, Motors, etc.

Both of the siblings have a nonverbal language system they use taps kinda like morse code.

Bendy has wide vision, but Boris has tunnel vision.

Boris hasn't had time to maintain his inner animal instincts - such as wagging his tail, growling/whimpering when threatened, and other characters have a problem like these, characters such as: Mickey, Oswald, Ortensia, ect.

Boris has an excellent sense of hearing and smell.

Bendy doesn't have a nose... so he can't smell things.

Boris doesn't really like eating meat, but he eats it so he can grow up to be big and strong.

Facts about Walt Brothers (Aka: Mickey & Oswald)

Anytime Oswald is mad at Mickey or anyone else, he stomps around just like a rabbit.

Mickey has been a guardian of the bunny kids since after Ortensia had passed. He always helps Oswald with the bunnies, mainly taking the bunnies to the park, events, ect.

Oswald knows it's a burden to have Mickey help him, but despite that, Mickey appreciates being able to help out whenever he can, Oswald feels like the luckiest rabbit to have a brother like Mickey.

Mickey tries his hardest to have his home be very welcoming to his friends. On multiple occasions, he's let his friends stay at his place. His home is described as cozy and homey.

Oswald and Mickey both have a thing for cats.

Oswald has been in 3 relationships, Fanny, Ortensia, and Felix. Meanwhile, Mickey has been in 2 relationships, Minnie and Mark.

Mickey can purr like a cat since Mark taught him, and he only does it near Mark & Oswald.

Oswald knows how to professionally bake, he can make one fancy looking carrot cake.

Ever since Mickey saw Bendy and Boris, he felt close to them. He always thought of adopting the two, and Mickey told Oswald about his thoughts about adopting the two.

Facts about Cup Brothers (Aka: Cuphead & Mugman)

Mugman is still very salty that Cuphead sold their souls to the devil.

Cuphead & Mugman both have daddy issues with their folks: Blackhat and Doctor Flug

Cuphead has had multiple pet cats throughout his life as an adult, his current one: Jackpot (Aka Figaro)

Mugman and Cala Maria are currently dating and have been known as the "old couple" they go birdwatching, bingo, etc.

Cuphead keeps his hair jello yellow because he loves the scent of lemon.

Mugman used to used to have jello brown hair, but he didn't think he looked good with it.

Cuphead has the following weapons: Peashooter, Spread, Charge, Roundabout, Converge

Mugman has the following weapons: Peashooter, Chaser, Lobber, Crackshot, TwistUp.

Facts about Felix The Cat

Felix wanted to adopt Bendy and Felix, but he found out from Oswald that Mickey wanted to adopt them, and they are currently talking about adopting and sharing custody of Bendy and Boris.

He is slightly colorblind but it's not really noticeable to him.

When he first met Oswald he thought he was a weirdo and jerk, but after trying to build a relationship with him and getting to know him better he's been wanting to ask Oswald to go on a date.

He's got fast and sharp reflexes.

Felix hangs out with Sheba every Friday night after she closes the bookstore. Sometimes, they get drinks and talk about their week or their personal life.

He doesn't tend to make many friends, but he's really socialable when he's with his close friends.

He's currently writing about his new adventure with Bendy, Boris, Cuphead, Mugman, and Mark.

He's a decent chef and knows his way around making a good meal.

Facts about Mark Izuru (Aka: OC)

He is currently learning about all the kinds of runes that are in the world.

He lived outside of Inkwell Isle’s before he became an adult. He lived on an island with few people. His people know the language: Latin, and when he left the island to go look for the runes, he had to learn English from people he didn't know.

Mark is willing to do anything for Mickey. He makes sure Mickey can feel special anytime he has time to be with Mickey when he's not busy with work.

He was confused about his Sexuality when he was a teenager, but after meeting his now ex, he's only into guys. (His ex will be revealed soon) ;)

He is a great acrobatics and knows how to move around in small areas, tight places, etc.

Mark has a has a very high spice tolerance. He's challenged Cuphead several times to eat spicy food, and Mark has managed to come out on top when they eat spicy food.

He acts smug to Cuphead and Mickey, Cuphead because he likes to taunt/tease him, and Mickey, since he loves him and loves to tease him, he sometimes teases just to get a cute little reaction.

He has a connection with magic, and he's been trying to show Mickey all the kinds of magic he could do, and Mickey has been trying to incorporate magic into his Circus.

What do you think about this headcanons? :]

I plan to make a part 2, featuring (Sheba, Fanny, etc.). If you have any questions or ask about the AU, please! Feel free to ask me :]

[orange-ghost]

My hottest take on disability media is that this film (as much as it deserved a good 90% of it's backlash; my GOD it was ableist, harmful, horribly written, horribly paced, and clearly not well thought-out) ...would NOT have been as poorly received had the titular character had low-support needs as opposed to high.

I'm serious. I saw that some of y'all's knee-jerk reactions were "AUTISTIC PEOPLE DON'T ACT LIKE THAT!" and "BUT I'M NOT LIKE THAT!" and... I mean? Yeah? She's one girl, she obviously can't represent the whole spectrum.

But I'm sick of this lateral ableism, "I'm-not-like-other-girls"-esque attitude some of us Autistics have towards the others. We learn to look down upon those who can't take care of themselves or get by in the world like we can; the ones who can't mask; the ones who are sometimes dealt the most abuse in life because they'll never have the privilege of being able to verbally speak up against it or live without a caretaker. Because what often happens is:

Autistic people who need a lot more support than we do wind up becoming allistics' Default Setting™️ idea of Autism.

