#like. i live in the most expensive part of the country! the most expensive city even probably 🤪

[seilon]

no like when I say any answer on the queerest city poll that’s not San Fran is wrong I mean it is factually and historically WRONG

[unenomainen]

I think i am going to move to a smaller, less expensive city at some point For Real

[robertreich]

How Wall Street Priced You Out of a Home

Rent is skyrocketing and home buying is out of reach for millions. One big reason why? Wall Street.

Hedge funds and private equity firms have been buying up hundreds of thousands of homes that would otherwise be purchased by people. Wall Street’s appetite for housing ramped up after the 2008 financial crisis. As you’ll recall, the Street’s excessive greed created a housing bubble that burst. Millions of people lost their homes to foreclosure.

Did the Street learn a lesson? Of course not. It got bailed out. Then it began picking off the scraps of the housing market it had just destroyed, gobbling up foreclosed homes at fire-sale prices — which it then sold or rented for big profits.

Investor purchases hit their peak in 2022, accounting for around 28% of all home sales in America.

Home buyers frequently reported being outbid by cash offers made by investors. So called “iBuyers” used algorithms to instantly buy homes before offers could even be made by actual humans.

If the present trend continues, by 2030, Wall Street investors may control 40% of U.S. single-family rental homes.

Partly as a result, homeownership — a cornerstone of generational wealth and a big part of the American dream — is increasingly out of reach for a large number of Americans, especially young people.

Now, Wall Street’s feasting has slowed recently due to rising home prices — even the wolves of Wall Street are falling victim to sticker shock. But that hasn’t stopped them from specifically targeting more modestly priced homes — buying up a record share of the country’s most affordable homes at the end of 2023.

They’ve also been most active in bigger cities, particularly in the Sun Belt, which has become an increasingly expensive place to live. And they’re pointedly going after neighborhoods that are home to communities of color.

For example, in one diverse neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina, Wall Street-backed investors bought half of the homes that sold in 2021 and 2022. On a single block, investors bought every house but one, and turned them into rentals.

Folks, it’s a vicious cycle: First you’re outbid by investors, then you may be stuck renting from them at excessive prices that leave you with even less money to put up for a new home. Rinse. Repeat.

Now I want to be clear: This is just one part of the problem with housing in America. The lack of supply is considered the biggest reason why home prices and rents have soared — and are outpacing recent wage gains. But Wall Street sinking its teeth into whatever is left on the market is making the supply problem even worse.

So what can we do about this? Start by getting Wall Street out of our homes.

Democrats have introduced a bill in both houses of Congress to ban hedge funds and private equity firms from buying or owning single-family homes.

If signed into law, this could increase the supply of homes available to individual buyers — thereby making housing more affordable.

President Biden has also made it a priority to tackle the housing crisis, proposing billions in funding to increase the supply of homes and tax credits to help actual people buy them.

Now I have no delusions that any of this will be easy to get done. But these plans provide a roadmap of where the country could head — under the right leadership.

So many Americans I meet these days are cynical about the country. I understand their cynicism. But cynicism can be a self-fulfilling prophecy if it means giving up the fight.

The captains of American industry and Wall Street would like nothing better than for the rest of us to give up that fight, so they can take it all.

I say we keep fighting.

[arcanefox207]

The Wolf You Feed (Part 1)

Pairing: Joel Miller x f!reader

Rating: Explicit, 18+ MDNI

Word Count: 8k

Part 1 / ? (Ongoing Series)

Summary: Set in fictional New England town, you fall for your handsome, intense and outdoorsy neighbor while renting out your parent's vacant summer home during a brutal winter.

Warnings: No Outbreak, AU but with TLoU characters, Large age gap (Reader is 29. Joel is 50). This chapter includes smut with fingering and cum eating. Dominant Joel. Eventual Angst. Drinking Alcohol. Pet names but no use of Y/N. Reader is smaller than Joel and has hair he can grab. 

Chapter Excerpt: He presses a gentle kiss behind your ear and another one drags to your jawline and to the soft meat of your neck. His coarse beard scrapes against your skin and makes you shudder. You press your ass into him and feel him hard against your lower back. He responds by pressing into you firmly and brings his mouth to your ear. 

“You feel what you do to me, beautiful girl?” He asks with his low, gravely voice and presses another kiss into you. His heat is searing into you.

A/N: Please hang in there. This chapter has a lot of setup and is a bit of a slow burn. Its also my first fic and I am pouring my heart and soul into it.

A O 3 | M A S T E R L I S T | N O T I F I C A T I O N

“Remember, if you need anything you can ask Joel. He knows his way around the house” your mother reminds you. 

“Thanks, I will be fine but I’ll keep that in mind.” You appease her but have no intention of bothering her neighbor.

“Love you, honey. Talk later!”

“Bye mom. Love you.” You end the call and slump back against the couch. This was going to be your home for the next few months. Your parents had gone south to avoid the brutal New England winter and had offered their summer vacation home in Kineo to you in the interim. No rent and plenty of free time to figure out what to do with your life next. All you had to do was pay the utilities and keep an eye on things.

The offer was genuine but also came from a place of concern. You had spent the last few years living a more-or-less nomadic life and poorly indulging your dreams of adventure. Your bachelors degree in Liberal Arts proving to be as useless as everyone told you it would be. It got you jobs easy enough but nothing that felt like a long term career. It all felt directionless but you also had been hell bent on proving everyone else wrong and keeping up the appearance that you were doing just fine. 

Your past relationships were nothing too exciting either. Months of casually dating someone and it not really going anywhere or random hookups that you regretted the next day. One or two guys you were getting serious with but ultimately scared you off when they started talking about a family in their big picture. You were starting to get cynical about any compatible prospects.

You are only 29 and wonder if a midlife crisis before your 30’s is normal. At least, that is what it felt like was happening. You had been treading water for too long and felt like you were too tired to keep swimming.

Your mother finally wore you down enough when your lease was up at your Boston apartment and you had no real obligations. You hated your current job, your roommates were little more than acquaintances and the busy city life scene was starting to lose its charm especially when it was astronomically expensive to live there. It was getting harder to say no so you agreed to her offer. 

You had to admit living in the country sounded like a nice change. You had a few months to figure stuff out and the thought of something new was exciting to you. Even if it meant continuing to endure the bitter winter, you had a chance to start fresh somewhere new. Something different. 

You didn’t grow up here and spent most of your life living in suburban homes with slightly warmer climates. Your parents had bought a small one bedroom vacation home in a sleepy New England town that they mostly only enjoyed in the prime summer months. The home sat mostly vacant otherwise. They would rent it out for weeks at a time but in the winter months no one from away wanted to go there. Too far from ski resorts and civilization to be of interest to a casual vacationer. It had a lake that drew much attention from outsiders only when it wasn’t frozen. The town was reduced to just the year-round locals in the coldest months.

Your new residence was outside the main populous of Kineo and nearby the lake. In fact, you could see the lake peeking through the thick pine trees out the front window if you looked hard enough. 

The closest and only neighbor in sight was the handyman your parents raved about across the street. He kept an eye on the place while they were away. You had never interacted with him on your occasional summer visits, but knew he had been kind to your folks and heard about him often enough. You occasionally saw him out in his yard from afar and he would give a lazy wave to your parents in passing. You never really got a good look at him up close but from what you could see he looked rugged and fit and always wore jeans and work boots. He had a modest waterfront cabin across the street and seemed to keep to himself.

You had arrived just a few days ago and already had a job lined up at the local coffee shop, Grind. You were getting your caffeine fix and saw a help wanted sign in their window and you had no trouble securing the job when you chatted with the owner. She hired you on the spot and seemed desperate but grateful that you actually had enthusiasm for coffee and knew your Americanos from your Lattes. Grind Coffee House was on the main drag along with some other quaint shops. It was charming enough and an easy 10 minute drive from your house. The pay was pitiful but would be enough to get by. Things seemed to be lining up perfectly.

You went to bed early that night and felt optimistic that this was going to be good for you. This was going to be the reset that you craved. A new adventure. It was like nothing you had experienced before and maybe that was exactly what you needed.

–

Shit. Your first day working at Grind and you can’t even get the car to start. 

It was freezing cold. The kind of cold that hurts when it touches your exposed skin. You turn the key in the ignition again and the engine makes a pathetic attempt to turn over. Nothing. Fuck. 

You turn the key again. Nothing. Fuck fuck fuck. You pull out your phone and realize you have no idea what to do other than call your new boss and make a horrible first impression. No, that wasn’t going to do. You look in the rearview mirror and see across the street that lights are on at your neighbors house, despite the early hour. As quickly as the thought crosses your mind you push it away. No. No way were you going to bother him at this hour. You hadn’t even officially met the guy yet.

You pull up Google on your phone and scan the first few results for “car won’t start” and narrow it down to engine troubles or dead battery. Either outcome is something you are not equipped to handle. 

A few moments pass and you reluctantly weigh the options. Would a garage even be open this early? How long would that take to get someone out there? You were wasting time and had to do something. You curse to yourself and go back inside the house.

You walk over to the fridge where a note is hanging front and center “Joel Miller” with a phone number neatly printed. Your mothers careful handwriting to contact the poor neighbor that she probably harasses all the time. You sigh and open your phone to dial the number.

It rings a few times, and then you hear a gravelly voice that catches you off guard. 

“Hello?” A deep and thick, unfamiliar accent answers. Not what you were expecting. 

“Hi, Mr. Miller.” a long pause and you stumble over your words. “I uh, I’m sorry to call you so early. I'm Rick and Linda’s daughter.” and mumble your name. Another pause. 

“Ah, right. Whatcha need, kid?” He asks with little expression in his tone. You can’t tell if he is annoyed or just sounded that way. 

“My car won’t start and I–” you pause, not too sure how to ask for help from a stranger. “I don’t know what to do...” Your voice trails off with uncertainty on how to ask for help or what you are even expecting. 

You hear a long exhale on the other end, like he is letting all the air out of his lungs while he is thinking on it. 

“Dead battery most likely… on a day like this. I’ll be right over.” He hangs up the phone before you can say another word and instead say thank you out loud to yourself and let your voice trail off. You instantly regret making the call.

You zip up your coat, pull your knit hat snug over your ears and head back outside when you see a black Ford pickup truck ease into your driveway. A tall man wearing a brown suede jacket approaches. The morning light is faint but you can make out that he is much older and has some silver streaking his hair and beard. He looks weathered and rugged but also has a warmness about him that is hard to reconcile with his rough exterior.     

“Joel Miller, I presume?” you nervously laugh and awkwardly introduce yourself for the second time. You attempt to be extra friendly and maybe penetrate his bristly wall. It seems to help when he notices you are a young woman and not some bratty teenager that your parents probably made you out to be. He takes a step forward and reaches a hand out towards you, nodding. He firmly shakes your hand and you are taken aback by how his grasp seems to engulf you.

“Pleasure to meet you, darling.” His voice is smooth and polite and has the tiniest hint of playfulness in his tone. You can’t place his accent, but you know it isn’t from around here and only someone from away would say ‘Darling’ so casually to a stranger. 

His dark brown eyes hold your gaze for a moment and he has the faintest smirk as he subtly scans your body. It sends goosebumps down your spine. You are grateful that you made an extra effort to look cute for your first day of work. You realize your hands are still embraced and nervously laugh as you pull away. He gets right down to business, but not before stealing another peek of your body when he thinks you aren’t looking.  

“Lets see what we got here.'' He climbs into the driver's seat and in no time confirms it's the battery when he hears your car's engine protest. He walks over to his tailgate and brings back some jumper cables. 

You stand there with your arms wrapped around your body trying to hold in as much warmth as possible. Your bare hands clenched in a fist and tucked in as far as they could in your jacket sleeve to shelter from the cold. Your teeth chattering as you try to stand out of the way but want to be nearby too. At least give the illusion you can be helpful if he needs something. You regret your first meeting being a clueless damsel in distress, but maybe he liked that sort of thing. His tune did seem to change once he saw you. 

Joel returns and leans over the edge of the seat leaving the door wide open, his large palm dragging up slowly from the floor to the steering column, searching for the hood release. His finger catches on the button and he pops the hood. It’s hard not to stare at him while he slides his expert hands with reckless abandon.

His eyes find yours and the corner of his mouth raises slightly. You question if you are mistaking his caught you watching me look for more than what it was. He seems to enjoy you watching him work. He steps away from the seat and pulls a pair of work gloves from his back pocket as he works to connect your car to his truck with the jumper cables. He starts his truck back up and approaches you. Your breath and his making little frozen clouds as you exhale. 

“You can sit in my truck if you want, it’s plenty warm in there.” He gestures with his thumb over his shoulder. “This will just be a minute.” You thank him and take him up on his offer and climb into his passenger seat. He has a classical rock station playing on the radio. A thermos sitting in the center console. You glance in the back seat and see some neatly organized tools and miscellaneous junk on the floor. It smells metallic and leathery. 

You outstretch your hands to the vents that are pouring warm air into the cabin and relish the heat.  

A few moments pass and you don’t see much of what’s going on with the hood of the truck blocking your view. You doom scroll on Instagram to keep yourself busy but your mind keeps thinking about Joel. You were in no way prepared for your neighbor to be so fucking handsome. It felt absurd to be so turned on by him.

He’s too old. You tell yourself. Don’t even think about it. 

Your thoughts are interrupted as the hood slams shut and Joel opens the driver's door. He reaches his arm out to grab his thermos while he climbs into the seat with a groan. The door shuts hard behind him and a blast of cold air invades your space briefly.  

“Damn cold one today” He says it with a huff as more of an observation than a complaint. He takes a sip of his coffee and looks over to you. You nod in agreement and find yourself caught up in what to say to him. He pulls off his gloves and tosses them in his backseat. He rests his arm along the back of the seat and it is nearly touching your shoulder. The way his body takes up the space makes you feel small and helpless. Then, you remember you are small and helpless compared to him. He doesn’t feel threatening towards you but you certainly does give off the aura that he could be intense in the right circumstance. You find that undeniably attractive.

“Your folks called me last week. Told me you were gonna be staying here a while.” His eyes are back focused on you. “Meant to come over this weekend and introduce myself.” he seems a little nervous and takes another sip of his coffee. “Didn’t wanna bother you, though.” 

You feel a small smile start to grow on your face. The thought that he shared the same reservations brought comfort. Joel rests his thermos between his legs while still holding it with one hand. He looks like he is hesitating to say something but does it anyway. He looks over at you with tender eyes, 

“Didn’t expect.. You know...” He makes an unreadable expression as he is searching for the words and scans your body up and down. “Someone like you.” You were not entirely sure what he meant by that, but his smoldered stare on your body made you feel hot inside and your cheeks flush. He looked at you with intrigue and it made you feel good. It made you feel wanted. It had been too long since you felt that way.  

In fact, it has been too long since you had any sort of relationship. Even a casual lay.  

“You really saved my ass this morning. Thank you.” You pause and feel yourself giving a sultry gaze back at him. “I owe you one.” Joel makes a no big deal gesture with his hand and a cocky smile as he chews the inside of his cheek. In that brief moment you feel something between the two of you. The desire to flirt; tempt a man with at least 20 years on you. An unexpected but undeniable magnetic pull. A curiosity to learn what lies beneath. A forbidden fruit that is ripe and beckoning for you to take a bite. Something different. Something exciting. Something you know you should stifle before it even begins.  

His eyes reflect the same sentiment but also harbor concern and restraint. It’s a bad idea. The brief silence between you looms loudly. The elephant in the room. 

“Where ya’ off to so early anyways?” he asks, eager to change the subject. He takes another sip of his coffee while you reply.

“Oh, first day working at Grind. You know it?” Joel's demeanor changes in a subtle way that you may not have seen if you weren’t so focused on trying to read him.  

“Oh. Yeah..” he chides and looks down, pensive in thought as he brings his hand to the back of his neck and rakes it through his hair. “I know the place.” He glances back up and avoids eye contact. The bite in his voice does not go unnoticed, but you don’t pry. 

An uncomfortable subject; noted.   

“Better coffee than this I reckon” he says as he places his thermos back in the center console. He attempts to lighten the tone and then glances at his watch.

“I gotta get to work, sweetheart. Keep your car runnin’ for a bit and you should be all set. Probably get that battery replaced.” His tone is more serious now, more business-like. You realize you had been waiting in his truck longer than necessary. You really have to get to work anyways. 

You thank him again and return to your car. He waits for you to get in and raises his fingers off his steering wheel in a lazy wave to signal he was leaving. He backs out of your driveway and heads down the road towards town.

You take a deep breath and adjust the knobs in your car. Joel had put everything on high heat and full blast for you and your car was now unbearably toasty. You tune your radio and ease into the road and on your way to work. 

All the while your mind can’t stop thinking about your charming, handyman neighbor. 

So that's Joel Miller. You smile to yourself and faintly feel butterflies in your stomach. Anxious thoughts that excite and frighten you.  

–

It took Marlene all of five minutes to become your new work bestie. She was efficient and smart and knew her way around the place. She was the only one working when you arrived and despite the line of customers she was friendly and teased you for arriving late on your first day. 

Marlene had great rapport with everyone. It was apparent that the customers were all regulars and she wasted no time introducing you to them. She had a somewhat forward style but it was well received because she knew exactly what she was doing and didn’t waste time being flowery and over the top. It reminded you of the brashness of Boston.

After the morning rush things were relatively calm. You had time to chat and get to know her a little more while she was showing you the ropes. It wasn’t complicated and you were a quick study.

By mid afternoon it was time to close up shop. The hours were a perk. You were scheduled to work weekdays from open till close and would have to occasionally help out on Saturdays. Marlene worked the same shift and the weekends were mostly covered by high schoolers. 

It was just after 2 o’clock when the owner, Tess, stopped by. 

“How did it go?” she asks you both as she takes a seat and rests her bag on the counter. Marlene had no intention of telling her you were late and talked you up, pleased with your presence. Tess had a few other properties she owned so her time at the coffee shop was only as needed and Marlene you learnt was more or less the one who ran things day to day. 

You recap the day and thank her again for the job. You did genuinely enjoy the work. It was easy. Simple and straightforward. You got to know lots of town folk and everyone was curious and interested in meeting the new girl in town.

Tess seemed pleased enough and was quick to head out. She was friendly but brief and gave the impression she had other responsibilities that demanded her attention. She joins you behind the counter briefly and pours herself a black hot coffee in a to-go cup. Another perk of the job was indulging in all the free coffee. 

“Let me know if you guys need anything!” She says energetically as she collects her bag and heads out the door. She flips the sign to “closed” as she leaves. 

“Tess is cool. She doesn’t interfere too much and we only see her a few times a week, if that.” You nod to acknowledge Marlene. “Lets finish cleaning up and get out of here.”

It was nice leaving with the sun bright and warm. Winter meant shorter days, so getting out of work with a few hours of daylight felt luxurious. The bitter cold from the morning had made its departure. 

You had been so focused with work it wasn’t until you got back to your car that you allowed yourself to think about Joel again. You know you shouldn’t but can’t help feeling turned on at the thought of him. He was handsome in that brooding, mysterious way and he emanated competence. It was refreshing and welcomed. 

You decided to send him a text message. You had his number in your recent contacts after all and you were curious if he would play along. You were certain that there was something sparked between the two of you, but unsure if he would act on it. Unsure if there were too many obstacles between you.

You keep it simple and friendly.   

You: Thanks again for your help! 

Your car starts up with no issue and you head home. When you arrive you glance down to your phone to see a simple reply. 

Joel: Anytime

It was brief but you couldn’t help but read it with that low, southern drawl. His voice was so distinct. Polite but stern. You add him as a contact in your phone and wonder if he did the same. 

You take a shower, make some dinner and get comfortable in your bed. It’s early and you watch some TV when you hear your phone chime. You glance at your phone and see Joel Miller has you on his mind as he revives the conversation with you. 

Joel: So how did it go? 

You smile and recount this feeling like you were a teenager talking to your crush. You want to gush about your first day but you play it cool and brief. 

You: Went good, I think I’ll like it there

A few minutes pass. Against your better judgment you start to go into details but delete it before you hit send. You recalled his strange reaction earlier when you brought up Grind. This man has you second guessing yourself and you don’t want to blow it before it even begins. He replies instead before you elaborate.

Joel: Glad to hear. Thought you would. 

You: I’m exhausted though, getting to bed

You decide to be playful and see how he reacts. 

You: Goodnight, Mr. Miller.  

Joel: Just Joel. 

Joel: Goodnight darling

Darling. Even if it was just a typical Southern phrase it made you wild. It was uncommon to hear in the north and felt so endearing and warm. The knots in your stomach return as you struggle to fall asleep. Your mind is too excited to see where things go from here. You knew he was interested in you enough to keep talking. It would have been easy for him to end the conversation there and keep things formal and neighborly. 

Your mind wanders thinking about how truly handsome he is. How badly you want his manly, rough hands on your body. How his voice makes you melt. How his domineering  presence makes you tingle in your core. You feel yourself starting to get wet just at the thought of his body and what you wanted to do to it. What you wanted him to do to you. Sinful thoughts.

