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#like it’s insane how much i love es they’re doing so well
flayyr · 9 months
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mmm divorcespark. i post whatever the fuck i want
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kzmeru · 1 year
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HAIII i hope this isn't too vague but can i req himeru teasing an easily flustered (gn) reader,, :3
we’re such a mess together
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📨 himeru x gn!reader
— NOTES ; himeru being a little bitch >:( reader is a bit shy :3, WAHAH slightly jealous merumeru, but not too much!!!
author’s note ; you silly little guys know exactly what makes me go insane and they’re tatsuhime requests. (i’m so normal)
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It's not a typical afternoon without your boyfriend, HiMERU constantly finding ways to irritate you. Despite his laid-back and calm demeanour, do not be fooled - underneath all that composure, he's a devil spawn.
Well, it's not like HiMERU can help it. You're just way too fun and easy to tease, it makes his heart flutter and do things he had never felt before. In short, he was way too in love with you. He finds entertainment in the faces you make whenever he'd say something unhinged. The annoyed, yet flustered sounds you make whenever he'd catch you by surprise and trapping you in his arms. It's come to the point where this had become a daily thing between the two of you. And, today was no different.
"[Name]! Didn't know you were visiting today. Does yer' darling MERUMERU know?" Rinne, the leader of your boyfriend's unit happily greeted you upon bumping into you in the ES hallways while he was on his way back to the practice room.
While you politely greeted the idol back, you showed him the packed bento that you had made HiMERU this morning, but had forgotten to give it to him.
"Ah, no... I forgot to give him his bento this morning, so I wanted to drop it off. Are you guys busy?" Rinne grins, practically beaming when he heard your explanation and shook his head. Rinne grabbed you by the wrist and hurriedly guided you towards your destination.
"S-Slow down! Amagi—"
"[Name]? What are you…" HiMERU was quick to react before catching you in his arms after Rinne had practically thrown you towards your boyfriend.
You took a moment to catch your breath, while fixing your hair with your free hand. "…I- I forgot to give you your bento…"
HiMERU went silent for a while before happily accepting the packed lunch from your hands and gave the redhead a look. "…Thank you." He says, pressing his lips against your temple, catching you by surprise.
"H-HiMERU?" You gulped, a faint blush starting to form on your cheeks. In fact, you weren't used to your boyfriend suddenly showing affection in public, especially around his unitmates. He had always preferred to be affectionate behind closed doors.
"…I'll make sure to let everyone know how good you've been. Especially to Amagi, over there." He whispered against your ear, innocently burying his face against the crook of your neck.
You froze upon contact, feeling your whole body turn warm with steam practically coming out of your ears.
"Not right now! You're going to be the… death of me…" You complained, playfully hitting his arm trying to ignore the three other members silently watching from the distance. (With Niki covering Kohaku's eyes LMAO)
"Mhm… Well, I would rather have you alive than dead, so… I'll stop for now." He chuckles, pulling away and tucking your hair behind your ear. "Are you fine with going home by yourself? Or do you need your dearest HiME to walk you~?"
"You..! I-I'll be fine, thank you very much!"
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perexcri · 2 years
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Fannon here for one last review for THaBA😭
I’m sad it’s over but happy it happened and that you gave us so so many wonderful wonderful chapters.
Officially officially, definitely top two, in the type of way where it’ll switch places with the number one spot every other day. I love this fic so much I want it on a bookshelf or something, so I can bring it out whenever I want and just reread it and I Will be rereading this, I’ve got it bookmarked and everything.
I’m so happy Mike and Will got their kiss(es). And thank goodness that Jonathan is a byler enabler. He’s deffo caught between being a protective older brother and being happy Will’s happy.
And I’m just. So happy for them. Your Mike and Will specifically deserve the world (esp bc they’re written so well that I want them to be so so happy)
rhejdhejdhehd Dustin and Lucas knowing makes me so. Good good epilogue thank u for the gift of Lucas pov
I love love love this fic and you are great author and I can’t wait to see what you do next!! I hope you are doing so very wonderful.
Ahh hello fannon!! Your words are always appreciated :] now please forgive me because I will probably respond with twice as many words because I don't know how to shut up when I'm in front of a keyboard, so I'll put most of this response under a cut lol
I'm genuinely honored that this is one of your favorite Byler fics T_T there are so many good writers for this ship that it's insane to me that something I wrote would be in anybody's top two or three. It also makes me happy to hear it's one you'll be rereading!! I know it's different for lots of people, but for me, I have to really like something in order to reread it, so I take it as a very high compliment that you like it that much!!
Yes!! The dorks finally got to kiss, and it only took like 135k words :'D But also - I read your message last night but hadn't gotten around to answering it until now, but the phrase "byler enabler" in reference to Jonathan has already entered my vocabulary with full force lol. I love it so so much
Overall, I'm glad I could give them a satisfying ending and bring them the resolution they needed after everything they went through in this story. I was pretty much settled on how I felt about these last chapters when I posted them, but I was still a little nervous that they wouldn't quite stick the landing. I'm glad they did, though, and I'm glad Mike and Will get to be happy :D
And I'm glad you liked the very last chapter!! It was so much fun to write. Fun fact: it was originally supposed to be from Dustin's pov! About a couple weeks ago I decided I liked Lucas too much and had to make it from his pov (no offense to Dustin - he's great, but he doesn't capture my attention quite like some of the other characters)
Anyways - thank you once again for your kind words!! I'm glad you enjoyed my writing and you like this fic so much. It means a lot to me, not just because I put a lot of work in it and like that that's being recognized, but because something I made was able to give you a little happiness? Idk it's a great feeling and yes hopefully in the future I can provide more little stories for you to enjoy. I gotta take a little break though because my brain feels like mush (and I have so many fics I need to read it's insane)
Thanks again for stopping by fannon!! I wish you all the best as well :] 💜💜💜
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hwiyoungies · 3 months
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y gracias por dejarme spamear mis reacciones es que necesito hablar de esto🫂JAJAJAJAJ
BELLE SANJI TRYING TO STOP HIM DAMMIT!!!! Es que yo me ponía a llorar por Zoro pero después por Sanji y después por los dos JAJAJAJ pero si esa escena, todo ese suceso fue increíble LIKE el hecho que tampoco le dijeron a nadie!! Me parece una falta de respeto si alguien no mira Thriller Back that ending was way too powerful y fundamental para la relación de Zoro y Sanji (in my humble opinion)
Y hablando de todo un poco NO PUEDO CREER QUE HAY ALGUIEN QUE SE VE COMO EL POSTER DE SANJI JAJAJAJAJA y la reaparición de Hachi? That was wild pero aprecio el desglose de personaje he’s so silly and actually very precious<3 And I know this is “just an anime” pero la variedad de temáticas que se muestran/discuten siempre me parece interesante, si vine a reírme y todo but I do appreciate the story wants to get certain messages and points across or at least make people think about it
Y lloro Belle, lloro a mares JAJAJAJA es que no puedo, yo sé que todos van a tener que sobrevivir porque mil y algo de episodios and they’re still there pero 😭😭😭 ver a Luffy viendo cómo toda su tripulación desaparece UNO A UNO y no poder hacer nada *punches air* I want to cry just recalling that scene LMAO horrible porque me hizo llorar pero que increíble escena ES QUE TANTO SUCEDE EN ESE MOMENTO que simplemente lo vuelve más emocionalmente cargado
ALSO NOT THE MUSHROOM SCENE AT THE WATERFALL AND THE PRISON ONE JAJAJAJAJAJAJA SI ME MATÉ DE LA RISA me alegra que pongan este arc de por medio porque yo había quedado traumada and I needed the comedic relief. Y no apruebo la diferencia de edad + Luffy is a minor pero Boa me da un poco de risa porque me recuerda a tanto meme de ser iluso/delulu JAJAJAJA
And I knew Oda would make me cry with Ace y me da una mala espina todo esto que yo siento que voy a volver a traumarme pero quiero creer que al menos Luffy lo va a poder ver o salvar de esta aunque después suceda otra cosa JAJAJAJAJA I’m just this close 🤏🏽 to losing it all y aún no veo dónde terminaron los demás y yo ya quiero saber a dónde me los mandó Kuma porque a este punto siento que los dejó dónde el diablo perdió sus chanclas😭 JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA
ay pero yo feliz en serio pq también me de una excusa a mi pa poder seguir hablando AJAJAJ
sanji stopping those two dudes from telling everyone lives rent free in my mind because he gets it!!! he gets zoro so much and he knows he didn't do it to get praised or anything he did it because he thought it was his duty and mAAAAAAAAN i fucking love their we hate eachother but also understand eachother the most dynamic i'm a little insane about them LMAO
cuando vi el primer poster de sanji literal tuve q googlear si oda lo odiaba pq wtf is that man LMAO y el hecho q después lo hizo parte de la trama? oda tu cerebro es tan grande AJAJAJ no pero eso es lo q más me gusta de one piece pq la gente lo puede intentar de negar todo lo q quiera pero es terrible político pero no se toma ningún tema a la ligera. when luffy punched that fucking asshole in the face literally best moment in one piece by far nothing is ever gonna top that
no pero weooooooooooooooon, when i got to that part i was in Shambles because they were all trying so hard to save eachother and they couldn't do anything but watch how they all disappeared in front of their eyes. it's just so well done and so painful
i'm constantly side eyeing boa ngl LMAO i get why she fell for luffy like it makes sense and honestly it's fucking hilarious when she goes full delulu mode and luffy is just like *sticking a finger up his nose*. funny dynamic wish it wasn't an 11 year difference LMAO
no diré nada pq spoilers pero los lugares q kuma los deja son 10/10 para cada uno de ellos, trágicos pero demasiado necesarios esperaré con ansias tu mensaje cuando llegues a esa parte ajajaj
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etherealeeknow · 3 years
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the fwb rules
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• rated m for mature
• pairing: fwb!hyunjin x fem!reader
• wc: 4.559
• tw: explicit language, light characterization of an insecure reader, unprotected piv sex (stay safe, lovelies!), fingering & oral (f), nipple play, cream pie— i think that’s all, please do tell me if you find more c:
• note: last time i said long fic isn’t my forte and this time i’ll still say the same hahahahaha. but still, i hope i don’t disappoint 🥺 please kindly note that english isn’t my first language. therefore, i apologize for any mistakes. feedbacks are always appreciated because i’d love to grow! thank you for waiting and enjoy 💞 pretty banner made by my bestie!! ilysm 😽😽😽
• tag list: @charlieshelves @es-kay-zee @formidxble @oh-my-sparkle @bobateastay @http-hyxnjxn @lyralurexrattle @hyunsluvv @healinghyunjin @sailorhyunjinz
what happened to the rules?
it didn’t start off like this. you can’t remember when exactly you started wondering about the five word question. all you know is that you were one bite away from gobbling a spoonful of jisung’s ice cream when it struck you: since when did you and hyunjin stop going by the rules? he’s been occasionally texting you out of the blue lately just to know what you’re up to, and today he even asked you to stay the night at his, and as much as you want to believe they’re all normal, again, it didn’t start off like this. from the beginning, you and hyunjin have come up with three rules so your relationship can work: one, be very casual. two, no strings attached. three, no fucks given outside of the, well, literal fucking. but look at you now, lying naked and out of breath under his blanket while facing his ceiling, driving yourself insane over the haunted question. you have to get it off your chest somehow, but how? 
“hey, why so serious?” asks the culprit behind your overthinking, causing you to jump slightly over his sudden appearance and your hands instinctively pull up the blanket to cover your naked chest, which as a result, makes him chuckle. cute. “here. it’s my cousin’s,” adds the topless man as he sits on the edge of the bed and hands you a white shirt that even under the dim light, you can already tell won’t fit you.
“your cousin? the model? hyunjin, she’s tiny,” you utter, hands still gripping onto the blanket. “i’m—“
“you,” he cuts you off, placing a hand on top of yours while carefully glancing at you to make sure you there aren’t any signs of discomfort. “are fine, y/n. now hurry up. i’m sleepy,” he adds before letting go, leaving behind a lingering warmth on your knuckles.
nodding, you turn your back on him to change, and the room falls silent, causing you to hear how fast your heart is thumping even more than it should have. is it because you had too much coffee this morning? or it can probably be because the shirt is too tight that it’s cutting off your air circulation, right? right, of course. you tell yourself because as much as you dislike both reasons, they are still far better than having hyunjin as the cause.
once you’re done, hyunjin already has his back lying against the bedhead, his head tilting slightly to the side, avoiding the light coming from the night lamp on the bedside table, while his eyes bore deeply into yours. unbothered that he’s been caught staring, he averts his gaze downwards till they reach your chest and spot how your nipples are sticking out through the thin fabric.
“see? it fits you just fine,” he says, turning his vision back to your face as he opens his arms and motions them at you, only to have you remain in the same position with your increasing heartbeat.
“aren’t you gonna, uh, wear something?”
instead of a proper answer, all you get is his laugh—hyunjin’s contagious laugh that usually always succeeds in making you laugh too. but today hits differently. has his laugh always sounded this lighthearted before? no matter what the answer is, one thing for sure is that despite how sweet hwang hyunjin and his laugh are, they have never made your cheeks burn like this before, and this is forbidden. it’s against the rules.
“an hour ago we were naked while sucking each other’s face, y/n,” he finally answers after a while. “besides, i always sleep like this. now, come on,” he adds, repeating the same gesture, except this time his hands are open wider, eager to have you near him again because the space around him is starting to make him feel lonely.
complying with him, you fall into his embrace and hyunjin immediately lets his hands travel to the exact places of where they want to be—one around your head and the other around your waist. despite the room turning less cold with his warmth directly passing onto you, your heart and cheeks conditions remain the same especially since you can hear how hyunjin’s heartbeats are beating just as fast as yours when he lets you lay your head on his chest.
“hyunjin,” you call out, hands fiddling with the collar of your shirt.
“y/n,” he replies, replacing the collar with his fingers instead, intertwining them with yours.
what happened to the rules?
“do... do fwb do these?” you ask, the bravery in you finally decide to show up, even just for a little.
“do this?” he asks back while squeezing your hand with all his might, as if he’s nervous.
no. not ‘this’, but ‘these’. not only the hand grabbing, but also the fact that he asked you to stay the night, that he’s cuddling you to sleep, and that you’ve been getting unusual symptoms over them until this very moment.
“yes, this,” you nod and hyunjin becomes muted, but his heartbeats are growing louder, and his grip on you has become tighter.
after what feels like forever, he whispers, voice slightly cracking, and hands getting a little colder, “yes. yes, they do.”
then the two of you become muted, but both heartbeats keep growing louder, and everything stays that way until sleep eventually takes over.
as a homebody, you’ve always against the idea of sleepovers. you believe home is the sweetest place and your own bed is the comfiest even when your mattress is older than a decade and your favorite plushie has had too many holes here and there. but waking up in hyunjin’s bed has broken your stigma—never in your whole life that you’d have thought someone else’s bed can provide you twice the comfort.
“looks like someone had a good sleep,” chirps jisung as he sits beside you, causing you to wipe off the smile on your face before going back to your laptop.
“wow suddenly my best friend’s a psychic?”
“hey, that’d actually make a great drama title!” he exclaims and you roll your eyes. “please do spill the tea though. what happened?” he adds.
“what happened?” you ask back, eyes still on the screen, but the corner of your lips are on the verge of breaking into the smile, knowing full well he’ll complain—which he does by lamely calling you a meanie.
laughing, you tell him nothing happened, but the way he rolls his eyes is a sign he’s not taking any of your bullshit. you are telling the truth though. besides spending the night with each other, nothing really happened, right? it was just another casual fucking session. yes, it was amazing, but that’s no news for jisung. the guy’s practically your wingman—setting you up with hyunjin was his idea because he believes you should, “live your life. have that dreamy college sex orelse you’ll regret it like my old man changbin!”
right on cue, a notification popped out on your big screen, and the sender’s name makes your heart pop too.
“aha, see!” jisung points at it. “y/n, where are you?” he reads out loud, earning yourselves all the eyes from every other student in class.
“oh my god, jisung. shut up!” right when you’re about to log out from the chat app, hyunjin sends another one.
“can i call you?” jisung reads once more and you’re only one second away from smacking his head, but your vibrating phone holds you back.
shooting jisung a glare, you make sure to close your laptop before leaving the class, answering hyunjin’s call even when you’re still half way through the door. right when you’re about to greet him hello, hyunjin beats you to it—his voice a bit raspy, but the softness in his tone still lies within, and it creates endless questions in your mind.
has he just woken up? so is this how he sounds in the morning? why is he calling?
and the list goes on because this isn’t like hyunjin at all. sure, he’s not validating the rules, but he’s breaking his character despite already alarming you to anticipate morning booty calls from him at times. he’s never actually done that though. 
“hi,” you reply, startling yourself with how small your voice came out.
“you left,” says hyunjin and you can hear him sighing from the other line, which somehow causes a slight pang in your heart, wondering if perhaps he is disappointed. “can you come back? wait, actually, let me go to you instead.” he says and you can hear the rustling sounds coming from his side.
“hyunjin, i have class. that’s why i left. i—” should you apologize? but why should you? casual, no strings attached, and no fucks given, remember? “i’m sorry.”
“oh.” hyunjin stops on his track before plopping back down onto the bed, smiling. “i’ll pick you up after class then. when will you finish?”
unconsciously, a smile creeps up your face too, but the realization hits you right after, then followed by the five word question, and you know—you know this is your guts telling you that now’s the time to ask him about it, but your heart hates confrontation. plus, wouldn’t it be rude to reply to someone else’s question with a question? “hyunjin, are you, uh, horny?”
just like yesterday, hyunjin laughs, and with the raspiness in his voice still present, he doesn’t fail to make you laugh along, but at the same time waking the butterflies in your stomach and makes you rethink your decision. mayhaps, you should’ve left him a note or told him that you’ll leave early in the morning; or even, you should’ve ditched classes today and stayed so when he wakes up, you can get him a glass of water, not leaving the boy uncared for like this. but who are you to do so? 
“isn’t it normal for a guy to have a morning wood?” he jokes before quickly adding that he’s not horny. “i just want to see you so let me go get you.”
pressing your lips together, you contemplate on whether you should let him. if you do, won’t you be turning whatever the two of you have right now into something far more complicated? but it’s only until hyunjin adds a desperate “please?” that all of your dilemma disappears, as if you’re being cast into his spell—“okay.”
while heading to the gate, you have the biggest urge to book a massage appointment. dodging jisung’s questions and running away from him after the first period was draining, but having to spend the day running back and forth between two buildings because thinking that volunteering as the lecturers’ teaching assistant was draining on a whole new level. other than feeling like your legs are gonna come off, your mind also feels like it’s gonna blow off—you can’t stop recalling all the things you need to start working on as soon as possible, but stepping into hyunjin’s car turns everything to 180 degrees.
you’d like to think that it’s because of the faint lavender aroma coming from his car freshener along with the heavenly cool air conditioner, but no. you know full well it’s because of the way hyunjin’s smile lit up, his eyes disappear into two small crescent moons, and his blonde hair which is becoming one with the warm orange sky that brings peace to your heart.