Autistic people who are very different (usually more independent, sharper intellect and maybe inclined towards more mature[?] interests) then come into those allistic people's lives.

The allistics then begin to infantalize them the same way they infantalize the Default Setting™️ Autistic people around them, then refuse to listen when asked/begged to stop; denial of autonomy.

Instead of directing the VERY warranted disgust, anger and resentment towards the ableist allistic people doing this to us, we direct it towards the initial victims of this treatment; who, frankly, ALSO don't deserve to be treated like literal babies or burdens like that in the first place!

Instead of trying to find solidarity? In-fighting ensues.

I don't know, that's always irked me and it's been in my brain for like four years. Because think about how much we learned in a short period of time around the movie's release. The woman...

Forced a 14-year-old Allistic child to imitate a disabled person when she didn't want to;

TAUGHT her to do so via forcing her to watch meltdown videos filmed & posted by Autistic kids' parents (likely without the child's consent);

Dissed Autistic actresses online for no fucking reason, really.

Named a movie after a disabled child character who's treated more like a prop and isn't even centered in the film's story (and lowkey repeated the pattern twice, if you guys remember Felix's storyline. He was just shoved into this for like... sadness points?)

Teams up with the "most popular" Autism organization even though it has been VERY accessible and public knowledge for years that they've earned a pretty negative reputation for themselves.

Portrays unnecessary prone restraint as a GOOD thing.

...And has MULTIPLE instances of questionably racist undertones. Including within the first 5 seconds of the film.

And yet, some of y'all's priority was the fact that "I'm not like that! I'm FUNCTIONAL!"

...Yeah. Yikes.

Something tells me that Music would've gotten significantly less backlash had Maddie been made to portray somebody who could consistently speak verbally, stimmed in more subtle ways, and didn't have so many meltdowns.

We feel so much shame & discomfort at just sharing a diagnosis with somebody more disabled than ourselves that we will reject it (and them) the moment it happens, without a second thought. Because the thought of being treated by abled society as even more disabled than we are already terrifies us. Because we KNOW that disabled people as a whole are not treated well.

Hell, clearly Sia internalized something like that as well because she wound up being diagnosed as Autistic herself, and she WROTE the damn thing!

Yeah, I've... got a couple of words for all this. 😬

Assimilation. Trauma. Internalized ableism, even. Let's unpack that in 2025, please!

[lazuli-starlight]

What are your favourite characters in TSAMS?

Sorry this took so long to answer Anon, my brain has been made of Soup lately. Warning, this is LONG. I either say nothing or I write essays there is no in-between with me.

Anyways

From the very first video TSAMS I have watched, there has always been One Character that my brain latched on to like a deranged wrinkly pink leech and has refused to let go of.

The absolute edgelord theatre kid supreme turned soggy wet dorito, Eclipse.

I’m being serious when I say he is one of my favourite antagonist characters of All Time in any I have ever consumed. Hang on, imma see if I can find the tumblr post I made about half a year ago where I gushed about how much I love his character and copy paste it under the readmore, lol:

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

Been thinking recently about how Eclipse is not only my favorite TSBS character, but perhaps one of my favorite villian characters of all time. He's just so much fun to put under a microscope.

He's done terrible things. He's an absolute Edgelord Theatre Kid Supreme. He's a pathetic sad, wet cat of a man. He will kill without remorse. He's a sarcastic ball of prickles. He's so very smart and also so very dense. He's so overly serious it warps around to being funny. He's a grumpy bear. He's an absolute jerk and cares despite how much he pretends he doesn't. He's a liar, yet somehow authentic in a way other people often are not. He hates people. He is lonely. He is utterly terrified of vulnerability. He yearns to be loved, and perhaps also yearns to love others in turn. His ego is huge. He has been humbled hugely.

I have never been so strongly affected by a character death than Eclipse calling himself pathetic in his final moments. It hurt, despite everything he was, everything he had done. I thought it was a fantastic end for him, a wonderful conclusion to his story. I was still overjoyed when he was brought back. And now he is learning and growing. Everything I had been sad he had been unable to let himself do before his end.

Because, while sometimes bad things happen to people who don't deserve it, it is also true that sometimes somebody who does not deserve a second, third, fourth chance gets it. And sometimes, somebody who you never would think would use it, finally starts the journey to turn their life around. And sticks with it. And, that's something that makes me happy.

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

In present day, he is a protagonist rather than an antagonist, but I still love his character. EAPS has fed me so much in regards to Eclipse’s character and allowed me to do more of one of my favourite things: Put Eclipses Psyche into a Petri Dish and Study it Under a Microscope. That And I admit to having weakness for the following tropes present in EAPS Eclipse: -Bad Guy is Not So Much Reformed But Rather Domesticated Like A Feral Cat -Bad/Mean Guy is Soft For A Specific Person/People -Villain/ Ex-Villain Adopts A Daughter -Ex-Bad Guy Uses Bad Guy Skills To Serve Good Guy Cause -Platonic Tsundere Cares Deeply For Friends and Family -Bad Guy/ Ex-Bad Guy With Friendless Background is Overprotective and Possessive of Their Loved Ones -Long-Term Redemption Stories Full of Character Growth and Character Exploration -Grouchy Person Suffering Played For Laughs -Snark

So yeah, even though EAPS Eclipse isn’t an antagonist any more he is *still* my favourite TSBS Character and I’m so grateful that EAPS is a Thing XD

(Also in the interest of honesty another reason I like Eclipse: I may be aroace but even I find the voice Davis gave him to be attractive. Sue Me.)