You slide your hand between your legs and feel yourself already wet and wanting. Your delicate fingers tease circles over your clit and it doesn’t take long before you get off. You feel ashamed to be lusting over an old man you barely know, but nevertheless wish it was Joel’s rough hands on you.   

You wonder if he is doing the same thing and sharing the same thoughts about you.

–

A few uneventful days go by and now it’s Friday. You haven’t seen much of Joel other than his truck occasionally driving off, but he had been stuck on your mind all week. Lonely nights accompanied by dirty thoughts of Joel that only fueled your yearning to get closer to him. Your inhibitions regarding age and disapproval of your parents were blinded by your building desire. It still weighed on you though. Your parents would be appalled and probably disown you if they knew. It would just be another tick on the disappointment list.   

Work is busy and the day flies by. Just a few hours to go. You are taking a break, sitting at one of the tables by the front window and snacking on a blueberry scone. You reason with yourself that tonight is as good as any to try to make something happen. 

You: You doing anything tonight?

An agonizing hour passes and no reply. Your message is on read. Marlene takes notice of your change in demeanor. When things finally slow down and its just the two of you waiting around to close up she presses you.

“So.. whats going on? You look distant.” 

“Just trying to… make friends here.” You pause. “A friend in particular.” Your voice trails off. Marlene catches on quick and she had suspected you were starting to fall for someone. 

“Anyone I know?” Marlene knows everyone. You don’t want her judgment on the matter so you keep it vague.

“My neighbor. He doesn’t seem the type to come to a place like this though.” Your phone chimes and you try to play down your excitement as you look down and see it’s from Joel. You can barely contain a smile. 

Joel: Just got done a job. No plans

Marlene searches your face and rolls her eyes.  

“Just go over then. Easy enough.” she was right. 

“Yeah, I think I will.” 

The rest of the shift goes by quickly and you are both out the door by 3 o’clock.

You sit in your car and decide to just call him already. You were craving to hear his voice again and you wanted to put him on the spot. He answers quickly.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Joel. I still owe you, you know for helping me out earlier.” Joel sighs in defeat. 

“I see you aint lettin’ that go. What did ya have in mind?” 

“Can I come over tonight? I’ll bring over drinks.” Your offer was more forward than you intended, but you went with it.

“Yeah, ok. Sounds good.” He pauses and has a counter offer for you. “Come over for dinner first?” You melt at the thought and realize you haven’t responded and there is a silence while you are getting lost in your thoughts. “Grilling steaks. Nothin’ fancy.”

“Yeah. Sounds good.” You can feel your smile spilling into the phone. That sounds more than good. It sounds really fucking good.  

“Alright. Come over ‘round 7.” 

“Ok. See you tonight.” You end the call and take a deep breath. Your heart is beating out of your chest in excitement. 

–

Getting ready for the night you attempted a relaxed look. You wanted to look nice, but approachable. You had some worn jeans that tucked neatly into your Bean boots. A button down flannel that you left undone over an intentionally low cut, fitted shirt. It accented your chest just right. You wore your hair down and went light on the makeup. You threw on a light leather jacket and grabbed the six pack of beer as you head across the street. 

Joel opens the door and leans in the doorframe with a casual figure, taking you in while he bites his lip,

“Evening' sweetheart” He steps back and holds the door open for you and gestures to come in. He was definitely a gentleman. You normally are not a fan of the pet names, but he worked them into his vocabulary so smoothly it was welcomed. 

You step inside and turn around, holding up the six pack of beer.

“Sam Adams. That ok?” He shuts the door and nods in approval. “Figured I’d bring some Boston culture over.” You step further inside. His kitchen is just off the main entrance and has an island with some bar stools at it. You make your way over and take a seat and rest the case on the countertop. 

Your eyes scan the room. His kitchen is tidy, save the spot where he prepped the steaks. You see an empty whiskey glass. Evidence that he had at least one stiff drink before you came over. You panic a little and regret not doing the same.  

“That where you lived before this?” He interrupts your thought as he stands across you at the island. His crossed forearms holding him up as he leans towards you with intrigue. He is dressed plainly in a pair of worn jeans and a plain navy blue t-shirt that hugs his arms just right. His biceps bulge as he is leaning forward and your mind is now preoccupied with just how broad his shoulders are. You almost forgot he asked you a question.

“Yeah, for a few years anyways.” You briefly recount, distracted when Joel takes a beer bottle from the case and effortlessly pops the cap with his large, calloused hands. A satisfying hiss escapes the bottle followed by a clink as the cap falls to the countertop. He slides it over to you and repeats the motion again for himself.

“Oh, wow.” you say out loud, without realizing it. Joel has that cocky side smirk again, well aware of his impressive party trick. He holds the bottle up and towards you and you do the same, clanking bottle necks together and taking a sip. Your eyes are locked on each other for a moment; trying to read each other's intentions.  

“Make yourself comfortable. I’m gonna put the steaks on.” he gestures his head to the back door that leads onto the deck. He grabs his suede jacket off the back of a chair and walks towards the back entrance. You trail behind and this was the first time you really noticed just how beautiful his home was. 

His open living room and kitchen had a vaulted ceiling with massive windows lining the whole back side of the cabin. It faced the lake and you could imagine how serene it would be to watch the sunrise. The cedar walls and flooring made it feel cozy and inviting. There was a large wood stove in the center of the living room and an open loft above the back of the living room. The deck seemed to wrap along a good part of the home. 

“Your home is beautiful.” It had looked so much more discrete from the road; tucked behind some pines and a long driveway. The backyard was a short distance to the lake and sloped slightly down to a dock. Joel probably had a boat parked there in the summer. The cabin was perched perfectly with a breathtaking view; isolated and private from the world.

“Thank you. I built it myself. Me and my brother Tommy.” 

“Thats… impressive.” 

“Eh, just comes with being a contractor. Made more sense to build my own place the way I wanted.” There it was again, that feeling in your core that excites you. Joel likes to be in control, and he has the skill set to back it up making it all the more alluring. 

Its a cool night, but not uncomfortably cold to be outside for a few minutes with a jacket. In fact, you are grateful to have the crisp air to help ground you and calm you down. It was embarrassing how easily Joel could work you up. You lean over the railing and gaze out over the lake while he tends to the grill for a moment and then joins you at the railing.

“I spent a few years there myself. Boston.” This was news to you, but you were still curious about his Southern accent. 

“And… before?” 

“Texas.” He takes a sip of his beer. “Most my life.” You smile and give a slight laugh. 

“Well, that certainly explains things. You don’t exactly sound like a New Englander” you tease him. Joel laughs and looks a little distant. Something you have come to realize about Joel is that he has a lot on his mind he doesn’t say out loud. His mysterious demeanor was something you found as attractive as it was frustrating. 

“You like it here so far?” He asks.

“I do. Its simple and peaceful. Life is easy here.” you realize while saying this out loud that you mean it. You really are enjoying your time in Kineo more than you ever had expected. “And… my neighbor isn’t so bad.” You tease. Joel rolls his eyes and returns to the grill, pulling the steaks off.

“Mine is a pain in the ass.” He jokes as he closes the grill. He wasn’t wrong. You were persistent if anything. 

–

Dinner is laid back and enjoyable. He has a small dining room table but you choose to sit next to each other at the island drinking your Sam Adams and enjoying your ribeye steaks. Joel cooked them to perfection. You stay seated long after you are done eating, getting carried away with conversation. Your bodies are facing each other and knees knocking into his as you get animated with your storytelling. 

Joel mostly listens while you ramble on. The more you drink the lower your inhibitions get. You are a lightweight to begin with and it doesn’t take much. You don’t even notice that he isn’t really listening to you anymore. His focus has left your well intended words and shifted to your body. He’s looking at your low-cut shirt teasing him. The way you brush your hair out of your face when you laugh. How your neck looks so inviting when you tilt your head back to take a sip of beer, You don’t register that he is eyeing you crudely like you are a piece of meat. That he is fighting every urge inside him to just lose himself with you. 

He inches his hand along the countertop closer to yours until he is grazing your wrist with a light touch and dragging his fingers back across yours. It sends a shiver through your body as you become aware how he is looking at you and how painfully reserved his touch is. It is polite but intrusive. He watches how it makes you feel. How you start to come undone. 

Your pent up feelings are starting to overwhelm you and you excuse yourself reluctantly. Your heart starts to race and you wonder if he can hear it beating. 

You get up and bring your plate over to the sink to wash it. It is a distraction more than anything while you gather yourself. Joel watches you from behind for a moment. You can feel his gaze burning into you and brace yourself against the counter. You like the way it feels. The way he makes you feel wanted. 

That loud silence returns. The air in the room feels heavy. He joins you at the sink and you can feel his heat envelop you as he approaches you from behind. His broad body boxes you in and makes you feel small and vulnerable. 

Joel takes his hands and dances his fingers down your arms lightly. His touch starts a fire inside you and you crave a heavier hold. You need him like you need air in your lungs. He presses a gentle kiss behind your ear and another one drags to your jawline and to the soft meat of your neck. His coarse beard scrapes against your skin and makes you shudder. You press your ass into him and feel him hard against your lower back. He responds by pressing into you firmly and brings his mouth to your ear. 

“You feel what you do to me, beautiful girl?” He asks with his low, gravely voice and presses another kiss into you. His heat is searing into you. 

He agonizingly slides his hands down to your hips and turns you to face him. He pushes your body gently against the countertop and moves one of his hands up to caress your face. He presses his hips into you and holds your chin gently between his thumb and finger. He stares down at you with a thirst in his eyes. He narrows his focus to try to get a reading on you. Your mouths are just inches apart. There is a hunger he is resisting but the wolf inside is slowly starting to win over reason. 

“I want this, Joel.” You stare up at him and make sure he can see the desire in your eyes and that you are serious. You want to remove any hesitations he has on your account. You try to rock your hips into him but he has you pinned. He can feel your needy attempt.  

“We shouldn’t…” Joel pleads, but his words are empty and not speaking the same language as his body. 

Your age, your parents, your unfamiliarity with one another all should be reason enough to quelch this flame, but it just makes you want it that much more. He has wanted you since he first laid eyes on you that morning he came to your rescue. He wants to be respectful but fails, instead teasing you with how much he wants you. The hesitance is an illusion that he has kept up until that moment. Your body is trapped against his and he is looking at you like you are prey in his clutches. You had suspected and even hoped that Joel was a dominant lover with how confident he carried himself.   

You seize the opportunity to show him just what he is doing to you. 

You push your tongue into him and taste him; sweet and malty. His warm and wet mouth is inviting and intense. All reluctancy fades away as he gives in to you and takes control with his tongue. You can feel his cock is hard and straining against his jeans as he rocks into you. Your arms hang around his neck and tangle into his hair as you grind against each other. The friction of both your bodies sending each other into a frenzy.

He drags his mouth away, biting at your lower lip as he moves along your jawline to the soft skin at your neck. You stretch your head back giving him full access to your bare neck as he nips at you hungrily. His scruffy beard rubs roughly against your supple skin and feels so good. One hand roams up your shirt while his mouth traces lower and lower down to your collarbone. He thumbs and circles over your nipple. He can feel it harden through your bra and engulfs your breast with his large hand. His touch is brazen but you welcome it. You can feel just how badly he wants to devour you and it makes you moan.   

He slides his expert hand from your breast and drags it down to your jeans. He unbuttons them hastily with force and works his hand slowly inside. Your underwear is already wet from your arousal. He pulls his mouth away from you and has a devilish grin as he grabs at your pussy and narrows his eyes on you.

“You’re so wet for me.” He says breathlessly with anticipation while he has you in his grasp. 

He slides his hand inside your waistband and teases your clit as his hand slides against you. You want to reply to him but your words are trapped beneath the moans caught in your throat. He brings a finger to your opening and slowly pushes the tip inside you. The pressure from his large, calloused fingers makes you buck into him. He rubs his thumb over your clit as he slowly teases your entrance with his finger. He takes it slow and when he thinks you are ready he slips another one inside.

You can feel your walls clench around his obscenely thick fingers and he pushes deeper. Twisting and playing at your entrance and thrusting in. Your hips writhe in his grasp. While one hand is busy with your cunt the other has an iron grip on the back of your neck. His mouth messily returns to the soft skin above your collarbone and into the crook of your neck. You are completely at his mercy and can’t imagine any other place you’d want to be. 

You are so tight but he stretches you open artfully. Moans escape your lips as you gasp when his fingers dip further into you, reaching that perfect part deep inside. 

“Come for me.” He pants into you with a snarl as you convulse on him.  

He doesn’t let up and fucks you relentlessly with his fingers until you are coming and moaning his name. Incoherent expletives escape you while you soak him.   

You ride the wave of pleasure for as long as you can. It has been too long since you had fucked around with someone. However, no one had ever so masterfully gotten you off with just their fingers. The way he handled your body and worshiped you with his mouth was intoxicating. 

As you come down from your high he slides his wet fingers from inside you and pulls his mouth away with a final ravenous kiss on your swollen lips. He places a kiss on top of your head and pulls you in close for an embrace. The hard protrusion against your body makes itself painfully known.   

Joel presses his forehead against yours as he works to unzip his jeans and free himself. His fingers are wet with your slick. He smirks at you as his hand glides over his swollen cock and rubs your wetness all over his length. His breathing shallows as he strokes himself with one hand and braces his body on the countertop with the other. His swollen head grazes your belly with each thrust into his fist. 

You watch him wantonly as he palms himself with more vigor. Joel’s cock is thick and intimidating, but you crave it in the worst way. It is by far the largest you have ever seen. It glistens in your slick and the precum that was beading at the head. A desire builds inside you and you yearn for more of Joel. Want him in your hands, your mouth, your cunt.  

“Let me, please?” your voice comes out barely above a whisper. His hand slows and comes to a stop. He stretches out his arms to hold him up against the counter as he hovers above you and lets you take over. 

You reach out and grab on to him. You marvel at its size and how weighty it feels in your hands as you start to rub them up and down. His skin is hot and velvety smooth and pulled tightly. Your pace is much slower but more precise. You feel the veins bulge under your grasp as your fingers glide up and down his length.  

A moan hitches in his throat as you rub your thumb over his sensitive tip. You do it again and again. Teasing Joel Miller feels dangerous. You can feel how ragged he is and how close he is to coming. You want to make him come undone.  

“God, damn it.” Joel grunts under his breath. He peels back your hand and painfully pulls it off of him. His cock twitches at the loss of your touch. He stands up straight and towers over you as you shrink back.  

“Get on your knees.” He commands with his hand firmly on your wrist as he pulls your face closer to his. It sends a shiver through your body and you oblige. Any warmth in his eyes has been lost and he is staring at you; dark and menacing. He throws your wrist away and grips his hand along the side of your neck. His touch is rough and urgent. His fingers snake around to the back of your neck as he pulls you closer to him while you drop down. They twist into your hair and he has a hold on the back of your head. It doesn’t hurt, but his grasp is firm and might if you tried to fight it.  

He takes his cock back in his grasp with his other hand and pumps it. His movements are jerky and his breathing is labored. You can tell he is so close. He roughly pulls your head back by your hair to look up at him.

“You gonna’ finish what you started?” he asks with darkened eyes. “Then open up.” He commands you through clenched teeth. 

You respond with an uncontainable smirk. You part your mouth slowly and let your tongue hang out, never taking your eyes off his. You sit back onto your knees so that you are slightly under him and wait patiently. He widens his stance. His hand slides to the top of your head and tangles in your hair. You can feel him slowly starting to lose control and come undone before you while he strokes himself. You brace yourself, hooking your fingers into the back of his thighs and clawing at his jeans. You can smell his sex and feel his heat but he holds you just out of reach and makes you wait while your thirst grows. 

Finally he taps the head of his weighty cock against your tongue and you lick at his slit, sending him over the edge. He groans as his thick spend coats your tongue and drips messily onto your chin. You close your mouth around him as he begins to stall out and swallow, pulling the final drops of cum from him while you choke his cock with your mouth. 

“Good girl.” He rasps at you. “So fucking good.” His grip on you loosens and he tenderly drags his hand along your jawline. You relax your mouth and let him slide himself out. He groans when your tongue licks the underside of him as he pulls out. 

He thumbs over some of his mess that falls out of your mouth and curls his thumb over your bottom lip. You lick him clean and he moves to hold your face in his hands while you look up at him.

“My good girl.” His words shoot straight to your core and make you weak. He brushes your hair behind your ear and helps you up. He places another kiss on your head and wraps his arms around you. His hot and heavy body feels so good against yours. You tilt your head up and press your mouth into him one more time.

“Are we even now?” you joke. Joel smiles. Everything about him feels warmer. He peels himself away from you and steps back, leaning against the island. You adjust your clothes and zip yourself back up while he does the same.

“Actually… think I might owe you now.” Joel says with a playful tone. He crosses his arms in front of his chest and shakes his head at you like he can’t believe his predicament. You like the idea of Joel owing you. 

–

You don’t spend the night. He offers to walk you home but you opt to go alone. It felt good to get some fresh air, to clear your head and recap the night. You also wanted to leave him wanting more.

You weren’t sure what would come from this situation with Joel, but you knew you barely scratched the surface with him. He was rough around the edges but you liked that about him. You liked that a lot. 

END CHAPTER

(Part 2!)

A/N: More to come! Undecided how many chapters but I have quite a bit mapped out. Please be kind. This is my first fic and it is nerve wrecking to post! If you loved it, PLEASE let me know. I'd love to know your thoughts so far! What did you like? What do you want more of? How much angst can your heart take? I aim to test it in future chapters. Comments/Reblogs are appreciated so much. Thank you all

Also special thanks to @magpiepills for the lovely cover photo (and her mood board inspirations she helped with along the way!) and to both her and @legendary-pink-dot for reading my first draft and giving their feedback AND courage to post this.

If you wish to know when I post the next chapter, please follow @ArcaneFoxFics and turn on notifications!

If you are here for my gifs only and are like WTF I dont want to see this mature content... you can follow me over at @ArcaneFoxGifs which will ONLY be reposts of my gif sets.

Love to my friends who give me the courage and support to do all the things @magpiepillsjunior @legendary-pink-dot @exquisiteserotonin @youandmeand5bucks @redhotkitchen @sparklefarts38 @pink-whiskey-woman @for-a-longlongtime @secretelephanttattoo

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

twst food culture compilation

Please note: this post does NOT include all food-related lore in TWST (for example, you won’t find a lot of information about individual characters’ food preferences or personal experiences with food here). This post ONLY talks about the food culture, notable locations, cultural dishes, and unique foods of the Twisted Wonderland world at large (ie countries, specific towns and cities, etc).

I did my best to scour for info, but I’ll update if I find anything new or details I missed the first time around.

General and/or Unspecified Location

Icicle mushrooms are one of Twisted Wonderland’s three greatest delicacies. They are extremely rare and expensive.

There is a seasoning called “pure azure salt”, which is said to be rare, even in the Coral Sea.

Twisted Wonderland has a fruit called ruby berries (which taste “like freshly picked strawberries”).

There is frozen mint with a “refreshing profile” that grows in icy mountainous areas.

There exists Walrus-brand oyster sauce. Trey uses this to cook hamburger steak for his younger siblings. He says the oyster sauce provides a "nice savory flavor" with considerable depth. Trey also jokes about adding it to chestnut tarts in book 1.

There are mentions of irl Japanese foods such as konjac and takoyaki, but so far no place of origin in Twisted Wonderland has been sited.

Like in the real world, celebrities like Vil and Neige are used to promote products (including food and drink) in commercials, on social media platforms, etc. For example, in book 5, we see Neige advertising Red Apple Soda and Vil using his Magicam account to promote the apple juice made by Epel's family.

There's a popular dish called "pumpkin carriage stew". The insides of a pumpkin are scooped out and the shell is filled with a creamy stew, which made it difficult to carry over to tables. It would sell out every day at the cafe Ruggie used to work at.

Some restaurants call their spaghetti with meatballs "starry night spaghetti", named after the tale of two dogs who shared a spaghetti kiss under a starry sky. It is said that sharing spaghetti with meatballs with someone outside would lead to true love.

Hunting is sport as well as something done for food.

Crowley goes on vacation “to the South” and reports to enjoy mango and mango-flavored products from there. He also brings back manga tea as a souvenir.

Briar Valley

General

Cotton candy is a classic snack food sold at Briar Valley food stalls. The way it is prepared resembles spinning threads, which is considered a blessed occupation (as there was a period in Briar Valley's history when no one was able to spin thread, so some clever individual tinkered around and made cotton candy instead).

In the battlefield (~400 years ago, during the human-fae war), soldiers would roast rats and lizards to eat if they didn't have rations or other ingredients.

There is little in the way of modern technology and electricity; typically, one would prepare dishes and/or collect ingredients by hand (such as via fishing) or by using magic.

Magic is used to light fires for cooking. There is little risk for fire accidents since magical fires automatically go out when you go to sleep.

Because Briar Valley is located to the north, it can get very chilly. When the snow melts, it turns into very cold freshwater.

According to Lilia, “berries are a must-have, especially at birthdays parties” in Briar Valley. They are famous for its berry juice.