“hi,” he breathes out the moment you close the door, and you do the same except for looking at him, which causes hyunjin to furrow his eyebrows while speeding away.
the way home is silent, just the way you like it, but you know full well that it’s not hyunjin’s cup of tea. he doesn’t need to say it, his action is showing it all as he’s been fidgeting non stop, wiping his sweaty palm along his jeans while occasionally licking his plump lips. hyunjin’s a very vocal person. he’s talkative and loud—including in bed. you press your warm cheeks over the realization of your own thoughts, embarrassed. you can’t possibly suspect hyunjin for being horny in the morning when you yourself are being like this in the afternoon. it’s uncalled for.
noticing you from the corner of his eye, hyunjin calls out, asking you if there’s anything wrong, totally catching you off guard. what should you say? lying is not your forte, but being honest clearly isn’t the best option right now, at least, not before you shower and appear presentable in front of him—but wait, since when did that matter so much? a few months ago, you even fucked after you ran a marathon.
“y/n?” calls hyunjin for the second time.
“look, hyunjin, really, it’s okay if you’re horny. you can pull over and i can, uh, relieve you and i can just take the bus home after,” you spit out shamelessly while looking at him straight in the eyes, eager to get far away from hyunjin as fast as possible before you go out of your mind.
just like the night before, hyunjin laughs. and just like the night before, his laugh hits differently and it does nothing other than burning your already burnt cheeks for the worse.
“i swear to god, y/n, i’m not horny. i genuinely want to take you home. nothing more,” explains hyunjin, head straight at the road but eyes repeatedly stealing glances at you. “and nothing less,” he adds, voice barely audible but you caught it.
“o— oh.” is all you manage to respond before the ride quickly turns quiet and hyunjin’s hands begin fidgeting again, all the while you’re trying to decode what he has just said—what does he mean by genuinely wanting to take you home? do fwb do this too? what happened to no fucks given?—and it goes on until hyunjin hits the break in front of your old apartment building.
“we’re here,” says hyunjin, breaking the silence by unlocking the car door.
“we’re here,” you repeat after him, already opening the door and setting a foot out. “uh, thank you.”
“don’t mention it.” hyunjin shoots you his signature smile the moment you lower yourself to meet his eye level from outside the car; this time, you have no choice but to fall under his spell.
“hey, uh, you wanna come in?” you ask, biting your lower lip as a way to punish yourself for being so indecisive. one second you want to run away from him and the next second you want to be near him. come on, get a grip.
as if the punishment isn’t enough, hyunjin declines your offer, all while chuckling with his head thrown back. “for the third time, y/n. i’m not horny. go in and rest up.” 
“if you say so.” you shrug, giving him a small smile before turning around, making sure not to look back, only to fail when you hear the engine driving away.
you can’t quite tell—no, you can’t tell. you don’t get it. there’s an unexplainable empty space in your heart that is caused by hyunjin’s rejection. is it because you’re just not used to see him without having to fuck him? or is it because you’re hurt over the fact that he’s not in the mood to touch you? is it because of last night? is he finally sick of your flaws? things would probably be different if you had retouched your makeup or at least combed your hair before seeing him, would they? either way, you’re fully aware you shouldn’t be torn over your friend with benefits, yet your aching heart says otherwise.
and so when the doorbell rings only a few seconds after you get in and the figure you see through the peephole is no other than the man in question, you spare no time to swing the door open. hyunjin, in return, spares no time to lock his lips with yours right after he utters a brief apology. just like the way hyunjin sneaks his playful hands down your ass, you sneak your tongue in his mouth, and your action makes him smile into the kiss as he leads you back into the room and kicks the door shut with his long legs.
the way to your bedroom is actually pretty short, but with your tongues moving in sync, bodies pressing—glued, even, and eyes continuously closing in pleasure, the short way to your bedroom consists of endless stumbling, tripping, and bumping the door. once inside, you break the kiss and are about to undress yourself when hyunjin beats you to it, settling you down on the bed as he begins taking off your attire one by one ever so effortlessly. and in just a matter of seconds, his lips are back on yours again, floral scented hair falling and brushing against your cheeks, leaving you no time to wonder over the fact that it’s the first time hyunjin has ever undressed you. 
as the kiss continues, you can feel yourself gushing more and more that you start grinding on him mindlessly, needing to feel more than just his bulge poking you. your hands leave his blonde strands to tug on his hoodie, only to have him stop you—one hand around your grip and the other rests on your hip.
“what do you think you’re doing?”
“need you. need to feel you,” you mumble, desperation so visible through your cracked voice. 
“what happened to the girl who was all flustered to sleep with me last night just because i was shirtless?”
autumn nights aren’t supposed to be hot, but hyunjin has proven he has the power to make the impossible happen just with his words and mocking smirk. but the rising heat on your cheeks is nothing compared to the emptiness you feel below, clenching around nothing surely isn’t the best feeling.
“please, jinnie,” you whine, tugging on his hoodie once more, hips moving against his hold.
“fuck.” is all he manages to say before getting off the bed to disrobe himself—hoodie and track pants thrown across the room, now showcasing his toned body and thighs altogether as he hovers over you.
“please take this off too. it looks suffocating,” you say, index finger running faintly through the bulge forming from his tight boxer, making it stand up even more and hyunjin has no choice but to obey you. “put your hair up too please,” you add just when he’s about to dive right back in, and again, your wish is his command.
biting to pull off his hair tie from his wrist, hyunjin smoothly ties his hair back and you’re only given a few seconds to admire his feature before his plump lips coming in contact with your hardened nipple while he toys with the other using his fingers—rubbing and pinching, making your breath hitch over the sensation, fingers digging into his bare shoulders because you don’t want to mess up his hair, and hyunjin’s low grunts pretty much indicate he’s loving it.
“more, please. give me m—”
hyunjin retreats his hand and tongue away from your breast, moving them to your naked pussy,  drawing circles on your outer labia with his middle finger. he teases you just enough and quickly slides in his digit and at the same time sucks on your clit right before you’re about to complain, making you tingle from head to toe.
“you hear that?” he asks, voice muffled, the effect of being too tongue tied from licking every part of your heat, but finger working its magic perfectly, creating loud wet noises from your fluid. “drenched. my pretty y/n is drenched,” says hyunjin, and as much as you want to comment on him for the pet name, you’re too caught up on how his lips vibrate against you the moment he starts palming himself with his unoccupied hand. if he keeps it up, you know you would come undone there and then, and you don’t want that—not yet. so you ask him to stop and he instantly does as told.
“what’s wrong? did i hurt you?” there’s fear written across his expression and heard from his tone, but you’d like to believe your eyes and lips are just playing tricks on you.
“n— no. i just,” you pause to avoid his gazes, but something within you pulls your attention back on him. “i wanna cum with you inside me,” you confess, voice barely audible due to embarrassment; all this time, it’s always been hyunjin to say such things, but perhaps, all the strange tension lately has finally gotten the best of you. you hear him mutter a low “fuck” while his pupils shakes for a brief moment before they somehow appear a shade darker. licking his lower lip, hyunjin pulls you by your legs and rests them on his shoulders, and proceeds to align his tip with your entrance, once again teasing your throbbing core.
the moment you whine is the moment hyunjin pushes himself inside ever so gently, but the stretching still has you throwing your head back, while hyunjin letting our airy moans upon your walls clenching around him. none of you can tell how it’s possible for your vagina to remain so tight after all the countless fucking session for the past half year, but hyunjin doesn’t find that troubling. in fact, he lives for that and it shows from the way his eyes roll to the back of his head as he begins thrusting in and out of you—slowly but steady, veiny hands secured on your hips, vision goes back and forth from your half-lidded eyes to your parted lips.
hyunjin leans down to kiss you for a couple of seconds, and when he lets go, he quickens his pace—leaning down once more so his length can go deeper in you, hitting your g-spot. at that very moment, you mentally praise yourself for placing the bedroom mirror right across the bed. it presents you with the magnificent view of hyunjin’s rounded, firm ass bouncing rhythmically whenever he snaps his hips, and placing your hands around them, squeezing them, nearly makes you drool over the sight. with hyunjin constant thrusts, the familiar knot in your abdomen starts to bubble up.
“oh my god,” the two of you whimper in unison as hyunjin begins to lose his tempo, moves also grow sloppy, but never once misses your spot.
“y/n, i— ah— i’m so close. fuck,” he breathes out, sweat forming on his forehead, wetting his baby hair down to his neck and chest, and you can only drool helplessly at the sight.
“me too. please cum inside me, cum with me, hyunjin, please, please,” you beg, voice a pitch higher, almost sounds like you strain your throat, and it stays the same. when you feel hyunjin twitch inside you, your hands automatically reach for the bed sheet again, but it only lasts for a second before they’re being taken by hyunjin’s own hands—he has never done this. while intertwining your fingers, his cock twitches again and his eyes roll to the back of his head, jaw falls open as he calls out your name—you naturally do the same, fingers pressing flat against his white knuckles
“hyu—”
“cum, baby,” he cuts you off, averting his hazy eyes on you, and that’s all it takes for you to break—your orgasm washes over you like waves and you cum undone around hyunjin, shaking and mewling altogether while feel the wet coldness around your inner thigh. hyunjin follows right after, shooting his hot cement inside of you; the man can no longer keep his eyes open as he buries his face on the crook of your neck, his choked moans bring music right to your ear all a while his hot breaths bring goosebumps to your unrecovered body.
after riding out your highs, none of you move. hyunjin stays on top of you, his chest rises and falls according to your hard breathing. somehow, it’s calming you down, but it shouldn’t.
“hyunjin, you’re heavy.”
“oh, sorry,” he chuckles and even without looking, you can tell his eyes are smiling too. with his remaining strength, hyunjin pushes himself up and rests on your thighs to pull his dick out of you, momentarily admiring the mixture of his juice and yours dripping down your cunt before fixing his eyes on you to study your face—also something he has never done before. 
“i’m sorry,” he mutters a few moments later, eyes now on you.
tilting your head, you sit up, resting your upper body with your hands on the bed. “all of a sudden? i came? you always make me feel good.”
“that’s what i’m sorry about. i— i didn’t mean to— i mean, i—”
you reach out to him, gently patting his thigh. “hyunjin, calm down. this isn’t like you,” you whisper the last sentence, knowing that perhaps, now’s the time to talk things out, to stop whatever is going on, and go back to how things are used to be, maybe? your heart’s just been restless for too long and apparently, hyunjin seems to be in a similar situation too.
“i’m sorry. i didn’t mean to keep using you like this. i genuinely meant what i said. i only wanted to take you home, but we ended up here and—”
“isn’t that what fwb do?” you pull your hand off his thigh, and a frown painted across his face as if he’s questioning your question. “that’s what we agreed on. we have our fwb rules, remember?”
“one, be very casual. two, no strings attached. three, no fucks given outside of the, well, literal fucking,” says hyunjin, proving he has memorized every words to the back of his mind.
nodding, you carefully bring back your hand to his thigh, repeating the same movement you did before. “exactly. so you don’t have to be sorry. don’t worry, i’m not feeling used at all.” you end it with a smile.
hyunjin mirrors you, he smiles too; his eyes fall to where your hand is. “but what if i’m breaking them? the rules,” asks the boy whose cold hand is now on top of your warm one. “what if i like you?” his eyes find their way back to you, and that’s when you know. the difference between your temperatures; the difference between your smile and his—the sadness that lies within.
that’s when you understand. everything finally makes sense; every one of hyunjin’s unusual acts. the constant texts and calls, the undressing, the pet names, the facial expression, the hand holding.
what happened to the rules? feelings. that’s what happened. to hyunjin, it’s his feelings over the rules.
but you, what about you? the butterflies, the irregular increasing heartbeats, the flushing cheeks, the overthinking, the disappointment at some point.
“y/n,” hyunjin calls out and you don’t get to get back to him because he’s already an inch away from you, momentarily eyeing your lips before he closes the distance. once again, his blonde hair falls down, brushing against his cheek before meeting yours and it tickles you, but not in the same way as how his kiss tickles your heart; giddy.
what happened to the rules? unwanted feelings. that’s what happened. to you, it’s the unwanted feelings against the rules. and for now, the unwanted feelings are too strong for you to push him away, so you pull him close instead. for now.
gen’s masterlist
repeating this!! special note: HUGE THANK YOU for my awesome bestie for the banner 🥺💞💞 ily, bish!! thank you for being my beta reader too 😽😽😽
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georgianadarcies · 3 years
Note
Can you tell me your favorite Literati scenes and why?
YES I can and gladly will!! it can be hard to pick favorites of all time but they’re my favorites at the moment anyway
the car scene in teach me tonight. the banter is perfect but I love how it effortlessly flows into rory encouraging him and reminding him that he can “do more,” very passionately at that, and him talking about how he believes in her as well. and rory telling him to turn right because she wants to drive around with him is just. everything. her feelings for him are already so strong and he’s just. totally gone. and it’s all shown in that scene especially with the “as you wish” and the way they’re looking at each other. literally perfect.
I’m counting this as one scene but when jess shows up in 6x08 in the driveway of her grandparents’ house and they talk in her bedroom. I really love how even though the last time they saw each other didn’t go so well, and it’s been over a year since then, they fall right back into their old dynamic. they’re so happy to see each other despite being nervous. and I really really love seeing just how absolutely thrilled rory is and how proud she is of him and what he’s accomplished. and jess telling her he couldn’t have done it without her. it really just gets me <3
the sprinkler scene in 3x05. jess running to help her despite them not being on good terms is already such a good start. I really really love how it’s just this momentary reprieve from everything that’s been happening between them, and I think it really shows how much they care about each other. the way jess is looking at her… the way she’s looking at him… him asking about how things are going and about harvard… him saying good when she says she’s still “doing the harvard thing” … him turning the sprinklers back on with just a soft “okay” when she gets dean’s page… the way he smiles at her as she leaves… the pained look on her face as she watches him walk away…
THE SWAN SONG KISS. MY GOD. not only is it the kiss that made rory realize that she wanted to sleep with him, but it’s just so passionate and tender and everything. I could watch it over and over I stg. the way he sorta lifts her up and the little sigh she lets out. it’s so. and “keep thinking what you’re thinking” “I don’t have a choice” insane people.
the then she appeared kiss(es). perfect. absolutely wonderful. their cute little banter at the beginning. the way they go into the kiss hesitant but just completely melt into each other. her hand in his hair. them trying to get as close as possible. forehead touch. their big smiles. her saying it’s WONDERFUL. his lil “c’mere.” it really shows how much chemistry and passion they have and truly. I am obsessed.
the phone call at the end of a-tisket, a-tasket is so so sweet. it’s such a good scene to really kick off them falling for each other. their smiles and rory’s awkwardness and just the fact that even though they’re talking about books it really shows how much they like each other. jess playing with the bracelet and just the fact that rory called him. this is incoherent but it’s so so sweet.
honorary mentions: the phone call at the end of 3x22 and when he tells her he loves her. literally perfect angst no one is doing it like them.
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Your mess is mine
Sue may only be a math major, but she knows this much about telling a story: it needs to have a beginning, middle, and an end.  
If she were to sit down and write one, here is where it would start — Emily laughs and she falls in love. It doesn’t matter the year, the month, or the minute; when Emily laughs, she falls in love. Sue’s a little slow when these things are concerned, love doesn’t come to her as quickly or as easily as it has historically come to Emily. I saw you in the coffee shop and I knew you were the one, she’s fond of telling Sue, usually during fights. It’s highly annoying that Emily thinks it’d work on her. Even more annoying is the fact that it does. 
Alright, does she have moments of intense déjà vu sometimes? Like when they’re lying in bed, after one of Austin’s house parties, and Sue curls up into Emily’s soft shoulders, plays with her pretty, pretty hands? Or when she catches Emily conked out in front of her laptop in a corner table at the café on her break and gently wakes her up? Sure. But isn’t that what love is? The same five gestures repeated in infinite ways, creating a well of infinite affection. So if walking the steps with Emily settles deep into her bones without flinching, as if they’ve done this before, she’s convinced that it’s because they’re well and truly perfect together. 
(Definitely not because — and this is something that has been occurring to her more and more lately — they were star-crossed lovers in a past life a century ago.) 
(That would be crazy.) 
(Right?) 
***** 
Falling in love aside, Emily can be really, infuriatingly, secretive about the worst of things. Sometimes it is charming, watching her having to pick her way through multiple explanations, create long-winded detours just to attempt to confuse Sue into getting exasperated enough to drop the subject altogether. But that’s at the very end, when it turns out that she was going to all this trouble to make sure Sue wasn’t going to find out she’d gotten her that one Hawaiian shirt Sue had off-handedly admired once, aeons ago. Or that she’s been holed up in their room all day because she’s been setting up lights in honor of it being exactly six months since they first hugged. Which is why she is more resigned that surprised when Lavinia sits down in front of her, leans in, and asks her what she’s doing for Emily’s birthday next week. 
Sue sneaks a look at Emily who is currently chatting with an old lady who usually comes in on the weekends. Her girlfriend happens to be one of those baristas who is beloved by the elderly, God only knows why. All the older ladies will hang back at the counter and tell her all about their grandkids’ schools and ballet recitals. In return, Emily will rant to them about college and apparently, Sue as well, which was something she discovered one day when she walked in and two old ladies gave her teasing yet approving smiles from their table. 
(And then took her aside to whisper — Showing a little skin wouldn’t do any harm and would keep your girl on her toes — which near about killed her)  
The entire situation is hilarious. Also the most adorable thing she has ever seen. 
“Why haven’t you guys discussed your birthdays yet?” 
“It’s just never,” Sue muses, “come up, I guess.” 
Austin rollerblades past, swivels to a stop and bends so he’s approximately level with their faces. “Are we talking about,” he says, lowering his voice to a comical whisper, “Emily’s birthday?” 
Lavinia pulls him down, so he’s sitting on the spare chair. “And Sue’s, apparently. Did you know her birthday falls, like, nine days after Emily’s?” 
Austin stares at her, wide-eyed. “That means it’s on the.... 19th? 
Sue nods. 
“The 19th of December? After Emily’s birthday, on the 10th of December?” 
“Y....es?” 
He swipes at his phone, taps a couple of buttons, and then looks up with a smug smile. “I knew I remembered something. Look.” 
Lavinia has to angle her whole body to see, but it registers for both of them at the same time. A certain poet and her muse, who also apparently shared the same birthday as her and Emily. 
“Huh,” Lavinia says. “Maybe there is something to Emily’s theory after all.” 
“You mean Emily’s theory that we’re the reincarnations of those two?” she asks, hearing her own voice get progressively more hysterical by the word. She clears her throat, takes a deep breath, adds it to the list of rapidly growing coincidences in her head that she’s never going to give a closer look to, because that would be crazy. 
“Really the only part of this I’m genuinely shocked by,” Lavinia says after a long pause, in which Sue is struggling to reason with the logical part of her brain, “is that Austin remembers Emily Dickinson’s birthday.” 
Austin smiles proudly, and the thought is so funny that it drives potential insanity out of her mind eventually. 
***** 
“Why didn’t you tell me your birthday’s tomorrow?” 
Emily startles from where she’s staring out the window of the car, and Sue has about a moment to regret blurting it out before they’re looking at each other. She’d spent the entire week setting up the entire thing for Emily and now it probably won’t even be a surprise, but she’s insanely curious. No better time for it, either way. She’d planned everything perfectly, from picking up Emily at the café in the classy car she’d borrowed from Austin, to making sure it wasn’t too late after dinner. And yet, here they were, surrounded by cars and honking people because traffic was a fickle bitch. 
“Is that why we’re taking this trip?” she asks, wide-eyed. 
Sue extends a hand towards her, ruffles up her hair, feeling fond. Trust her idiot girlfriend to not have figured it out yet. She moves her hand to Emily’s cheek, and feels Emily cover it with her own. Feels a soft kiss pressed against her palm. 