[cedarxwing]

The ending of Hannibal the novel explained

(aka the breastfeeding scene)

Here's the passage (end of Chapter 101):

I thought everyone was kidding about the breastfeeding kink jokes until my partner read Hannibal and the whole ending flew over their head. Their main takeaway was "that was weird." When I checked reddit, it seemed everyone was confused there too. I was gobsmacked to see one guy say that Thomas Harris was playing some cruel joke on the reader by writing an ending that didn't make sense!

How many people are reading Hannibal like this, completely missing the resolution to Hannibal's character arc? They must finish the book confused about what it was all about in the first place. So here's how I understand it!

First, I need to get this out of the way: a lot of people hate this scene, and from what I understand it's because they're weirded out by the "breastfeeding kink." Which is fine, but it makes me want to gently hold them by the hand and tell them that it's ok for someone to suck on a nipple. It happens all the time. Sometimes it just feels good, sometimes it's part of a breastfeeding fantasy, and sometimes it's literal breastfeeding. Between consenting adults, this is all fine and normal. Let's all move past this knee-jerk repulsion (or alternatively, sit in our discomfort and expand our horizons) so we can analyze this piece of art together. :)

Next, authors LOVE Freudian psychoanalysis. Even though it's all nonsense, it's full of literary allusion and makes for compelling narratives and character studies (childhood maladjustment, repressed memories, etc), which is basically catnip for a writer. Thomas Harris was no exception, and probably creamed himself (as I did) when he learned that Freud's oral-sadistic stage was also termed the "cannibalistic stage," referring to the time when an infant is growing teeth and begins to bite at the breast--the psychosexual urge to devour and destroy the thing you love. What could be more appropriate for Hannibal?

Next, consider the pattern of Hannibal's Il Mostro murders. He killed young couples in one of the most romantic cities in the world, then arranged them as Chloris and Zephyr from Botticelli's Primavera, exposing Chloris's left breast just like in the painting. In classical art, an exposed breast is often a symbol of fertility. Chloris is associated with spring, new growth, and transformation.

Perhaps, at the time, Hannibal rationalized these murders as retribution for rude behavior. Maybe the couples were performing disgusting PDA. Maybe they were obnoxious tourists on their honeymoons. Either way, it's clear to the reader that Hannibal has some deep-seated hang up about sex and romance.

The particulars of this hang up are open to interpretation, but based on Hannibal's obsession with the rape and transformation of Chloris as well as his embarrassment at the paintings of Leda and the Swan in the German's house, I think it's safe to say that Hannibal feels like any relationship he has with a woman who isn't aware of his true (monstrous) identity would involve a degree of violence/lack of consent. He is forever barred from normal romance.

Having given up on sex/romance, Hannibal is unable to consciously recognize his desire for Clarice, so he sublimates it into a more general familial love. He longs for a return to innocence, to return to the time before he ate Mischa and became an unlovable monster (cue the teacup metaphor).

But even familial love seems like too much to hope for, so he sublimates it further into something that seems more attainable: resurrecting the person whom he loved and devoured, and who loved him in turn (Mischa) through Clarice.

So we have the breast as a symbol of sex/fertility (Chloris/Clarice), as an object that is loved and devoured (Mischa), and as a literal source of sustenance that must be given up during infancy (mommy).

Big brain Clarice connects all these dots and, in the very same style of therapy that Hannibal has been using on her, distills Hannibal's psychological problems into a single poetic gesture that completely fixes Hannibal in an instant, proving that she's not only his intellectual equal, but is, in some ways, his superior.

When Clarice asks, "Did you ever feel that you had to relinquish the breast to Mischa? Did you ever feel you were required to give it up for her?", she's ostensibly asking Hannibal if he's stuck in the oral stage of childhood development (which yeah he probably is). On a deeper level, she's asking Hannibal to consider if he's given up on love.

When Clarice exposes her breast in the same fashion as Chloris, says, "You don’t have to give up this one", and suspends the drop of wine from her nipple, she is shifting his perception of her breast from familial devoured sustenance to a sexual object. Basically, "Why do you want me to pretend I'm your sister when we could be banging?" Hannibal is being aged out of his childlike mindset, not regressing into one.

There are other layers of meaning in this act. The hedonism of using thousand dollar wine for food play is a sign of Clarice's character development. The way Hannibal kneels before Clarice is a position of subservience, but could also be interpreted as devouring Clarice in a way that's new to him. It's the most self-actualized thing Hannibal has done since escaping prison (LOL) and marks the end of his hero's journey (as one of the first things we see him do in Hannibal Rising is nurse).

Personally, I don't read this scene as breastfeeding kink. Yeah, Clarice talks about breastfeeding, but that was more a metaphor for other stuff. Considering the direction of Hannibal's character arc, I understand this scene as him briefly licking the wine off before they have sex. But to each their own! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

ANYWAY, yeah, it's unsettling. It's obviously meant to be. But it's beautifully unsettling! Hate it all you want, but this is peak cannibal romance, to me!!