The forest where Silver and Lilia live has strawberries. Silver picks them with his animal companions.

Coral Sea

General

According to Jade, there are no fires in the Coral Sea. Therefore, most of the food consumed is raw.

A month-long land boot camp first established by a mermaid princess that married a human prince teaches merpeople fire safety and how to eat food as part of its curriculum.

It's rare for merfolk to eat anything sweet, as those kinds of foods aren't readily avaliable in the sea.

The Atlantica Memorial Museum has the mermaid princess's "silver hair comb" on display. This, of course, refers to the "dinglehopper"--a common fork. This implies that merpeople (such as the mermaid princess referenced in many stories) fused to be unaware of the eating utensils on land.

Azul's mother owns the "hottest restaurant" in the Coral Sea. It started off as a small place, but has since expanded to have a large staff.

Couples from the Coral Sea frequently request rainbow dessert soup with trident cookies for their weddings. To eat it, you use the trident cookie to stir the sweet sky-blue soup, which then turns the soup into seven colors of the rainbow. This is a dish that is only served for special occasions in the Coral Sea, and it is typically served warm.

Jade says that he was surprised to see that many land dwellers eat their fruit without the peel; this would imply that those from the Coral Sea typically eat their foods with the skin/peel left on, or as-is.

Playful Land Amusement Park

All food and drink are handed out for free.

They serve food in large quantities, such as tuna, entire tart cherry pies (with cinnamon, clove, and crushed nuts in the filling) and a whole peppery roasted chicken. The park encourages consuming in excess.

Other food items being offered include fried tuna fish and sparkling apple juice. The juice comes with an umbrella stuck in the opening to prevent bugs from getting in. You remove it before drinking.

They have ice-cream in many flavors! We see strawberry milk in the related event.

The park had candy and popcorn in “apple core” flavor. Supposedly, this is a taste inspired by the story of the Generous Fox giving a Puppet Boy an apple core instead of a whole apple because “the puppet wished to have a core”.

There is a “Candy Road”, a street lined with shops that have caramel lollipops, chewy candy, marshmallows, cookies, chocolate crunch, and lots of other sugary treats!

Their chocolate crunch has 12 different charms thrown in.

The third most popular souvenir are pasta snacks in the shape of the Friendly Fox and Gentle Cat. The second most popular is a tin of plain cookies in the shape of the Friendly Fox and cocoa cookies in the shape of the Gentle Cat. Finally, the most popular are apple core flavored candies!

Sage's Island

Night Raven College

Pomefiore holds a welcome party for the freshmen, which includes a fancy dinner. Savanaclaw does not hold a welcome party.

Scarabia regularly holds banquets, typically at Kalim's request.

Heartslabyul holds "unbirthday parties" whenever it is a day that does NOT fall on a Heartslabyul student's birthday. Sweets are mandatory at unbirthday parties.

The dorm members of Scarabia and Heartslabyul pitch in to prepare for banquets and unbirthday parties.

Mr. S's Mystery Shop stocks food items, such as candies (which Floyd often buys), tuna cans, and ingredients for baking (this is where Deuce and Yuu pick up things for the chestnut tart in book 1). Sam also sells food items that he seems to have made himself, like the Mystery Drink (which Octavinelle eventually buys the rights to).

The school cafeteria is said to have delicious breads.

Students can use the school kitchens outside of normal serving hours; Ruggie and Jamil sometimes do this, but they also have their own dormitory kitchens to cook.

Once a month, a famous bakery from out of town serves their goods at NRC. Their stock includes items such as chocolate croissants, egg sandwiches, yakisoba bread and cream bread ("cronuts and bear claws"), roast beef sandwiches, red bean buns ("hot dog buns"), and deluxe minced cutlet sandwiches ("deluxe ham and cheese"/"grilled cheese" in the localization). They sell out fast!

The school library includes recipes books. Some recipes include spicy curry soup, red pepper and tomato soup, and garlic pork habanero soup.

Basic school lunches are free to all students, but they must pay for changes or extra items.

The cafeteria at NRC serves food buffet style; the cafeteria is kept warm with magic from fire fairies which are supplied with dry firewood every day. There is also a rotating daily menu.

Master Chef ("Culinary Crucible") is an elective course at NRC that teaches students how to cook. It is meant to curb the expenses related to eating out and to help the boys maintain balanced diets and learn how to take care of themselves. Judges for this course are randomly selected from the students and staff (prior to this methodology, people would bribe the judges for extra credit).

While taking Master Chef, students help with preparing meals in the cafeteria in exchange for part-time pay.

The instructors for Master Chef are ghosts who were professional chefs at five-star restaurants when they were alive. These same ghosts also serve as cafeterias staff. Crowley says it was difficult but worthwhile to recruit them.

There are various locations on campus where the students go to fetch ingredients for Master Chef. This includes an on-campus farm, ranch, windmill... and even the dormitories themselves!

The woods behind the campus have chestnuts, which the main crew collect for an apology tart to Riddle.

The Botanical Garden has some edible plants growing there. These include strawberries, which the Science Club cultivates.

NRC opens its school gates to the local townspeople for a period leading up to Halloween; during this time, they distribute candy and other sweets (such as Sam's waffles, served with jam made from NRC's apples) to guests. There's also a party on Halloween night where lots of food is served.

Mostro Lounge

Octainvelle has the Mostro Lounge, described by Jade as "a meeting place for gentlemen" where fighting between dorms is prohibited. While dining there, students are expected to abide by Octavinelle's rules. It is run by the manager and founder, Azul, who made a deal with the headmaster to get the rights to open the establishment. NRC gets 10% of the revenue the Mostro Lounge makes.

Jade and Floyd partake in some cooking, but Azul does very little cooking. He tends to investigate the competition and market.

Jade uses the weeds and plants he collects from mountain hikes to brew experimental new teas. Sometimes Azul adds these drinks to the menu.

Floyd likes to experiment with making sauces. These, too, are featured in the lounge.

The lounge offers cakes with coral decorations. You can order one for your special occasions.

The Mostro Lounge is particular about its quality name-brand dishware. Azul believes that this will boost the experience customers have in the lounge.

The Octatrio bought the rights to the Mystery Drink from Sam and raised its price from 600 madol/6 thaumarks to 1500 madol/15 thaumarks.

The Mostro Lounge has a one-drink purchase minimum.

Menu items range from roughly 600 madol to 1500 madol (6 thaumarks to 15 thaumarks).

The menu rotates on a seasonal basis; this helps to cut down on costs since they can focus on cheaper in-season ingredients.

The Mostro Lounge also operates food stalls and/or sells food at many school events, such as the cultural festival in book 5 and the interdorm magical shift/spelldrive tournament in book 2.

It is mostly Octavinelle students who staff the Mostro Lounge, but there are occasions when outside students are brought in as extra help. Ruggie has worked there part-time, as well as Jack, Ace, Deuce, and tons of other students.

Unbirthday Party Rules (related to food)

Rule 25: There must be a tea party on the 5th of every month.

Rule 29: You must not eat the Queen's tarts without her permission.

Rule 153: The only tea you may drink in the evenings is herbal tea.

Rule 186: Do not eat hamburger steak on Tuesdays.

Rule 256: You must not drink lemonade with honey past 8 pm.

Rule 271: You must get up from the table within 15 minutes after eating lunch.

Rule 339: Your post-meal tea must be lemon tea with 2 sugar cubes.

Rule 529: If you eat steak on the night of a full moon, a cat must play the violin afterwards.

Rule 562: Do not bring chestnut tarts to an unbirthday party.

Rule 648: You must brush your teeth 2 times on nights when you eat turkey.

Rule 703: Whoever comes in 2nd place in a croquet match must serve tea to the Queen (dorm leader) the next day.

If the dormouse wakes up at an unbirthday party, you are to paint its nose with jam.

Coffee is forbidden; tea must be served at all occasions except for birthdays.

According to Cater, sweets are mandatory at unbirthday parties.

Dwarves' Mine & Silent Woods

There is an abundance of wildlife in these areas; Jade often goes hiking and foraging, making note of what he finds. He uses the plants to make his own tea blends (which are sometimes added to the Mostro Lounge's menu) and the herbs, plants, and mushrooms to experiment with in cooking.

There are fish to be found at the lake, including massive catfish.

The Foothill Town

There is a port for mainly cargo ships located at the southwest part of town. It's called Crane Port! The east side has a port as well, but that one is moreso for passengers. Crane Port has been getting fewer and fewer people passing through lately (until Port Breeze Fest, in which the NRC boys run food stalls and help to revive business in the area). Group A makes churros, Group B makes waffles, Group C makes salads, Group D makes cotton candy, and Group E makes clam chowder.

A popular restaurant in the Crane Port area serves foods like french fries and burgers. Their signature menu item is a donut made from potatoes. Actually, this restaurant specializes in potato dishes!

There is a chain restaurant on the island that also has locations elsewhere, including in Ace's hometown. He mentions that there are slightly different flavors to the sauces depending on which location you go to. This chain is also described as affordable for students and gives free refills. There is a location of this chain a car ride away from Harveston.

The town also has other eateries that are more geared towards students, seeing as it exists on an island with two notable magic schools to the north and the south. Cater often mentions going into town to take pictures at cafes.

The town has a public market; the Ramshackle Ghosts resell mandrakes there.

There is a famous patisserie there. You have to line up early in the morning before opening time to get your hands on one of their strawberry tarts (or anything, really!).

There is a stall in the marketplace that sells specialty coffee. They also have a tea which Crewel enjoys (though he also brews his own).

Scalding Sands

General

The Scalding Sands seems to borrow heavily from Middle Eastern cultures. For example, some of the Scalding Sands’ traditional dishes include, but are not limited to: roasted lamb, moussaka, döner kebabs, shawarma, flatbreads, potato and bean spreads, and seafood sautés.

Tea is a popular beverage; it is had at every meal and break. People can drink up to 10 cups of tea a day!

The Scalding Sands specializes in black tea. For entertaining guests, special tea leaves are used.

In the Scalding Sands, they brew their tea leaves loose and without an infuser. This makes the tea very strong and bitter. To counteract the powerful flavor, people add lots of sugar to their tea and drink it with sweets.

“Luxurious” tea is very sweet, since sugar was once very expensive (due to a shortage of it, according to the localization) and considered a luxury.

Due to the hot weather, people often toss herbs into their tea to make it more refreshing to drink.

Coffee is also popular; there are many cafes that serve coffee and tea. The Scalding Sands is known in particular for their spiced coffee, which has a very distinctive flavor. This coffee is brewed without a filter, and some cafes do “coffee divinations” (reading the shapes and patterns of the grounds and the water droplets that remain after drinking to tell the fortunes of customers).

There are a lot of unique spices in their dishes. This is especially true of banquet dishes. However, a variety of dishes are still served at these occasions.

Kalim describes the Scalding Sands as being “big on stewed stuff” like curries.

In Kalim’s hometown, people love to gather around the table and talk over a meal.

Halloween in the Scalding Sands is celebrated by feasting on a variety of dishes. The idea is that the food must be abundant so that the ghosts that return to the world of the living for the night may also have their fill.

It used to be difficult for the people of the Scalding Sands to obtain water due to the lack of rainfall, hot climate, and expansive desserts. However, Kalim’s ancestors utilized the country’s rivers to reach other countries and to trade their textiles, spices, tea leaves, and other local goods with foreign lands. It was particularly impressive at the time, as they were the first traders from the Scalding Sands to sail (back then, accurate nautical maps were not a thing). This maritime pioneering is what would make the Asim family their massive fortune.

The Asims and other merchants heavily invested in technologies and innovations to make the area more sustainable and potable water more accessible.

The waterways of the country eventually developed into canals and communities formed around them as trade hubs. The canals are also used to host ferryboats for locals and tourists to sightsee, boosting the tourism industry. This also made access to water much easier for the residents, and the water helps to cool the temperature.

Silk City

The bazaars in Silk City are where locals do their shopping for various goods and staple foods like vegetables and fish. There are also stalls with gourmet food that cater to tourists.

Camel Bazaar is named after camels, which were used to transport people, goods, and luggage before Silk City’s canals and roads came to be. There also used to be an oasis where the camels would rest and drink after long treks; this oasis became a center for commerce and eventually evolved into a marketplace. To this day, the name “Camel” has stuck, even if people use trucks, ships, and cars more than camels.

There is also Zahab (”Gold”) Market, which is popular with tourists for shopping (especially for souvenirs!) but also has swindlers and pickpockets mixed in with regular customers.

Many snacks are sold! There’s camel milk chocolate, cookies drizzled in syrup, sunflower seeds, pistachios, chickpeas, all kinds of nuts, dried fruits (including dates), jams, jellies, syrups, starfruit, dragonfruit, etc. 

(Lamb) shawarma is described as meat roasted on a spit and served on baguettes or pita bread. Because grease drips off while it cooks, it is “surprisingly healthier” than one expects it to be. Shawarma is also customarily served with vegetables (tomatoes, onions, olives, jalapenos, etc.) and sauces (yogurt, garlic, chili, hummus (a paste of garlic and chickpeas), mayo basil, etc).

There is a vendor that can supply large quantities of sweet and refreshing coconut water; this is because they’re used to providing for Kalim’s extravagant and excessive tastes. They create a hole in the top and provide straws to poke in and use to drink the water. The coconut flesh inside is also edible.

There are a lot of bread stalls; bread is also another staple food, and it comes in many sizes, shapes, and textures. Small roadside bakeries have wood-fired ovens which allow them to serve bread fresh to customers.

One stand sells baguettes that are taller than many children; these “tower baguettes” are a famous Fireworks Festival treat. People say that if you eat a big one, you’ll never go hungry again! The saying comes from a story of a young man that shared bread with hungry children. It’s because of that story that baguettes are considered a good luck food that many vendors sell on holidays.

The Camel Bazaar sells an elastic ice-cream (based on a similar irl frozen Turkish confection). It is kneaded on a pole and stretched out; customers are meant to “catch” it in their cups and cones. It’s food performance art! All the stretching makes the texture very unique.

There’s a fruit stand that is only open on festival days which sells a Silk Melon sundae; the fruit is hollowed out to host ice-cream (of the same melon flavor!) and toppings which make it very photogenic.

Starfruit is usually put in salads, according to Trey.

The dragonfruit sold is recommended to be eaten with honey. You drizzle it on top of a slice and eat!

Silk City’s signature fruit is the Silk Melon. It is called that because of its silky texture and sophisticated sweetness. It can’t be found in many other countries. The man of legend that shared his bread with a starving child is said to split a melon with his friend, even though he did not have much money to spare. It’s because of this tale that people started saying if you share Silk Melon with someone, it would make your friendship or romance last forever. Now the fruit is a festival staple and considered a symbol of good fortune.

In the past, water was only used for irrigation due to its scarcity. Some gave up on farming after years of trying to produce crops and failing—but others refused to give up and cultivated the land to made it fertile, something which future generations would reap the benefits of.

The fruits and veggies sold Camel Bazaar are freshly picked and grown locally. Jamil says this is possible because the arid climate actually helps with growing crops of high quality. Produce raised with less water concentrates flavor since the final fruit will have a higher sugar content. Because of this, Silk City’s produce is prized by chefs all over Twisted Wonderland. Of course, you can get them at an affordable prize in Camel Bazaar!

Shaftlands

General

The Shaftlands are famous for its jeweled pineapples.

The Shaftlands spans a large area of land and has drastically different climates depending on the part of it you're looking at. Therefore, we can deduce that foods and customs surrounding food are very different as well.

City of Flowers/Fleur City

The city’s food culture seems to be inspired by real world Paris, or at the very least, France.

Bread is a local specialty, particularly very buttery kinds. As you walk down the streets, you can smell bread baking. The City of Flowers has 10x (or more) the variety of bread that Sage's Island offers, and has an abundance of bakeries too.

Bread-making is popular in the City of Flowers. The windmills at the edges of the city grind grains to produce fresh flour. There are also watermills powered by the Soleil River to assist with making flour.

Because wheat is plentiful in this area, some of it is also used for desserts. One such confection is financier, which is made from a combination of wheat flour, almond flour, and butter. It resembles a gold bar, so eating one is said to bring financial prosperity.

Lately, gluten-free desserts have been trendy.

A dessert that does not use wheat flour is macarons. In the City of Flowers, they are yellow and shaped like bells to honor the Bell of Salvation which oversees the community and provides magic that helps rare plants grow in the area. The filling is a ganache with dried bits of grapes and apples.

Grape juice is popular in the City of Flowers, as the fruit is another specialty. You can buy the grapes raw and eat them as is, or ask a vendor to crush it (skin still on!) into juice for you. Some buy the grapes to give as gifts!

The grapes are grown in vineyards right outside of the city, and the farmers are constantly experimenting to improve their breeds. They taste very rich, tangy, and sweet.

The City of Flowers is also known for its many specialty cheese shops. Together, bread and cheese are called the staple foods of the city, and are sometimes eaten together. One specialty cheese shop the boys visit sells baguettes topped with ham and rich melted cheese.

The city considers goats a symbol of good luck, so they are treated with care. There are many community goats (which are just as common as domesticated cats or dogs) allowed to roam freely in the city. It is said that if you treat the community goats with kindness, they will come rescue you in your time of need.

Goat milk is used in some of the specialty cheeses produced by the city. The grapes mentioned earlier are also made into fruit compotes to go with the cheeses.

Harveston

This village has many dishes that borrow from a mixture of irl Nordic cultures. There’s also an emphasis on having hometown pride and the community itself being very close.

Crows often damage the apples Harveston grows. The community comes together to put up nets and make noises to scare them off.

As expected, many of Harveston's dishes feature apples: apple pie, grilled and roasted apples, apple salad, apple pound cakes, etc.

Epel's family has an apple orchard that has been in the family for generations. They grow different kinds of apples throughout the year. Many of his neighbors are older people who also raise produce, and they help each other out when they're short on hands. The community is very tightly knit because of this, and treat each other like extended family.

Harvest season (autumn) is the busiest time of year; once that's over, everyone comes together to have a party. It's a potluck style celebration where everyone brings a homemade dish or homegrown food to share.

Harveston preserves its produce (such as apples and wild greens) by pickling them and serving them in salads. The bright colors are maintained by boiling the produce in a copper pot, which stabilizes the pigments. It's wisdom passed down from generation to generation.

There is also pickled herring, traditionally eaten on bread. Brining preserves the fish while it is still raw and doesn't dry it up. It's ready to eat right out of a jar, no cooking required.

The local stew is not very thick. It tastes sweet because of the added vegetables and savory because of the tender meat in it. There is also a salmon broth sprinkled with herbs which is described as "melty".

Fruits and vegetables can be packed in snow to keep them preserved. This method is called “snow aging” and prevents evaporation. In the old days, the villagers would build whole farms out of snow. In modern day, they just shovel the snow into a barn. This creates a natural fridge that will naturally thaw in the summers. Snow aging in this manner makes the produce sweeter and more nutritious.

The next town over is a three-hour bike ride. The roadside has many apple trees you can enjoy during the trip.

You can easily pick apples off the branch and eat them fresh! Farmers can snack on apples while picking.

Harveston is surrounded by tall mountains that are snow-capped all year, the most famous one being Mt. Moln. The greenery around Harveston is due to the spring water irrigation which runs down from Mt. Moln.

Most of Harveston’s land is used for orchards, and apples are their main produce. They also make many products using those apples like chips, rice crackers, and cookies.

Fall apples are sweeter, while winter ones are more sour. Winter apples are unique to Harveston.

Harveston also grows a lot of garlic.

Harveston farming is done the old fashioned way, as the predominantly older population distrusts chemical fertilizers and biotechnology.

Some villagers like the mayor and Marja (Epel’s grandma) adjust their accent to communicate with people from outside the village. Marja says she switches up when she’s selling goods in another town, since it can be tricky for non-Harveston locals to understand.

Hand washing before eating is a must! They take the act very seriously in Harveston. Stories say the miners of the past used to get very sick due to poor hygiene, but their health improved drastically once they started washing regularly with soap and water. It was difficult for them to get treatment because the town is so remote and far from hospitals or doctors, so the best thing is stressing prevention. This why the townspeople are sticklers about hand washing now.

To wash the Harveston way, you plunge your hands into ice cold water and make it all foamy with soap. You also scoop the water up and splash your face as well (as the miners from the past would also do this).

Apple Square is the main festival venue; it has many vendor stalls in an area called Kokko (which means “Bonfire”) Market. The Sledathon is the most lucrative time of year for the townsfolk.

Many of their products are made locally by the older folks in town. The goods aren’t trendy or very fancy, but they’re high-quality and made with Harveston pride.

The stalls give apple juice, apple tea (which has fruit pieces floating in it), and apple ginger tea for free. The apple juice is one of Harveston’s most popular products.

Giant five-meter apple pies are made for the Sledathon. They’re considered one of the main attractions, and you can get a slice from them free of charge.

There are other stalls that sell regular apple pie too. Every vendor has their own style, from the apples used to the crust and baking technique.