“What did you think it was, dumdum?” 
“Well, it is the three month anniversary of—” Sue’s alarm is probably showing on her face, so she backtracks quickly. “Kidding. Kidding. There’s nothing tomorrow.” 
Sue pinches at her cheek. “Except your birthday. Speaking of which—” 
“Eh,” Emily shakes her head, shuffles around on her seat awkwardly, “it’s.... uh, complicated.” 
“Is the complication that you happen to share a birthday with a poet from long ago?” she’s only half-joking.  
Emily laughs at that. “Caught on, did you? Did you also check—” 
“E-yup.” 
“That your birthday is also—” 
“E-yup,” she says. Then turns to look at Emily. “Wait. How do you know when my birthday is?” 
Emily opens her mouth, but before she can say anything Sue hurriedly cuts in. “And you’re not allowed to say you have your ways.” 
Years ago, when Sue was fourteen, one day her dad and her mom came home with the same vegetable. Same quantity. It was beans, and she could vividly remember all three of them staring down in mock dismay at the two separate huge bundles of beans that now took up most of the space on the table. Then they started comparing prices. Turns out her mother’s bundle had cost a couple cents lesser than her father’s. But it’s not the same , her mother had insisted, holding up both the bundles. See, yours weighs more. I think the grocer I bought it from took some off . 
To this day, she defines love as the way her mother’s hand fell over his, combined with the way her dad looked at her next — like a child who had just been told that the blanket fort he’d spent hours constructing, wasn’t going to be torn down. Like someone had just handed a piece of the world to him, and told him to make of it whatever he wanted.  
Sue recognizes it in the way Emily looks at her. Like she’s saying — Of course. Of course, you know me well enough to guess the next stupid thing that comes out of her mouth. 
(She’s not very good at love, but she hopes Emily can read the answer in her eyes just the same) 
“Birthdays are complicated,” Emily says, slowly. “I’ve had some very good ones and then some very bad ones.” First girlfriend who she asked out on her 20th birthday, and second girlfriend who she broke up with a week before her 23rd; Sue fills in the blanks as she talks. “So I guess I try not to tell people so I myself don’t expect anything out of it. Neutral birthdays are better than euphoric ones or sad ones, because at least they don’t haunt me forever.” 
“Baby,” she says, and then trails off. Sometimes she likes calling Emily endearments, or just say her name out loud, randomly, even if there’s no statement attached to it. The sentiment’s always the same, however. I’m glad you exist. I’m glad you found me. I like your name. I love you.  
(Emily’s fallen asleep by the time she’s driven to the top of the grassy knoll, by the time the clock hits midnight. Sue lets her sleep through it. There will be time to sit on top of the blanket and watch a sleepy Emily blow out the candles on a tiny cake that looks like a typewriter, to stare at the stars all night long while they listen to soft, slow songs on a pair of shared earphones. For now, Sue watches Emily sleep, head tilted against the glass and decides to hold off on telling her she loves her until the day after her birthday. It’s a perfectly neutral birthday. No use in spoiling it.) 
(Emily says it back though, in case anyone was wondering) 
***** 
Sometimes, when Sue sees Emily cooking for her, she loses her breath. 
(And sometimes, it’s not even due to the smoke from a burned dish) 
But there’s something peaceful about watching Emily cook, especially if she hasn’t yet cottoned onto the fact that Sue’s watching her. She’s one of those annoying people who always has their headphones on, so most of her cooking in the kitchen involves perfectly timing the beats with the swipes of her spatula. Sometimes she spins around in the middle of a pancake flip to see if she can catch it in midair. Juvenile shenanigans aside, what really gets Sue, even after almost a year of having watched Emily dance around in the kitchen is the care with which she handles food that they will eat. It’s so different to the kind of food she cooks when she’s just cooking for herself. Sue’s seen her slap on two days expired cheese on top of a tortilla and call it lunch. And yet. 
And yet. Sue will have the best of things. Lasagna that’s still steaming. A sandwich filled with the most delicious ingredients. Waffles topped with cream that Emily will get up early in the morning to get for her. Food enhanced with care, made better with love. 
Why don’t you make those nice things for yourself, she’s asked on multiple occasions, to which Emily’s always shrugged. It’s just me. I can have almost anything. 
(Emily deserves the best. Sue will make sure she has it) 
There are flowers on the table, an assortment of daffodils and lilies arranged on a vase. Right in between two shiny plates laid out with napkins folded carefully beside them. Sue slides into one of the chairs quietly, rests her elbows on the table and waits for Emily to finally turn around. 
There is a panicked scream when she does. Sue doesn’t want to be that girlfriend, but this is definitely going on the list of stories she’ll tell their future kids when they’ve grown. 
(Another day she would worry about how the term — Their kids — moves around in her chest comfortably like a sip of hot cocoa. Today, exactly one year to the day Emily told her she liked her, she shrugs it off) 
“You weren’t supposed to wake up for another half an hour at least.” 
Sue hums. “You did tire me out last night, that is true.” 
“Sue!” Emily says, scandalized, face rapidly turning red. “I — that’s highly — okay wait, first things first....” 
She walks over to the table, and bends to kiss Sue.  
“Happy anniversary.” 
Sue closes her eyes, kisses both her cheeks in response. “Happy anniversary, my love.” 
Emily grins back, then stands again. “Either way,” she says, as she ladles soup onto a bowl, and gathers multiple plates on a tray to subsequently bring to the table, “brunch! Courtesy of your beautiful girlfriend who finally managed to figure out how to make the perfect chicken pot pie without burning down the house, or worse, giving you salmonella.” 
Sue inspects what lies in front of her. “Babe, this looks amazing.” 
Emily looks proud, as she sits on the other chair. “And that’s not all, okay? This is just the start. Today evening I have gotten us both tickets to—” 
“Move in with me.” 
When Emily blinks, Sue startles. The words that had just come out of her mouth definitely weren’t well-thought-out, but now she was thinking about it and it seemed like all she ever wanted in life. To go to sleep with Emily, and wake her up in time for her morning classes, to be able to see her all the time, and not have to watch her go. 
“That wasn’t my gift, by the way,” she adds, speaking fast, thinking of the limited-edition original copies of a book she’d driven five hours to the next town to get. “But it’s what I want. Us. Living together. I love you. We should.... uh, live together so — uh, okay Emily make me stop talking please.” 
Emily shuts her up with a kiss. When they separate, she stays close to Sue, looking right into her eyes with that soft, soft expression.  
“Are you sure?” she asks. 
Sue takes in a deep breath. Nods. “Yeah.” 
Emily considers that for a moment. Then says with a teasing smile — “I thought this violated your relationship rules.” 
“What ae you—” 
“No kissing before the second date. No celebrating six-month anniversaries because that’s for dummies. No moving in before at least two years of dating—” 
“And if you remember correctly,” Sue cuts in, smoothly, “I kissed you two days before our first date. And serenaded you with a Taylor Swift song at the café on our six-month anniversary.” 
“You did do that,” Emily says, quietly. 
“And as long as we’re on the subject, I hate staying up past 11, or listening to sad girl music in the car, or watching that horrendous show about those two annoying men fake-dating,” Sue tells her, “but — it is my greatest honor that I get to do that for you. And with you. Emily, if you haven’t figured it out already, you’re kinda the exception to every single one of my rules.” 
Sue reads Emily’s answer in the kiss she receives next. 
***** 
The middle, the middle, everything boils down to the middle. It’s what Sue sometimes hears Emily muttering to herself in the middle of the night when she has an assignment due the next day. Sue will blink, look over to the desk where Emily is planted with her nightlight on, hands in her hair. Sometimes Sue will keep blinking slowly, taking in the sight of Emily typing until she falls asleep. Sometimes Emily will notice that she’s up, walk over to the bed, and hum snippets of songs until she’s drifting off again.  
And for all the beauty of the beginning, of first kisses and first dates and first times, there’s something to be said about the fifteenth time Emily plays her something on the ukulele, warning her beforehand that her voice might crack. Or the sixtieth burger she runs across the campus to hand over to Emily when she knows she’s got back-to-back classes scheduled. About the hundredth time she falls into bed, and scooches over, eyes closed, until Emily’s wriggling body is aligned against hers. There’s peace in knowing that a first time will inevitably lead to a second time, and then countless others.  
(There’s peace in knowing the middle lasts the longest)   
***** 
She knows she’s in trouble. Has known she’s in trouble the minute she came out of the store and discovered that there was a pileup on the highway. And then when Lavinia called her panicking because their house-warming slash house party was getting out of control because of a lack of beer and a general overabundance of Austin. And then when her phone died in the middle of her conversation with Emily.  
(So much trouble) 
She’s exhausted by the time she makes it back to her apartment (their apartment , she corrects herself, smiling at the thought) and makes her way up the stairs, hearing the volume of the music increase with every step. Opens the door and is assailed with extremes — the tiny sparkling mirror ball someone’s managed to hook up to the ceiling, the dancing crowd in their living room, and a very loud and weirdly on-point Austin making guitar noises on the karaoke microphone. 
“Lavinia!” Sue calls out in relief, when she catches sight of her. “Where’s Emily?” 
Lavinia excuses herself from a group of frat boys hanging onto her every word and walks over. “Sue! Emily!” 
“Yeah, I know! Tell me where she is!” 
Sue points towards the ceiling, and in the same smooth motion, grabs the crate of beer from her hands. 
Sue’s out of there before the first cry of “Beer” permeates the air. She climbs another two floors, and then the metallic ladder to find Emily sitting there, wrapped in her blanket, glaring up at her. 
“You promised,” she says, flatly. 
Sue drops onto her knees and takes Emily’s cold hands in hers. “I know.” 
“No, you,” Emily repeats, then pauses, looking like she’s struggling, “you promised you were gonna be here, okay? I agreed to the housewarming thing only because you told me there wouldn’t be many people and you’d stay with me the whole time—” 
“—baby....” 
“No, don’t baby me. Let me finish.” Emily waits until Sue nods. “And then you went off to the store.” 
“We ran out of beer,” Sue says, feeling sheepish. 
“I know — I know that, okay?” Emily says. “I know there’s a reason, and probably a valid one but I’m mad, okay? You promised me something and then bailed. That’s not cool.” 
Sue adjusts so she’s properly sitting down right in front of Emily. “I’m sorry,” she says, and means it. “It was inexcusable.” 
Emily sighs, and seems to relax a little. “Okay. Thank you for saying that.” 
Sue nods. “Some party, huh?” she says, after a while. 
Emily smiles a little, then. “Did you see Austin? He was performing the High School Musical songs when I left.” 
She laughs. “When I came in, I think he was doing the guitar riff to Bohemian Rhapsody.” 
“Hey,” Emily says, after they’re done giggling at that. “I never asked. What took you so long? I thought you just went to get beer.” 
“Uh,” Sue says, “I’d rather not tell you.” 
“What? Why not?” 
“Because I don’t wanna charm my way out of you being mad at me.” 
“Oh,” Emily draws the sound out, teasingly. “It can’t possibly be that charming.” 
If she wanted to play it this way, then okay. 
“I stopped at an animal shelter on the way home. There’s a young cat there I thought we could adopt. Consider her a housewarming present.” 
“Oh,” Emily says, then in an undertone. “Damn it.” 
“Charmed?” 
“Ugh, fuck, okay,” Emily admits, then pulls at their joined hands till Sue gets on top of her lap. “I hate you. I love you, but I hate you.” 
Sue kisses her in return, settles in more comfortably. 
“Tell me about her?” Emily asks, softly, in the quiet. 
“Well, she chased the light reflected off my watch round and round so it’s safe to say she’s not the brightest.” 
“I love her already,” Emily assures her. 
***** 
On her eve of her 25th birthday, Sue walks into her apartment and finds Emily, Lavinia and Austin panicking over how to fit the last half of her last name onto limited space on a handmade banner. She says hi to Juggers and Iguana, their two cats, then picks up their two-month-old puppy Rooney, all before one of the three already present humans in the room realizes she’s there. 
“Sue, I’m so sorry,” Emily says, walking over to her and looking at her with a slightly desperate look in her eyes. “We tried baking cake, but it’s half burnt, but we can’t decide what to get��and all we have are balloons but then Austin’s going crazy trying to keep Juggers from bursting them, because guess what? The cat is the devil—” 
“—babe—” 
“—no, I tried to make it a good birthday, I really did!” 
She puts her hands on either side of Emily’s face, which forces her to quiet down. Then she looks over at the others.  
“Have you guys been here the entire time I was taking classes?” 
They nod. 
She feels a little overwhelmed. “Guys, I — thank you so much,” she says, then takes stock of the situation. “Can you order pizza? We’ll ring in my birthday with pizza tonight.” 
Lavinia side-hugs her on their way out to the couch, and then they’re alone in the kitchen. She kisses Emily on the forehead, then on both cheeks, trying to drive away the frown. 
“What?” 
“I just wanted you to have a good birthday,” Emily says, despondent. 
“You’re here, aren’t you?” Sue says. “And so are our friends, who sat and worked this hard for hours trying to make me happy. And we’ll have pizza! We like pizza.” 
“You’re just saying that.” 
“No, you idiot” Sue explains, fondly. “I mean it. We’ll have burned cake, and we’ll fight over the pizza, and even if the animals are outnumbered, we’ll probably lose to them. And then we’ll probably watch a movie, and somehow all fall asleep on the carpet because Austin always claims the whole couch. Either way, it’ll be a good birthday, because I’m happy. And you know why I’m happy?” 
Emily’s still pouting. 
“Emily, why am I happy?” 
“Because we’re together,” Emily completes, in a small voice, and then finally, finally smiles. 
(It’s the messiest birthday Sue has ever had. Also the best) 
***** 
Here’s the thing about endings: everyone who writes stories knows they don’t really exist.  
A famous author once said that they weren’t really the end of the story, just where you chose to stop it. Well, Sue agrees. Which is why this story in her head never ends. The imaginary typewriter in her head will keep typing long after, filling pages with anniversaries and birthdays and emergency dog adoptions. Maybe the next page talks about the day Sue breaks her arm, and Emily proposes to her with an onion ring she gets out of the hospital vending machine. Or the day Lavinia loses Rooney, walks around the entire block with Austin to find him and finally discovers he’s hanging out at the old café they used to work at. 
So. Yes. This is where she decides to leave it. Finish it. There will be more stories to write later.
The end. 
(Wink wink. Nudge nudge.) 
49 notes · View notes
jjpmoans · 4 years
Text
pleasurable temptation | cyj [m]
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word counts : 2.9k+
warnings : cosplaying kink, a hint of exhibitionism, pure smut (it’s bad lmao)
summary :  What did he do to be under this kind of situation? What did he ever trigger you with? Why is he helplessly moaning while you take him in your mouth without sparing him any mercy? While he is playing with his friends even? What did Youngjae even do to deserve such a torturous pleasure? 
“Wait, baby, I can’t. Please don’t do this to me.”
a/n : sooo for october, we decided to join together for a writing collab between the members or @got7creators​! It is called All Sins Week since we are posting a week straight at the end of October. Do check other writer’s kinktober fic as well! Also I am fourth in the order and please forgive me for this absolutely no filth fic. I have no idea what I wrote and I am open for critics bcs I know it’s bad wkkwkwkkwkw and sorrryy if you feel like it’s bland. But i hope you enjoy reading and please give a lot of love to other writers of this collaboration!
[ All Sins Week Masterlist ]
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“If you’re Tatsumi,” you ask, breaking Youngjae’s attention from the anime he’s watching. You’re sitting next to him, as usual as he binges watching his anime. “Who would you choose? Akame or Esdeath?”
Youngjae’s eyebrow raises, looking at you questioningly. It’s not new, you’re always asking random questions about the anime he’s watching out of nowhere but this time it’s different. You’re asking him to choose between the protagonist and the antagonist if he’s Tatsumi, the main character. “Choose as in what? As in my comrade?”
“As in your lover?” you scoop your ice cream into your mouth, waiting patiently for his answer as he’s having a breakdown over whom to choose. Youngjae always has a hard time choosing between the protagonist and the side characters, saying that of course people always like the main protagonist but the side characters are also precious.
Which is why now you only want him to choose between the two sexy female characters but you can see smoke coming out of his head.
“Do I really need to choose?” he looks at you with a painfully desperate face, wanting a way out of the question. “I like both though!”
“Nope.” you tut, placing down your bowl on the side table. “You need to choose one. Like if Akame and Esdeath offer to have a one night stand with you, who will you choose?”
You can see Youngjae shifts uncomfortably, avoiding your gaze by keeping his eyes on the tv screen. It’s not long before you spot the growing tent under his pants that makes him shift a couple more times and whines, “Baby, you’re making it sound weird.”
“Well,” it’s not that weird but it does feel weird when your boyfriend is turned on by a 2D character. “Choose one, big boy.”
“Why would any of them wants to have sex with me?”
“I don’t know.” you laugh. You know it sounds kind of weird but who cares? “Maybe they think you’re hot.”
“Nonsense.” He inhales a deep breath, biting his lower lips in an attempt of rethinking his decision, before turning to you like he has made a decision. “Alright, background aside okay?”
You raise your shoulders, agreeing with whatever his condition is. You don’t really care about their backgrounds, you just want to see which one of the female characters that got your man hard. 
“I personally think Esdeath is sexier.” he confesses, grimacing when he sees your serious listening face. However you keep him going, no attempt to cut him off. “Her outfit is always on point, but she looks very sexy in this one episode. So-” Youngjae scrambles to shake himself out of the narration, ending his answer with a simple statement. “I’d choose Esdeath.”
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Tonight is the second night of the weekend and as you both had agreed to, it’s Youngjae’s gaming slash anime night. Usually he would be watching anime up until midnight and then continue by playing games with his friends. However tonight he chose to start playing the game earlier than usual, claiming that none of the animes have uploaded a new episode.
This is where you come in.
You stare into the mirror, looking directly to the satin robe that hugs your curves nicely. It’s light but it’s thick and it’s new. You received it yesterday, just in time for you to wear it on the weekend. 
“I must be insane.” you ruffle your hair, watching it slowly turning into a mess, a beautiful mess. You almost can’t believe that it’s you in the mirror, you look insanely a hot mess. It’s crazy how simple the outfit is but absolutely sexy and alluring.
It’s nothing much. You just want to see his reaction, rile him up and see if you can have him a moaning mess under you.
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“Mark, Mark.” Youngjae taps on the shift button repeatedly, moving his cursor to hide his character from the opponents. “They’re just behind the truck.”
“Jaebeom hyung, can you sit down for once?” Yugyeom whines into the microphone, annoyed by the fact that Jaebeom is going to expose their location.
Jaebeom on the other hand is hiding behind a tree, reloading his bullets into the weapon. “Shut up, Yugyeom. I’ve been playing this game longer than you’re born.”
“Shut the crap. You are still learning how to write when I was born.”
“That doesn’t mean anything.”
“It does.”
“Okay I see someone moving.” Youngjae interrupts their bickering, moving out of his hideout to a safe place. He wants a chicken dinner tonight and he’s not going to let anyone ruin the fun for him. “I can see his head….”
A shot is fired and Youngjae screams in triumph, successfully eliminating the annoying opponent that has been trying to kill his teammates. As usual, Youngjae being the expert one among them and Mark comes second while Yugyeom and Jaebeom casually got killed and left both of them alone to carry the team. Youngjae had to be satisfied with the squad because at least, they know how to play. If he asked Bambam or Jinyoung to play with him, nevermind. Oh Jackson? Not even a chance. That man doesn’t know how to stop once he starts working.