[yandereadventuretime]

Chained Together Forever

Summary: You and Prince Gumball get chained, much to his annoyance

You were looking for something specific while Gumball was out. You realized he had it but didn't know where he put it. You might be wondering what 'it' is; All you need to understand is that it's important. You hear the door jiggle and quickly hid under his desk.

You could hear two pairs of footsteps and people talking. It was Gumball and Lemongrab. You covered your mouth when hearing them getting closer to you. You couldn't make out their words, because your mind was drifting in and out and trying to find an exit.

Prince Gumball stopped in front of the desk and you could see his long thin legs stop right where you were.

"You can leave."

At first, you thought he knew you were there and was talking to you, but before you got out, you heard Lemongrab abide Gumball goodbye. You scooted back as his legs reached out further, almost touching you. God, why did he have such long legs?!

"You realize it's not very nice to go through other people's things, Y/n."

Your eyes widened, but you quickly frowned. You were about to speak up, but then realized that he wasn't conscious of where you were; He was trying to get you to speak so he could find you. If you didn't talk he wouldn't be aware of where you were.

"Making a mess out of my things. What were you looking for? That stupid book? I told you I didn't have it. Why don't you believe me?"

He waited for your response, but when not receiving one, he started looking around. First, he opened his pantry and then he looked in some cabinets.

"I know you're in here, so you might as well come out."

You knew he'd find you eventually because as much as you hated it, he was incredibly intelligent, so you decided it'd be better if you just came out. You crawled out from under the desk and peeked at the top.

"You have my book."

He groans, holding his head in his hands. "I don't have your book," he goes through a dresser and pulls out some handcuffs.

"What are you doing with those?" You backed up frightened.

"Since you want to be here so bad, rummaging through my stuff, you can stay here."

"That's unethical-"

"So is going through other's things." He grabs your wrist and pulls you near a pole. He buckles your hand but before he can buckle you to the pole you grab his hand and force it in front of the pole so he accidentally cuffs himself. "Why you little!"

You laugh, while the Prince struggles with the handcuffs.

"You've got to be kidding me-"

"You got stuck with me! What an idiot!"

He frowned at you as you continued to mock him.

"God, I've never met someone so addlebrained."

"Oh, that's a big word. Where did you learn it?"

"Thank you! Marshall introduced me to the word."

"God, why do you hang out with that jerk?"

"He's not that bad... All the time. Why do you care?"

"I don't care!" He quickly defends, causing you to gasp.

"Are you jealous?"

"Of course not. He's just a bad influence for you."

"Okay Daaaddd."

He rolls his eyes, yanking harder on the cuffs, "Don't call me that."

"Oh, you don't like it? Well, don't act like my dad."

"I personally wish you'd surround yourself with better people."

"People like you?"

"Yes."

You frown, "God, you're so pretentious! And an ego-manic."

"Ego-manic? Are you serious! I put my whole life into everything I do! God, you make me question myself sometimes."

"Sooo... You are pretentious?"

"Y/n, do you have... How do I say this? Do you have a more mature side?"

"You cuffed me, which seems oddly sexual, but I'm the problem?"

"You were in my lab!"

"You have my book!"

"No I don't! In fact, I was going to tell you that Fiona had it."

"Fiona?"

"She got it from Marshall. Your boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend," You quickly defend, but the Prince just shakes his head.

"Well, you sure defend him like one. Why, sometimes I'd think you were in love with him."

"What are you talking about? I'm not in love with him and I don't defend him," You look down at his hand, which was so close to yours, "Why do you care so much? You're so mean to him and sometimes you're wrong. Why do you hate him?"

"I don't hate him-"

"Then what's your issue?"

He looks towards you, not saying anything, but he started getting closer and closer. You were frozen and only snapped out of it when he put his lips on yours.

You were surprised, but Gumball speaks quickly.

"She was looking for you to give it back to you. You're lucky he wasn't able to open it."

"Yeahh..." You respond, still confused about what happened.

The cuff falls and he chuckles, "I guess you're the speechless one now."

[ipostwhatiwant1202]

As a Dad: Donnie Edition

Authoritative

• he was never a stick in the mud or off the walls, he's more of an in the middle of all his bros when it comes to personality

• out of all his brothers, you'd think he's the most qualified to be a dad, he thinks he is, but he's as much of a disaster as the rest

• he relies heavily on research once the baby is born (biologically by miracle or adoption) but then when the science back fired, he had an epiphany

• 0-8 month stage was the hardest for him because he doesn't do well with screaming and crying but he knows the baby can't help it so he just wings it

• he discovered science isn't what helps him be a parent, it's getting to know the child so he's a pretty hands on dad

• the toys are all home made and cater to brain stimulation and growth

• he definitely takes the child everywhere with him cause that's now his little friend

• sleep schedule is all messed up so he's usually the one to take the night shift

• loves the walking and talking stages cause now he can start introducing the kid to his non-deadly projects

• thus begins the 2-8 stage. poor donnie

• he has way more patience than leo could ever have cause he's a middle child, so he becomes a more gentle parent

• not a yeller and not a physical punishment kind of guy. the naughty corner is definitely a thing

• this is the stage where he reads up on how to deal with tantrums and redirecting, so he becomes the de-escalation king

• it worked until puberity.