There are other kinds of fruit pies for sale, but apples are the most popular and “special” ones. The Beautiful Queen had a preference for apple pies, so the townspeople do too.

Harveston apple pies have such an entrancing flavor that the nearest city has stores that stock them. Critics say that Harveston apple pies make anyone drool and that the best way to convince someone to do you a favor is to gift one.

Harveston holds an apple competition to find the reddest apple. This is because the Beautiful Queen prized beautifully red apples. In the past, the townspeople would offer the reddest apple from the season’s harvest to the Beautiful Queen. Over time, it evolved into the apple competition.

Kokko Market makes pancake balls from a flour batter and top it with jam. It’s prepared in a pan and with methods similar to takoyaki, coming out crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

Pancakes also come in a square form. In Harveston, pancakes are baked in the oven instead of on the stove. Some people cook pancakes in the fireplace too; this makes them tender, thick, and pudding-like.

There are many grains used for bread: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, oats, flax seeds, sesame seeds, rye, wheat...

Barbeque is served for large gatherings and celebrations.

Cooking tends to be done in the fireplace instead of on a stove, especially in the case for stews. It keeps the room warm in winter while the food cooks.

Harveston has a bean and fruit soup. Most other places serve it cold, but those in Harveston sometimes enjoy it warm. It’s a thick consistency and the fruit in it has been dried.

When setting the dining table, people in Harveston leave one extra plate out. This tradition comes from a story about a traveler visiting a family’s house and being surprised by the messy state of it. The traveler cleaned the house and cooked a nice meal for the family. From this story came the belief that as long as you leave a plate at your table, you’ll never want for food or go hungry.

Sandwich cakes are common party centerpieces. They are made with bread and vegetables, topped with shrimp, deviled eggs, olives, apples, and salmon slides arranged in a rose shape. The frosting on it is made from mayonnaise and sour cream, making sandwich cakes more salad than dessert.

They sell cherries and other berries by volume. Also sold are vegetables and juice, freshly squeezed.

Because Harveston is located in a mountainous region, there are rare varieties of mushrooms to be found. These can be served in a traditional mushroom soup, which can be finicky to prepare (so usually only experts make it). Mushrooms are also cooked in butter and served in sandwiches.

Mushrooms, herbs, and flowers are foraged from the nature (both public mountains and private woods). Locals usually don’t buy plants that are wild when they can pick it themselves. Instead, they’re sold to tourists.

Good foraging spots on Moln Mountain are kept secret so people don’t overharvest. The mountains are dangerous in winter, so foraging has to be done in spring or summer.

Harveston brines raw fish like salmon in a mixture of salt, sugar, pepper, and fill. In the old days, brined salmon was buried in sand to let it ferment.

Fish is dried to preserve it and to enhance the flavor. Before there were proper roads, it was hard to bring in food for the winter, so Harveston relied on foods preserved in the spring. They last for a long time and have many uses (such as in soup stock or to eat straight up). To this day, preserved meats and vegetables are a local specialty and new methods such as roasting have been developed for preservation.

Sunset Savanna

General

The food here appears to be inspired by African cultures of the real world.

Fruit is more plentiful than grains.

There is floral cacao in the Sunset Savanna. It bears fruit only once every 10 years.

Gummy bugs are popular and a Halloween staple.

The people of the Sunset Savanna value living in harmony with nature and will go out of their way to adapt to the land (due to the high population of beastmen, who have animal ancestors). Because of this, they oppose change that could damage the environment. There are some parts of this arid country that still rely on wells for their drinking water needs. They also hold the Tamashina-Mina festival every year to pray for rain.

Sautéed mutton is a common meal in this country. Leona brags that the Sunset Savanna is top notch when it comes to cooking meats.

The bananas of the Sunset Savanna are starchy and resemble potatoes (similar to plantains). They are steamed and served as a staple food. They’re faintly sweet and are actually very light and easy to digest.

It’s easier to grow fruit instead of wheat and rice in their climate.

Rice hull crepes, another staple, are served with a stew that you pour over it. The stew comes in variants such as a white fish stew simmered in tomato sauce, spinach and potato stew, beef stew, etc. There are also many side dishes you can enjoy with the crepes. The crepes aren’t meant to be eaten alone, as they taste too sour solo.

The phrase “that’s the Circle of Life” is a proverb that has been around for ages. The strong eat the weak, then when the strong die, their bodies become nutrients for the grass which feeds the next generation of prey animals. Life comes “full circle”, and the proverb indicates this delicate balance.

The Sunset Savanna is famous for its coffee. It tastes spicy, not bitter, because the custom is to add spices to the drink.

Food prep performances seem to be common for the wealthy; Leona mentions seeing big fish filleted before being served.

Yogurt is considered a “healthy dairy” and is typically served for breakfast.

Elephant Graveyard

The Elephant Graveyard, once considered a scary and lawless place (the “shadow lands” which were not a part of the original kingdom), has become a tourist destination—something akin to a spa.

They are known for selling vanilla cookies shaped like bones.

The hot springs at the Elephant Graveyard have kettles hidden by the steam. The hot water vapor cooks onsen tamago (a traditionally Japanese irl dish) and puddings. It imparts a slightly salty and sulfurous flavor and smell to the foods.

Sunrise City

The Raintree Market is a bazaar that features many foods and drinks.

Many snacks sold in the marketplaces are local specialties, so they’re popular as souvenirs.

Wild and cultivated hibiscus flowers are boiled with sugar to produce a red juice. There is also a white juice, which is made using wild baobab (which is full of nutrients; people call it a beauty elixir you can drink). A legends says that, long ago, members of the royal family would have their foreheads painted with baobab juice when they were born. That’s how the fruit became a local specialty.

In the original tale, the juice for marking foreheads was red. It seems that, over time, the color was changed to white by word of mouth, with the latter description fitting more with the white fruit of the baobab. Because of this change, more and more stalls have been selling a mixture of hibiscus juice and baobab juice.

The baobab fruit is also used to make a particular sour candy. The candy is dyed with red food coloring and is then dusted with sugar and chili powder. It’s described as having a “mature” flavor. Leona has liked this candy since he was a child.

Mangoes are a local specialty! Vendors will happily cut open the fruit for you to enjoy on the spot.

Other notable fruits for sale are tart passionfruit and creamy but smelly jackfruit. The latter is considered the largest fruit in Twisted Wonderland and grows on its tree’s trunks.

The Sunset Villa is a luxurious hotel that hosts VIPs and important guests of the state. They offer a large selection of drinks (fruit juice, black tea, coffee…) and serve whole slabs of steak in front of you before serving at luxurious barbecues. After dinners, they have dance performances.

There is an enormous sausage that’s wrapped up in a coil. If unwound, it’s a meter long. It’s meant to be cut with scissors before eating. The sausage’s herbs make it taste refreshing, and its meat is finely grounded to allow its flavors to come through.

Seafood is fresh and cheap, provided you live by the sea or in a coastal region like Dawn City. In more inland areas, seafood is considered a luxury.

Their seafood tends to be cooked with strong spices.

Ruggie’s yet-to-be-named hometown

Because the residents are poor, their food is usually made from collected scraps (such as pumpkin pie made predominantly from the pulpy parts) or prepared with substitutions and without extra flourishes. For example, Ruggie’s grandma prepares homemade donuts for his birthday but they couldn't afford fancy toppings (until Ruggie started working to bring in extra income).

It’s implied that there were instances when Ruggie (and presumably others from his hometown) had to eat rotten food or out of trash cans to get by.

Queendom of Roses

General

There is reference to some irl UK foods in this region, such as the jacket potato.

The Queendom of Roses is famous for its rose jelly rolls. Roses are the flower the country is best known for, of course, but they also have lavender, rosemary, sweet violet, foxglove, bluebells, and many berries.

People from this country eat flowers (which are specifically grown for eating). Flowers are also used for dried flower bookmarks? potpourri, etc.

The Queendom has a good selection of breads.

Apparently, the Queendom also has a strong “tea culture”.

People in the Queendom of Roses eat a lot of different pastries (pies, tarts, quiches, croissants, etc). Croissant donuts (cronuts) in particular have been pretty trendy lately. They’re donuts made with croissant batter, so they come out super flaky. They are sometimes sold with iced tea as a combo.

Potatoes are a staple food.

Jacket potatoes are common at festivals; they are potatoes baked with the skin (ie “jacket”) still on. The standard topping for them is baked beans, but you can also have tuna mayo corn, bean chili, sour cream, avocado, and other things.

Anyone that grew up in the Queendom of Roses has probably done the “cookie smash” at least once as a kid. (More info on this under the “Clock Town” section!)

The Queendom is known for lavender, berries, and rosemary.

Riddle and Trey's yet-to-be-named hometown

Trey's family owns a bakery (called "Patisserie Clover" according to the TWST manga). It seems to be a small "mom and pops" shop with no particular notoriety. However, the manga implies that it was the Clover bakery where Riddle saw the strawberry tarts and became entranced by them. This is also where Riddle would later try his first strawberry tart.

In Riddle and Trey's hometown, people enjoy apple bobbing during the Halloween season.

Before interview: Riddle was worried whether they can start on time and was relieved when Vil showed up and Vil was pretty smug about it lmao

There is a farm not too far from where Riddle lives; it is famous for its ice-cream buns. There is also a cafe located on the farm! It opened shortly after Riddle entered NRC and is so popular that it’s spoken about in magazines and tourists go there just to sample their sweets.

Clock Town

The people of Clock Town value time and punctuality due to the town's connection to the White Rabbit, who was always in a hurry. Many of the foods sold at stalls are things that are easy to hold and eat while walking, such as sliced sandwiches.

The Clock Town Folk Museum mentions a girl that appears in the story of the White Rabbit. She ate cookies that made her grow large; the museum recreates this experiment by projecting a large image of guests that eat cookies they have set out.

The Clock Town Folk Museum also runs a bugle-playing contest. The participation prize is a carrot cookie.

Clock Town sells a brand of potato chips with the White Rabbit logo on them.

The town also sells cookies iced to look like a pocket watch. The icing is made from a mixture of sugar and egg whites (“royal icing”) which hardens considerably. You’re meant to crush the cookie with a hammer to make it into smaller pieces, making it easier to eat. It’s based on the story of the White Rabbit breaking his pocket watch. Others tried to help him fix it by hitting it with a hammer, but it didn’t help at all, only damaged it more!

A lot of people enjoy growing plants, gardening, and horticulture, including stuff that can be eaten like herbs.

Sausage rolls are served in pairs to resemble bunny ears; the container they come in resembles the White Rabbit. They’re sausages wrapped in a pie crust/puff pastry dough, and come in cheese (with a shortcrust pastry similar to what is used for tarts to help hold its shape) and a spicy sausage (with a puff pastry that makes it flaky) variant for the White Rabbit Festival.

There are large mushrooms that grow in Clock Town; eating one side will turn you large, eating the other side will turn you small. The girl in the story of the White Rabbit has eaten these strange mushrooms before. These mushrooms are said to be enchanted and only work in a particular area; its effects last for ~1 minute after eating.

[krirebr]

More Than This 1

Pairing: Ransom Drysdale x f!reader, Steve Rogers & f!reader

Word Count: ~4.1k

Summary: Arranged marriages have always been used to solidify business deals among the ultra-wealthy. Your stepfather wants to be in business with Harlan Thrombey, so now it's your turn.

Warnings: Heavy angst, age difference, adult themes, institutional sexism, a very brief conversation about the possibility of abuse, explicit language, the slooowest burn - Warnings will be added as needed for subsequent parts. All of my work is 18+ - Minors DNI

Dividers by @saradika-graphics

Series Masterlist

Masterlist

A/N: And here we go! A huge thanks to @drabblewithfrannybarnes for helping me nail down some of the worldbuilding details and @paperweight91 for reading so much of this and especially telling me how to fix the scene that refused to be fixed. You're both the best!!

Any comment, reblog, or ask to let me know what you think will be greatly appreciated. Even if it's just screeching at me. As always, thank you so much for reading! 💜

It was uncommon to be called to your stepfather’s office. The high rise on the edge of Studio City had housed the heads of his family since the silent film era, give or take a remodel and expansion or five. You’d only been here a handful of times, mostly left out of the family business. When his assistant opened the door for you, you were surprised to see a small group of people, all in expensive business attire, surrounding your stepdad, Joseph Rogers, at his desk. Even more surprising was the figure standing in the corner, staring out the window – your mother. 

“Mom?” you asked, unable to hide your confusion. She just gave you a tight smile in return and turned her attention to her husband.

“Sweetheart,” he called to you. It’s what he’d called you since you’d first met him as a child and it had always felt patronizing and empty. You were well aware that you were an annoyance he’d been saddled with when he’d married your mother for her late first husband’s connections. Eighteen years later, you wished he’d drop the pretense already. “Please, have a seat,” he gestured to the leather chair in front of his large oak desk. 

You sat down across from him. “What’s going on?” you asked, an uneasy feeling building in your gut.

“Congratulations are in order,” he said, smiling at you. “You’re engaged.”

Years of experience at bullshit industry and society parties had you pasting on a benign smile. This was your fourth, no fifth engagement, the first one dating all the way back to when you were 10. They’d all dissolved for one reason or another, the business arrangements at the heart of them disintegrating too. But looking around the room at all the extra people in attendance, you knew better than to dismiss this outright. You were older now. Many of your friends from school had found themselves married as part of business deals in the last few years. Love matches were uncommon in the circles you frequented. There wasn’t much patience for love when this much money was at stake. But still, just because it was expected, that didn’t make you any more ready for your turn. 

“That’s wonderful,” you said, putting all your effort into keeping your tone even. “May I ask whom I’m engaged to?” 

“Ransom Drysdale,” Joseph said. “He’s the grandson of Harlan Thrombey, the mystery writer. We’ve been trying to secure the movie rights to his works for years and this should finally cement it. It’s fantastic news for our family and this studio. The joining of our families should create many opportunities for all of us. Ransom is one of the most eligible bachelors in Boston. You should feel very lucky.”

Lucky was the last thing you felt right now, but you kept your face schooled as you ran through your mental Rolodex to try to figure out if you had any social connections to this man. The fact that he lived on the other side of the country made it less likely but not impossible. 

“So,” he continued, sliding a stack of papers across his desk to you, “all you need to do is sign and initial the contract where it’s marked, and we can get started finalizing the details for the wedding next month.”

At that, all your poise disappeared and the smile dropped off your face. “Next month?”

Joseph nodded. “It’s important to strike while the iron is hot with deals like this. So go ahead and sign so that we can all move on to the next stage.”

Your heart thumped wildly in your chest. This was happening. This one was real. “Shouldn’t I read it first?” you asked, somewhat desperately.

He shook his head, “No need,” he said, gesturing to the man you recognized as one of the family lawyers standing beside him. “Julian has already gone through it with a fine-toothed comb. All of our interests are well represented. It’s all in legalese anyway. Impossible to understand if you aren’t a lawyer.” He chuckled and many of the people standing around the desk, staring at you, joined him. 

“I just–” you stammered. You didn’t know what to do, but you knew you couldn’t pick up that pen.

Irritation bloomed on your stepfather’s face. “Lydia!” he called. 

Your mother stopped staring out the window and stepped up to your chair. “Honey,” she said gently, putting her hand on your back. “This will be such a good thing. And then we can get to all the fun parts of planning the wedding!” She picked up the pen and held it out to you. You took a moment to look at her. Her features were drawn and her eyes looked exhausted. She’d looked that way as long as you could remember. It did nothing to reassure you. 

You glanced at the door behind you. You knew you weren’t getting out of this room without signing the contract. You took a deep breath and took the pen from your mother. There was nothing else to do. No other choice. You quickly flipped through the papers, initialing where indicated and signing the last page. Your hand was shaking so badly you weren’t sure any of it was legible.

When you turned over the last page, Joseph clapped his hands together. “Excellent!” He took a large binder off the desk and passed it over to you. “We’ve put some information together for you on your new fiance. Ransom will be in town next week to take you to dinner so that the two of you can get to know each other. Now, I’m sure you want to go celebrate, so we won’t keep you any longer.”

At the clear dismissal, you stood up. Many people in the room offered their congratulations and you nodded to them, forcing a strained smile. Then you made your way out on shaky legs, needing to see the one person who might be able to help you process what had just happened.

You’d been six years old when you and your mother had moved into the Rogers mansion. You were terrified, already able to sense Joseph’s indifference towards you. But your comfort during that time, and all the time after, had been his son, Steve. Twelve years old, still reeling from the death of his mother and just as deeply lonely as you, he’d named himself your protector, shielding you from his father’s annoyance and your mother’s sorrow. He guarded you from monsters when you woke up in the middle of the night after a nightmare and would stare down your bullies on the playground. You were very quickly inseparable. 

When you became engaged the first time when you were ten, sixteen-year-old Steve had taken you out for ice cream, telling you not to worry too much, there was so much time before anything would happen and that everything would be ok. When the arrangement had fallen apart, he’d hugged you and whispered in your ear, “See? I’m always right.”

That was the memory you couldn’t stop thinking about as you let yourself into your stepbrother’s apartment, using the key he’d given you on the day he’d moved in. He wasn’t in his front room, so you moved all the way to the back, to the spare room he used as an art studio. You lightly knocked on the doorframe as you entered, trying not to startle him. He was standing with his hands on his hips, staring at a half-finished painting, but looked over his shoulder as soon as he heard you. There was a warm smile on his face, but it dropped as soon as he took in your expression. “What happened?” he asked as you flopped down onto his couch.

“I think I might be really fucked, Steve,” you said quietly, your hands still shaking. You couldn’t get them to stop.

“What happened?” he asked again, more forcefully this time, as he dragged a chair from the corner of the room so that he could sit right across from you.

“Your dad, he–” You stopped and shook your head. Steve’s face darkened. “I’m engaged,” you said with a helpless shrug.

“Okay,” he said evenly. “That might not be the most dire thing. You’ve been engaged before. Nothing ever comes of it.”

You sighed. “They’ve set a date this time.”

“Oh,” was all he could say at first, surprise on his face. “That’s new.”

“Yeah.” you nodded. “A month from now.”

That had Steve sitting up straight. “The hell?!”

“It’s happening this time. I can feel it.”

“Hey, no,” he said, reaching out to touch your arm. “Let me try to talk some sense into him. Buy you some time. He might listen to me.”

You shook your head. “Everything’s already signed. They made me sign. I don’t think there’s any getting out of it.”

“He give you a name?”

“Ransom Drysdale.”

Before he was able to stop himself, Steve grimaced.

“Fuck,” you muttered, briefly covering your face with your hands.

“No, it’s– I’ve only met him once or twice, ok? I don’t actually know anything about him.”

“But you don’t like him.”

“He’s–” Steve paused, clearly trying to find the words that wouldn’t upset you even more, “a strong personality.” He looked at you carefully. “And he’s older than you. Older than me, even.”

“I know,” you sighed, reaching for your bag and taking out the folder. “They gave me this.”

You handed it to Steve and he paged through it. “This is intense. Do you think they gave him one about you?”

You shrugged. “Dunno. Probably. Can’t imagine it says anything interesting.”  

Steve nodded, seriously. “It’s probably pretty thin. Just the story of that time you completely freaked out when you weren’t allowed to bring Mr. BunBun to school with you.”

You grabbed the pillow next to you and hurled it at him. “You’re such a dick!” you laughed. “I’m very upset!”

He batted the pillow back at you and cackled when it hit you in the chest. “He deserves to know the kind of person he’s marrying. The kind who throws a five-alarm tantrum when she’s separated from her stuffed bunny.”

“I was eight, asshole!” You laughed again but then your brain caught on something Steve had said. “Holy shit, he’s marrying me. I’m getting married. I don’t know anything about him. He could be anyone. You don’t even like him! He could hurt me and–” 

“Hey, no!” Steve interrupted quickly. “I might not know much, but I know that. He won’t do that. I’m sure of it. And if he ever even tried, I’d be there so fast. They’d never find his body.”

“Will he be kind to me?” you asked quietly. He opened his mouth to say something, but you stopped him. “Be honest with me. Please.”

He sighed. “I don’t know.”

“Well,” you said, trying so hard not to cry, “I guess at least now we know exactly how your dad feels about me.”

Steve closed his eyes and quietly said your name. When he opened them, there was a resolved look on his face that was painfully familiar. His ‘I’m going to fix this’ face. He was intractable when he got like this. He set his jaw. “I’m going to talk to Dad.”

You shook your head. “Steve.” Your stepfather was just as intractable as his son. This would only result in a shouting match that wouldn’t go anywhere.

“It’s going to be alright,” he said resolutely.

All you could do was say “OK,” with a wan smile, knowing it was a lie. You lay down on the couch and curled up on your side. “Do you mind if I stay here for a bit?”

“Of course not. Lola good on her own for a while?”

You nodded. Your little dog was probably asleep in her kennel. “Yeah, for a while.”

“Do you mind if I keep working on this?” he asked, gesturing to his painting.

“I like watching you paint,” you said, trying to find comfort in the familiarity of something you’d done since you were small.