“Have anyone heard from Jackson hyung?” Youngjae asks, moving his character to steal the weapons and other things from the dead bodies. “It’s been a month since I heard about him.”
“Yeah.” Jaebeom answers distractedly, still trying to load his weapon. “Last time I heard, he’s still in China.”
The door creaks open and if Youngjae doesn’t have one of his ears free from the headphone, he might not have heard the sound. It’s very discreet, very soft as if someone is sneaking into the room. Not that Youngjae knows anyone that is able to sneak into his gaming room without his permission.
Ah yes. Except this one.
“What are you-- what?” Youngjae’s jaw hangs open by the time he tears his vision from the screen to you, standing in your glory right a meter away from him. 
“Why? What happened? Is y/n there?” jaebeom.
“Not really a problem though. Can I say hi to y/n?” yugyeom.
“I can see someone coming, guys.” Mark.
Youngjae doesn’t know if he wants to laugh or to cry. You’re standing about a few feet away from him, in an attire that is foreign to his eyes but absolutely gorgeous, sexy, deathly- did he say deathly? -- and fuck you look so fucking sexy. Your satin gown is modest yet slutty, exposing your chest and only covers half of your breast, the only thing that probably holds the placket of your robe is the three little buttons on your navel which threatens to burst.
Shit.
Something comes to his mind and right when he recognises your outfit, a certain name slips through his lips. “Esdeath.”
“Es- what?” Jaebeom asks, still distracted by the incoming attack from the enemies. 
“Esdeath?” Yugyeom on the other hand, successfully shot the new incomer and went into hiding while still focusing on the topic. “Esdeath as in the Esdeath in Akame Ga Kill?”
“Esdeath visited you?” Jaebeom mutters incredulously through the microphone. Youngjae can see that he’s squinting at the screen, probably trying to see the ‘Esdeath’ he mentioned. “You’re talking nonsense.”
“What- what are you doing?” this time Youngjae totally feels like crying. He forgot that he’s video conferencing to play PUBG and the possibility of his friends watching this through their screen frightened him. Muting the microphone, he looks at you again with mixed expression. “Baby, what are you doing?”
His voice sounds desperate and you haven’t even started anything yet. Yet. 
You let Youngjae’s eyes wander from your collarbone, down to the valley of your breast and to the buttons on your navel and further until his eyes fly to meet yours again, lust clouding his mind. You can see his pupils dilate, eye blown and breathless. 
It’s fun to see him affected. It makes you feel powerful. It makes you feel extremely satisfied.
Perhaps this is what Youngjae has always been feeling whenever he dominates you during sex.
“Baby?” he calls out again, desperate to know what you had in mind. 
Your eyes zeroed on the growing tent under his pants, it’s evident that Youngjae is already half-hard.
“I just want to ruin your mind tonight.” the immediate satisfaction fuels your desire to make Youngjae bend for you after watching his reaction. Youngjae is, what you can make out right now, utterly speechless. 
“I- I don’t understand- wait-,” as Youngjae stutters with his words, you’re already kneeling on the floor, pulling his gaming chair facing the pc again, slotting yourself between the table and Youngjae’s inviting man spread. 
“There is nothing for you to understand.” you utter while the tip of your fingers play with the string of his sweatpants. Youngjae’s eyes follow your hand down, his breath hitches as you press your palm on his hardening cock, giving him a firm grip. His moan almost comes out as a whimper, grimacing at the slightest contact as he tries not to show it on his face. 
“Youngjae?” Mark calls, snapping Youngjae out of his trance. He scrambles to switch the microphone on, just in time you pull down his pants, exposing his cock to your eager eyes.
The coolness of your palm wraps around his cock and the way you grip him makes Youngjae hisses in pain and pleasure, enough to elicit a curse out of him. “Fuck.”
Yugyeom quickly detects the change in Youngjae’s mood, asking him if he is fine and able to continue the game. And in all honesty, Youngjae wanted to leave the game the moment you walk in with the outfit, the fucking sexy outfit. He can’t describe how turned on he was, seeing you almost naked with that Esdeath cosplay.
“One moment, Gyeom-ah.” Youngjae is about to reply when you tug on his shirt, wanting to say something to him. “What is it, sweetheart?”
For the third time of the night, Youngjae wants to cry out loud. You are sitting under his table in that robe, your breast threatening to burst out of the tight material and fuck- Youngjae is so fucking hard. 
“Let’s make a deal. If you can finish the game quietly while I suck you,” your aura is absolutely different tonight, Youngjae realises that. You’re more dominating and goodness gracious, Youngjae have no problem with that. You’re so hot and Youngjae would give anything for you to suck him. “I’ll let you rip this robe off me and fuck me senseless.” 
Youngjae’s eyes widen at your suggestion. You’re making a deal with him? For what?
“And what if I can’t?”
“Well, if you can’t,” you drag your nail along his shaft, sending shivers up his spine. “Then you’ll let me ride you. Let me fuck myself on your cock.” you challenge him, holding his cock towards your lips, sucking his head lightly. Saltiness of his pre-cum invades your taste bud and you’re now addicted, wanting more of his cock. 
Youngjae inhales a deep breath, shifting in his place before unmuting his microphone, resuming his attention to the game.
Oh, bring it on.
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“Youngjae, why are you so slow?” Jaebeom asks, running towards the unidentified dead bodies. He starts collecting the weapon and life stock while Youngjae’s game character stops in the middle of the track as if it’s malfunctioning. Technically, the owner of that character is, indeed, malfunctioning.
Youngjae’s breath labored as you continued to bob up and down his length, fisting his cock from the base and stroking his scrotum. It’s hard not to moan. Youngjae has been enduring your teasing quite good so far, only occasional hiccups and soft whines escapes from him and went unnoticed by other members. 
Youngjae has long given up to switch his microphone from mute to unmute then to mute again, he now resorts to detaching his headphone away from his head after muting the microphone so he won’t have to hear anything.
“Baby.” he whines, hips thrusting upwards as you kitten licks his head and slots your tongue on his slit, collecting his pre-cums. Youngjae’s cock is dangerously red, as if if you try to lick him one more time, you’ll see blood. His veins pop up and paint his length angrily. “Please baby. I don’t want to play the game anymore.”
“Hm?” you ask, not quite hearing his pleas. You take him in your mouth again, going down on him until he’s deep in your throat, humming to your satisfaction. His cock isn’t exactly big but he definitely makes up for the girth with his length and his stroke. “You’re saying?”
“I just-” a loud moan escapes him after you deep throat him once again, hitting your gag reflex. Youngjae trashes in his seat, holding the back of your head gently but firmly. It’s too much pleasure for him you guess. “Fuck. fuck. Fuck. please baby. Don’t do this to me.”
You release him with a pop and watch his cock curves backward, smearing the mixture of his precums and your saliva against his shirt. You don’t care about the video conferencing at the moment, you just push him further from the table so you can stand up and straddle him on his chair. They can watch if they want to.
You tug on the string of your underwear, revealing your nicely trimmed pussy to his eyes. At the sight of your drenched core, Youngjae mutters curses under his breath, reaching a finger to your fold.
“Fuck.” he caress your fold with his middle finger, occasionally dipping it inside only to let a gush of wetness out of your pussy. “Fuck, you’re drenched.”
“Mmhm.” you agree. You’re wet from all the thoughts while you suck his cock, thinking of how good it would feel when you ride him. “Can I ride you now?”
“Fuck.” Youngjae’s hand grips your hip as he guides you, slowly sheathing his cock inside you at your speed. “Ride my cock, use my cock. Do whatever you want.”
“Oh-” you let out a long moan to the stretch of your pussy is extremely good, the feeling of being filled with Youngjae’s cock takes you to another level of ecstasy. Even though you have been fucked a lot, however, riding Youngjae’s cock is always, undefeated pleasure. 
“Are you being filled well, princess?” Youngjae asks as he’s balls deep inside you. 
“So, so full, Youngjae.”
“Goodness.” Youngjae’s hands roam all over your ass, then up to your navel, pinching your nipples through the satin robe. “You dressed up like Esdeath to have sex with me?”
“I just wanted to try a new thing.” You shift in your place and Youngjae’s tip nudges a certain spot in you, causing you to throw your head back, gripping on his shoulder tightly. Your eyes shut close as you start to ride his cock, feeling the bliss of his veins against your walls. 
Youngjae on the other hand is dazed with your breast, bouncing right in front of him. He reaches down and a quick flick of his thumb, your robe is open and you’re absolutely naked to him, at least. Your robe stays on your body but the upper part of the robe has slid down and exposed your shoulder, probably a good view for the boys.
“Look at these breasts.” he tuts, sticking his tongue to graze one of your nipples. It’s not a secret that Youngjae loves your breast and he probably has a fetish for your twin peaks. He always gives extra attention and he can go on for hours, licking and sucking your nipples.
“Want me to feed you?” you ask, hips moving up and down his length but you can always multitask, cupping your breasts and bringing them together, putting the nipples close. “Suck them, please?”
“Fuck. Yes fuck. Fuck.” he holds you by your waist, sucking your peaks alternately. Whenever the tip of his tongue grazes one of your nipples, your walls tighten around his cock, causing him to hiss in return. “You’re really enjoying this, huh?”
You nod, impaling yourself on his cock. You’re getting tired and you don’t really feel your legs so your movement starts to falter, slowing down after a few while. “Jae…”
“Tired?” he chuckles, tapping your ass as you nod to his question. As much as you enjoy riding him, you have to admit that your stamina would never surpass Youngjae’s. 
Youngjae lifts you in his arms and just like that, his dominant side appears again. Bringing you to the bed, Youngjae manages to press his cock deeper inside you, making you moan all the way. 
“Look at you.” he tuts when you’re spread on the bed, half naked in your Esdeath cosplay. “So beautiful.”
“So fucking sexy.”
“The death of me.” Youngjae’s hand trails up your leg, past your navel and cups your breast, pinching and rolling your taut bud. You actually shiver at the change of his emotion, retracting to become the submissive partner like you always did.
“Youngjae.”
“Hm?”
“Fuck me.” you plead, whispering as if someone will hear you. Ironic, you thought. Youngjae’s friends have probably disconnected the video conferencing because of your lewd moans and now you dare to whisper? “Please,”
“Oh yeah, of course my Esdeath. I’d fuck you hard and raw.” he promises, lining his cock at your entrance. “Be my guest.”
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Copyright © 2020 jjpmoans. All rights reserved
[ Masterlist ] |  [ All Sins Week Masterlist ]
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krastbannert · 3 years
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Smellershot for the Ultimate Ship Meme?
MAH BABIES! Seriously, I love these two. I will forever be upset that we haven’t gotten a Freedom Fighters centric story that gave us more content for the group, especially Longshot, Smellerbee, and Jet.
For reference, all of these will be completed using the following headcanons:
1. Longshot is a firebender from the FN Colonies (this has absolutely no basis in canon, I just literally can’t unthink it).
2. Jet lives. Because he should have.
(and I’m still sleep deprived so these might be a little insane/weird)
General:
Rate the Ship -  
Awful | Ew | No pics pls | I’m not comfortable | Alright | I like it! | Got Pics? | Let’s do it! | Why is this not getting more attention?! | The OTP to rule all other OTPs 
How long will they last? - Till death do they part, and then a tad bit longer.
How quickly did/will they fall in love? - It took them a couple years. They’re children in the middle of a brutal war with an even jankier support system than the Gaang had. They’ve got a lot to deal with already. Plus, Bee has to process the fact that sweet fucking spirits he’s a flaming ashmaker what the hell when did that happen?!?
How was their first kiss? - When I wrote that scene in Ashmaker, it was very sudden and rather frustrated, and right after Bee literally slapped some sense into him (or tried to, anyways). It would definitely be either that, or it just...happens. Just a lazy thing, something that happens as they’re waking up, and neither of them realize it for a few moments. But in both cases, Bee is the one to initiate it.
Wedding:
Who proposed? - Longshot. It was a simple proposal - it just slipped out one day as they were walking together in the same woods they met in, just outside Gaipan. Marry me, he says, quietly at first, then louder when she asks what he said. Bee, of course, says yes.
Who is the best man/men? - Jet. Absolutely, 100% Jet. (Bonus: if he dies like in canon, Jet is still the best man - The Duke stands in his place, carrying a picture of Jet, forever sixteen. Instead of a Best Man’s speech, they have two minutes of silence. Longshot has to leave his own reception because the loss of his best friend is still that painful.)
Who is the braid’s maid(s)? - We don’t see Bee get many, if any female friends in the show. If they become friends at some point, though, it would absolutely be Toph. I have a feeling the earthbender-gremlin and the knife-gremlin would get along very well. Otherwise, it’s probably someone Bee meets in Ba Sing Se, or in Republic City post-war. 
Who did the most planning? - Their wedding really didn’t have any planning. They just sorta threw it together one afternoon. Longshot let Bee make most of the decisions because it’s her day, and he just wants her to be happy.
Who stressed the most? - Honestly, neither. They just...knew they were meant for each other. In the moment they were each a little nervous, but they’ve been together so long at this point, that they know: they have nothing to worry about.
How fancy was the ceremony? - 
Back of a pickup truck | 2 | 3 | 4 | Normal Church Wedding | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Kate and William wish they were this big.
Who was specifically not invited to the wedding? - There...really wasn’t anyone they specifically didn’t invite, to be honest. After the war, after the dust has settled, after they’ve traveled and grown and matured, they’re more than ready to leave past hurts behind and start a new future.
Sex: Opting out of doing this section
Who is on top? -
Who is the one to instigate things? -
How healthy is their sex life? -
Barely touch themselves let alone each other | 2 | 3 | 4 | Once a couple weeks, nothing overboard | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They are humping each other on the couch right now
How kinky are they? -
Straight missionary with the lights off | 2 | 3 | 4 | Might try some butt stuff and toys | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Don’t go into the sex dungeon without a horse’s head
How long do they normally last? -
Do they make sure each person gets an equal amount of orgasms? -
How rough are they in bed? -
Softer than a butterfly on the back of a bunny | 2 | 3 | 4 | The bed’s shaking and squeaking every time | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Their dirty talk is so vulgar it’d make Dwayne Johnson blush. Also, the wall’s so weak it could collapse the next time they do it.
How much cuddling/snuggling do they do? -
No touching after sex | 2 | 3 | 4 | A little spooning at night, or on the couch, but not in public | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They snuggle and kiss more often than a teen couple on their fifth date to a pillow factory.
Children:
How many children will they have naturally? - If they had any at all, probably just 1.
How many children will they adopt? - They’d be the ones to start an impromptu orphanage and take in every kid they can support because no one is going to go through the hardships they did if they can help it.
Who gets stuck with the most diapers? - Bee, because Longshot is dead asleep by 8:00 PM and he sleeps like the dead until he wakes up with the sun.
Who is the stricter parent? - Probably Longshot. He’s pretty chill with most things - he is married to a knife-gremlin, after all - but he’s still stricter than Bee, who doesn’t particularly care if the kid(s) aren’t dead, dying, or out committing felonies.
Who stops the kid(s) from doing dangerous stunts after school? - Both, but only if it’s too dangerous. It’s not like they have any room to talk, considering they literally lived in trees and swung around branches and used jury-rigged ziplines (made by kids) for several years.
Who remembers to pack the lunch(es)? - Longshot is already up, so he does it. Bee, however, is the one to make the food (more below).
Who is the more loved parent? - Smellerbee. She gets in as much trouble as the kids do; hell, she’s the one who gives the kids half their ideas in the first place.
Who is more likely to attend the PTA meetings? - Longshot.
Who cried the most at graduation? - Longshot.
Who is more likely to bail the child(ren) out of trouble with the law? - Longshot, because Smellerbee is probably in jail with the kids (she got in another fight with someone who mistook her for a boy).
Cooking:
Who does the most cooking? - After one too many incidents involving burned soup, near forest-fires, and Jet lacking eyebrows for a month, Longshot was banned from cooking, and the ban is maintained by Bee and the other Freedom Fighters throughout their lives.
Who is the most picky in their food choice? - Longshot grew up in the FN colonies. The boy needs spicy food. Craves it, actually.
Who does the grocery shopping? - They do it together.
How often do they bake desserts? - All the time. After so long living on hunted, stolen, and scavenged food, they both have a sweet tooth that will not be denied.
Are they more of a meat lover or a salad eater? - Meat, mainly because that’s what they’re used to. Salad is just weird.
Who is more likely to surprise the other(s) with an anniversary dinner? - Longshot always remembers things like that, but he doesn’t cook, so when he does get together a full dinner spread, it’s a big day.
Who is more likely to suggest going out? - They only go out when they don’t have a lot of food in the house, or when a friend wants to meet them someplace.
Who is more likely to burn the house down accidently while cooking? - Longshot. Absolutely Longshot (see above). Smellerbee might not be the best cook but she can manage to make food without getting rid of eyebrows or forests.
Chores:
Who cleans the room? - Both.
Who is really against chores? - Neither, really. They’re just so used to doing them that it’s automatic.
Who cleans up after the pets? - Whoever is their at the time.
Who is more likely to sweep everything under the rug? - Considering how long it took him to admit to being a firebender and that he had a crush, it would probably be Longshot.
Who stresses the most when guests are coming over? - They really don’t have guests. Just their really close friends, and they’re pretty much the Freedom Fighters and sometimes the Gaang, who went through the same shit they did. 
Who found a dollar between the couch cushions while cleaning? - Longshot did, but he gave it to Bee.
Misc:
Who takes the longer showers/baths? - Bee. She hates being cold, so she stays in the warmth as long as she possibly can.
Who takes the dog out for a walk? - They let the dog roam free most of the time. He walks himself.
How often do they decorate the room/house for the holidays? - They’re not big on decorating. They only do the big ones - Lunar New Year and Winter Solstice.
What are their goals for the relationship? - Honestly? They don’t really have any. They spent so much of their lives just trying to survive, one day to the next, and all they really want is time to relax.
Who is most likely to sleep till noon? - Smellerbee. 
Who plays the most pranks? - Smellerbee.
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springsteenicious · 3 years
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WRITING PLAYLIST #2 of 5
This one is for @those70scomics‘ fic, Jackie Stargazer (ao3 / ffnet). Keep in mind, I put this together. None of these songs are approved by MistyMountainHop, I just think they fit the vibe of her excellent fic. And I would like her to know that she has veto power over this playlist, meaning that if there is a song she feels does not fit on this playlist, she can tell me to take it off :D 
I will also be adding to this as more of the story is published. Each time I add to it, I’ll make a post with the tag ‘Jackie Stargazer Playlist,’ so if you don’t want to see these, block that tag. 
Listen to the playlist on Spotify! (Let me know if that link doesn't work, Spotify was being weird.)
Number of songs on the playlist (currently): 24 songs
Bands/artists: Cheap Trick, Deep Purple, Ezra Furman, The Kinks, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Pink Floyd, Rainbow, Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, The Dead Daisies, Black Sabbath 
Significant Songs: All. So, under the cut is my explanation for each song, or just the important lyrics. 