• 13-17 were not fun for him and he really felt splinters pain from when he was this age

• the kids are respectful and really nice kids, until they are fighting with each other or being told no

• grounding became a thing and donnie isn't the best at sticking to his punishment (lets face it, he's a softie), however he still reads those books and knows he can't back down

• he often invites his kids to his lab and to help him with his projects, it's his way of spending time with them

• the kids think donnie wont find out things but donnie always knows

• sometimes his head gets stuck in his computer or in a project, but he always makes time for his kids

• he's a binge watcher so he watches tv shows and movie series with the children all the time

• kids are super smart so an A/B average is no problem and he's their personal tutor when they need it

• never forces his interests on the kids but he teaches them things he thinks they need to know

• boy dad coded but if he had a little girl he would also be a great girl dad

• his tinkering sessions with the kids is his time to really figure out what's going on in their heads, thus creating a judgement free zone

• not an overly affectionate dad but he's very supportive of all the kids do

• he definitely says it's parenting

• he's the fun parent by far

• he will make sure your kid excels in whatever sport or activity they decide to take up, but also teaches them not to be little jerks about it

• no problem playing dress up or getting his make up done

• no problem rough housing or wwe wrestling after you said no

• he may be the man of the house, but he usually says that you're the boss so the kids have learned to ask you first over him if they want something

• he is always attending every event the kids have and watches through security tapes or he sneaks in

• he teaches his kids how to dominate the world

• he has the best bedside manner when his kids are sick or upset about something

• he makes science nicknames for your kids and still calls them by them into their adult years

• honesty and respect is the one thing he instills in the kids

• he lets them have ice cream for breakfast on their birthdays

• type of dad to call and ask what you're doing rather than text

[bloody-bee-tea]

24 Days of MHA 2024 Day 15 - Something shifted

Shouta doesn't know why, but when he's watching Shinsou untangle himself from his own capture weapon, a frown on his face as he tries to undo the bindings around himself, something warm and fond curls in Shouta's chest.

It immediately makes him frown himself, because yeah, he sometimes likes the kids he teaches, but he doesn't care beyond the professional amount and he certainly doesn't get attached.

But it's unmistakable that he has gotten attached something bad to Shinsou, because instead of reprimanding him he goes over to help, even though he huffs out a soft laugh.

"Yeah, you laugh it up, sensei," Shinsou grumbles under his breath, though he gives him a thankful smile when Shouta comes to his rescue. "I bet you got yourself tangled up like this, too, when you were learning."

It's more disrespect than Shouta usually allows from the kids he teaches and yet—

"Worse even," he admits and watches Shinsou's eyes go wide. "I had to learn from scratch. There was no one to teach me, so I had a pretty rough time."

Shinsou freezes for a moment, clearly picturing Shouta in the same situation he just found himself in and then a smile practically lights up his face.

Shouta finds that he'd do a whole lot to keep that smile on there and it's a surprising enough thought that he shelves it away for later inspection.

He helps Shinsou out of the capture weapon and then musters him with a critical eye.

"I gave you a meal plan," he then says and immediately, the smile slides off Shinsou's face. Shouta ignores the pang of regret in his chest. "You're not sticking to it."

It's not a question, because Shinsou has barely filled out since they started their training and it's not right. Shouta made that meal plan to allow maximum muscle growth and that is clearly not happening.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise. Explain your reasons to me," Shouta says, because he finds that much more important than an apology that could just be empty words.

He doesn't need Shinsou to be sorry; he just needs to understand his situation and maybe adjust for anything he hadn't thought of at first.

"You—know I'm in foster care, right?" Shinsou carefully starts, seemingly having the words dragged out of him and Shouta narrows his eyes at him.

He hadn't known that actually, but Shinsou seems to think that's a given, somehow.

"I didn't."

"But—it's in my file."

"I haven't looked at your file, kid. I don't care what previous schools or teachers have to say about you, or how your old grades were. I just needed to know if you have the drive to be a hero and if your grades here are good enough to not drop with a bit of extra training. I didn't pry into your personal life."

Maybe he should have, Shouta thinks when Shinsou shrinks in on himself and the way he had mentioned the foster care situation makes it seems as if it isn't all that great.

"I didn't know," Shinsou whispers out and he seems too caught off guard for something as small as this but Shouta doesn't have time to mull this over now, because he still doesn't actually know how his living situation relates to the meal plan, though a small suspicion is forming in his mind.

"The meal plan?" Shouta finally prompts Shinsou when he seems lost in thought and Shinsou jerks in surprise.

"Right, yeah, sorry, I didn't mean to space out," Shinsou rushes out and then goes on before Shouta can reassure him that he isn't mad or annoyed.

He's annoyed that Shinsou seems to think like that, but he's not annoyed with the kid.

"This family isn't—bad, I don't want you to get the wrong impression, but—" Shinsou hesitates, nervously tapping his finger against his leg. "I do get enough to eat, it's just—requests are not welcome?"

"You're not allowed to ask to have your meals adjusted to fit your training?" Shouta asks for clarification and Shinsou hunches his shoulders as if he's preparing for a hit and Shouta feels sick all of a sudden.

"Are they hurting you?" he asks, blunt like always and he has already half a mind going over there and putting the fear of god into those foster parents.

"No! No, like I said, this family isn't bad, it's just—"

"Not very welcoming," Shouta finishes for him and he doesn't comment on the implication that other foster families were, in fact, bad.