He stood up and turned back to his easel, and you did your best to focus on watching him paint and not think about how, if this went through, you’d have to move to Boston and you wouldn’t get to have this time with your brother anymore.

As expected, Steve’s talk with Joseph yielded no results when it came to your future. The only thing it seemed to have any effect on was their own relationship, Steve announcing to you that he was no longer speaking to his father the next time you saw him. You hadn’t expected anything else.

For your part, you spent the next week vacillating between going overboard preparing for your first meeting with Ransom—pouring over your folder on him, making salon appointments, shopping for a dress that would make the right impression—and pretending your problems didn’t exist. As such, the day of the dinner still snuck up on you. You were a nervous wreck. 

The plan was for him to pick you up at your apartment, but an hour before he was supposed to arrive, you got a text from an unfamiliar number telling you to meet him at the restaurant instead. 

So now you sat at the table, alone, in a new dress with your hair done. You’d arrived ten minutes early, and he was now 20 minutes late. You took a deep breath, staring at the empty seat across from you. He would show up. He had to. 

Another ten minutes passed and, as you waived off the server for a third time, you let yourself consider what it would mean if your future husband had stood you up. You should go. It’d be pathetic to stay. And even if he did show up after you’d gone, it’d make a point. Show you had a backbone. You should definitely go.

Just as your hand began to inch toward your handbag on the table, the hostess came through, leading a tall, handsome man to your table. She stopped beside you and then ducked away. The man looked at you critically. He said your name like a question and, when you nodded, he sat down. He didn’t introduce himself, but he could only be Ransom. 

He was dressed nicely in an expensive sweater and slacks, but much more casually than you were and looking around the restaurant than most of the other people there, too. And when he sat down, you could see the places in his sweater where it was threadbare or torn. You tried very hard to not take it as a sign of how he felt about this dinner, felt about you.

You cleared your throat to say something, you weren’t entirely sure what when he glanced at your glass of water. “You don’t drink?”

“No, I do,” you said, but when he smirked you realized how that sounded. “I can,” you amended, but that sounded odd too. “I mean, I don’t have anything against it. I was just waiting for you.”

He snorted. “Well, aren’t you polite?”  His tone made it feel like the worst thing you could possibly be. He flagged down the server and ordered a glass of the Macallan 18, then huffed impatiently while you asked questions about their wine selection. You didn’t know how he could be half an hour late and make you feel bad for taking your time ordering. 

Once you’d finally made your choice and the server left, you tried not to squirm as he gave you a once-over with his eyes. You felt disappointing without really knowing why. You tried to shrug off the feeling, but then Ransom said, “How old even are you?” with scorn in his voice.

You cleared your throat. “Twenty-four,” you tried to say with confidence.

“Jesus Christ,” he muttered.

You did your best not to shrink in on yourself. Maybe he was just nervous too. It was a weird situation. But, “Didn’t they tell you about me?”

He snorted again and rolled his eyes. “Gave me a whole binder. I never opened it.”

You looked down at your empty place setting, embarrassed. You’d studied every inch of what they’d given you, hoping to show him how seriously you were taking this and he couldn’t care less. “Oh,” was all you were able to say. 

He grinned a little meanly. “You got one too, didn’t you? Don’t tell me you’ve memorized facts about me that you were ready to rattle off to impress me.”

“No,” you growled out. You weren’t going to let him make you feel small just for trying to show interest in the person you were going to have to spend the rest of your life with.

He swiped one hand over his mouth and chin. “My god,” he muttered, “this whole thing is fucking ridiculous.”

The waitress came back and set down your drinks. Ransom immediately took a large gulp of his scotch. You itched to do the same, but you suddenly felt like proving a point. Even if you weren’t entirely sure what that point was. 

You were ready to order, but Ransom hadn’t glanced at his menu yet. Just as you were about to ask for a few more minutes, he said, “Go ahead and bring me another one of these right away,” and gestured with his drink in dismissal. She nodded and left.

Fuck it, you let yourself take a large drink of your wine. “Do you know what you’re going to have?” you asked, nodding to his menu.

He shook his head. “I have dinner plans after this.”

Heat shot through your whole body. “I thought these were the dinner plans.”

He rolled his eyes again. “Getting a head start on the nagging?” he asked, dryly. “Wow, it’s like we’re already married.”

You opened your mouth to do something, you weren’t sure what. Everything in your mind had gone white. But once again, Ransom beat you to it. “Alright, let’s get this done. You’re moving into my house. Fine. But I already have everything we need, so I expect you to pack light. I don’t need your shit cluttering up everything.”

You didn’t know what to say to that. You didn’t know how to have a conversation with him. Someone who left no room for you and seemed not to care at all about anything you had to say. And then there was the voice in your head that kept shouting about how incredibly important this dinner was to the rest of your life. And now it wasn’t even dinner. So when you opened your mouth to speak, what came out was, “I have a dog.”

He stared at you for a moment, seemingly surprised that you’d spoken at all. “What? No. Absolutely not. You’ll have to get rid of it. I hate dogs.”

You didn’t even bother to try to think through the static in your head. “She’s coming with me. I don’t care what else happens, I’m fucking bringing my dog.”

Ransom just narrowed his eyes and stared at you for a moment, then, “Fine. Just keep it away from me. And if it destroys my house, you’re getting rid of it. I’m serious.”  

“She won’t,” you said, as sure of that as anything. “She’s a good girl.”

“Whatever,” he said, as the server returned with his second drink. He slid his empty glass to the end of the table, then said, “The bill,” without looking at her. As she took his empty away, he continued to you, “I don’t know why you want to deal with a dog and a baby, but…” he shrugged.

You just blinked at him, trying to catch up with the massive leap he’d just taken. “Baby? What? Who said anything about a baby?”

He laughed, loudly. “Oh my god, they didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?” you asked, harshly, panic starting to build up in your chest. 

“Of course, they fucking left that to me. There’s a clause in the contract,” he said, “requiring you to get pregnant with my child within the first year.”

You stared over his shoulder, you couldn't look him in the eye, horrified and speechless. You couldn’t breathe. How were you supposed to breathe?

“You seriously didn’t read your own marriage contract?” The judgment in his tone had you shrinking in on yourself. You couldn’t help it.

“They didn’t give me any time,” you said, quietly. “They just made me sign it.”

“And you always do what you’re told, don’t you? Yeah, you look like a good girl.” He said it the same way he’d called you polite when he’d first sat down with you. Like it made you weak. Stupid. You’d never thought so before, but now you wondered if he was right.

“Fuck,” you whispered.

He chuckled humorlessly. “We agree on that,” he said. “This whole thing is fucked.”

At some point, without your notice, the server had returned with Ransom’s card and the receipt. He signed it quickly, then stood up. “Listen, now, at least, we can go back to our parents, tell them we met, chatted, got to know each other. Everything is hunky dory. And then do whatever we want for the next three weeks. Right now, I’m going to try to salvage my night. You go do,” he gestured vaguely at you, “whatever you need to do. I’ll see you at the wedding.”

And then he was gone and you were alone.

You sat in the back seat of the car on the way back to your apartment, running over every moment of your evening. You kept thinking about the way he’d looked at you, talked to you. A baby. You were supposed to have a baby with him. A child that you’d have to raise. By yourself, judging by how invested in all this he seemed to be. Forty, fifty years of him looking at you like that, talking to you like that. And a baby. You leaned forward and asked the driver to take you to your parents’ house instead. 

Once you arrived, you said you needed to speak to your stepfather urgently and were shown to his study. You stood in the middle of the room, too anxious to sit down, and waited. Everyone was making you wait tonight. 

Several minutes later, Joseph finally came in. “We weren’t expecting you tonight,” he said. “How did it go?”

You ignored his question, which you guessed was an answer in itself. “Please don’t make me do this,” you pleaded. 

“Sweetheart,” he sighed, disappointed, and moved over to his bar, pouring himself two fingers of decanted whiskey. “I’m sure it wasn’t that bad.”

“It was. It was awful. He’s– I can’t do this. Please, please don’t make me.” Your voice broke, but you couldn’t be embarrassed about it, not when you were staring down an entire lifetime with him. 

“Everyone gets nervous before their wedding. You’ll be fine. This is important. To all of us.”

“It’s not nerves!” You were close to shouting, suddenly. “You weren’t there. You don’t know. There have to be other families we need things from. It doesn’t have to be this family, does it? It doesn’t have to be right now. Please, please, anything else. I’m begging you, don’t make me marry him, have a child with him.”

He chuckled lightly. “Oh, that’s what this is about. It won’t feel as scary once the baby is here. You’ll make an excellent mother.”

You just stared at him, agape. He wasn’t listening to anything you had to say. “How could you not tell me that was part of the contract? I deserved to know. I wouldn’t have signed!”

His face hardened at that. “You were naive to not expect it. Of course, children are part of this. I admit that the timing is a little fast, but Harlan insisted.”

“Joseph, please listen to me. I can’t. I can’t. Please. If you care about me at all, you won’t make me do this.”

“You’re being ridiculous. It’s done. Everything’s signed. You signed. Now,” he said and took a drink, “it’s getting late. It’s high time you went home. Hopefully, you’ll be able to calm yourself down there.” And then he left the room, ignoring you as your whole world fell apart.

As you left, you passed your mother in the hall. Neither of you said anything.

When you got home, Steve was waiting for you, having already let himself in, holding Lola in one arm. “How did it go?” he asked seriously. You shook your head and finally let the tears fall. He pulled you into his arms, smushing you against your dog, and gently guided you into your home.

Part Two

Tag list is open

@stargazingfangirl18

@drabblewithfrannybarnes

@thezombieprostitute

@jaqui-has-a-conspiracy-theory

@bval-1

[yuujispinkhair]

Wildest Dreams

You're supposed to write an article about a charity event at The Shrine, the casino of the Itadori family, but soon get swept away by the Yakuza Prince himself. It's probably a bad idea to get close to a dangerous man like him, but he's so tall and handsome as hell. Why not allow yourself to live your wildest dream, at least for one night? -> This is part of my Blog Anniversary Event (closed). @cometcoffee103 requested the song Wildest Dreams by Taylor Swift for Yakuza!Yuuji.

Pairing: Yakuza Prince!Yuuji x Reader (female) Genre: fluff + smut, Yakuza AU Word Count: 2k Warnings: 18+, a bit of smut (not very explicit), taking pictures during sex, mentions of alcohol, mentions of organized crime. This story is set in the same universe as my Yakuza AU, but you don't have to read that to understand this story. All you need to know is that Yuuji is the younger brother of the Yakuza King Sukuna, and this version of Yuuji is a bit of a playboy, but in a very sweet and charming way ;) All characters are of age. This story is 18+. Minors don't interact.

The casino is bustling with people, all of them dressed to the nines, including you. But you feel out of place here, despite the nice dress you are wearing and the red lipstick you put on. Everyone around you is someone important, someone insanely rich or influential, politicians, actors, businessmen. And Yakuza.

You gulp hard. Your hand trembles a little as you bring your wine glass to your lips to take a small sip. You shouldn't even be here. You usually only write short lifestyle articles for your magazine. It was your boss' job to attend the charity event in The Shrine, the biggest casino in the whole city, the casino of the Itadori family, one of the most powerful Yakuza clans in the country.

But two hours ago, you received that fateful message: "Put on your nicest dress and hurry to The Shrine. I'm at the hospital and can't make it. I need you to write the article about the charity event. And try to add something personal about the Itadori brothers! That will get our readers hooked."

And so you are standing here, clutching your wine glass while trying to blend in with the millionaires around you, feeling the hairs on your arms stand up as you wonder how many of them are criminals.

You don't even see him coming until he is right in front of you, moving gracefully like a tiger. A broad smile lifts his lips, and golden eyes meet yours.

"Hey, don't you like the wine? Should I get you another drink?"

You take in a sharp breath. You know the man in front of you. Of course you do. 

Itadori Yuuji, with his pink hair and golden eyes. Tall and muscular in his tailored black suit with a pink dress shirt and black tie. Looking just as rich as he truly is with the diamonds sparkling in his ears and the gold rings on every finger. But the scars on his handsome face also tell a story about the other life he is living. His life in Tokyo's underworld.

He is one of the people you got sent here for. The Young Tiger. The Yakuza Prince.

Your heart flutters nervously. But you force yourself to get a grip and be professional. And so you clear your throat before smiling politely at him and shaking your head,

"No, thank you. The wine is perfect, Mr Itadori."

He blinks and then throws his head back and laughs heartily.

"Ahh, please don't call me that! I am Yuuji for someone as cute as you."

Oh?

For a moment, you are caught off guard by his directness and the shameless flirting. But the Itadori charm is well-known. Both Itadori brothers are infamous for being big flirts and playboys who collect women just like they collect fast cars and expensive jewelry.

He points at the press card dangling on a chain around your neck,

"You're here to write about the charity event? How lucky that you ran into me! I can tell you everything you want to know. Come with me!"

You hastily follow him, not daring to waste this chance to get the article your boss demanded from you. And also not daring to turn down the Yakuza Prince's offer.

You spend the next fifteen minutes in a fancy VIP booth while Yuuji answers your questions for your article. Though half of the time, he is blatantly flirting with you. He isn't shy about it. Clearly, a man used to always getting what he wants. The spoiled Prince of Tokyo's underworld.

But you have to admit that his boyish charm works on you. Somehow, his loud laugh and broad sunshine smile make him seem less intimidating than his name suggests. If you didn't know who he was, you wouldn't even be nervous around him. He is so sweet somehow, making you laugh and feel more at ease at this event where you feel so out of place.

And his good looks certainly work their charm on you, too. He looks dashing in his suit, which accentuates all his firm muscles. The undercut and the pink hair on top look sexy on him. You realize that you have unconsciously scooted closer to him.

His golden eyes look thoughtfully at you, making your heart jump. 

"You don't look like you enjoy this event very much. I hate these things, too. All those boring people who try to talk business with me, and no one dares say something funny. I don't know how Sukuna is able to endure this all the time."

He sighs and rolls his pretty eyes. The eyes that then land on the low neckline of your dress. His smile grows bigger, and your breath quickens. Yuuji's large, warm hand lands on yours, giving it a squeeze.

"Hey, cutie, let's leave this boring party, ok? Let's drive out of the city, away from the crowds. We can have some fun, and you can get an exclusive interview with the Yakuza Prince! Not just boring facts about this event, but more personal things. How does that sound?"

Everything in you screams to say no. It's insane to leave with the Yakuza Prince. He might not be as dangerous as his big brother Sukuna, but he is still a powerful Yakuza who can easily kill someone, as the scars on his pretty face prove. It's crazy to imagine getting in his car and driving to an unknown place with him. It's wild to imagine being alone with him.

But somehow, you find yourself biting your lip and nodding as you lift your head to look up at his handsome face. Somehow, your heart is beating so fast that you feel dizzy. Somehow, your skin tingles with excitement. You know you want to go with him. Even though you know there is a high chance this is going to take you down, you can't bring yourself to say no.

And so the words leave your mouth,

"Ok, let's go. Let's sneak away."

Yuuji smiles his bright sunshine smile at you, just as dazzling as the diamonds sparkling in his ears and the various gold rings on his fingers. There's a cheeky glint in his golden eyes,

"I'm very good at sneaking away."

He grabs your hand and pulls you with him, striding with fast steps through his casino, and starts running when you're halfway out the door, laughing loudly, as if he is relieved too to finally leave this fancy event behind. As if he is finally free.

He leads you to his car, a red Porsche, his favorite one, as he lets you know while he holds open the door for you, so charming that you can't help but feel light-headed from all the butterflies in your stomach.

Yuuji drives like someone who knows this city belongs to him. A bit too fast, the music a bit too loud, but it's perfect the way it is. It makes your pulse flutter and your body fill with a giddiness you can't remember ever feeling before.

You leave the city behind you, making an excited tingle start under your skin and spreading through your whole body. It feels like an adventure. Exciting, bubbly. As if your wildest dreams are coming true.

Yuuji parks his car on top of a cliff, turns off the engine, and turns to you with his big sunshine smile.

"So, what are your questions for me, princess?"

You laugh softly,

"Well, my boss said I should try to add something personal about you or your brother. Why don't you tell me a bit about yourself? Not about the Yakuza Prince. Tell me about Yuuji."

He smiles and leans closer to you, his large hand cupping your cheek while his golden eyes travel slowly over your face. His thumb caresses your cheek, the gold ring on it gliding smoothly over your skin. Yuuji's voice is low, and you can hear the smile in it,

"Then let me tell you a secret. I hate all those stiff, formal events. I rather want to go clubbing or play video games with my friends. I enjoy spending time at my pachinkos and making my best friend Megumi play the arcade games against me, even though I know I suck at those games. And I like to hang out at my pizza delivery service. I don't care that it's only for ... tax-saving purposes. I love pizza! I want to adjust the recipes and make the best pizza in the whole city! That is my new passion!"

His eyes glitter excitedly while his voice drops to a softer tone, low and almost seductive,

"And I like this here. What we are doing right now. Drive out of the city and look at the sunset. I know I can see it from my penthouse, too, but it's not the same."

His words could sound arrogant, the words of someone who grew up rich and has no idea how normal life works. But he doesn't sound like that. There's an almost melancholic tone to his low voice. As if this evening with you, where he ran from his obligations and the glittering fancy party, is his wildest dream, too.

A soft smile lifts your lips, and you catch yourself leaning into his large, warm hand as you look deeply into those gorgeous golden eyes,

"Then let's stop this stupid interview and just enjoy your free evening."

His answer is a broad, boyish grin that makes your stomach flutter. You chuckle when Yuuji leaves the car and comes over to your side, opening the door for you like a gentleman and offering his hand to lead you to the fence at the end of the cliff, where you have a majestic view over the ocean and the beginning of a beautiful sunset.

But your gaze strays to the man next to you. The Yakuza Prince. Or out here, just Yuuji.

You look at him, at his side profile, hit once again by how good he looks. So tall and handsome as hell in his tailored black suit with the light pink dress shirt and black tie. More stunning than any sunset could ever be.

Yuuji turns his head, catching you staring at him, and laughs happily as he reaches out to wrap a strong arm around you and pull you in front of him, making your pulse flutter with how easily he can manhandle you.

He stands behind you, so tall and strong, his muscular arms wrapped around you, holding you safely, his body pressed against your back, warm and buff. You can feel his firm muscles and smell his sexy and expensive perfume.

Your breath hitches in your throat when you feel his kisses on your neck.

You tilt your head back to rest against Yuuji's shoulder as you look up at him and are met with a smile even more beautiful than the sunset.

A warm, large hand cups your chin, and then soft lips capture yours in a slow, sexy kiss that makes your knees weak. Who would have thought that the Yakuza Prince would be so gentle when he kisses you for the first time?

You have no idea how long you kiss him. You get lost in the feeling of his warm lips on yours and his tongue caressing yours with those deep, sexy flicks. Your hand is tangled in his pink hair as if you don't ever want to let him go again.

The two of you only pull apart to watch the rest of the sunset, with Yuuji's arm around you as you lean against his strong body, unable to stop smiling while your pulse races and your heart hammers in your chest, your skin tingling all over from the sheer craziness and excitement of it all.

+++

"Do you want to spend the rest of the night with me?"

Your heart misses a beat at Yuuji's question. You feel dizzy when you turn around in his arms to look up at his handsome face.

The deep scars across his nose and on the side of his lips tell you about the dangerous life he leads. His title tells you about how dangerous he himself is. You know he is bad, so so bad. But you cannot bring yourself to turn him down when he smiles that big smile at you. You cannot say no to him when every fiber of you craves him, if only for one night.

And so you nod and place a hand on his broad chest, playing with his black tie as you breathe softly,

"Yes, I can't think of anything else I would rather do."

And he smiles that attractive boyish smile at you and leans down to kiss the corner of your lips,

"I will always remember this evening. The pretty sunset, with an even prettier girl. You in that dress, with your red lipstick and the sweet kisses. Please tell me you'll always remember it, too."

You nod happily before cupping his cheeks with your hands and getting on your tiptoes to kiss him again, breathless and passionate, before whispering against his lips,

"Say you'll see me again after tonight, Yuuji."

And his arms tighten around you, strong and muscular, and he nods,

"Of course I will."

You don't hesitate when he leads you back to his car and holds the door open for you. You smile when his large hand lands on your thigh on the drive back to the city, slipping under your dress to caress your inner thigh, dangerously close to your already-soaked panties, making your heart beat wildly as you grab the leather seat. 

You giggle breathlessly when he leans over and kisses you at a red light, making your head spin with the sexy flicks of his tongue before he pulls away again.

You eagerly say yes when he asks if he can accompany you to your apartment. Your dress is already halfway off by the time you manage to unlock your door in between passionate kisses.

You moan when Yuuji's large hands knead your ass and his warm lips suck on your neck. You palm the hard bulge in the Yakuza Prince's fine suit pants all too happily, gasping at how big and hot he feels. You leave a trail of clothes on your floor, leading to your bed, where you spend the best night of your life.