Downed by Cheap Trick - I’m gonna live on a mountain / way down under in Australia / it’s either that or suicide / its such a strange strain on you / Ooh, I got a mind / Over you it's not the first time / Ooh, I got a mind
Mean Streak by Deep Purple - This song is about Ro. It’s a kickass song and the lyrics fit her (and Hyde) very well. --- She drive me crazy gets inside my brain / She spun my money down the drain, ohh / So I roll over for my reward / How much can I afford? / She says, "Just a little more" --- I can't take this no more / Tried so hard but I can't get through the door / Because one smile from those eyes / And I stand there paralyzed / And she says, "You better beg for more I mean / Get down sucker you know what I like"
Perfect Strangers by Deep Purple - I am returning / The echo of a point in time / A distant face that shines --- I am the echo of your past
Black Night by Deep Purple - The whole song is relevant to Jackie. 
The Queen Of Hearts by Ezra Furman - See this post. 
Destroyer by The Kinks - Again, relevant to Jackie. --- She said, man, there's really something wrong with you / One day you’re gonna self-destruct / You're up, you're down, I cant work you out / You get a good thing going then you blow yourself out / Silly boy, ya self-destroyer / Silly boy, ya self-destroyer / Silly boy, you got so much to live for / So much to aim for, so much to try for / You blowing it all with paranoia / You're so insecure, you self-destroyer
Serve The Servants by Nirvana - Teenage angst has paid off well / Now I'm bored and old / Self-appointed judges judge / More than they have sold --- Serve the servants / That legendary divorce is such a bore / As my bones grew they did hurt / They hurt really bad / I tried hard to have a father / But instead I had a dad / I just want you to know that I / Don't hate you anymore / There is nothing I could say / That I haven't thought before
Heart-Shaped Box by Nirvana - Just. This song is so good. And can be very easily applied to JS. --- She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak / I've been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks / I've been drawn into your magnet tar pit trap / I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black --- Meat-eating orchids forgive no one just yet / Cut myself on angel hair and baby's breath / Broken hymen of Your Highness, I'm left black / Throw down your umbilical noose so I can climb right back --- I got a new complaint / Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Rape Me by Nirvana - Self-explanatory. 
All Apologies by Nirvana - What else should I write? / I don't have the right / What else should I be? / All apologies --- I wish I was like you / Easily amused / Find my nest of salt / Everything is my fault / I'll take all the blame / Aqua Sea Foam shame / Sunburn freezer burn / Choking on the ashes of her enemy
Corduroy by Pearl Jam - This song is amazing and I could write so much about this and how it fits not just Jackie but Hyde too. If you listen to the song and follow along with the lyrics, you’ll see what I mean. 
State Of Love And Trust by Pearl Jam - State of love and trust as I busted down the pretext / Sin still plays and preaches, but to have an empty court, uh huh / And the signs are passin', grip the wheel, can't read it / Sacrifice receiving the smell that's on my hands, hands, yeah / And I listen for the voice inside my head / Nothin', I'll do this one myself
Once by Pearl Jam - I admit it / What's to say / I'll relive it / Without pain / Backstreet lover on the side of the road / I got a bomb in my temple that is gonna explode --- Once upon a time / I could control myself / Ooh, once upon a time / I could lose myself, yeah / Oh, try and mimic / What's insane / I am in it / Where do I stand? --- Ooh, once upon a time / I could love myself, yeah / Once upon a time / I could love you
Release by Pearl Jam - Again, relevant to Jackie. Just look at the lyrics. 
Black by Pearl Jam - Like Corduroy, if you follow the lyrics while listening you’ll see why I put this on the playlist. 
Paranoid Eyes by Pink Floyd - You believed in their stories of fame, fortune and glory / Now you're lost in a haze of alcohol soft middle age / The pie in the sky turned out to be miles too high / And you hide, hide, hide / Behind brown and mild eyes
The Thin Ice by Pink Floyd - Again, Jackie. And again, just pay attention to the lyrics. 
Stargazer by Rainbow - I will be completely honest with you, I chose this mostly for the title. The song is kind of a stretch, but if you look at the lyrics a certain way, the wizard is kind of Hyde. Anyway, I kept it on the list for the chorus(es): Where is your star? / Is it far, is it far, is it far? / When do we leave? / I believe, yes, I believe
Still I’m Sad by Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow - See the stars come fallin down the sky / Gently passing, they kiss your tear drops dry / See the wind come, softly blow / Your hair from your face --- For myself my tears just fall in the dust / As I search in the night and find they're lost / See the wind come gently blow / Time into my heart / And the rain comes falling down / While were apart / Still I'm sad
Unspoken by The Dead Daisies - Mostly because the lyrics fit, also there is a Degenerate Matter song with this same title --- In the oneness now you realize / Lost your compass and I sympathize / In the darkness now you fade to grey / In the stillness you will make your way / Oh, I can hear you breathe / Unspoken, you gotta let go / Unspoken, you're out in the glow / Unbroken, you let it all flow
Like No Other (Bassline) by The Dead Daisies - Don't breathe in the air on the dark side / It's a lie, you will go insane / You fall down, down deep in the landslide / Who am I, who am I? / You lose your head in the music / Move up and kiss the sky / You slip away and refuse it / Do or die, do or die
Come Alive by The Dead Daisies - Come alive / You can start over / Now take me by the hand and come alive / Gotta break your malady / You got to live your life free / So come alive
Resurrected by The Dead Daisies - Stare in the mirror, lines on my face, yeah / I wonder where the time has gone / It's been a long hard road out from the grave / But I keep a moving on / I been up, down, turned around / Kicked hard to the ground / Keep a coming back again / From the ashes, from the flame / I'm here to light the fire again / I'm back, resurrected
Paranoid by Black Sabbath - Sadly, this is yet another Jackie song. --- I need someone to show me / The things in life that I can't find / I can't see the things that make / True happiness, I must be blindMake a joke and I will sigh / And you will laugh and I will cry / Happiness I cannot feel / And love to me is so unreal
If you have questions about the songs or don't get why I put them on, feel free to ask!
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Six The Musical Dance Masterpost!
This will be updated (in the reblogs) whenever I find new resources
An important update that will also be in the reblogs! The actors are not allowed to teach AYWD or IDNYL. No matter which workshops you book, the official line is that these are not allowed to be taught. 
In some cases, people teach different choreo to those songs, and that’s allowed. Due to this, I can’t be finding a way to notate that choreography and then post it. I’m pretty sure that’d get me in trouble, so I’m not gonna push it. I will keep providing tips for learning them, but I won’t go against the official instructions that the actors have been given.
Note I forgot to add but that applies to everything - squats. Do them frequently. There's a lot of squatting in the show, and boy you need good thigh muscles.
Ex-wives
The first and second verses are basically made entirely of posing. If you know the beats (which are very obvious and accented), the moves are easy. Each queen does something different on these beats, so you might want to pick one, or make up something of your own. These poses are the same in many live performances.
For the chorus(es), the moves are generally simple hip movements/steps. Easily followed from any bootleg copy you may have access to. The dance breaks/instrumentals are harder, and I have not yet found a proper tutorial for them.
Chorus and dance break performance, which could be followed. However it does end part way through, so I’d recommend just using this for the chorus/break section  - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFpqZjy54Ns
Visible choreography for the backing parts of the introductions verse (where the queens introduce themselves in a line/two lines) Deliberately pans out so that the chorus choreography is not visible, and the final chorus is from Six, not Ex-wives (this is a common thing in live performances of this) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJbaU4j0JCo
The final chorus mirrors the first, but so far I have not found a tutorial or live performance of this.
General advice - Learn the post-chorus dance break from the best source you have, since it’s the hardest part (if possible, and when I find one, I will put a tutorial for this section). The rest is very simple to follow from any performance, but make sure you’re watching the correct steps. Ex-wives is often performed live as a mashup with Six, so the choreo is different - there are quite a few live performances that I haven’t included links to, and this is for a reason.
No Way 
The intro is made solely of one movement repeated on a (helpfully emphasised) beat. Easy to see and follow from your bootleg.
There is not currently a tutorial or live that shows all of No Way (to my knowledge). It does have some full choreo (rather than just hip movements or basic steps) during the verses, that might be hard to follow from a bootleg
No Way dance class (NOTE: these moves are not in the correct order as far as I know, however this is a useful intro for how to do the steps. I used this to learn the movements, then used videos of live performances to put them together in the right order) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lzMd3oDAY0&t=4s
No Way second chorus and dance break, full tutorial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehdKQoZN_cU&t=2908s
General advice - The dance break is really fast, and really difficult, but it’s not impossible if you take time to learn it - you can always put your YouTube at 0.75x speed (or even 0.5x, which I did while learning). Again, don’t follow the wrong choreo and get confused. Vicki’s tutorial is helpful for showing points you can “hit” if the full thing is too fast or difficult. It’s very Beyonce and pretty sassy, so have confidence. Lots of hip movement, and salsa moves.
Don’t Lose Ur Head
Intro is simple to follow from any bootleg.
Lots of acting in this one. Boleyn interacts with the backing singers in a very different way to Aragon. Luckily, this means less complicated choreography in the verses, because a lot of the movement is either “shock”, “running to another point on the stage” or “leaning in to hear the tea”. Basically choose your own facial expressions and movements, and later poses.
Perfect live performance. Easy to follow for the verses, especially the second (which I haven’t found in this clarity anywhere else, lots of performances cut away) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY77XqKoNr4
DLUH choruses 1 and 2, tutorial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uEhNp-nVDU
Dramatic wedding moment? Again just acting with some blocking
The third verse has hardly any choreo, which can be seen in the west end live performance. The build up to the final chorus (ie the back and forths of “what was I/she meant to do”) is just improv jamming, so make it up as you go along.
The final chorus looks very “improvised having fun”, but there is still choreography. It is much looser than the other choruses, which means you can have more fun with it than the very precise movements of the earlier choruses.
General advice - The first few bars of the choruses uses a really difficult step, one which looks easy. Spend ages on this, until it’s second nature, or you’ll struggle to do the choreography for the rest of the chorus. This song is very acting heavy, and aside from the first and second choruses, the choreo isn’t super precise. The neck movements are sharp, and there is a risk of giving yourself whiplash if you jump right in - remember to stretch your neck too, it has muscles and you can pull them (I’ve been there, trust me).
Heart of Stone
Time for a break! Heart of Stone does not, as far as I know, have any choreography. Probably good to give the queens a break from all that high intensity.
Haus of Holbein
There aren’t any live videos or tutorials (yet/as far as I know)
Fairly basic steps in the verses, which could be followed from a bootleg. Lots of box stepping and posing.
Choruses are just improv, they do whatever they want, provided they’re acting like they’re in a rave. I have no idea if these were ever properly choreographed, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the script just said “go insane”. There are some parts where they pause, but this can be followed from your bootleg.
The intro and outro are just walking diagonally, staggered one by one.
General advice - Have fun. Have all the fun. Go completely mad with your improv. The more dramatic you go, the better it fits with the song. Unlike DLUH, the chaos is not the choreographed kind.
Get Down
First verse is lots of tiny movements, which are easy to learn from live videos. Clicks, head movements, etc - precise, but simple.
A useful section for learning the first verse/chorus - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ik6zKj08A28
Performance with full choreo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UlRCPLu9FM
Another performance with full choreo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io-cQWqAfX4
The end of this class has part of the chorus of Get Down, which is helpful for both learning the moves, and learning the general style of dance - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlWQBREK5Fw&t=10s
General advice - Full sass. Take your Beyonce sass levels from No Way and times them by 10. This is, in my opinion, the hardest dance in the show, so I struggle to give good advice about it. It’s hard, but there are plenty of videos showing the full thing - I’ve managed to learn it by slowing these videos down (0.75x speed on YouTube). There’s lots of isolation of specific body parts. However, cover all your mistakes with more sass - my personal trick is just acting like I’m doing it perfectly, because the sheer self confidence of this number is enough to carry you through.
All You Wanna Do
Full disclosure: I do not yet know this one. However, I have a dance class on Saturday with Aimie Atkinson, which should help me learn it. The following is therefore much more vague, and will be updated once I know more.
From what I’ve seen, the steps in this are quite repetitive. I think the choruses use the same choreo, or at least very similar. Very high energy, but much like the rest of the show, movements are on the beats (accented, clear beats, thank you ladies in waiting).
I Don’t Need Your Love
Again, I do not know this one well, but I will be updating when I do.
The majority of this of is like Heart of Stone - there’s no choreography, and the queens get a rest.
There’s a section of improv between the sitting down and the choreographed section, which is just the queens jamming.
The actual steps don’t start until “Remember that I was a writer”, and they’re very simple, not too precise, and could be followed from a bootleg.
Obviously in the actual show there is a break before the “remix” section, without dancing. The “remix” section has choreography, but again it is pretty simple.
The final chorus is the only one with full dancing, but there aren’t any versions I could find on YouTube, or any tutorials. However, I could follow it from my bootleg, and I think I’ll be able to learn it from just that.
Six
This quite nicely mirrors the previous numbers. For example, there isn’t any backing dancing for Seymour or Parr’s sections. Aragon’s section uses moves you will have already learnt in No Way. Cleves uses new moves but keeps her sass and the same sort of dance style. Boleyn and Howard do have new moves, which I think is a reflection on character development - the choreo is more fun and happy, similar to the starts of their numbers, but obviously not the endings.
Live performance that shows all the correct choreography - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqc3zJ1nva0
The chorus is super easy, and most of you probably already know it. These women have been doing what basically amounts to a high intensity workout for a solid 75 minutes, so the choreo was never going to be super hard/taxing.
Six main chorus, tutorial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gjf1jrSFwsw&t=2s
The “we’re six” dance break is a little harder, but should be easy to follow from your bootleg.
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girlsgonemildblog · 3 years
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Seriously, What the Fuck Did I Just Watch? - Emily in Paris, Episode 8 Recap
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Poster from IMDB
I literally cannot believe everything that happens in this episode happens. I honestly may not be able to even write this blog; that's how insane it all was. The episode begins with Emily leaving her apartment at the same time that Gabriel and Camille are leaving theirs, but Emily hides to avoid running into them, meaning we don't get to start our drinking game just yet. Camille then texts her asking if they can meet for lunch and talk about "something important."
At breakfast with Mindy, Emily is sure Camille knows that she and Gabriel kissed (for the second time). Mindy gives Emily some pretty good advice, "just don't kiss Gabriel," but Emily insists that "it's not that easy." It literally is, though? Like, just don't put your lips on his? It's really not that hard? You see tons of other people every day, and you don't kiss any of them, right? Or is Emily just going around and kissing literally every person she sees? I highly doubt it. The conversation moves on to Mindy, who has friends from her old life in China visiting because one of them, Li, is getting married. Mindy is nervous about seeing them again because they don't know that she's a nanny now.
For lunch (did she go to work at all or just out to eat?), she meets Camille at a sushi restaurant, clearly following Mindy's advice to avoid anywhere with steak knives. It turns out that Camille doesn't know about her kiss(es) with Gabriel and just wants Savoir to represent her family's champagne company. Emily says she will pitch it to her coworkers, and Camille invites her to her family's chateau for the weekend to learn more about the company. Gabriel will not be coming because he has to work and is still upset with Camille for asking her mother for a loan to help him buy the restaurant.
When she finally does go to the office, her coworkers are not very interested in the champagne company since it's so small. They then begin to roast Emily about the love triangle she's in with Gabriel and Camille. Without Sylvie, Luc, and Julien, this show would be completely unwatchable.
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In the morning, while loading her belongings into Camille's tiny car, Gabriel shows up, and it's revealed that he is coming because he got the weekend off work. Emily is less than happy since she is still trying to avoid him. In addition, due to their bags, the three of them all have to squeeze in the front row, making Emily sit on Gabriel's lap. As they're driving, Camille asks, "everyone okay?" in a weirdly suggestive manner, and I again have to wonder if there's going to be a threesome at some point. It almost feels inevitable. But then, Camille also says she wants to set Emily up with her brother, so who knows.
At the "chateau", Emily meets Camille's mother, Louise, who is extremely cold to her and speaks French despite being fluent in English, and Camille's father, Gerard, who is naked by the pool, his genitalia covered by a very well placed champagne bottle. Louise sends Gabriel to the market, and he tries to get Emily to join him on the bike ride. Emily says no, as a bike ride on the French countryside to a farmer's market is way too romantic to do with someone who you are trying to avoid kissing, and then Emily and Gabriel get into a fight on whether they can be friends, Gabriel saying it's no big deal and Emily insisting it's best if they keep their distance.
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Emily decides to go on a tour of the winery instead, where she chugs champagne like it's a natty light and she's an 18-year-old named Brad pledging Kappa Sig. She hits it off with the hot tour guide and discovers that he is Camille's brother, Timothée. Every Timothée is hot; this is only the second I've ever seen, but my point still stands. I also must point out how much he looks like Gabriel. But they're from France, not Alabama, so I won't say what I am thinking.
Gabriel cooks dinner for the group, and I have to say that making your girlfriend's chef boyfriend cook you dinner, in your home, on his weekend off, is rude. Let the boy have one night where he's not working. Gerard makes a lot of uncomfortable comments about the taste of Gabriel's coq and eggplant, and Louise lectures Emily that women aren't supposed to touch the champagne bottle at the dinner table, and you shouldn't talk business there either. Then Camille's parents start telling Gabriel that he should accept the money they've offered him, and it gets even more awkward than when Gerard was implying he sucked off his daughter's boyfriend. Emily posts a photo of her and Camille to Instagram, and we learn that her account has grown to 21.7k followers, which is only a 1.6k increase in 3 episodes, so it seems her meteoric rise is beginning to fizzle out.
Mindy texts Emily that they look very "cozy" and then tells her to check out her friend's livestream because she's about to surprise the rest of the bachelorette party. We then cut to Mindy in a jazz club with her friends, who announce that they're there so she can sing again. They reveal that they know that she's a nanny and don't care; they just don't understand why she's given up on her dream of being a singer. They finally convince her to get on stage. She insists she can't and tries to give the microphone back to the MC, but when he tells her no, she starts belting immediately.
Emily watches through her phone, and when the livestream ends, she can hear through the wall that Camille and Louise are fighting in French over the loan to Gabriel. To get away from it, she goes outside to sit by the pool. Timothée comes out to join her with a bottle of champagne. They have a heart to heart, and Emily says she left the US because "there were no decisions left to make, not even wrong ones."
Just when I was thinking this show is actually pretty good, the craziest thing that's ever occurred in the history of television happened. Emily asks Timothée about the difference between a Champagne flute and a coupe glass, and he tells her the coupe was designed using the shape of Marie Antoinette's breasts. Emily then takes the coupe glass and puts it up to her own boob. Timothée, without moving any closer or saying even a single word, reaches out and grabs Emily's other boob. Emily then guides his second hand to her tit that originally had the glassware on it. Seriously. This happened:
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There's then a jump cut to Emily and Timothée having sex, and Timothée is bad at it. I mean, rapid jackhammering and weirdly intense concentration bad. Emily actually tells him to stop and repeats his own advice about drinking champagne back to him, "slow down. You're supposed to savor it." I threw up a little in my mouth.
The next morning, Emily wakes up with a hickey and then joins Camille's family for breakfast. There is a new man there, and Camille introduces him as the brother she wanted Emily to meet. Confused, Emily asks about Timothée, and Camille says Timothée is her younger brother and is 17. Just then, Timothée joins them, kissing Emily and apologizing for her hickey before sitting down. Everyone at the table realizes what happened, and Gabriel has to get up and leave to keep from laughing. Emily repeatedly insists she "didn't know," but I'm not sure how well that would hold up in a court of law. (For those curious, as I was, France currently does not have an age of consent but has a bill waiting to be passed that would set it at 15.)