"Yeah," Shinsou agrees and gives Shouta a shaky smile. "So I couldn't stick to your meal plan. I'm sorry. I should have said. I'm trying as best as I can but—" he trails off with a shrug and Shouta has to fight the sudden image of Shinsou at his own kitchen table, sharing a meal that does follow the instructions of the meal plan, with Shouta and Hizashi joining him, warm laughter and easy conversation filling the room.

This could be a problem, Shouta realises and reaches out to pat Shinsou's head.

"It's alright. We'll go over what is possible for you and what not, but you need to tell me these things. If you don't speak up, I'll just assume it's good and then I can't change anything."

"I understand," Shinsou replies and for now Shouta is satisfied.

They got Shinsou out of the bindings, they will adjust his meal plan and he isn't being hurt at home.

It should all be good, but instead some unnamed feeling grows in Shouta's chest.

~*~*~

Shouta has prodded at the feeling in his chest for days, inspected it closely and mulled it over and there's only one terrifying conclusion: he wants to give Shinsou a home.

He wants to care for him, make sure he gets his food, has his wishes fulfilled, can come home to a warm and loving home, wants to see him bundled up on their couch, blanket wrapped around his shoulders and cat in his lap. Souta wants to see him laugh and joke around with Hizashi, he wants to have stupid fights over stuff only teenagers could care about and most of all he just wants to give Shinsou a family.

Something shifted inside of him when he met Shinsou, Shouta can see that now, and suddenly having a kid—and a surely teenaged one at that—seems like the most important thing in his life.

He only has to break those news to Hizashi.

“I want to adopt,” Shouta says, and frowns when Hizashi only mildly shakes his head.

“We’re not getting another cat, we have three and that’s enough,” Hizashi decisively says and okay, that’s Shouta’s mistake.

"I think we should get foster licenses," he rephrases and maybe, in hindsight, that wasn't the best way because now Hizashi's head flies around, eyes wide and a look of pure terror on his face.

"Who are you and what have you done with my husband?" Hizashi asks and Shouta supposes that's fair.

They were on the same page about kids, after all—namely, to never ever have any, ever—so this must be quite the shock to him.

"Hizashi," Shouta sighs out but Hizashi shakes his head in a way that makes his hair whip around behind him.

Shouta idly wonders if he could ever learn to use that as a weapon, too, but then the panic in Hizashi's voice makes him focus.

"No! Shouta, what the hell is going on? Have you hit your head? Are you under the influence of a quirk?" He waits just long enough for Shouta to shake his head before he goes on. "We agreed on this. No kids, ever. We agree on this anew every other year. What the fuck is going on?"

"Listen, I just think maybe we could give Shinsou a very loving home," Shouta says and watches how Hizashi blinks in confusion at him, panic momentarily forgotten.

"Shinsou. The kid you took on for extra lessons? The one from Gen Ed who made it into the third round of the sports festival?"

"Yeah."

Relief washes over Hizashi as he slumps back into the couch.

"Oh, gods, don't do this to me, Shouta, I thought you meant just any kid, like, get a toddler or something. But you're being stupid about a specific kid. He has parents, Shou."

"He doesn't actually," Shouta gives back and watches with something almost akin to amusement how Hizashi tenses again. "He's in foster care."

"Oh, fuck me," Hizashi mumbles under his breath before he glares at Shouta again. "We're not adopting a kid just because you're going soft."

"I'm not going soft," Shouta shoots back, because in all honesty, if he were going soft, there are like a handful of kids in his own class that probably need adopting. It's just— "I'm only going soft for Shinsou," he then admits, because the kid just does something to him.

"Why?"

And that's the ten million yen question, isn't it? Why is Shouta going soft on this particular kid? He doesn't have a definite answer to it, but he thinks if Hizashi would interact with him, then he'd understand.

"Have you been paying attention to him?"

It's not even a question if Hizashi knows him, because he's teaching all the kids English, so by default Shinsou is in one of his classes, but Hizashi shakes his head.

"No. I didn't think there was a reason to. You have his hero training handled and his English grades are perfect."

"Okay," Shouta nods as if that makes perfect sense.

"Not okay! What? You think I'll interact with the kid and suddenly I'm willing to adopt when we both agreed kids were never on the table?"

"Yes."

Shouta doesn't know how or why, but he's one hundred percent convinced that if Hizashi spends time with Shinsou, he'll want to adopt him, too.

"Did he brainwash you? Is this like a sleeper command thing he gave you and now you're compelled to want to adopt him?" Hizashi asks with narrowed eyes and Shouta blinks.

"I don't think he can do that, but I'll bring it up in training. It could be useful, if that were possible."

"Shou, focus!" Hizashi snaps out and Shouta sighs.

"He didn't brainwash me. He didn't even ask me to adopt him or anything like that. He mentioned being in foster care because it came up. He—doesn't seem happy, there."

"Todoroki doesn't seem happy with his father, either," Hizashi shoots back and yeah, that's exactly the problem.

It's just Shinsou, for Shouta.

"I know, but it's different. Hizashi, I can't explain it. I look at him and I just—I want to be there for him."

"You can be there for him as his teacher. There's no need for adoption."

Shouta knows that Hizashi is right, logically. But emotionally—

"It's not enough. It wouldn't be enough. I don't know why this is happening but it is."

"I'm not adopting a kid with you," Hizashi says with finality. "You knew kids were off the table. This is not happening."