Ruffled sheets, the rhythmic beating of your heart in synch with the headboard banging against the wall. Yuuji's heavy body on top of you, pressing you down so deliciously into your sheets. Loud laughter, even louder moans, and dirty whispers in your ear. Kisses and lipstick marks all over his tan skin. His clothes on your bedroom floor, your hands in his pink hair. Every inch of you brimming with pleasure while you're tangled up with Yuuji's strong body all night, finding utter bliss on his sweet mouth and his gorgeous cock. Smiling when he asks you to please let him take a picture of you while you ride him.

Tomorrow morning, he will leave, get in his sportscar, drive back to his fancy penthouse, and continue to live his fast life as the Prince of Tokyo's underworld. You don't know if this will only be one night and you'll never stand before him in person again after this. But you know you both will always remember this night.

And you will see him again, even if it's just in your wildest dreams.

AAAHHHHH thank you so much for this prompt, babe!!! I was so happy to write for Yakuza Prince Yuuji again aaaahhh!! I am crushing so much on him all over again omgggg 💗💗💗 I NEED HIM BAD!!!

I hope you liked staring at the sunset and staring at sexy Yuuji ;) Please let me know what you think!

Comments and reblogs would be very sweet.

[strangeninjahideout]

In a world that lost its humanity and left more than 2.3 million people who were killed in Gaza, death is not as cruel as the life we prefer to live in the midst of the so-called metaphorical life.. I ask you to help me and my family to go out of Gaza and reach a safe city. We need our simple right to live in peace.

Hello world, I am Muhammad, a nurse in progress, living in North Gaza. This is my story in a few words.

Before October 7th, I was a student at the College of Nursing. I loved life and had many friends, but I lost a lot of them due to the occupation. I lost my college, my room, my home, and my sense of normalcy. October 7th was a turning point for me and my family. The war came without any previous warnings. The Israeli occupation is killing us in Gaza day by day. Circumstances are getting worse, and the suffering has reached its highest levels since the first day of this war.

November 19th was the worst day for us. We survived and came out of the mouth of death when the Israeli occupation bombed our house. Now we are homeless. We will never forget the feelings of fear and panic we experienced. We waited for sunrise to move from the place. We left everything behind—home, friends, university, childhood dreams, and my father. We were trying to survive without food, clothes, or even hope to continue this life. The family dispersed and fled to the south of Gaza, which was supposed to be a classified safe place. The explosions were happening all around us. We saw martyrs and wounded people lying on the ground, and no one could save them. The snipers were everywhere.

We will never forget what we have seen: bodies scattered on the ground, armed soldiers, and huge tanks surrounding us. The fear was evident on everyone's face. We traveled a long distance, each of us carrying a backpack with any clothes we could collect. Finally, we reached Deir al-Balah, thinking we would find safety as the Israeli occupation told us. We are currently temporarily staying with a nice family who hosted us. We are now without any shelter. We don't know what we will do next, we lost everything we had. We went to a small apartment where more than 30 people live. We had no beds or blankets. We struggled to get water and bread. Unfortunately, we are homeless.

My family members include my dad, Hassan, 47 years old, my mom, 45 years old.

And my sister, Lana, who is a mother of a newborn baby girl born at the beginning of the war. Lana lost her new home, her husband's job, and all her dreams.

Ritta, 7 years old, has been shining since her first day at school, coming to her first grades with love, vitality, and brilliance, but the occupation prevented her from playing like other children and deprived her of her friends and school.

My sister, Sama, is studying at middle school, which is supposed to be the stage of launching into the world, forming friendships, and strengthening her personality, but the occupation prevented her from continuing her education and seeing her friends. She lost many friends because the occupation killed them!

This war is still killing us slowly, and we can't go on anymore. The conditions in Gaza Strip are getting worse. There is no pure drinking water, we can't find the food we used to buy, and the prices here are so expensive that they compete with the most expensive countries in the world. There is no shelter and no safe place in Gaza.

Amidst the despair, there is a chance for survival with your generous support. We can escape the horrors of war and cross the borders from Gaza to Egypt. Your donation could mean the difference between life and death for my beloved family. One person who doesn't currently hold a passport costs between $5,000-$10,000 to reach Egypt alone and leave outside the walls of this war. If you can't send money, you can help by sharing my link.

If you got this far, I am grateful that you gave us part of your time. Please, help my family and me write a new happy chapter—one of survival, safety, and hope. Your kindness will not be forgotten, and we will be forever grateful for your support in our darkest hours.

[alpaca-clouds]

Public Transport COULD Be Great

Americans visiting Europe, especially those more left-leaning Americans, will always be so impressed when it comes to our public transport. And it does not matter where they visit here. Netherlands? "Amazing Public Transport!" France? "Amazing!" Germany? "Amazing!" Even in the UK they will be impressed.

And I kinda get it. While once upon a time the US made a conserted effort to get people moving via train, that has been almost two centuries ago and by now they just decided that people having cars is making more companies more money, so who needs cheap public transport? And while I personally actually kinda liked the public transport on the east coast while I was visiting the US... Yeah, I am well aware that the east coast (especially the area between New York City and DC) is not quite representative for the US.

However, here is the thing: If you ask most Europeans about their public transport... Well, we'll complain as well.

Because they fucking ruined it!

See, here is the issue, in a lot of parts in Europe, at some point or another the government privatized some or all of the public transport. This hit some countries like the UK especially hard, but Germany was hit also quite a lot.

Because of that a lot of things happened that happened when you try to use capitalist logic onto something that cannot work under capitalism.

For example a lot of rails have been removed in areas where it was not "cost efficient" to run trains. Or if they have not been removed, they are at least no longer used. In Germany you will find that in the area where I am living (North-Rhine-Westfelia) we have somewhat good running public transport. Meanwhile a friend of mine is living in former East Germany. And something you gotta understand about former East Germany: After the reunification a lot of people from East Germany tried to move away from there, thinking they would do better in "West Germany". So you will find a lot of mostly empty villages and towns there. And you know what does not pay under capitalism? Right: Running trains to fairly depopulated villages and towns. So... This friend is forced to use a car all the time. Because the next train station that is actually still in use is 45 minutes by car away.

Sure, technically there is a bus running through her village... It comes 3 times a day mondays to fridays, 2 times a day on Saturday and not at all on Sunday. Also to reach the aforementioned train station, the bus connection would take her almost two hours.

Now mind you: There is a train station about 10 minutes by car from her. But that one has not been in use for almost 20 years. Because, again: It just does not pay. It is not profitable for the company, so it is no longer in use.

And here we get to the issue: Public transport is an amazing thing... But we see again and again, that it really only works in those cases where it is state-run and paid for with taxes. As soon as it is privatized it will just not work. Because, well... In general public transport really is not a thing that will be paying for itself. It is fairly expensive, and to keep it profitable you need to keep raising the prices. (As a German: Believe me, I know!)

Not to mention that company policies will lead to weird stuff happening with the trains. Here in Germany? Well, the biggest train company (that is kinda partly state-owned, but not state-run, so it is run under capitalist ideas) has promised their investors that the trains will not be as delayed as before. But given the piss-poor state in which the rail network is, this is just not feasible. So, what will they do? Simple! If a train gets too delayed they will just cancel it. Will that fuck everyone travelling over way more than letting the train delay for 20 minutes? Yeah. But they do not care. They only care about the investors.

And this is the general issue.

For public transit to work, you need to design the transit network to serve the people - and not to make money. Because it does not matter that there are only some old people left in some depopulated little town in eastern Germany or western England... Those old people deserve to be able to get from their depopulated little town to the next big shopping center and cultural center as well.

As long as you do not design the stuff with those people in mind...

Sure, it is better than no public transport. But it still sucks.

[sakuraryomen01]

Valentino.. /Sukuna Ryomen x Female Reader/ .o6

warnings: asshole sukuna, college prep. school (aka bitch u at an expensive ass school), former friends to lovers, slow burned love, yuji is sukuna's little brother, getting ignored by childhood crush (*gasp*), slight peer pressure from Gojo, a drunk kiss or two, ooc sukuna, clingy!sukuna, drunk!sukuna, ooc getou, and shoko, alcohol, intoxication, passing out at sukuna's dorm

reader: female reader; 23 years of age, college prep.

plot: It's been years since you've moved from country life, since you've forgotten about all the things you used to love about your hometown and where you grew up from... you didn't think it'd chase you to college in the city after almost a decade..

words: 5.423k

fanfic masterlist: .o1 .o2 .o3 .o4 .o5 .o6 .o7 .o8 .o9 .10 .11 .12 .13 .14 .15 .16 .17 .18 .19 .20

a/n:: had fun writing this chapter honestly! i didn't think that the chapter would get so long, but it was finished and edited before i realised! thx for the support and i hope you guys enjoy reading this fanfiction to the end! ❤

~~

Thank you for reading this bit! Enjoy~

. . .

"A party." You responded with a blank stare, disheveled clothes and messy hair. "And why would I go to said 'party'?"

It was almost noon on a day off, something you don't get often seeing as you juggle a part-time job and college courses all at once. And Gojo's sparkling smile, tall frame covered in a white T and sweats, wasn't exactly the best thing for you to see on the weekend. Your eyes continued to blur as your mind was still in a sleepy state, making you rub your eyes as Gojo started to whine.

"C'mon, Y/n-chan!" He pouted, his pretty pink lips quivering like he was going to cry. "I thought about it, and you have officially lived the most boring college girls' life!"

It took serious brain power to come up with that conclusion? You thought to yourself, leaning against the doorframe. All your weight pressed into the wood with a creak, you sighed and shook your head.

"Gojo, I don't need to go to a party," You mumbled, standing from your place against the frame and rubbing the morning crust in your eyes. "I'm perfectly fine not getting drunk and finding a pair of lips to play with like you, okay?"

The white haired demon you called a friend pressed his lips together in a frown, white brows scrunching together as if he was insulted.

It was true though.

"How could you?" He pouted, his voice a mock whimper to try and bait you into apologizing. "I've been one of the bestest friends you've ever had and you insult me so?"

You did get into a fight with Getou..

It's been a week since Getou and Gojo got into their little tith over a girl at some bar, but Getou was still walking around with a slightly swollen lip and a bruise over his eye. If you were completely honest, you were surprised Gojo made such a fuss over getting a bloody nose.

"Whatever, Sato’," You sighed, rolling your eyes and pouting your lip. "..Look, if I change my mind I'll call you."

There was a smile, a sparkle, and a coo that erupted and formed from Gojo. You could tell by how tightly he squeezed you after a few seconds just how happy you made him.

Wonderful, everyone likes a happy Gojo Satoru, You thought, laced with sarcasm.

Once Gojo had left your dorm apartment, you closed the door and made your way to the kitchen. It was a little over an hour when you decided to cook some eggs and have ramen when your phone began to buzz with notifications from Sukuna. Surprised, you picked up the phone and decided to call, hearing a disgruntled groan on his end and then a huff.

"Can you come pick up your twink friend?" He asked, making you wonder who he was talking about before you let out a sigh.

"Sorry," You mumbled before hanging up and hastily finishing your food. "Put him on the phone, lemme talk to him."

"Alright. Himbo, get over here."

There was a bit of a fight between Sukuna's name calling before Gojo's voice chirped on the line. "Y/n-chan, you're gonna need better friends than this brute! He keeps calling me dumb names, and it's hurting my feelings."

"I thought you didn't have feelings, Satoru," You teased, hearing a laugh from Sukuna in the background and Gojo whining some more. Eventually you got Gojo to agree to leave the apartment and started talking to Sukuna about studying that night.

"I was thinking about going out, actually."

"Ah, really?"

"Mhm, been cooped up for too long, ya'know?" Sukuna lets out a sigh, as he shuffles through some things. The sounds of some TV shows played while he continued talking. "..It's a little weird talking to you on the phone like this after so long."

"Hm?" You let out a small hum, although you did agree with him.

You hadn't talked on the phone ever, and texting was rare even. If you were honest, you didn't want to push Sukuna anymore by making him interact with you. You may have been friends in the past, but Sukuna changed a lot.

He wasn't the same as before. He's grown up into an adult.

"Are you going on that trip after midterms?" Sukuna cuts in, making you flinch for a moment. Trip?

"Oh right, the one to the old Willow tree farm?" You asked, your memories flooding back from when you were little.

All the blueberries you had picked with Sukuna and Yuji, the games and forts you used to do while school was out. The visits to the library after classes let out and in between, reading about anything; from flowers and beetles to dragons and legends. All those days and all those nights, your time was usually spent hanging out at the Willow Tree.

"I was thinking about it," You confess, scratching your nose and sitting down in the living room. A bag of chips in your lap as you flipped through movies to watch. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason, really. Just curious."

You hum again before checking the time, seeing that Gojo's party was going to start in about an hour or two. Bouncing your leg, tapping your foot, you started to consider Gojo's offer for a good time. What you didn't understand was why you suddenly wished for fun in your life, maybe it was because of the lack thereof in it. With a sigh, you stand and head to your bedroom, Sukuna languidly talking about classes and your next break.

"Hey, do you want to go to Satoru's party?" You asked, looking through your closet for clean clothes. Planning on getting into the shower, you hear Sukuna hum. "Is that a yes?"

"I don't know, really," Sukuna answered, some shuffling in the background. "Why? Are you planning on going?"

"I wanted to stop by, maybe have one of those horrible drinks."

Hearing a light chuckle on Sukuna's end, you smile and pick out a cute outfit for the party. Whatever the reason for your sudden change in plans, you decided it wouldn't be much to fuss over.

After a few moments, you hear a sigh and then a huff: "Mind if I tag along? Don't exactly like the idea of some douche leaving ya at a party."

"Aw, still worrying about me?" You asked, teasing with a gentle coo as a growl erupted from the other end of the phone.

"So help me, girl. You'll be the end of me."

. . . 

After you had taken your shower, hair dried and a cute outfit on, you sat in your living room until you heard a knock at the door. Turning off the T.V, you stood from your place on the couch and walked over to answer it. Much to your surprise, even after he had offered, Sukuna stood at your door.

Hair fluffy and slicked back, eyes as dark and brooding as ever too. Your eyes grazed down to take in his choice of fashion and it was a rather simple one. Unexpectedly, he wore a white T with a pair of ripped jeans. His jacket was black leather and Sukuna also wore a small silver chain around his neck. A small, silver cross hung from the thin chain and it made you giggle, coaxing a reaction from the man at your door.

With a tilted head, he pressed his brows together. "What's got you giggling?"

"Oh, nothing," You chuckled, reaching over to grab your dorm keys and phone before heading out and locking up. "I didn't think you'd actually give me a ride to the party, Sukuna. That's really sweet of you."

"Don't call me sweet," Sukuna huffed, nodding his head towards the exit and walking on ahead. "I got called 'sweet' at least three times coming here."

You rolled your eyes at the mention of your neighbors, seeing as they called every man or woman sweet. With a sigh, you followed your friend to the exit of the dorm, a few girls that had spotted Sukuna early wishing their goodbyes. Once you had gotten to the truck, Sukuna opened the passenger's side, waiting for you to climb in and buckle up.

After you did just that, Sukuna closed the door and climbed into the driver's side. You continued to tease Sukuna about being a gentleman all the while he started up the engine and denied the claims of being so nice to you. You laughed at this as Sukuna pulled out of his parking spot, turning a corner and heading in the direction of the party.

"So some random house?" Sukuna asked after you had given the directions. In return, you shrugged. "Seriously, you don't make sure you're safe before you go somewhere, do you?"

A dead panned look was sent his way, which in turn got a scowl. After a few more half-hearted arguments, you and Sukuna calmed down. A couple turns later, there were the sounds of random hip-hop and remixed songs playing from this large home in the middle of an upper-class looking neighborhood. Whether or not you knew this house, you had a little doubt that it didn't belong to Gojo's family.

"This is rather suspicious," Sukuna muttered from behind you, managing to find a space amongst all the cars and people crowding around the home. "Are you sure you want to go in?"

"Mhm, this is okay," You nod, waving your hand as you unbuckled yourself. "If you want, you can come in to see that I'm really gonna be fine."

Without much argument or need for thought, Sukuna undid himself too and climbed out of his truck. Hurrying over to open your door as a few girls and their dates walked by with the smell of booze trailing behind him.

Yeah, this seems very safe. Sukuna thought to himself, watching the couples stumble their way to a trash can that was laid outside on the lawn.

Sukuna quickly made sure to assert himself beside you as you started to make your way inside the house. Although, you were texting on your phone for a moment before putting it into your pocket. Sukuna opened the door quickly as the music inside the house started to grow louder and louder, the many bodies of couples and people looking for a hook-up danced to the rhythm inside.

You tried with all your might to not get caught up in the dancing frenzy, but a hand got ahold of your wrist and pulled you away from Sukuna. Unease set in as you felt Sukuna's presence went away, although you could hear him yelling for you from another part of the living room for you.

"I can't believe you actually came!" The cheriest voice known to man as he managed to pull you into a hug. "Oh, I'm so happy! Getou and Shoko-chan are in my room getting high off their heads if you want to join them!"

Your eyes managed to find the man's seeing pearly blue orbs shined bright even in such a dimly lit area. "Gojo, you scared me! Don't pull me like that, please."

Gojo pressed his lips to your forehead in a sudden peck and cooed, pinching your cheeks. "Don't worry, Y/n. I won't bite."

You held the place Gojo kissed with a flushed, and surprised, look on your face. Quickly regaining consciousness of the situation, you gave Gojo a quick slap on the arm and pushed him away. His giggles and slurred motions signaling that he was a little buzzed.

"I thought you didn't drink?" You questioned, seeing Gojo's white lashes flutter as he tried focusing on you.

"Today's special, since it's Getou's birthday," Gojo responded with a hiccup, covering his mouth as another cute giggle escaped him. "I think anyways, he said that it'd be cool to see me get wasted."

You sighed as you turned and saw Sukuna with an unreadable expression. His brows pressed together looking between you and Gojo, a sneer forming on his face for a moment before he shook his head and walked over to join you. Running a hand through his hair, Sukuna's eyes looked over the surrounding crowd and then at Gojo.

"Lots of people here," He mumbled suddenly, making Gojo tilt his head as if Sukuna was asking a dumb question.

"Of course there's lots of people here. I made a party for people to unwind from all the studying and tests!"

There was a sigh from Sukuna and a look that told you that he'd rather be studying than blowing his mind out with booze. You sent a small smile his way; seeing him actually worry about studies was a whole side to him you never wondered about before. You poked Sukuna's arm, announcing that you were going to go make yourself a drink, and wandered off to find the kitchen.

After a few minutes, you managed to find the kitchen and got a small beer from the fridge. You were against drinking hardcore things like vodka or scotch, so drinking some beers wouldn't matter to you. You've never done drinking like Getou did, and you didn't plan to in the future.

While sitting in the kitchen and sipping your beer, your eyes made your way over to Sukuna, who was being felt by some girls. They looked dizzy and drunk, and Sukuna appeared to be less than comfortable around them. A scowl was permanently planted on his face as he entertained the clusty college girls.

You giggled at the sight, seeing him fumble as some girls continued to bombard him with questions and coos. He's so cute.

At the thought, you froze, staring down at your drink.

You wanted to give up on Sukuna, but lingering thoughts and feelings like that always managed to get in the way. Simply seeing him worry about made you smile, and laugh. No matter what, you didn't want them to resurface and force their way into your decisions.

After all that you had done to him, you were surprised that he allowed you to be so close.

Having said that, you don't even know how close Sukuna considered you.

"Oi, what's with that sad look?" A voice snapped you back to the present, making you flinch and look back at whomever held it. "You're at Gojo's house for a party, you must be having a good time."

The voice belonged to Megumi Fushiguro, a friend since the day you moved into the girls' dorm with Shoko. His eyes seemed to glow like his fathers, and his hair was just as dark. The outfit he chose was just a big, long sleeved grey shirt with some jeans. And, like always, his hair was a mess.

"That's funny coming from you, 'Gumi," You teased as Megumi rested his forearms on the counter's edge. "Why're you here?"

"Ah, that question again," He mumbled, sighing and shaking his head. "When I say I'm here to make sure Gojo doesn't choke on his own vomit, people usually laugh."

And you did like many others, a light chuckle that spiraled out of control. But eventually, you got scolded by your friend and continued to drink your beer until it was finished. Debating whether or not to get another, Sukuna had managed to make his way over to you and Megumi.

"Ah, Fushiguro," Sukuna said, sending a small smile towards him. "How's the babysitting gig going?"

"Tell me about it."

Sukuna chatted with Megumi for a short while before grabbing himself one of the bottles of liquor and downing a glass, making your eyebrows raise in shock. "You drink?"

"Just a little, when I'm stressed," Sukuna responded, swirling the drink down and nudging shoulders with you. Another friendly touch that made you blush, and Sukuna definitely caught it. "Don't worry, I won't become some himbo. I'll be able to drive you home later."

You hum with disbelief, scanning Sukuna and looking him over as he continued to drink and chat with Megumi. After a while, you made your way up the stairs and to the room that Gojo said your roommate and Getou were in. Like previously said, you could smell the weed that was being burned inside the room just by being outside the door.