Louise asks Emily to speak privately in her office. Emily immediately begins to apologize profusely, thinking Louise is going to yell at her over the whole accidental-statutory-rape thing, but Louise says she "doesn't care about all that" and just asks if her son is a good lover. I think Emily's face says it all:
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Emily lies to Louise and says Timothée was sweet and gentle. She then uses the opportunity of having Louise alone to finally talk business since Louise had been dodging her all weekend. Emily comes up with an idea to get rid of their excess inventory, based on an Instagram that Mindy posted of her friends spraying a bottle of champagne over themselves in a club. She pitches the idea of "a bottle to sip, a bottle to spray," and says their champagne could be "the official 'spray' of Paris." I have to say; this is actually genius. Maybe Emily isn't completely terrible at marketing after all? Louise is worried about the legacy of her family's company since it's a little tacky of a pitch, so Emily proposes they create a second label and name it after Louise's husband's nickname, "Champére". Louise agrees, and the episode ends with Gabriel, Camille, and Emily piling into Camille's car to head back to Paris and Gabriel mocking Emily for being a cougar.
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ambitionsource · 3 years
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did you guys ever have voice casts for the characters? like people/singers you think the characters would sound like n all that? if so would you mind sharing them?
This is such an interesting question... admittedly, Es and I hadn’t really thought about it! We especially just think about the actual actors for those who already sing, but we can provide a couple other samples for each person if it intrigues you to know! Let’s see...
FARKLE | Corey actually does sing -- though not often in this version of reality -- but I do believe he has some professional training. We think of this song he’s recorded in particular, which I think is a really good example of how he sounds circa S1 in my head (this song is actually a bop. The YT version cuts out like 20 seconds too early but I found a version on Tumblr last year that was full so now I have it on my phone LMAO let’s go 2015 Corey). Anyway, it’s that pretty stereotypical power tenor vibe. A couple more comparisons I suggest are:
Jonathan Groff -- I think Jonathan Groff is the best comparison I can make. He’s theatrical, he has a pretty impressive range, but he rests pretty comfortably in the natural tenor range. Like he can do Kristoff one minute and King George from Hamilton the next, and I think that is equitable to Farkle’s range. The man key is that he’s a powerful vocalist. I think Farkle’s true center of his voice has a higher resting place than Groff, but it’s close enough. Example track: Bohemian Rhapsody. One of Glee’s best and an amazing display of Groff’s vocal range in one track. Farkle could match this beat for beat, flair for flair.
Chris Colfer -- I think that the flair Chris Colfer brings to a lot of his performances on Glee match well to Farkle’s vocal stylings as well (which is why he’s done a few performances with that version), but to be clear, I think Colfer’s voice is softer / higher than Farkle’s. It’s more about... emotion and inflection here than tone. Example track: Not the Boy Next Door. Farkle did this on the show, so you know we endorse it. This was also the track Esther brought up when I asked for her opinion.
Brendon Urie -- I think that Urie’s range is really akin to Farkle’s. I don’t think Farkle has at all the same kind of flair or inflection that Urie does (and Farkle is obviously more Broadway than radio), but on certain tracks I think it’s pretty cross applicable. Example track: Dying In LA
I’ll continue this under a read more to spare everyone who doesn’t want to read on because clearly this will be lengthy LOL.
RILEY | I have not heard Rowan sing since the thinly attached source material theme song days, so I honestly don’t think of her much as Riley’s voice (though I think she could do it if trained for it). Especially because of all the mains, Riley is one of the ones who is meant to be less trained and unimposing. For me, the most important quality to Riley’s voice is that it’s not overwhelming. It’s beautiful, and leaves an impact when you listen, but it’s never going to be Maya or Zay’s big, brassy vocals. And that’s fine. That’s what makes it unique in the landscape of the show (and why it appeals to Lucas rather than turns him away). A couple more comparisons I suggest are:
Amanda Seyfried -- I admittedly only know Seyfried’s work in the first Mamma Mia film, but she has the right delicate soprano that I envision Riley having. It’s like... a lilting, soft thing that’s enjoyable to listen to but can escalate into strong belting if needed and handle it effectively enough. Example track: Thank You For Music. Literally a perfect track for Riles.
Phillipa Soo -- Another great example of a powerful soprano player. Case in point enough that we’ve had Riley do a Eliza Hamilton song on the show already. Gentle and gorgeous, but sharp and intense when it needs to be. Example track: Burn.
mxmtoon -- First of all, let this be my plug that everyone should listen to mxmtoon. I love her. She has this lovely gentle voice and her instrumentation is so good. Her EP dusk is gorgeous and I cannot recommend it enough. But she is a great non-theater example of what I think Riley’s voice is like. She varies between ukulele and piano, and everything is just really understated and nice. Example track: show and tell.
MAYA | This is easy. I literally don’t have to say like anything. She just is Sab. That’s it. Like Sab is a phenomenal vocalist and she’s brassy and bold and has range and that’s all Maya is. Like literally that’s it LOL. If you need examples, hit her discography, but I’ll specifically highlight “Sue Me,” “Looking At Me,” and “Diamonds Are Forever” aka the Sab songs we’ve had her do on the show.
ZAY | Zay is an interesting one, because I don’t really think he fits any specific category in my head. He kind of defies definition. He definitely has a brassy swing to him that allows him to pull off showstopping numbers (like his Kossal audition with “Ain’t No Way”), but he can pull it back and reshape it to fit breathtaking musical theater renditions (like “Music and the Mirror”) or banging contemporary (think “Consideration” or “Self Control”) in a way that I don’t think Farkle or Maya can. He is the most vocally versatile of the bunch, and that makes his comparisons sort of wide-reaching as well. I’m not really familiar with Amir’s vocal ability outside of rap (so at least we know he can do that), but based purely on what I hear in my imagination, a few comparisons:
Leslie Odom Jr. -- A younger and less polished Odom, to be clear, but this is a big one for me. I think Odom’s vocal strength and range is so impressive, and what really strikes me is how... grounded and resonant his voice is. That’s a big thing for Zay for me -- you never doubt he’ll be able to support his vocals and that they’re strongly rooted. If he ever cracked or ran out of breath, it would be a shock. This is also really tied to Zay because of how much I would kill to see him perform “Wait For It” and how I feel like it’s such a Zay song. But anywho... Example track: Wait For It.
Frank Ocean -- Ocean has such a cool interesting range and does a lot of things with his performances vocally, so that’s why he’s on here in that he also defies definition. I think Zay also considers Ocean a musical inspiration, so it makes sense that he would adopt or emulate some of his style. I feel like he also translates emotion well, which is a key Zay trait too. Example track: Godspeed.
Amber Riley -- Now hear me out here. Obviously, Zay is a baritone and Amber is like a mezzo soprano / alto / what have you, but the reason I’m listing this Glee legend as a comp is because the quality of her performances is so sharp. It’s like, any time Amber performed on the show it was jawdropping. Her vocal runs are insane, the power behind her vocals is awe-inspiring. She captivates you from the first note, and that is why I always think of Zay. That’s how it is when he performs too, especially in moments where he’s trying to sell it (like his Kossal audition). I wouldn’t be giving my authentic comparisons if I didn’t mention this. So there. Example track: And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going (I would sell my soul to see Zay perform this. Please. PLEASE. Maybe I’ll crowdsource with Charlie and we’ll both sell our kidneys).
CHARLIE | Speaking of Charlie, he’s an interesting one, too. I honestly didn’t really... have a concept of how he sounded in my head, but then when I learned that Tanner sings, it was not at all whatever was deep in my head. But I love his voice, so I think I kind of ended up reconfiguring my perception of what Charlie sounds like around that revelation and now I’m still kind of trying to figure out exactly what that sounds like in the context of the show. The thing is, though, I think Charlie also doesn’t really know what his style is (LMAO), so it’s okay that we’re experimenting a little bit. Like in S1, the few times he sang, it was all over the place but mainly radio. Then in S2, he did predominantly musical theater duets. And now in S3, we’ve really just gone all over the map (from punk-rock opera with “Superstar” to bubblegum pop with “Party For One”) and there’s a lot of fun in that. Where Charlie will land, I don’t know yet, but I will share with you all Tanner’s only recorded song at this point and you all can start to orient yourselves from there. But a few other ideas to get the ball rolling:
Norbert Leo Butz -- Now here’s the thing... Charlie doesn’t sound like this LOL. The reason I’m including Butz is because I started writing about Jeremy Jordan and his rendition of “If I Didn’t Believe In You” and Jordan’s rendition is truly just so inferior that I realized no, I really don’t think Charlie sounds like Jeremy Jordan. So then I ended up here, and you know what, here’s the thing. I think an older Charlie would sound like Norbert Leo Butz. Like, give him 10 or so years, and this is where he’ll settle. To a degree at least -- I don’t think he’ll ever go quite as brassy or bold as Butz can lean sometimes, but the way he like... emotes through his vocals feels extremely Charlie, and the range is about right in terms of voice part. Anyway, give him 10 years, and then get to the point with this amazing example track that is one of my favorite musical theater tracks ever even though I hate the character who sings it. Example track: If I Didn’t Believe In You.
Oshima Brothers -- The shape of the O bros vocals don’t quite match how I hear Charlie in my head (they’re a bit too flat), but the essence of their performances resonate with him very strongly. It’s that gentle, soft-spoken acoustic vibe that I think is so core to Charlie’s performing delivery, which is part of why he’s so consistently overlooked even when he proves time and time again that he can bring compelling vocals (i.e. Haverford’s semi-finals setlist). Example track: Cadence.
Harry Styles -- It’s funny to think that if Charlie saw I was comparing him to Harry Styles he would lose his shit, but I want to be very specific about why and under what conditions I’m including him as a comparison (as he’ll show up on another person’s list too). I think Styles specifically works as a comp for Charlie in regards to the general tone and quality of his voice, in particular when it is on a softer acoustic (like “Cherry” or “Sweet Creature”) and when it’s more upbeat (like “Lights Up”). Like I’m not out here being like Charlie is as good as Harry Styles LOL, but I think the core qualities of their voices are similar. Especially when cross-compared with the other examples above along with Tanner’s actual voice. Example track: Sweet Creature.
ISADORA | Isadora is an anomaly of sorts, since she’s that character archetype where they never expected to be a singer but then ended up being talented anyway (Asher is in the same box). I tend to imagine her with a defined alto register, and a slightly huskier, gravelly tone as compared to Maya’s polished, trained vocals and Riley’s gentle, chime-like resonance. So it’s like... gritty, in a way? I have never heard Ceci sing, though I’ve been told she has once upon a time, but I am working basically from scratch in regards to how I imagine her. So without further ado, some comparisons I suggest:
Jorja Smith -- I think Jorja is the most Isa-like track we’ve had her do on the show thus far, to my brain at least. She has this charming edge to her vocals even when they’re on the softer side which is exactly what I envision for her, and I think there’s such a strong definition to when she jumps into her lower register. Whereas with Isa, I think it would be the same, but reaching into her upper notes would be even more of an audible stretch. Example track: Don’t Watch Me Cry.
Dua Lipa -- Another strong alto here, which automatically tracks Isadora for me. Dua especially has that husky quality I was describing. I would recommend all of her Live Acoustic EP to get a sense of what I’m highlighting most as a comparable, but it’s just that like... slight grit, gonna-kick-your-ass alto excellence. It’s so hard to articulate so I hope you get what I’m saying LOL. Example track: Tears Dry On Their Own Acoustic.
Madison Reyes -- I don’t know how many of y’all have watched Julie and the Phantoms yet, but it’s fun. And Madison has a great voice, which made her another good comp for Isadora. Same thing of like that unpolished but compelling belter, slightly gravelly quality. Example track: Wake Up.
LUCAS | Obviously, Lucas doesn’t sing all that often. And when we do give him songs, or roles in songs, most of the time it’s of a variation where he can more talk-sing the words than actually Sing. But he’s not totally exempt, so he deserves a comparison. For me, it’s like... the way Lucas would tell it it’s like he’s the worst singer ever in the history of the universe and you should never hear him, but honestly he’s like. Fine. He’s not great and he would never have gotten into the school for singing, but he’s not terrible. He’s passable. When he tries, it’s charming. I think the biggest key that makes him different from everyone else is he doesn’t have much of a range -- when I pick songs for him, I always try to go for ones that kind of stay within the same octave or register for the entirety so it’s almost like monotone singing, because that’s about what he can handle decently (his performance in 211 being an exception, of course, because it had to be). So, comparing accordingly:
Harry Styles -- I warned you he’d be back again, but this criteria is even more hyper-specific than Charlie. I think Styles is a great comp for Lucas in the very limited tracks where he is not showing off in any capacity and is really just keeping it stripped down and to the point (think “To Be So Lonely”). His cover of “Girl Crush” is another good example of what I mean. It’s basically like the same 4 or 5 notes and very little movement or flash, and his voice kind of takes on a grittier, flatter quality which is what I’m aiming for. Example track: From the Dining Table
That’s really it honestly. He doesn’t perform enough to warrant much else. You get the idea lmao.
ASHER | Although we didn’t expect it back in the days of S1, Asher has certainly jumped up to take spotlight in terms of performing in the last couple of seasons! Ricky (along with Liam) are actual singers and were together in a band for several years, so there’s no doubt they can sing and I think of their voices most often (in particular, I recommend the “Compass” music video, because it’s a good song and allows you to actively see which boy is singing what). But admittedly, Ricky’s handful of solo tracks since FIYM went on hiatus are average at best (and his lyricism... king you need Liam to write your lyrics LMAO), so I don’t usually jump to his music as examples of what I think he -- or Asher -- is actually capable of. So with Ricky’s good vocals as a base, here are some additional comparisons:
Ruel -- Cannot stress this one enough. There’s a reason Asher’s true initial debut was Ruel’s best track (”Younger”). He just has that perfect like... strong tenor with soft edges that feels very teenage twink and very Asher. It’s not quite Diva!Asher flair, but at Asher’s most base vocal style, I think Ruel is the perfect match. Example track: Down For You
Troye Sivan -- Same kind of traits here in terms of like smooth tenor, and in this case it actually is a certified twink singing so the crossover is even more apt. I don’t think Asher is as... electronic as Troye’s production often is, but the general range of his voice is close enough to be considered a match. Example track: 10/10
DYLAN | So same FIYM video shared in Asher’s applies here as well, but I think what works so well about Liam’s voice in regards to Dylan is that I think the key trait to Dylan is that he’s not flashy. When I think about Liam’s voice (and I love his voice, he’s my favorite FIYM member), I often think about when Sue on Glee called Quinn’s voice a “soft, forgettable alto,” but only it’s a tenor and I mean it in a nice way. The most endeared way. Dylan is less about being impressive and more about just like... character. His voice is not the best in the bunch but you can feel how him all of his performances are through his inflections and his energy. That’s what Dylan vocally feels like to me. So aside from his soft, forgettable tenor on the second verse of “Compass,” here’s a couple other niche comparisons for Dyl Pickle:
Princeton in Avenue Q -- Whenever “Purpose” comes on shuffle, I think about Dylan because of how distinct and energetic the delivery of the song is. There’s just so many little quirks and inflections and moments of fun within the vocals, and that reminds me so much of how Dylan performs. Little laughs, free-wheeling runs, stuff like that. Example track: Purpose.
Graham Verchere -- This dude like isn’t even actually a singer and he isn’t that big an actor, but I love love love his rendition of “Thirteen” with Grace VanderWaal and every time I listen to it I think about Dylan and Asher. It captures the other end of Dylan’s range for me (the soft, forgettable tenor thing) in the sense of like... imagining Dylan plucking out songs for fun on his guitar while hanging out with Asher and then playfully serenading him and the two of them doing a carefree, easy duet like this. I just love it. So I’ll include it. Example track: Thirteen.
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ravenforce · 4 years
Text
Manhattan 6
Word Count: 3159
Pairing: Lou Miller x Fem!Reader, Background Platonic Avengers x Fem!Reader
Warning/Rating: Minor angst. Fluff in the end.
A/N:
1. If there are any grammatical mistakes I’ve still overlooked, I apologize.
2. I sort of running out of steam right here. A foresee at least two or three more chapters for this series. Thank you so much for everyone who like, and followed this story all the way from Ithaca.
3. Stay safe. Wash your hands. Don’t go out if you can help it. Practice social distancing. Drink lots of water. Eat good food. Take your 8 hours of sleep seriously. Take your vitamins seriously. Exercise. Meditate. If you need someone to talk to in this time of pandemic, hit my inbox. I’ll do my best to respond as quickly as time zones would allow it. I expect to see you on the other side of this shitty time. Xx
Parts: 1 |  2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 9
***
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Opening Night
Media, reporters and photographers swarm the entrance of the gallery as guests pour in for the opening of art week. Thanks to Daphne’s connections you were able to get enough traction to get people in the gallery’s doorstep. You were busy greeting the guests inside the gallery when Charlie bounded happily towards you.
“They’re here,” he whispered excitedly. He apologized to the guest you were casually chatting up before whisking you away at the entrance where Agatha is. You slapped your friend's butt when you got a good look at what she was wearing. “Y/N!” She blushed profusely.
“Sorry, I couldn’t help it. You two cleaned up nice.” You grinned at your friends. Charlie laughed before shushing you both.
“Yeah, yeah but look at them.” Charlie stared dreamily as the bosses stopped to pose expertly in front of the camera. “They look like living goddesses.”
You smiled as you watch Lou in particular, looking dashing in her sparkling emerald suit with a sinfully low neckline. Lou turned her head and by the smirk on her face, you’re sure that she caught you staring. Agatha bumped her hips against yours while Charlie elbowed you playfully. You rolled your eyes at their antics.
“Excuse me.” A man in a crisp navy suit stood behind you. You recognized him as the young, handsome German diplomat on the guest list. You smiled at the man politely.
“Mr Klaus Heister, Ich bin Y/N Y/L/N (I’m Y/N Y/L/N).” You introduced yourself with a firm handshake. “Was kann ich für Dich tun? (What can I do for you?)”
Klaus smiled at you over the rim of his champagne glass, clearly impressed that someone as young as you are is versed in high German. “Kannst du mich herumführen? (Can you show me around?)”
You turned towards your friends who were silently watching the interaction, surprised evident in their face. Surely from not knowing that you can speak another language. You handed Charlie the rest of the guestlist for him to go over, and assigned Agatha to make sure the champagne is flowing. The two nodded a little dumbfounded at you before you turn back to the young diplomat.
“Es tut mir Leid, dich warten zu lassen (I’m sorry to keep you waiting).”
Klaus smiled charmingly at you before motioning you to lead the way.
***
“I’m sure she’s here somewhere,” Debbie said as she sidled up next to Lou on the makeshift bar. Lou sipped her vodka without taking her eyes off of the crowd. The launch of the two homegrown artists, Lee and Nikki, is a success. There were so many people - art students, art enthusiasts, and serious art collectors - came out to see the show. Tammy plopped down on the stool next to Debbie. 
“This crowd is insane,” she said after ordering a cosmopolitan. She too is now watching the throng of people moving around, simultaneously talking about the art and the artists itself. Debbie nodded her agreement. 
“Charlie!” Lou yelled when she caught the man trying to squeeze himself between two guests. He’s carrying a Deed of Sale folder. He smiled at his bosses, waving the folder in their faces. “Hi!” 
“Have you seen Y/N?” Lou questioned, completely ignoring the folder Charlie is carrying. 
“Oh. She’s been looking for you, and I was just bringing this to her.” Lou then noticed the folder but before she can ask, Charlie beat her to the news. “Y/N’s ready to close the sale with the German diplomat.” 