Shouta sighs, because he should have expected his pig-headed husband to stand firm on this.

"I'm asking you for one week."

"One week of what?"

"Talking with Shinsou. Paying attention to him. You said his English grades are perfect. Get him to stay behind and offer advanced lessons or whatever. Do it under the pretence of wanting to talk to him about his quirk. It's voice activated, maybe you have some pointers for him. Just—one week. And then we'll talk again."

Hizashi studies him for a long moment before he lets out a long breath.

"Fine. One week. And until then I do not want to hear anything about adoption, or foster licenses, or Shinsou in this house at all."

"Fair," Shouta agrees and leans in for a kiss.

Hizashi stays stiff for only a moment, before he softens and leans into the kiss. Neither of them are people to hold a grudge and now that they have agreed on something, the entire topic is shelved and they are both clearly fine with that.

Shouta loves Hizashi a whole lot.

~*~*~

They don’t talk about it again. Shouta doesn’t ask and Hizashi doesn’t offer, but Shouta trusts that Hizashi is holding true to his words, that he’s spending time with Shinsou.

He suspects it when Shinsou shows up late to their training on Monday, haphazardly stuffing a book on advanced English into his bag but he doesn’t mention it and again, Shouta doesn’t ask. He doesn’t know why Shinsou doesn’t mention any further lessons with Hizashi; if he’s scared Shouta will be mad that he’s taking on even more work or if he thinks Eraserhead and Present Mic don’t get along well.

Shouta will ask, eventually, depending on Hizashi’s final verdict on this, but for now he lets it slide and pretends as if everything is normal. As if he doesn’t have to fight the urge to pull the kid into a sideway hug, or ruffle his head or buy him something to eat when Shinsou’s stomach audibly grumbles during training.

Well, he doesn’t fight the urge to feed Shinsou because that would be illogical and stupid and so he brings extra lunch starting Wednesday.

No matter what Hizashi’s final word on this will be, but this is something Shouta can do even without officially adopting the kid and he’s not going to stop even after the week is over.

It feels as if the days are dragging on, even though time of course passes like normal, but it’s way too long until Sunday and until Shouta and Hizashi sit down at their kitchen table to talk.

About whether or not they are going to adopt a fifteen-year-old teenager.

“You spent time with him,” Shouta starts with and Hizashi huffs at him.

“Of course I did. I told you I would, what do you even take me for?”

Shouta only smiles, because of course he knew Hizashi would, but the nerves in his gut make it hard to think.

He really wants this, and he thinks he’s going to need a day or three to mope if Hizashi says no.

“So? What do you say then?” Shouta asks and his eyes go big when Hizashi pulls out a stack of papers.

“These—” he slides one of the papers over to Shouta “—are all the courses we need to take in order to get a foster license. I talked to Yamamura from the CPS—you know, that one contact I have there—and he said he can’t fast track us on this, though he can make it so we get to cram for like days on end instead of a class every now and then. He promised to fast track the actual paper work, though, so if everything goes well, we could have a license in about a month.”

“This—” another paper gets pushed over the table “—are the dates we can take off at U.A. to take our courses, I already talked to Nezu about it and possibly started something, because he seemed to really be into the idea of his teachers having foster licenses, so I guess I’m going to have to apologise to everyone soon. I coordinated this with Yamamura and it works out fine, so this is not a problem.”

“Hizashi,” Shouta chokes out but Hizashi is on a roll and he doesn’t even let Shouta speak.

“Curiously enough Shinsou tends to be moved from one family to the next after five to six months, which begets the question what the fuck is going on there and Yamamura is on it, but that also means that he’s going to move again, soon, because he’s been with his current family for around four months now. It’s not a lot of time, but it’s enough to let us do everything we need to in order to prepare for him.”

He points at a scribbled note on one of the papers before Shouta can even wrap his head around the fact that Shinsou has never had a stable home. It might be for the best, too, because that only makes his heart hurt.

“This is the date for the home inspection, because again, we can’t skip this if we want this to be airtight and for Shinsou to be placed with us permanently. Now—” Hizashi seriously says and levels Shouta with a look as he splays out his hands over the remaining papers. “I know you love this apartment but we’re going to need a bigger one. I refuse to stash Shinsou into that cramped office we have. We’re going to look at apartments and you’re going to participate, do you understand me?”

“I do,” Shouta solemnly says, because what else is there to say.

“I contacted a real-estate agent and she gave me these four options so far. I already talked to Cementoss, too, any renovations you’d want to do inside are fine, he’s on board to help. So you’re going to look through them and you’re going to keep in mind that this is for our family, so you’re not going to be difficult about it.”

His phrasing makes Shouta laugh, even as love fills him up to the point where it feels as if he’s choking on it.

“So, the kid is kind of amazing, huh?” he asks as he makes grabby hands at the apartments Hizashi has ready for them and Hizashi slides them over easily enough.

“The kid is—” Hizashi cuts himself off, clearly struggling to find words and Shouta can relate to that. “Fuck, Shou, I just want to—I don’t know, make him happy. He’s working so hard and he’s so beaten down about everything.” Hizashi rubs a hand over his mouth and Shouta can easily read the distress off his face, though it’s mostly overshadowed by fondness for a kid he has only known for about a week.