Once you opened the door and saw the duo camped out on the large bed that sat in the middle of the room, you rolled your eyes and walked over to see if they were still breathing.

"Y/n," Getou's voice was rough and deep, and you quickly realised why Shoko and him were blow buddies. "When did you get here? Wanna join us?"

"Nah I'm good, I came to check on you," You responded, watching Getou's smile turn into a cute pout. "Making sure you're not choking on your drool."

"Don't be like that, Y/n," Shoko whined from her spot on the bed, waving a ringed finger at you. In return, you patted both of their heads and told them to give you a call if they needed anything.

While they continued to get baked, you left the room and fanned the air around you to try and make the smell go away. Joking to yourself, you worried that you might've gotten a contact high. As you made your way to the bathroom to relieve yourself, Sukuna meanwhile was still talking to Megumi.

But things were a little different after a few drinks of alcohol.

Things had derailed from school and work to girls and relationships the more the pink haired male drank, and even the setting changed for them. They had gone from the kitchen, to the living room, to the porch in the backyard. Sitting side by side on the grass of the yard, eyes trained on the stars above them, they continued to chat.

"...So you're telling me this is what you're worrying about?" Megumi asked, his genuine curiosity making him want to know more. He'd never wondered about this kind of thing before, seeing as he has no real need for a relationship at his young age.

"Mhm. It's annoying," Sukuna sighed, eyes closing as he thought about all the events for the last month and a half. Seeing you almost everyday each week, despite how much he didn't want those old feelings to find their way back into his heart. "I just don't want to go through it all again."

Megumi hummed in response, turning his attention from the stars to Sukuna, hands clasped together on his stomach. His bright eyes trying to look for something to say, something to comfort. He was never that good at comforting, despite how much of a bubbly person Gojo was underneath the seriousness and how much time he spent around the older classmen.

"If you really don't want to do it again, just tell her."

. . .

You found your way into the living room again after a while, a few beers in and watching the lingering party-goers dancing around like no one was watching. You had a few conversations with some of the boys and girls, them all really trying to relax before midterms and finals. The other half of those conversations were about numbers, and booty calls gone wrong.

While you sympathised with the relaxers, the booty calls made you laugh awkwardly. Why would I need to know this?

"Y/n."

Turning your attention to the person behind you, seeing Gojo hanging from Getou's shoulder, hiccuping. Getou looked like he was recovering from his high as he held up Gojo and pointed towards the backyard.

"You need to.. hicc- Get Sukuna home. He looks like he's gonna- hicc- be sick."

"Oh, sure," You nod, standing and saying goodbye to the person you were just conversing with. "I'll see you guys later, okay?"

Getou waved and headed upstairs to get Gojo into bed, he looked like he was on his last leg too, stumbling after the raven-haired man. You watched them walk up the stairs to make sure they were okay before heading out to the backyard, catching the sight of Sukuna and Megumi laying on the grass and looking up at the sky.

Although they looked peaceful, you could tell Sukuna wasn't having that good of a time. Even if he was talking to a friend from one of his other classes, he still looked a little sick. With a sigh, you opened the screen door and made your way over. Megumi reacted immediately and sent a wave your way, and you returned with a head nod and looked down at Sukuna.

His eyes were heavily lidded, and he looked like a tired mess. His breathing was slow and deep, like he had fallen asleep with his eyes half opened. Megumi sat up quickly and told you that he drank a little too much and that taking home would be the best option.

"Heh, that's what Getou asked me to do," You announce, looking back down at the pink haired man and kneeling next to him. "You hear that down there? We gotta get you back to your dorm."

"..Y/n.." Sukuna mumbled in return, reaching a hand up to your cheek. "When did you get here?"

You smile at the touch, holding his hand to your cheek before standing and making your way around him. Leaning down to grab ahold of his hands and pull him to his feet, and it wasn't an easy task either. He weighed more than you thanks to all the muscle he built, and Megumi offered to help get him to his truck.

"I'll take one side and his drink," He said, slipping his arm around Sukuna's waist, joining yours and starting to lead him around the home.

While you and Megumi stumbled with Sukuna in your arms, you eventually managed to get to the truck and pop open the passengers side. After struggling for what seemed like forever, you got Sukuna buckled and in and leaning against the window (just in case he decided that the drinks he had wouldn't stay down).

"I'll see ya later at class, Ryomen," Megumi said, giving the window a pat and Sukuna grumbling a small yes in response. Megumi then looked at you, handing you the keys to the vehicle and giving a nod.

"Make sure he gets a good meal tomorrow morning, okay? That hangover will get on his last nerve."

You laughed and gave Megumi a pat on the shoulder. "Of course I will."

You parted ways at the curb and you climbed into the drivers side of Sukuna's truck. Turning on the engine and making sure to put the AC on for him and backing out of the parking space. Sukuna's head lolled against the window, groaning about his stomach and head, making you giggle and pat his leg.

"You'll be fine once you're at your dorm," You said, turning onto the main road as Sukuna huffed. "I'll get you in the shower, get some fresh clothes on you, and get you to bed. How's that sound?"

"Sounds like you wanna see me naked," Sukuna said flatly, making your brain go into overdrive over a response to say. It took a solid minute before it registered what you had said and your cheeks began to heat up at the confrontation.

"Am I right? You're getting quiet, and red."

It shouldn't be this hot to hear him drunk! You scream at yourself in your head, rubbing your cheek as you start to drive back to campus. Quickly, you tried to make up an excuse for the blooming colors in your cheeks and explain that you won't actually undress him.

"Ah," He mumbled eventually, his hazy marron eyes still dizzy and unbelieving. "Thought you'd try making a move since I'm not myself."

You grimace at the thought. "I'm not that low to try and sleep with you in this state."

The mention of doing something so intimate at the beginning of your relationship with an old friend made you flustered. Maybe your feelings for him haven't died out, and just maybe you wanted to be with him still, but he wasn't in the right mindset to ponder on something like that. You hadn't even begun to rekindle your friendship with this man, and he already assumed you wanted to sleep with him. Letting out distasteful sigh, you turn into the college parking lot and turn off the ignition, turning your attention to Sukuna.

"I'm not sleeping with you," You said outright, making his eyes glimmer. "We're barely friends. I'm honestly happy that I'm getting so much time to be around you."

This made Sukuna's brow raise and a smirk play his lips. He looked like he had won some kind of a fight, minus the bloody nose and busted lip. "So, you still like me?"

The question stung your heart, how could you say no?

"..Yeah," You sigh after a while, chewing on the inside of your cheek. Pulling the keys from under the steering wheel, you unbuckled and shook your head. "But it's not like you want anything to do with me, right?"

"And who said that?"

"You did, remem—??"

Something soft pressed against your lips, your brain not taking in the fact that it was Sukuna. Not taking in that Sukuna's hands had gotten ahold of your chin and tilted your head up to make the kiss. It took way too long for you to react, and by the time you were a blushing and muffled mess, Sukuna's hand was cupping your jaw in a drunken hold. Your heart was practically in your throat once you understood.

Almost in a panicked state, your body started to shiver uncontrollably. You didn't know what to do, how to react; all you did was sit in your seat and stare wide eyed at Sukuna's closed ones before he pulled away. A faint pop sound echoed in your head once he had released your bottom lip.

"You're mine. Got it?"

"S-Sukuna, stop it," You whimper once you catch your breath, grabbing his hand and pulling away from him. His eyes darken at this, and you were positive that a vein was bursting in his neck. "You're drunk, and tired. You need to get to bed."

He didn't respond for a while, making you wonder what else to say to coax him out of the truck before he nodded and exited himself. Sukuna's footing was messy for a moment before you joined him and held him by the waist. Guiding him to his dorm and making your way up the stairs. Once in the hallway, you noticed that some of Sukuna's neighbors were still up and playing games.

You understood the appeal, but it was almost 1 in the morning by the time you got to the dorms.

Get some sleep ya'll.

Finding Sukuna's dorm was an easy feat, seeing as you visited at least once a week for lessons. You found his key and unlocked the small home, pulling Sukuna inside and resting him on the couch. As you were leaving, Sukuna grabbed your wrist and pulled you back into his lap, nuzzling his nose into the crook of your neck and mumbling something you couldn't hear.

"Sukuna, I'm going to get you clothes," You said, petting his head as your heart continued to swell. "Please, let me go."

He released you after another moment, his face hidden in a dark shadow as you made your way into the bedroom. Finding him a pair of sweats and a tank top to change into, you started the water in the bathroom. Checking the temperature to make sure that it wasn't too cold but not too hot before making your way into the living room, only to be stopped by Sukuna's figure in the doorway.

"Ah— Sukuna, you scared me," You mumbled, looking up at him and seeing the annoyance in his eyes. "I got your clothes and shower ready."

"Stay put." He grunted, making you tilt your head. "Stay tonight."

You bite your lip at Sukuna's offer, not knowing what to say other than to tell him to bathe and you'll think about it. It seemed to lighten his mood a little, but his face was still unreadable as he made his way into the bathroom and began undressing.

(You had to closed the door for him before he got his shirt off, thankfully.)

As promised, you sat down on his bed and started to think about it. You always did like Sukuna's couch, it was comfier than your bed. And the blankets Sukuna owned were really soft now that you got a proper feel for them. Patting the cushiony comforter underneath you, you gave a small smile before it was washed away.

Remembering what happened in the car made your heart race, as you pressed a finger to your lips. It wasn't your first, but the second kiss that Sukuna had taken from you.

Why did he do that? It wasn't because of your feelings. He's not the type to just do something for the sake of making you of all people happy. In the beginning he told you he wanted nothing to do with you..

After contemplating what to do, you decided it was best not to worry about it. It was probably a fluke. You told yourself.

Shaking your head and slapping your cheeks, you took a breath and went off to Sukuna's kitchen to grab some water. Taking a sip from the bottle before making your way into the bedroom once again, the sound of the shower turning off makes you stop in your tracks at what to do.

Should you stay in the room? You left the clothes and briefs in the shower. Waiting would be weird though, even after everything.

You couldn't think as Sukuna opened the bathroom door and poked his head out, managing to find you in the hallway and grumbling.

"You didn't leave me a towel."

Choosing life over death, you made sure to look at the wall so you didn't catch a glimpse of whatever it may be hiding. "Ah, sorry! Must've forgotten it in the moment!"

Don't look! Don't look! Don't look!

You managed to find the man, getting water all over his carpet, a towel and handing it to him quickly. Sukuna stared at you for a moment, wondering why you were acting so strange over him in clothes, but he shrugged it off and went back into the bathroom to dry his hair. He heard you exhale and then his bed creak, making a small smile appear on his face over it.

After a few minutes of drying it, Sukuna let his hair hang loose and decided it'd be weird to style it for bed.

"Finished," He said once he exited the bathroom for a second time, looking over to see you seated on his bed like he thought.

"I'll stay tonight," You say, making him do a double take before humming. "Just tonight though, and I'll sleep on the couch."

That annoyed him. "No, I've got a bed that works just fine."

You sent a glare his way that was returned before you sighed and stood. "I'll be on the couch."

He watched you take a few steps towards the hallway before picking you up by the waist and hauling you over to his bed. Your small yelps and little kicks made his chuckle, remembering about the first time he had picked you up when you were little.

Though the nostalgia didn't last long once he got you under the blankets with him rested next to you. Your pout was just as cute as when you were little, the puffy lip and the teary eyes unchanged and unfazed by his antics.

"Are you teasing me?" You asked, catching Sukuna off guard. "Is this cuz I told you I still like you?"

It took a moment for him to answer, before he shook his head and leaned down, pressing a small peck to your cheek. "Yes. But I'm also drunk."

"You got that right."

Sukuna chuckled at this, laying his head down onto his pillow, pulling you close by the hip so you could share. His warm and minty breath fanned your shoulder every once in a while as his breathing got deeper and deeper, more relaxed and calm. Once you were positive he was asleep, you closed your eyes and followed suit.

Whatever your hearts had in store, you were certain that this moment wasn't going to be talked about easily.

. . .

a/n: i wanted to get some touchy stuff to happen seeing as it's already the 6th chapter lol, so let's hope sukuna's gonna start being more touchy!! 👀 I hope that the next chapter will be just as good as this one! 🤭 Also, i decided last minute to just make Shoko Y/n's roomie since I didn't want to create any other characters lol. So ig that means Getou and Shoko are fuck buddies until further notice!

Chapter Song Theme:

— Saweetie & GALXARA - Sway With Me (Lyrics)

taglist: @mageyboo, @mzladyd , @mysticwonderlandangel, @sukunaspersonalfleshlight, @kawaiipenguin20, @k-indie, @okkotsufav, @cafeinthemoon93, @pulchritxde, @bontenbunny, @deepinballs, @kleeboomed, @fallenfeversstuff, @fiierytearzx, @wo-ming-bai, @ririkaxbz, @instantgalaxysheep, @watyousayin, @z3r0art, @sukunaobsessed, @lik0, @sukunasfirstlove, @princesstiti14, @nemoyr, @ladywolf44005, @cat-mak20, @coffee-on-a-rainyautumn, @hxlalokidottir, @instantgalaxysheep, @domainofmarie, @the-moongoddess, @dark-n-dirty-duchess, @agentdedf1sh, @sukunastoy, @lyn-soso, @bao-yu-sarah-morningstar-wang-9, @heyitstacy, @lost-in-tokyo, @chaoticqueen33

last chapter || next chapter

[atom-writings]

hello! how would netherlands, luxembourg and russia like to spend their honeymoon with their s/o? or, what would the wedding look like?

hetalia netherlands, luxembourg, and russia wedding / honeymoon headcanons

0.6k words ~ gender neutral headcanons

tw: none!

a/n: guys im trying to get back on schedule :sob: i have asks from almost a year im so sorry

Netherlands

When it comes to Abel, neither his wedding nor honeymoon would be big.

For the wedding, there’s no more than, like, 5 people invited. He would’ve preferred a sudden in-and-out wedding if it weren’t for how public it was, regardless of how un-romantic it is for you.

Instead, you can invite people if you want, and you’ll be having a quick, private ceremony in the woods. Probably only with nothing, except like, 2 chairs for “an emergency” (He won’t elaborate on that.)

He also wouldn’t dress up either way, unless it were vitally important to you. He wants to be as true to who he is when he vows to be with you for as long as you live, and he is not a tuxedo guy.

Weirdly enough, it’s how much he cares about the wedding that makes him so weird about it. It’s very important to him, and that means everything has to be as authentic and intimate as possible. So, that means a weird awkward wedding.

Of course, that’s just if he gets his way. But he’s surprisingly lenient with his S/O with most things (as long as it’s not too expensive.)

For future reference, he is most susceptible to puppy dog eyes and “pretty please.”

As for the honeymoon, there’s no way he’s putting any effort into it. You can plan it, but he’s not paying and he’s not helping you guys get there. His ideal honeymoon is a night in and watching a movie he pirated, but whatever you want is fine too.

What he wants to do though is a lot of cliche boring stuff, like going sightseeing, hiking, and visiting museums. Notice how all of it is free? That’s the main idea here. Although, he does love camping regardless of how cheap it ends up being. Lets him show you how much of a man he is <3

He’s not travelling though. Leaving the country is out of the question. The important part already happened, why are you making such a big deal out of it?!

Luxembourg

The exact opposite. Laurent is renting out a significant chunk of his capital city to throw the biggest, most extravagant, most expensive modern wedding in the world! He may be a busy man, but he’s always willing to put away plenty of time for his beloved.

If you like planning events, you two will work together for many months making sure everything is perfect. But if you don’t, he’ll take it all on himself to ensure everything goes perfectly.

But with that, he’ll become really stressed. He wouldn’t snap at you (because after all, it is all for you,) but he’s no fun when he’s that worked up. It’s better if you help.

Especially since he wants your wedding to have great symbolic meaning. Having it represent the shared vision of your future together is his first- well… second priority.

The honeymoon afterwards would be much the same, although he also wouldn’t want to travel too far. Once the spectacle is over, he just appreciates the excuse to do nothing but spend time with you without any pressure.

Preferably trying a bunch of new food, going shopping, and going to stereotypical couple-y activities, like dance classes.

He may seem upbeat, but Laurent is surprisingly melancholic around the time of your wedding. For as excited as he is (which is very,) he can’t help but feel worried about how much time he’ll have with you.

But it shouldn’t get him down too much. He's still riding the high of seeing you in your wedding attire <3

Russia

Ivan would want a very, very, very traditional Russian wedding if you’d be fine with that. Unlike a lot of other nations, he’s never been married before, so he’s very stressed about getting to do every single thing he never got to before.

You’d swear he abandoned you for months before the wedding as he’s panickedly running around the country trying desperately to throw everything together. Half the ceremonies he wants to do haven’t been done for centuries, and he really doesn’t understand why he can’t have live cannon fire at his wedding!

Maybe just pat him on the head and tell him you’ll love him even if you can’t sacrifice 20 goats during the ceremony.

But once the stress (and awkwardness as all of his former friends are forced to attend,) is over, he’s whisking you away for a months-long vacation. Preferably somewhere bright and warm but really; he doesn’t care where you want to go, anywhere is alright, as long as it’s far away from everything you two have to worry about regularly.

His favourite things to do with you while on vacation are really stereotypical, like going to the beach, going to scenic locations, and falling into every tourist trap.

He tries to be as romantic as possible through all of that, but he can’t help being awkward and giddy after you two are finally married.

[sardonic-the-writer]

—business man

SUMMARY | tip number one to survive new york: If you see a blonde british boy running up and offering you pond water, run.

PAIRING | tommyinnit x reader

REQUESTED | no

WARNINGS | none

WORD COUNT | 1.5k+

AUTHORS NOTES | i've gotten back into the swing of things haven't i

🛹 Masterlist 🛹 Navigation 🛹 Rules 🛹

New York was many things. Dirty. Expensive looking while managing to be cheap in quality. Crowded. A tourist trap. But most of all, it was captivating.

Try as you may, the beauty of the heavily graffitied alleyways and skateparks was not lost on you. Each act of vandalism, each scuff left behind from a sneaker as someone lost their footing on a halfpipe, told a story. Perhaps it wasn't the content of these stories that held your interest in an iron clad grip, but rather the fact that they weren't yours. And you had always had a knack for poking your curiosity where it didnt belong.

Perhaps that's why you didn't do the sensible thing that afternoon and turn to walk away as a yelling British teenager approached you with a bottle of water.

All you had really wanted was to take a quick walk down to your favorite corner store to stock up on the basics for your tiny apartment that cost an arm and leg to live in. Maybe pick up a cookie or something from the bakery near it on the way back.

You figured it wouldn't take long, considering you knew a short cut. Straight through a little plaza located right next to a far more popular park. It was no diamond in the rough so to speak. There were probably dozens like that one sprinkled all around the city, but it offered some relief for your aching feet. If you cut through there and past a little path hidden among some bushes in the corner of it, you'd shave roughly ten minutes off your walk. It was either you took that or you would have to start investing in better shoe support.

"Hey! Hello there!"

Sounds of surrounding foot traffic blended from person to person. No one conversation stuck long enough for you to make out what was being said, but it was fun to try and imagine. Occasionally an odd quote in passing would elicit a harsh laugh from you before it was disguised as a poor cough.

"Hulloooo. Over here!"

Was someone trying to talk to you?

Your brows furrowed, picking up the sound of someone's voice for the second time that past minute, seemingly directed right at you. Your neck swiveled around a quick ninety degrees, hoping to all hell this wasn't some weird catcalling ploy. But all thoughts of anything like that vanished as soon as you found the grinning source of your confusion.

He had the wildest blond hair you had ever seen. It curled into ringlets in some places and clung to other parts of his head messily. Like he had slept wrong on a long car trip across the country.

His hoodie, as red as a crayon straight out of the box, was marked with small print you couldn't make out. It was only until he had begun to get closer—two more people in tow—did you realize you had been stood staring at his hoodie for longer than intended.

"Excuuuuse me!" There was no mistake now that you were the target of this person's interest. That was clear enough in the way he sprinted over, shoes slapping noisily across concrete, just to reach your side.

It wasn't uncommon to be flagged down with strangers holding stuff on the bustling streets of the big apple. Some were nicer than others, simply offering a look at their product before moving on when they got no response. Others took to sneakier and more forceful methods. They were one of the many reasons you had taken to donning a resting bitch face.

"Why hello there! Don't you look parched?" His smile was too wide, too genuine, to be true. Eyes crinkling at the edges with a hint of humor you had the feeling you wouldn't, or rather couldn't, understand even if you tried.

Instincts told you to wave him off and keep going on your merry way ignoring the pain in your feet. But you took one more look at him with his loud accent and crooked smile and decided not to.

"Not really." Your shoulders moved in an up and down motion, shrugging off whatever sales pitch he had set up. "Was about to hop on over to the store. Gonna get a drink there anyways." A lie. But like I said before, you had a habit of becoming to invested in situations like these. And maybe you wanted to see how he responded to your bluff. Just a little.

"Well fair pedestrian—" Wow he really was loud. Energetic too from the looks of it. "—what if I told you I could offer something far better than any bland soda you Americans drink? Hmm?"