“What?!” A few eyes turned towards the bar as Lou, Debbie, and Tammy exclaimed in unison. They gaped at Charlie like he just grew two heads.
“Yeah. Sorry, we weren’t able to tell you he was here. Agatha and I are running around to make sure nothing is amiss, and Y/N has been entertaining Mr Heister since he arrived.” Charlie scratched the back of his neck. He knew they should have informed the crew when a VIP arrived but they’ve been running around to pick up the slack while you take care of the diplomat. 
“Where are they?” Tammy was the first to ask. She craned her neck to try and see over the crowd but it was no use. 
“They’re on the other side of the room. Near the entrance to the back patio.” And just how the black sea parted for Moses, the crowd shifted to clear a path and reveal you standing with the diplomat.
“I should get this to her.” Charlie held up the folder again before power walking away. Nine, Rose, Constance, and Amita joined the rest of the team in the bar just as Charlie reached you. 
“Hey! Hey!” Nine greeted everyone enthusiastically. She’s definitely in a party mood after the success of tonight’s show. “Looked who we found loitering around.”
“Congrats on the show, sis.” Thor managed to voice out. The rest of the Avengers spoke in unison, voicing their agreement, and how much they love the show in unison like the excitable children that they always are when their big sister Lou is around. The rest of the Heist chuckled, they’ve met the Avengers a couple of times before since they tend to travel in packs. 
“Uhm, has anyone seen Y/n?” Tony asked. Debbie smiled and cocked her head in your direction.
“What’s that about?” Constance interjected. They’ve all been wondering where you’ve been because they haven’t seen you since they arrived.
“That’s the German diplomat.” Debbie watched entranced by the way you’re handling yourself in front of such a powerful character. She knows Klaus for a while now, they’ve done a few businesses together. He’s known for being rather intimidating, a little too overconfident with a dash of charming. 
“And?” Amita asked impatiently. She hates pregnant pauses like they’re all supposed to know what the heck is happening all the time. 
“And Y/N has already sold a painting,” Lou said proudly. The Avengers started low key celebrating your victory by clinking their glasses together. They stopped being noisy children, especially the boys when Daphne sauntered towards them from the other side of the room. The girls rolled their eyes, of course, the boys would want to be on their best behaviour when their crush is around. 
“Make it three.”
“Three?!” They all whisper yelled at the brunette. Daphne chuckled before nodding. 
“But we’ve only been here for two hours.” Amita is dumbfounded.
“Well, that’s Y/N alright,” Tony and Maria spoke proudly at the same time. 
***
After a couple of minutes, you came over with Klaus closely behind. You introduced him to everyone and informed the team of the deal you’ve made with him. The Heist invited the young diplomat to sit on their designated table, which he gladly accepted. You, on the other hand, excused yourself to greet the Avengers. Lou watched Klaus watching you walk away.
“Is Ms Y/L/N a permanent part of your team?” Klaus turned back towards the table and took a sip of his nth glass of champagne. The team subtly bristled, an ominous feeling creeping on them. They’ve seen this scenario before with another intern, and another high-profile person.
“As of the moment, no but we intend to keep her around after her internship.” Debbie is claiming it. Looking around the table, she knows that she’s on the same page with the crew. They just have their fingers crossed that you want to stay at the gallery.
“Ah, that is wise but I hope you don’t mind if I make her an offer as well.”
Lou reached for Tammy’s hand under the table and squeeze it. She needed something to anchor her. Thankfully, Tammy squeezes back and gave her a tight smile. The rest of the crew looked rather uncomfortable as well. Debbie gulped as she watches you walk back to the table.
You just wanted to confirm to everyone that the wire transfer for Klaus’ purchase is good and successful but you can see that something is a miss from five feet away. You can see your crew’s tense shoulders, tense jaws, and you’re pretty sure Lou and Tammy are holding each other's hand under the table. Even Daphne is sporting a subtle frown, and it says a lot since the woman is mostly always sunny.
“Is everything alright?”
“Why, yes. You’re right in time.” Klaus beamed at you. “I just found out you aren’t in contract yet with the Heist. Is that correct?”
“That’s correct.”
“Well, with Ms Ocean’s permission, I would like to offer you a job as the curator for my gallery in Dusseldorf. What do you say?”
You wouldn’t admit it but there’s a slight pinch in your heart when Klaus said that Debbie allowed him to make the offer. You couldn’t deny it though that it’s a wonderful offer especially since the man is offering you a way to jump ahead from being a gallery assistant to a curator. He tried to sweeten the deal some more by adding all the benefits he’s willing to give just so you would take the job like free lodging, health care, and transportation.
“You can travel the world with me in search of beautiful pieces of art. All expense paid.” Klaus looked at you hopefully. He’s thrown in everything he can offer in the table.
“Thank you for the offer, Mr Heister.” The Heist crew held their collective breath. The pause is giving everyone anxiety. You smiled at the man. “I appreciate the offer but I am where I’m supposed to be.”
A collective sigh of relief was heard audibly around the table. Klaus let out a loud laugh.
“Zumindest habe ich es versucht (At least, I tried.)”
***
After Party
“Cheers!” Nine, Constance, and Amita yelled in unison, prompting everyone to raise and clink their glasses together too.
You were all supposed to go to a club to celebrate but everyone decided it’s better not to drive anymore as all of you have consumed alcohol at one point in the night already. Everyone was having fun, talking about the high and low points of the night while finishing the bottle of vodka the Avengers brought to the gallery as a gift. You were so happy that your friends were able to make it. It means a lot to you that they showed up for you. 
“Congratulations, bubba,” Maria came over and hugged you. Lou came over with a refill of your drink. Maria smiled at Lou before delivering the most deadpanned shovel talk ever. Lou was so caught off guard by it, she didn’t hear the door of the gallery opening or the room falling suddenly silent. 
“Hey.”
Someone tapped her on the shoulder. Lou turned wide-eyed after recognizing the voice. There stood Therese in the flesh, wearing a beautiful lacy dress. Lou wasn’t given a minute of reprieve before Therese pulled her by the lapel of her suit and smashing their lips together. For a minute, Lou felt the world stopped and started caving in under her feet. 
Everyone gasped as they watch you watch Therese suck Lou’s face. You pursed your lips together. You’re not the jealous type but something about watching someone else kiss Lou is making your stomach churn and your heartache. After a minute of being frozen, Lou was able to gently push Therese away. 
“Therese, what are you doing here?” She wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her suit. She can’t wipe the taste of tequila and cigarettes but she had to try. She doesn’t like it, she prefers your soft mouth that somehow manages to always taste like mint and chocolate. 
Ah, Therese, you thought. You’ve heard of her from everyone. She was Lou’s longest girlfriend, the best yet in the history of Lou’s dating life.
“Well, I wanted to congratulate you and everyone for the success of this event.” 
“If there’s someone responsible for tonight’s success, it’ll be Y/N.” Debbie interjected without care if she’s not technically included in the conversation.
Debbie and Therese didn’t have the best relationship because the latter has always been malicious in interpreting her and Lou’s friendship. Therese used to always be jealous of the amount of time Debbie and Lou spent together, creating friction between them until she made Lou choose between her and Debbie that resulted with the blonde choosing her best friend. 
“I didn’t think you’d stoop so low. Banging an employee.” Therese threw you a dirty look. You had to hold the back of Maria’s dress to prevent her from tearing the woman apart. You glanced at the Avengers, and you chuckled internally when you saw that the boys are restraining Nat, Carol, and Wanda from doing the same thing as well.
When you were sure that Maria’s calm, you pushed away from the table you were leaning on and walked past Therese. “You think you’re so special because she’s giving you all the attention now?” Therese stopped you with a hand on your wrist. 
You looked down at her hand before looking at her eyes. She has really beautiful eyes, and you can imagine why Lou would be in love with a woman like her. “I don’t think I’m special.” 
Therese laughed in your face. “Good because you’re not. You’re disposable.” 
“That makes two of us, I guess.”
Nine choked on her drink somewhere in the room. By the look of anger in Therese’s face, you know you struck a chord. What happened next was unacceptable for you. Therese slapped you. You whipped your face back towards her and retaliated. Therese turned at you with wide eyes. 
“What? You think I would just let you disrespect me, bully me, and physically hurt me in my turf?”
It was one thing to watch Therese hit you. It’s another to watch you retaliate. They don’t know what to do, except gape and watch.
"If you weren’t so disposable like the rest of us, Lou would still be with you but since she’s not then I guess you need a healthy dose of reality, sister.” 
Then you stormed out of the gallery. 
***
“Did you see what your bitch did to me?” Therese is clutching her warm, reddened cheeks.
“Don’t call her that.” Lou gritted her teeth in an attempt to reign in her rising anger.
“Why?” Therese tried to step closer to her but she stopped when she saw how angry Lou looked. Lou closed her eyes and sighed deeply.
“Because she’s not just my bitch, Therese. I love her.”
Everyone gasped at the blonde’s admission. Thor and Loki grinned at each other. They’re happy for their sister, finally, she’s found someone worth saying the words for. Lou smiled sadly at the woman she loved for so long before walking away. She knows that Therese won’t ever bother her again, she’s smart enough to know that tonight is the end of their history and death of the possibility of a future together that she desperately clutches on.
***
You were lying down on the sofa with an ice pack on the side of your face that Therese struck, listening to Tracy Chapman’s Baby Can I Hold You when someone knocked on your door. You ignored it in favour of watching the moon outside your window. Another knock, you just let out a sigh.
“Y/N, it’s me. Open up, please.” You opened your eyes when you hear Lou’s soothing voice outside. Yet you didn’t move an inch from where you’re perched on the couch. Another minute past before Lou knocked again.
“Love, please. Let me in.” You sighed. You pulled the ice pack away from your face and walked blindly in your dark apartment towards the door. When you pulled the door open, Lou sighed in relief.
“What do you want?”
“You.” Cheeky, always cheeky. Too bad you weren’t in the mood for that with what happened at the after-party. She can see you’re not having it either, so she dialled back a little. “And to come in, please.”
You pulled the door open wider to let her in. You flicked the lights open, and Lou was greeted by the bottle of scotch on your centre table. You ignored the knowing look she’s giving you before plopping down your soft leather couch. “What are you doing here, Lou? Shouldn’t you be with Therese?”
She didn’t follow you. She stood there in the middle of the room, looking at you. It took everything for you not to squirm in the intensity of her gaze.
“No, I belong here with you.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m in love with you.”
You bit your lip to prevent yourself from grinning. Lou’s growing anxious by the minute that you hasn’t said anything back. You beckoned her to sit next to you but her butt hasn’t even touched the couch yet when you flung yourself over her and straddled her lap. Her hand landed softly against your waist in an instant while you kiss her reverently.
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geekgirles · 4 years
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Una rosa es una rosa
In all honesty, this one-shot is an excuse to describe an outfit I came up with for Poppy, but hey, it got me to write something, didn’t it? XD
Special thanks to my lovelies @foxlanaeshrek and @tipolover22. You guys rock! And because you do, this one-shot is set on the Rock!Branch AU.
Read on AO3
With the Skulls and Roses Ball fast approaching, Branch asks Poppy to go with him as his date. However, an unfortunate comment sets Poppy out to prove to her boyfriend she can be the last thing she expected she'd want to emulate: a Rock troll.
Ever since the different tribes of trolls had been reunited and agreed to coexist once again, many changes were made to Troll Village. It had been decided the home of the Pop trolls would take in the rest of the kingdoms, because it was the one that held the most chances for other trolls to make a home of their own, adapting the landscape to their particular needs. And it had the sweetest acoustics by far, too.
Now that all tribes lived together, the leaders had agreed on creating spaces where all trolls could enjoy each other’s company at the same time as any individual kingdom could gather to speak about issues that concerned their kind specifically.
One of such places being a grand pod, known as the Conference-pod, that was built the closest to the centre of the village as possible. It was of every hue that was once represented by the six strings that used to hold each realm’s music. The top was electric blue, representing the techno string; its bottom was a golden yellow, that of the classical string; rotating around the spacious place were purple swirls and warm orange rope-like shapes, symbolising the funk and country strings, respectively; and finally, in the very middle of the pod, where the entrance was, zig-zagged blood red shapes intertwined themselves with bright pink hearts and flowers, a reflection of the rock and pop strings.
Said pod served as a ballroom and an assembly room. In there the trolls would celebrate any party in need of an indoor space, as well as the leaders meet to discuss different ways of ensuring a better collaboration and coexistence between their people. Even so, the place served another purpose, any king or queen (mayor and conductor in the Country and Classical trolls’ case) could request to use the pod in order to hold a party or meeting exclusively for their kind.
Being that last purpose the reason why it was currently being occupied by the Rock trolls, Queen Barb currently addressing her subjects, “As you know, our annual Skulls and Roses Ball is in two days’ time. I doubt I need to remind you it’s our most, if not only, formal event.” She said as she looked at her people. “I’ve already asked Queen Poppy if we can use the pod for it and she gave me the green light, so dudes”, she leaned in closer from the podium she was standing, “we’ve got a lot to do!”
After a minute or two she gestured for her trolls to calm down after the uproar that came when she shared the news, “Captain Branch here will read you the memo. They’re all yours, Branch.”
“Thank you, your rockness,” he thanked her as he took the place she’d previously been in, “As the queen just explained, the Skulls and Roses Ball is a formal event. That means the requirements for it are: we must all look our best, we must bring plus ones with us ‒if somebody can’t bring a plus one, either because they’re in a poly or just can’t find anyone to go with; we must be informed ahead of time‒, and absolutely, under no circumstances must we trash the place. Did I make myself clear?”
He narrowed his eyes at the lack of response from his comrades and repeated himself, louder, “I said, are we clear?!” Immediately, a chorus of agreements and clapping hands came, satisfying him. “That will be all. Dismissed; we have much to do.”
As the Rock trolls retreated, Branch stayed behind to clean up the pod. In doing so, he was approached by the queen of rock, a knowing smirk placed on her lips, “So…,” she began playfully, “are you bringing Poppy as your date, Branch?”
“That is correct, my Queen,” he turned back to face her, then his expression became worried. “Why, is there a problem with my decision, your Rolling Highness?” Branch feared not being able to have Poppy accompany him to the ball. He was well aware his relationship with the pink queen ‒the pink queen of Pop, to be precise‒ was something unheard of, even from back when the trolls still lived together the first time. But he simply couldn’t take anybody else as his date to the event; she was his one and only and he would not accept anyone but her.
“No, no. It’s cool, dude”, the redhead replied, motioning with her hand to ease his concerns, “Popcorn is pretty hard-core once you get to know her.” She smirked at him, which he answered with a smirk of his own. It was true, Poppy could be a force to be reckoned with if pushed too far; outright terrifying. He loved her so much. “But,” that made him worried, “you should really let her know she can’t come in her usual pop fashion.” Barb was now looking at him, her expression serious. “This is a rock formal event, Branch, she must look the part.”
The Captain nodded, “I will make sure she knows, your rockness.”
After the Rock Queen took her leave Branch was sure to follow, he had to find Poppy.
..........................................................................................................................
Poppy could barely contain her excitement the moment her charming boyfriend handed her an invitation ‒scrapbooked by him, might I add‒ to invite her to an upcoming rock event as his date. That would be their first appearance as an official couple! She really wanted to sing as loudly as she could to express her excitement right now. But, figuring there were still things they had to talk about, she did the next best thing; she tackled Branch to the ground in a hug.
“Oh, yes, yes, yes!” She practically yelled, “Yes, Branch! Of course I’ll be your date!”
After allowing himself to relish the attention his beautiful ladylove was giving him, he reluctantly broke the hug, “Poppy, angel, there’s something I should tell you.”
She looked at him with a furrowed brow. Seriousness wasn’t really the mood she’d thought he’d be in after inviting her to a party. “Okay…,” she said, feeling a little uneasy, “What’s up?”
Branch took a deep breath, “You see, the Skulls and Roses Ball is a huge deal for us Rock trolls. It is literally the only day of the year where we are expected to behave and follow certain rules.” His nervous gaze found her confused one, her nodding head encouraging him to continue. “This is the first time ever a troll that worships a different type of music will be attending, so I need you to be in your best behaviour.”
Wording his thoughts like that had been a mistake, he could tell from the queen’s narrowing eyes. “What do you mean by ‘my best behaviour’?” she air-quoted.
“I need you to look and act like a poised, elegant rock troll.” He explained, hoping he didn’t screw up. “I know it’ll probably be difficult-“
“Why would it be difficult?” She cut him off, crossing her arms. She had a feeling she knew where he was going, and she didn’t like it one bit.
“W-well… Y-you k-know… Be-because…”, Ugh, how did she manage to make him lose his usual level head?! In twenty years nobody had ever managed to make him lose his level head!
Then again, he had never met anyone as unique, inspiring, and incredible as Poppy… Oh, Rock. He really did have it bad.
“No, Branch, I’m afraid I do not know. Please, enlighten me…” she challenged.
“W-well, because…” he averted his eyes from her as he uttered the words that were sure to cause him several nights away from his pink, sweetly scented Eden, “…you’re a Pop troll.”
At the confirmation of her suspicions, something stirred inside Poppy. The same kind of resolve that only awakened when her people had truly needed it. But this time it was mixed, once again, with the desire to prove herself… And a hint of smugness.
And so, with a new purpose, she slowly got closer to her tattooed beau, a fire in her pink irises that, hadn’t it been for the fact that he was now slightly disturbed by the heat of its fury, under any other circumstances the Captain of the Rock trolls would have found insanely hot. Without a warning, she quickly pecked him on the lips before whispering, “Challenge accepted.”
As the retreating form of the Pop Queen was finally far enough, Branch let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.
“…What was that about?”
..........................................................................................................................
Poppy had been pacing and ranting inside the Fashionistas’ pod-shop for twenty minutes. Any troll from another land would be at a loss at what to do with the agitated ball of pink fury, but the twins, having been close friends with the queen since childhood, knew just exactly what was troubling her.
“So Branch invited you to Rock troll party-“, Satin started.
“-But he doesn’t actually think you can pull it off?” Chenille finished.
“Yes!” Poppy threw her arms at her sides, exasperated with her boyfriend. “I can’t believe him! We’ve been together for months and he still doesn’t trust me when it comes to his people and their customs! Like, what gives?!”
The twins exchanged a look. As siblings that were literally bound to each other, they knew of unsaid things, hidden behind bickering, better than anyone. “Poppy, hon.” Satin called her as Chenille put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
When their friend was finally looking at them, the blue sister began to explain, “We don’t think Branch doesn’t trust you.”
“Really?” Poppy asked, incredulous.
“Really.” The pink twin assured her with a soft smile.
“Then why doesn’t he think I can actually behave like a ‘poised, elegant Rock troll’?” She rolled her eyes as she did a half-hearted impression of her boyfriend’s voice.
“It’s probably not that he doesn’t think you can’t behave like one of his kind-,” Chenille tried to reason.
“-But more like he’s trying to protect you from them.” Satin added.
“What?”
“You know how we trolls can be, Poppy”, Satin shrugged, “We get very defensive of the things we care about.”
“So Branch probably fears his people will give you a hard time if you don’t act like them on such a special occasion.” Chenille smiled at her, reassuringly.
The royal troll’s eyes widened. It all made so much more sense now! Of course her romantic, thoughtful, and caring boyfriend would never think anything but highly of her! He just had a hard time delivering harsh things gently due to his upbringing. Sometimes even to her. He’d explained himself before.