“He’s like a mini-you, really,” Hizashi finally says with a small smile, “and he’s sharp! I think his brain is wired differently, to pick up languages more easily because of his quirk, and he’s so interested in things. He wants to continue his English lessons with me and he’s learning Sign as well and he asked if I could teach him any other languages. I guess it’s time for me to brush up on my Chinese and Italian.”

“I keep feeding him,” Shouta admits and Hizashi lets out a snort.

“He’s too thin,” he agrees. “He needs a home, Shou. A family, who adores him like he deserves.”

“We’re working on it,” Shouta softly says and reaches across the table to take Hizashi’s hand in his. “We’re going to make sure he gets everything he deserves.”

“Yeah. You think he’ll want to stay with us?” Hizashi asks and the question kicks off a new worry.

“He—might? He likes us well enough, doesn’t he?” Shouta worriedly asks but then decides that ultimately, it’s Shinsou’s decision anyway.

If he doesn’t want to live with them, then that’s that, but for now they are just going to assume that he could want this.

“Let’s not worry over this for now,” Shouta says because they have more important things to do. “Let’s rather worry about apartments.”

He pulls the stack closer but when he looks up he’s met with Hizashi’s loving smile.

“I didn’t know it could be like that, wanting to have kids.”

“A kid,” Shouta corrects. “A very specific kid. But yeah. Me neither.”

It’s a good feeling, though Shouta doubts he could have it for anyone but Shinsou at this point, but maybe that’s already enough. If they can just help the one kid, that’s already more than enough, right?

“He can never know, though,” Shouta then says and levels Hizashi with a look. “If he learns we did this just for him, he’s going to agree out of guilt. He can’t know.”

“And he won’t.”

(Shinsou does know, because Shouta feels as if they have been lying to him when they start to consider adoption. Shinsou had been receptive to come live with them and everything clicked together as if it was meant to be so when they present him with the adoption form—it has to be his choice, too—they come clean about their foster licenses and everything that came with it. Shinsou cries for a good hour after that and immediately signs the papers, because for all that Shouta feared it would make him feel guilty, it has the exact opposite effect. Shinsou finally feels as if someone really wants him, and that’s all he ever hoped for in his life. It works out for all of them.)

[rocksibblingsau]

Now you got me wondering, How would Funk Branch interact with the royal family, r&b, and lownote jones?

With Quincy and Essence there are some things that are spoilers for Rock Sibblings, but just know things are rocky at first! For outside reasons as well as the fact that Branch simply never really had parents for very long, let alone TWO parents (excluding temporary fosters). He was raised by his grandma. The two are just as patient as Thrash is, so they do eventually make progress with him and by the time of adulthood they're a close knit family.

Quincy and Essence encourage him to explore various interests and they are always great listeners. They love Branch a lot, but Branch doesn't replace what they lost.

As a kid, Darnell didn't initially get along well with Branch. Neither wanted the other as a brother. Branch for obvious reasons and Darnell because he wanted his brother, not a replacement. Over time they warm up to each other under the agreement they're just friends, but that eventually falls away and they're brothers. It's a learning curve for Branch to be a big brother, and he comes to find that he could never imagine leaving D the way his brothers left him. Even the thought of moving out of their parents house to next door feels like abandoning D. He also carries some guilt over the fact that this should be Cooper, but D is always quick to reassure him that he'd never trade Branch for Cooper. He'd love to have both his brothers, but if he can't then... well, he's happy with how things turned out.

Branch is the first one that D tells about his idea for Hip Hop. If anyone would be open to a subgenre, it's his adopted Pop-turned-Funk brother. Branch of course supports him, and even dabbles in Hip Hop himself, maybe even being Hip Hop as well.

When Cooper does reunite with D, that fear of abandonment is there again. The fear that Branch was just a replacement that D doesn't need anymore. D however grabs Branch's hand and pulls him over to Cooper and introduces them. Cooper's surprised on all fronts, but especially that Grey Branch was a good older brother to his twin. Hearing about how good of brother Branch was to D makes Cooper feel bad for how Branch was treated by Pop Village. Cooper was an odd one out, and if he had only tried, the two could have been friends. It's clear that Branch wasn't AGAINST caring about people like he'd thought.

The three become a little trio, with Cooper happy to go from 0 brothers to 2 in the span of a day.

Lownote Jones is used to everyone adoring him, normally just from his voice alone or his charms. While Branch can certainly notice both of those, he doesn't act like other people around Lownote, which he really likes. Branch actually becomes interested in Lownote due to Lownote's reputation as a scientist and pilot. Lownote isn't aware of this at first, and is kind of disappointed by the change, but in a 'oh well, it was nice while it lasted' kind of way before he realizes Branch is actually just more interested in the things he says rather than the "smooth cadence of his voice". The two are VERY good friends and Branch is introduced to Funk science by Lownote. Branch gives a very interesting outside perspective...

Which ties into how he interacts with R and B! He reins them in when they get too ahead of themselves and reminds them of the basics. He doesn't always get along with them, often finding some of their stuff too over the top. ("Why does the machine that opens a bottle have to be this big? Can't it be bottle opener sizes?" "How else will it fit the boombox?" "Why does a bottle opener need a BOOMBOX?" "Why not?") Though he can get wrapped up in it as well (See Holiday in Harmony and his gift to Poppy) sometimes.

Lownote shakes his head in disappoint at BroZone, meanwhile R and B contemplate the ethics of a machine that either 'removes jerkness' or 'squashes washed-up boy band members into ball shape and knocks them into space with a mallet'.