“I want to make things right.” She spoke up. “I want to make Branch see I can handle myself so he doesn’t worry to death for my sake.” Poppy suddenly felt very small under the amused smirks and knowing eyes of the twins. She knew they saw right through her… “And… I also want… to… make his jaw… drop… when he sees me.” She admitted quietly, a blush spreading over her already pink cheeks.
The Fashion Twins simply giggled. Those two were adorable!
“Luckily for you-,“ Satin began to speak.
“-We happen to have the perfect idea in mind for your outfit.” Chenille completed the sentence as she showed Poppy a very peculiar flower. A flower Poppy knew all too well but had never given much thought. After all, it wasn’t the kind of flower a Pop troll would have a soft spot for.
“A-are you sure?”
“Positive.” They answered in sync. “Besides, it sure is perfect if what you’re aiming for is something that helps you erase your pop vibes temporarily. It does symbolise death, hatred, farewells, and tragic romance… It’s sure to grant you the darker side that is so characteristic of Rock trolls, since it’s a stark contrast to your usual, well, you.”
Poppy didn’t know which twin had said it, but she didn’t care. She had the perfect chance to become a poised, elegant rock troll and she sure as Hair was going to use it.
.............................................................................................................................
Branch had been waiting anxiously at the entrance of the Conference-pod for the last ten minutes. Despite their disagreement, Poppy had sent him a card saying she’d be there at 7:00PM. And yet, it was already 7:10PM and she was nowhere in sight.
He couldn’t help but think back on their “argument”. Ugh, if only he’d been better at choosing his words! How he was simultaneously able to smooth talk his girlfriend until he swept her off her feet and speak to her with his foot in his mouth was beyond him! But alas, it was a power he had been both blessed and cursed with, apparently.
He was also feeling very curious regarding her outfit of choice. Even if he knew for a fact Pop trolls had their own formal events, a part of him still worried about his queen’s (the one by choice, not the one he’d sworn to serve because he was her Captain) choice.
He, himself, never really lost sleep when it came to his own clothing. He was dressed smartly; wearing a buttoned-up white shirt, a black tuxedo and a navy blue tie and waistband to match his dark hair, which was carefully combed back, giving him a refined presence. Even if his attire was appropriate for the occasion, his mind was still going back to Poppy’s.
Just what would she be wearing?
“Branch, over here!”
As he turned his head to the sound of his name, he could feel his eyes widening like saucers, his rocker heart skipping a beat, his jaw hanging right open... And he was pretty sure he’d stopped breathing, too.
It was so strange. The female in front of him looked so much like Poppy. Her skin was the same pink he’d compared to the sunset’s hue dozens of times. Her magenta eyes still sparkled with the same sense of wonder and excitement Poppy’s always reflected. Her glittery freckles shimmered when the light hit them just right… And yet, the troll before him looked nothing like his sweet, happy angel of morning.
The pink troll before him had a certain feeling of mystery and danger to her. Her beauty screamed enchantress, siren, goddess of the night! …Of course it was Poppy, Poppy always looked like a goddess! He couldn’t take his eyes off of her.
Her magenta hair was reminiscent of a bud that was yet to bloom, with both the strands at the top of her mane and framing her face shaped after two perfectly round spirals. But what really caught his eye, though, wasn’t the extra softness it seemed to radiate, but the single black streak that went across his mate’s silky locks. A black highlight he’d only ever seen once before; when she was (seemingly) turned into a Rock troll.
Glinting in the night almost as much as her rosy gaze, three silver earrings gave the pink troll a bit of a wilder look. Two of them adorning her right ear, and one on her left. The smoky eyeshadow she wore made her eyes resemble two magenta lights in a fog of mystery. A spiked choker covered her neck, forcing his mind to daydream with the thought of marking it with a love bite.
The masterpiece she was using as dress was black and strapless, it hugged her body perfectly; the bodice accentuating her curves in such a manner that it reminded him of a corset. And the skirt, the long, filmy skirt, had a cut on both sides of it; teasing Branch with the sight of Poppy’s long, perfect legs. From closer inspection, the unusually smooth texture of the dress reminded him of a flower’s petals, rather than fabric. And yet, its rose-like velvety feel gave it a quality no other silk could amount to achieve. It was almost as if Poppy had picked rose petals and woven them together to create such garment.
That’s when it clicked. The dress was inspired after a black rose.
What really sold the look, however, were the twin armlets she wore, alongside her headband. The bracelets, made out of obsidian, were crafted in the form of vines with thorns. And, in contrast to the Pop Queen’s usual style, the headband followed a simple design; a halo of silver decorated by three black roses.
He gulped.
From the corner of his eyes he could see Riff arriving with his own date. At the sight of his Captain, he subtly motioned to the corner of his mouth. Following the movement with his own hand he realised what the drummer was referring to, he discreetly wiped the drool falling out of his open mouth.
A triumphant grin made its way to Poppy’s lips. Judging by the look on her boyfriend’s face ‒and his jaw, which was barely avoiding touching the floor‒, she’d succeeded. She looked like a classy Rock troll. Still, even if it was just to tease him, she asked, “So? How do I look?”
Breaking out of his stupor, Branch lightly shook his head before speaking up, “Poppy you… Rock, I don’t know what to say!”
She giggled, “Tell me, do I look like the perfect Rock troll now?” She wanted to sound confident, but a part of her still feared not meeting her boyfriend’s expectations, making her direct her eyes to the floor, only looking up at Branch ever so slightly.
His heart sunk at the insecurity hidden behind her melodic voice, “Poppy,” gently grabbing her chin, he directed her eyes to his before continuing, “you’ll always be perfect for me.”
A soft smile appeared on her lips at the clever reference of the beautiful ballad Branch once serenaded her with to express the depth of his feelings for her. He truly had the soul of a poet.
He then offered her his arm, “Shall we, my lady?”
“Branch, before we go in, I wanted to tell you something.” She watched as he turned, fully facing her now with his icy blue peepers. She had his full attention. “I’m sorry.”
His eyebrows knotted in confusion, “You’re sorry? What are you sorry for, Pops? I’m the one who doubted you!”
“No, you didn’t.” She said with finality. “I now know you weren’t doubting my blending in with your people, you were worried they wouldn’t be pleased with my ensemble and give me a hard time for it.” She sighed. “You were just trying to protect me.”
She really did get it. Sometimes he wondered if this selfless creature could read him like an open book. As a matter of fact, that didn’t sound so bad. “Yes, you’re right. That’s what got me worried, but still, Poppy, I should’ve voiced it differently.” He let out a humourless chuckle, “Looking back, no wonder you thought I was underestimating you for being a Pop troll. So,” he shrugged after holding her hands, “I’m sorry too.”
After a minute of silence, he asked, “Does this mean the gates to Heaven won’t be closing on me?”
Poppy snorted at that, “No, they won’t. ‘Sides, it’s not like you don’t have the key to them anyways…” She replied in a sultry voice.
Smiling widely at each other, no more words needed to be said. So, instead, they just closed the distance with a soft kiss before settling in an embrace.
Poppy was the first to break the silence, “Branch, I love you. And it means so much to me that you worry about my wellbeing so much, really, it does; but I don’t want you to have a heart attack every single time I find myself in a difficult situation. I swear, I can take care of myself; I did save my people from the bergens, after all.” She winked at him.
The blue troll chuckled, “Yes, you do.” He then offered her his arm again, “Now, shall we join the others, my rose?”
She took it, “Well of course! But tell me, Branch, do you really think I’ll be fine at the ball?”
He gently kissed her nose, a stark contrast to the roughness he treated almost everyone else with, “Believe me, they’re fools if they can’t see you’re the most tender flower in the rose bush.”
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loveafterthefact · 4 years
Text
Love After the Fact Chapter 61: In the Company of Friends
Lance meets some new people, and enjoys a carefree night with some friends.
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Thace and Ulaz’ place is a madhouse. This is understandable, given that they have five children, all under the age of eight, three of them triplets. There’s Mashan, the oldest, age eight. Then Forenz, Bimesa, and Lorna, age three. Then of course Raj, who’s only four phoebs old.
While Thace and Ulaz cook, Keith is showing the triplets pictures of Altea on his datapad which Lance cuddles with Raj. Mashan is sitting next to him, keeping an eye on her youngest sibling.
Lance rubs Raj’s ear as they begin to fuss in their sleep. He watches Keith interact with the rowdy triplets, letting them crawl all over him and pull on his ears, tail, and hair.
Ulaz hurries into the middle courtyard. “Thank you so much. Dinner’s ready.”
“It’s no problem. I can keep them if you want.” Lance smiles at the little kit in his arms.
“No way. Gimme,” Thace demands. Lance grins, hands the tiny baby back to their doting bearer. On Altea, five children would be more than illegal. It would be insane. Keith’s tentative dream of four is equally ambitious. “Okay, kittens! Ilun and her crew are going to be here soon. Let’s go outside and wait for them, huh?”
The triplets squeal, chattering with excitement, clinging to their fathers arms and clothes. Ulaz sets two of the triplets on his shoulders, hoists the other on his hip. Thace cradles Raj in one arm, takes Mashan’s hand. The eldest kit is also by far the quietest, timid, shy, and very sweet.
This is a strong family unit. Watching five happy kits interact with both of their working parents settles something inside of Lance he hadn’t realized had been disturbed. He can do both. Definitely. That thought curdles into bitterness at the realization that his father could have done both, too, but didn’t. Fortunately, Lance is good at pushing that particular line of thinking out of the way. He lets Keith snuggle up against his side as they follow the family outside.
“Hey, I wanna talk to you later,” Keith murmurs, watching the fathers with their kits. “When we’re alone.”
“Sure. What about?”
“I have a plan. For the next couple movements. And I want to go through that with you, and… stuff.”
“Absolutely.” Lance kisses the base of Keith’s ear. "If you're ready, then please, I want to hear it."
The couple joins their hosts outside, arriving just in time to watch the party ride in. There are about twenty of them, all riding elk, more on leads, carrying piles of furs and heavy-looking bags of leather and cloth. Lance can already smell the herbs, tingling in his nose. Wolves flank the elk and riders, pups galloping alongside, the tired ones riding with hunters or the bags. At the head, a pair of Galra with green markings on their faces and bared arms ride side-by-side. They’re not furry, like Keith. Mostly bare skin.
Keith leans over, whispers, “Ilun and Vrek. They’re mates. I’ve met them before, a few times. Their party always comes through this village. They hail from wetter climates, and always bring in some cool stuff. If you want to, you could buy me a vakalt pelt. I’m very fond of them. Maybe some amber jewelry, too?”
“Yes, alright.” Lance fingers the jewels in his ear. Vetroneius is going to kill him, but it’s not like they have any GAK. And Keith almost never asks for things. He asks for love, support, and basic care, but never things. "Amber would look very pretty on you. Better than some of our jewelry, I think."
Ilun and Vrek immediately head over to Thace and Ulaz, greeting each other, cooing over how the kits have grown. Ilun seems particularly interested in Raj. Understandable given the slight swell to her own belly. Lance learns later through village gossip that it’s her first, and that she and Vrek are disgracefully late on that front. He’s starting to catch on to the toxic reproductive culture of the Galra. No wonder Keith’s so stressed, being pressured from both sides.
Vrek rubs behind Keith’s ear. “Hey, little one. You’ve grown.”
“Just a little bit,” the young prince mumbles bashfully. Then he straightens himself up, gestures to the Altean at his side. “This is my spouse and chosen mate, Crown Prince Lancel of Altea. Lance, this is Ilun and her mate, Vrek.”
“Pleasure to meet you,” Lance says, smiling, arm extended. The Galra glance at his arm, cautiously accept his greeting in turn. The smile turns into a grin, and Lance presses on. “I’m hoping we can do a bit of business.”
“Food first. Then business,” Thace orders. “The kits are chewing my legs off.”
“We can do both at once,” Ilun says, eyeing the Altean carefully. Lance gently slips his hand from Keith’s, wraps it around his waist instead. “What are you interested in?”
“Vakalt pelts and amber jewelry. Perhaps something that can be worked into a headpiece, like this one.” Lance removes his circlet, offering it to the hunter.
“Both are quite valuable. Vakalt takes are limited to control the population, but the pelts are highly prized. Amber is rare... What do you have to trade?” Ilun asks as they all sit down around a stone circle. She inspects Lance's circlet, eyeing the deep, bright blue stone with an impressed eye. "This is a natural sapphire. It's beautiful."
“It's by far my favorite. I have these to trade.” Lance plucks three hanging sapphires from his ears, replacing his circlet. “These were mined on Marzax 5. They’re of the highest quality available, restricted to Altean territories and trading planets. My father has not expanded trade to Daibazaal yet.”
Vrek takes the stones, holds them up to the light. “I’ve only ever heard of Marzax’s gemstones… Exquisite. For these, I can give you two vakalt pelts. As for the amber, we can take a look together after dinner. I may even have a solid ring that might fit.”
“What say you, beloved? Do you want them?”
Keith snuggles up to his side, tail curling around his waist. They’ve been too busy for contact most of the last two days, trying to get as much work done as they can. Now, at leisure, Keith seeks out that touch he’s been needing. He nods, an excuse to nuzzle against Lance’s chest.
Lance inclines his head at the hunting pair. “You have my thanks.”
“And you, your Majesty, will have your pick of our amber and our two finest pelts. Well, second two. The foremost is for our little one, once they’re born.”
“Sounds more than fair you me.” Lance beams, more than happy with the results of this trade.
“Yes, after we eat,” Thace stresses. He sets down a wood tray of small, crispy flatbreads. Ulaz has a series of bowls and platters with different soft foods in them. “Lance, have you ever eaten like this before?”
“No. I’ve mostly stuck to stews. More vegetables.”
“Lots of vegetables in here,” Thace promises, grabbing a piece of flatbread and scooping out a green paste from one of the bowls. “I added some in for you.”
“Thanks.” Lance smiles, grateful. “My dad keeps asking about my nutrition. And then my father backs him up. He’s trying to be more invested in my life, but only really knows two things: how to be disappointed in me and how to be up my ass.”
“I forget your species is vegetarian,” Ilun muses as everyone laughs.
“Predominantly, though I’ve grown to enjoy meat more since marrying this one.” Lance kisses Keith’s temple. “But my body isn’t equipped for a carnivorous diet, so I do have to be careful. If this one can do it for me, I can do it for him.” Lance beams at his spouse where he’s nibbling on a bread roll.
“Keef- Ah, Prince Yorak!” Mashan tugs on the Galra’s loose sleeve, green eyes wide with curiosity. “You love him?”
“Of course I do,” Keith says, not hesitating, ignoring the gagging and giggles from the triplets. He spoons a bit of shredded elk onto a piece of flatbread and passes it to the girl. “Come on and eat something.”
“Little one,” Vrek murmurs, watching Keith interact with the kits, hosts, and his spouse. “Are you truly happy? Are you well? Are you safe? Is your bonding with this man of your own volition?”
Keith smiles, squeezes Lance’s hand. Lance gets the point not to speak up just yet. “I am happy and well. Altea is not necessarily safe, but this man has done his best to protect me from the people’s anger. He is mine, and I do love him.”
“I love you too,” Lance murmurs. Pidge snickers as they dart into the den, gleeful at the mortified faces of their guests. “And you, Pidge.”
“Show-off,” they tease, crawling into Lance’s lap. “Haven’t seen you guys in a while. How’s life treating you?”
“Pretty good,” Lance says, swiping a finger down the slope of their nose.
“Improving.” Keith smiles. “Hardly sore at all today and I’m officially taller than Lance.”
“LISTEN. You’re like, two spots taller than me. Don’t get a big head about it!”
“Those two spots are my greatest treasure,” Keith declares, munching away. The crowd laughs, amused by the young princes’ antics. “My greatest triumph.”
“Mhm. Just remember I can grow whatever I want.”
“Um… Lance? I think you mean whenever.” Pidge squints up at him. “Right?”
“Of course.” Lance squishes Pidge into his lap so he can reach the food. They've grown to be like siblings, since he took the young pup under his wing. That includes some antagonizing.
“I’ve actually never seen you shapeshift before.” Keith eyes his chosen mate. “How much of you is real?”
“All of me, actually. No, really,” he adds at Pidge’s skeptical hum. “I am one-hundred percent natural beauty.”
“Wait.” Keith swivels, giving his spouse a hard stare. “You’re telling me that you were just… born this pretty?”
“Ye-es?” Lance shifts, suddenly uncomfortable. Everyone snickers.
“Okay, sure. Leandro,” Pidge says, grinning evilly.
“Huh?” Keith frowns. “What, your body’s real but your name’s not?”
“No! I don’t know what they’re talking about! What are you talking about?”
“I dunno. Why don’t you ask- Why don’t you ask Keith?”
Keith narrows his eyes, watching as Pidge squirms guiltily in Lance’s lap. “What do you know that we don't?”
“Room for one more?” Lotor pops his head into the den, grinning, hair tied in a knot to keep it out of his face.
“Hey!” Keith perks up, happy to see his cousin. “What do you need?”
“Nothing. Some good company, maybe some good food.”
“Well, you might as well come in then. We’ve got plenty.” Thace scoots over, makes space for the prince. Ilun and Vrek stare, wide-eyed, as the Imperial Prince settles cross-legged on the floor.
“Thank you for the invite, Thace. Ulaz. It’s been so long since I’ve managed to escape. Pidge, have you told them yet?”
“No. I was waiting for you. Also, there are children present.”
Thace jumps at the opportunity. “Oh, do we have adult gossip? Okay, kittens, outside! Go harass the hunting party. Don’t get eaten by anything. Leave the wolves alone!” Mashan grabs the hands of two of her siblings, wrapping her little tail around the third. She looks longingly back at her parents, a silent plea to be part of the grown-up crowd. “Not this time, sweet girl. Run along.”
The oldest kit sighs, disappointed at the dismissal, despite her bearer’s gentle delivery. She pulls her littermates out into the lively square.
“Ready to be the life and soul of every party,” Ulaz mutters. “We won’t be keeping her long.”
“Oh she just wants to be included. I was much the same.” Thace waves away his mate’s worries.
“You, shy and quiet? Gods, I sometimes wish.”
“Rude!” The couple teases openly, without the calculated distance and art of the Alteans. In company, the Galra are a far freer race that Lance had assumed. “Now. Your Majesty, what do you have for our entertainment?”
“We have this,” Pidge cries as Lotor settles a monitor on the table. Lance stares, open-mouthed, at the image upon it, of someone who is very nearly himself lounging with a half-dressed (if that) someone who is very nearly Keith.
“What. The fuck. Is this?”
“It’s the video game industry. Don’t look, beloved.”
“It’s the what industry?” Keith cocks his head, adorably confused. Lance’s heart melts.
“WHAT?!” Lotor stares, wide-eyed. “I have failed as your blood. Pidge, we must rectify this. Now.”
“Wait. Has the known universe seen my bits?!”
“Oh, beloved...” Lance rubs his spouse’s back sympathetically. “Yes, yes they have.”
“Well, fuck. Might as well see if they got it right then.”
“That’s the spirit, dear cousin! Shall we?”
The table cheers, minus Ilun and Vrek, who only stare, bemused, as they attempt to figure out why their hosts are so familiar with royals. Lance doesn’t care, despite the nagging of his father’s warning in the back of his head. He only cares that he’s surrounded by genuine good company, and that he has Keith cuddled up against his side, trademark curiosity lighting up his face.
Every now and then, he just wants to be a person, even it's a dangerous indulgence.
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