"Oh really?" You flicked your gaze to the plastic bottle crinkling in his hand, noting the way it seemed to swirl around with bits of silt and salt in it. "Just looks like pond water to me."

"Ah! A smart customer. Got a melon on their head aye?" He turned to look at his companions now. More specifically at the one holding a camera, a detail you hadn't noticed until now. Not that it bothered you. People always had cameras out nowadays. especially in a city as famous as this.

"So it's just pond water. I'm assuming from that fountain over there?"

"Right on! Big Drink, the water of the future."

Okay maybe you were having a bit too much fun humoring this kid.

"Alright mister businessman." He puffed his chest out at your title, and while you couldn't tell if it was for the presence of a camera or simply because it filled him with a sense of pride, it brought a smile to your face nonetheless. "Say I do decide to take a shot in the dark at your new product. What's in it for me? And more importantly, will my wallet be hurting after our exchange of goods and or services." You winced at that last bit, making a clicking sound with your tounge. "Maybe I can rephrase that better next time."

But the lanky figure next to you didn't seem to mind, letting out a laugh that could only be described as boisterous before straightening back up.

"Well, you'd be the first to invest in this promising product, only at the cost of one hundred dollas! But for you I'll add on a discount of ninety nine percent." His accent thickened a considerable amount on the last bit, presumably with excitement.

"Very generous of you mister businessman."

"Thats mister businessman Tommy to you."

Alright. So you were now standing here, fishing for your wallet in front of three strangers, one of which you were now on a first name basis with. Now that could either be the set up for a very bad stand-up comedy joke, or something to be concerned about. But for some reason, it was the most fun you had had in ages.

"I'll be expecting my share of the cut in the mail when you rag tag lot make it big. Make it out to one (Y/n) the fabulous. I prefer hard cold cash, preferably delivered in an envelope" Your laugh was full of childlike enjoyment as you handed Tommy a crumpled five-dollar bill in exchange for the water bottle. Only after he paused to scribble something on the lable—a detail that you missed.

However, what you didn't miss was the way his smile faltered a little, clearly not expecting the surplus of money even if so miniscule. But you got the feeling he wasn't upset. Just surprised someone would do that in the first place. And honestly, so were you—although not regretful. Still. Bye bye cookie you had been looking forward to. Hello pond water that smelled faintly of piss.

"Consider the other four dollars money for the postage when I get my share of the cut."

Tommy shoved the bill in his pocket. He looked at you with a different flash of something in his baby blues now. A more friendly look—if that was even possible. He was probably the most friendly person you had met, especially on the streets.

"Trust me, you'll get it if it's the last thing I ever do." He gave a goofy salute in your honor, causing one of the camera men from behind to giggle before quieting quickly.

"Good luck with the rest of your sales Tommy." You offered a small wave as you walked off, clutching your newly acquired prize loosely.

Common sense told you to throw it in the first trashcan you passed. Getting rid of whatever plague the liquid might be containing.

But the longer you walked, thinking about that bright smile and genuine joy you had just encountered, your grip only tightened on the plastic.

It wasn't until you were three blocks away from the plaza did you see the number hastily scrawled on the edge of the handmade label. Right next to big bold words, reading Big Drink!!!!!™️ 

You were quick to utilize it. Probably too quick to be honest.

text sent at 6:21 pm do you give your number out to all your coustomers? must be bad for buisness

text received at 6:21 pm only the fuinny ones

text received at 6:22 pm fuck

text received at 6:22 pm *funny

Yeah. The water bottle was worth it.

[matan4il]

Daily update post:

In my last update post, I linked to the NYT piece, that investigated for two months the rapes and sexual abuse that took place during the Hamas massacre. I just wanted to highlight something, for anyone who (understandably) doesn't want to read the whole thing. While most of those raped were either murdered or kidnapped, so they couldn't testify to what happened to them, some survived. When people doubted the rapes, they heard it. When people demanded physical evidence for the rapes, they heard it. When people justified the rapes as "resistance," they heard it. The whole idea of "believe all women" was to not victimize a second time those who have been sexually abused, and had a hard time coming forward and talking about it. I want to make it clear that EVERYONE who doubted the accounts of the rapes, who mindlessly reblogged or shared or spread posts expressing this doubt or justification in any way, this is what they're guilty of. The further victimization of Hamas' victims (that's on top of past victims of sexual abuse, who heard these people and were triggered, like Linor Abargil).

In addition, I wanted to share that a Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist, who was captured alive by Israeli soldiers in Gaza, has admitted during his interrogation, that he has raped Israelis on Oct 7. There were already terrorists, who admitted that a part of the plan was always to commit rapes, but they spoke generally. This man confessed to his own crime.

And in case people still have doubt that the rapes were pre-planned, not a result of the "heat of the moment" during the massacre (as if that would have been less of a war crime), here's a reminder that the terrorists carried with them translations into Hebrew of orders for the victims to undress.

While we're at it, the same Hamas terrorists who raped defenceless civilians, are also the same cowards who hide behind women and children to fire at Israeli soldiers.

Here's a vid from today of an anti-tank missile fired by Hezbollah, and landing in Israel's north, not too far from a civilian car, as captured by the dash cam. Journalists said that as a result of the blast, the windows of the car were shattered, and the driver was wounded.

Israeli elections for local councils (for cities and towns all over the country), which were supposed to be held in October, have been postponed until February 2024, because almost 700 candidates are currently serving, fighting in Gaza, and can't be discharged to run in the elections.

The evacuation of all Israelis living up to 7 kilometers (almost 5 miles) from the border with Gaza, at the expense of the state, has been prolonged until February, too. It should be noted that there are Israelis, who have no official evacuation orders (and financial support that goes with that) from the state, but still felt too unsafe to remain close to Israel's southern or northern border. At the same time, the residents of two towns that are not too far from the eastern border have been reporting hearing noises of digging (similar reports in the past by residents of the south turned out to be Hamas digging terror tunnels into Israel, and by residents of the north, terror tunnels being dug by Hezbollah). Recently, terror tunnels were uncovered in Jenin, which isn't too far from these eastern border towns. You can hear a recording of the drilling in this vid, starting at roughly the 1:52 mark:

These are best friends Uriel Avraham (left) and Noam Suissa (right):

They served together as policemen. On Oct 7, when they heard that terrorists had infiltrated the town of Ofakim, and there were difficult battles there, they headed for the town right away. While they were still driving, they realized they only had pistols while going up against terrorists armed with assault rifles and RPGs, but they kept going. They fought several terrorists, clearing paths for civilians to be evacuated from their homes. As more and more security forces poured into Ofakim, Uriel and Noam heard on the police radio that there were even worse battles in kibbutz Re'im (not too far from where the Nova musical festival massacre happened), and the two decided they were needed more there. In a battle with terrorists, Uriel was wounded. Noam wouldn't leave his side, protecting him from the terrorists, until medical help could make it to them, but sadly, 27 years old Uriel didn't make it. May his memory be a blessing.

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

[darkskywishes]

Being disabled/chronically ill is expensive!

I don't know if people realize how freaking expensive it is to be disabled. I have a complex medical history, which includes two rare genetic illnesses, comorbidities associated with those two illnesses, and several mental health conditions. Just to give an idea of how expensive it is (USA-centric):

I'm forced into living in a specific city, since that's where the medical specialists for my illnesses are located in. On top of that, sometimes the specific specialists I need aren’t covered by my insurance, so I have to pay out-of-pocket. Each medical specialist (when covered by insurance) costs me $40/visit. I average 2-3 visits per month.

Wheelchairs and everything related to wheelchairs are ridiculously priced! If you’re a regular manual wheelchair user, for example, you likely need what’s referred to as a “custom ultra-lightweight wheelchair”. The main companies known for making these wheelchairs are TiLite, Quickie, RGK, Kuschall, and Ki Mobility. If you go on the websites for these manufacturers, you’ll see that just the frame will start you at $2,000+. Need titanium instead of aluminum to make the chair lighter? Extra $1,000. Need to add a seat cushion? More $$. Need to add a power assist device like a SmartDrive? Extra $6-7,000

Seriously, wheelchair parts are expensive. Manual wheelchair wheels will run you about $500 to $800 each (take a look at websites like Spinergy to see what I mean). Wheelchair tires will run at about $300 for the pair.

Mental healthcare! Competent psychiatric care is difficult to come by, at least where I live. Most psychiatrists are not contracted with any insurance companies. My own psychiatrist is $200 per visit, and that’s considered cheap in my area. Then, add on the cost of weekly therapy. My therapist is $150/session. Again, typical price for the area. Need residential treatment? As an example, my insurance quoted me $750 per day until the out-of-pocket max of $6,500 was met.

The monthly cost of medications! I take 7 medications. Even if each medication was “only” $10/month, that would total to $70/month.

The cost of specialized diets. Many chronic illnesses require special foods, supplements, and overall diets. A lot of these diets require extra time and expenses beyond what the average non-disabled person spends.

I wanted to spread some awareness on this issue because, even among my friend group, I regularly get surprised reactions on this topic. Disabled people are often low-income due to being unable to work consistently or at all, while also having some of the highest expenses—with many of those expenses having to be paid for completely out-of-pocket. While a lot of the examples I used above were specific to the US healthcare system, I’m aware that it’s still similarly expensive to be disabled in other countries as well.

A lot of this wasn’t even taking into consideration the cost of more expensive medical equipment, like power chairs, as well as irregular medical costs that occur more frequently among disabled people—like surgeries, hospitalizations, and the cost of diagnostic testing (MRIs, X-Rays, bloodwork, etc.).

Disabled people are taken advantage of when it comes to the price of medical equipment and medications because we don’t have a choice if we want to live and/or have any quality of life. We pay it, or we suffer.

[anonymouschishiyaimaginesandmore]

[Scrubs_MD]

Minors, do not read! Contains mentions of smutty behavior!

MASTERLIST (up-to-date)

This is Part 1 !!HERE!! is Part 2

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Alice in Borderland/Imawa no Kuni no Alice characters or original stories, only the plot of this fanfic. Alice in Borderland/Imawa no Kuni no Alice characters and original storyline belong to Haro Aso, who made the Manga the Series is based on.

Trigger Warning: Explicit Smut Summery: Chishiya x female OC that I gave a Name for this Story

Asana was a good kid when she grew up. She came from a good family with a good background and good parents that just happen to be, you guessed it, good.

And all that stuff stayed that way until Asa, how she preferred to get called, was old enough to start Uni and it just happened to be in Japan’s most populated City, but hey it wasn’t her fault, like her siblings tend to treat it.

It was just that the stuff she wanted to study could be nowhere better archived than there, tho Asa didn’t mind not having to share her room and privacy with the younger ones, so of course she moved. Sadly, the country bumpkin soon had to find out that living in the big City, especially the fancy part of Shibuya was one hell of an expensive place.

Everywhere she looked, prices were bambooing into the sky and Asa didn’t even put the cost of each university year into account. She was constantly running low. Her wallet was dry and empty and the times she did got her twitching fingers on some coin, groceries and other necessities pulled them out again almost instantly. Damn life but meh.

While she did find a cheap place to stay, sharing an apartment with 5 other roommates, money still was tight and the chances to get a job outside of school and work, since all the time she wasn’t spending inside of a lecture hall, was taken by patients in the hospital, running around and demanding her attention while constantly dying, nonexistent.

But Asa didn’t mind it. She loved medicine, it has always been her dream of becoming a doctor so a parttime job had to fill the same gaps of her free time hours and what would be better than Camming right?

One of her Roommates, a girl that already left since she made a good amount of money on the side and didn’t need to share her space anymore, brought up the Idea, splitting the tea and telling poor naïve Asa about all the adventures she had online by showing off her body and moving in sultry ways that were meant to attract horny guys with too much paper in their pockets. And she did.

Since the girl showed Asa the numbers on her account, that just seemed way too unbelievable to be true but didn’t look horrendous enough to forget and asking her if she wanted to join her in a session, things kind of got out of hand fast.

So before Asa could really say what happened, the roommate has left the apartment and Asa picked up where the girl left with her own show, dancing and jumping and flirting on demand.

The roommate has shared some knowledge and Asa was already kind of introduced after a few accompanied sessions, so things did start off smoothy and after a few of her own shows, the young girl has gotten completely used to share her privacy anew. This time with strangers and showing off a lot of skin.

Thirsty Lorelay just started her newest session, come and join her!

Chishiya read the popped-up message at the right side of his screen, while scrolling thru pictures with links to boring Cam shows he already tried but didn’t thrill him in any way.

None of them attracted his lingering desire to get entertained for the night. Not since he dived into the erotic part of the darknet, watching woman undress and moan on his command.

It did have a lot of interesting advantages to tell someone exactly how to behave in front of him, instead of watching already filmed movies where he had no say in how things could possibly turn out and more importantly turn him on. Chishiya has found himself drawn more and more to the forbidden entertainment of online girls.

He was a man after all. The want to get off in a thrilling way came from time to time and it was also a good action to blow off pent up steam.

His dads credit card was the best way to get it and soon Chishiya found himself among other horny people, cheering and promising good money to see more and more of a person, tho he was rather of the silent lingering in a corner type, that overwatched the situation and the people’s reaction to every bit of falling clothing and exposed skin.

The VPN he created at the very beginning of his dive into adventurous streams, made sure to hide his location and that was a precautionary measure he just didn’t want to miss.

In case some hacker would try to trace back his location to frame or blackmail him for payment, Chishiya was safe at least with the newest and best software he could get for his money. No way he would let that happen. Chishiya was too smart of a guy to risk such measures, so he always made sure to hide his IP Adress as good as possible with the newest program and all his might.

However, this action also gave him the wonderful opportunity to watch and explore Cam shows that have been restricted for his location. He knew that some of the girls he watched weren’t dumb enough to pose half naked and then share their identity online, so they could be blamed and found out as the hot but dirty girl the husband or boyfriend or whatever man watched the show, blamed them to be.

People had things to lose. Reputations, their name and their face among family and friends, so, on some occasions, Chishiya turned all other locations off just to see the cam shows that were normally hidden from him.

It gave him the extra kick to know that the girls he enjoyed had no idea he could be their Neighbor or collage or maybe just the guy standing next to them in the underground train.

The show of Thirsty Lorelay asked for 3 000 yen as an entrance fee, but the first 5 minutes were free of charge, so Chishiya decided to take a look what this sinful siren could offer him for his money. His day has been boring. His supervisor didn’t like how much more Chishiya knew about certain aspects the man had to learn more then 10 years ago, so he let him run lap tests instead of joining in on examinations.

What a looser, Chishiya thought. Jealous of a guy half his age. It wasn’t the blond mans fault he was smarter than this old saggy balls neighbor whose wife was probably fucking the pool boy while he had to teach med students how to not kill people the first seconds they entered the ER.

Chishiya taped on his tablets screen that he carried with him everywhere, so he could work and study from the small bistro he liked to enjoy his coffee, all to the library he spends most of his free time in.

The chat took a while too load. Apparently, his newest addition to the list of possible strangers from the street, moaning for him on demand, had a good sum of visitors and Chishiya immediately knew why.

The way the girl, surely not older than him, swayed her hips while laying down on the bed in front of the camera to greet everyone and thanking them for joining her, spoke of someone who was used to this kind of behavior online.

Surely not an amateur and Chishiya smiled to himself, when she read his username, commenting on the nice choice of avatar. It was his upper body, aside from his face. Nude and almost completely hairless with light hints of muscles and a chiseled V-line pointing towards his groin like an arrow.

Chishiya was just not the type to work out constantly, he had to time for it, nor the ambition and his body was showing that, but he was lean, and his skin had a healthy and nice tone with a slightly raised chest and a flat abdomen.

The happy trail showed the dark trimmed hair of his and led down to the black hem of his confinements. That was all he was sharing of himself and with small delight, the blond med student watched the girl bite her lower lip, chewing on it for seconds before releasing it and blowing him a kiss.

One, just for him.

She then went on telling everyone how her day went, unbuttoning her plain boring floral shirt that she probably used to wear all day.

Thirsty Lorelay: “I was shopping” she retold the happening “And there was this guy an isle behind me, watching very obviously how I bend over to get something from the lowest part of the shelf. I felt his eyes on me and I swear I could hear him lick his dry fucking lips.”

She giggled amused while one button followed the next one revealing more and more skin too slow for his liking, but okay, she just started, so the blond man forgave her for teasing him.

Thirsty Lorelay: “Then I thought maybe he was one of you guys and you know what? That totally got me creaming my panties.”

Me too, Chishiya thought, imagining the good-looking patient his collage had today could have been thirsty Lorelay. His flaccid dick twitch under the stiff cover of his pants and the blond man took in a deep breath.

Thirsty Lorelay: “Just thinking one of you could be watching me right then and there, doing my every day and thinking nothing bad could happen”

The last button popped, and the girl slid open the fabric, offering a good view of red lace lingerie that was in no way on the same level of practical clothing like the ugly shirt.

Thirsty Lorelay: “That turned me on so much, I would have loved to know what he was thinking”

“Sure, you did” Chishiya said to himself, scoffing a little too sarcastic. He knew all the girl told him right now, was probably a lie. Maybe she did go grocery shopping this day, but her kind doesn’t tend to view creeps in the wild the same way they did online. After all, why else would she hide her identity if it would be different. The black cotton mask around her eyes wasn’t there to cover possible wrinkles she sure didn’t possess.

No matter, her sultry spoken words indicated something else and the way she turned from a boring no one to a hidden gem right in front of him, was enough to pull him into the fantasy.

Thirsty Lorelay: “The guy sadly did nothing, thought a small bump here and a nice grind there would have been very welcomed.”

The girl winked suggestive and Chishiya slid deeper into his chair. He was at home. The tablet on his lap, hold up by angled legs, watching Fullscreen how an everyday girl told him about fantasies while undressing in the slowest way possible.

Thirsty Lorelay: “What would you guys do if you would met me outside and you knew who I am but I have no idea who you are?”

The shirt slipped over her shoulders while the girl arched her back, titling her head to the side and giving everyone a nice view of just how charming she was.

Thirsty Lorelay: “Would you come over and speak to me?”

Fabric lowered more and more, until her arms were trapped behind her back, hold in place by the ugly shirt she wore moments ago. The round lines of her breasts ended where the fabric begun and even tho it hit so much of precious skin, its tight hugging features also revealed more and more of her wonderful appetizing curves, turning her into an erotic wanking remedy he just couldn’t reach.

Thirsty Lorelay: “Would you tell me how beautiful I am?”

Her chest rose while her voice lowered to an electrifying tone. Dark eyes fluttered shut while her back kept arching towards the camera and she sighed in a hopeless frustrated manner that instantly shot a sign from his brain to his defined dick, still caged between layers of fabric.

Thanks to her behavior, goosebumps raised all over Chishiyas body and he became painfully aware how stiff his neck has gotten over the day, as he leaned forward to get a closer view of the stream unfolding in front of him.

Thirsty Lorelay: “How much you want to drag me out of here and find the next place to ravish me?”

Chishiya watched how her set up posture, sitting back on legs and kept up by knees, parted shameless thighs, promising guilty pleasure but not showing anything besides small pieces of skin he already discovered. He wanted more. Needed it.

To see demanded it now. Growing more and more impatient with every oh so small move the girl far away from him did right now, Chishiya panted now so close against his tablet, fog was building up on the plastic screen, making him realize how much off a fool he was making of himself and sitting back, slightly annoyed at his own want.

She was obviously not willing to let the man in him see what he wanted. Yet. But Chishiya knew that all streams eventually went the same way, and he could wait. Just for now. While a tiny bit of hope raised in him that maybe, just maybe he would have a wonderful evening today after that terrible work he had to endure.

Thirsty Lorelay: “I would have loved that”

With those words, the girl bit her finger and fell on her back, giggling like crazy and wiggling her spine, while her ass slightly raised from the sheets under her, swinging left and right in a playful matter. Then, said finger started its own adventure down her upper body, making every watching person oh so aware of how fast her breath was going.

It begun at her chin and Chishiya gulped, as she drew the outlines of her lips before the small digit withed lower towards her chest and between soft hills of untouched land, to her navel where she drew some rounds, before parting and stopping at the hem of her plaid flat skirt that hid all too well what so many man craved right now.

Thirsty Lorelay: “Where would you have taken me?” she asked further “Your home? To your bed? Or would the situation make you so impatient, that the next ally would have to do?”

The Chat went nuts. Chishiya watched how man after man wrote down sentences of locations, offering way too much of their own information, while explaining what they would do to her if they could get her into their hands.

[SelflessLover69]: I would take my time with you and get you home.

[BigBratThatLovesItHard]: You deserve some nice cock

[HornyDudeNextDoor]: Damn Lory you look so hot

[Masturbator666]: Tie you up and give it to you hard

[Arouse_Me_Mommy]: I bet that sweet mouth knows how to suck good dick

[NaughtyBoy_123]: Shit I could come right over that belly

[AnnonymousGuest]: Be a good girl and you get what you want Lory

[FriskyMe78]: What a sweetheart you are

[RideMyFace]: Baby girl knows what she wants

Chishiya saw plenty of these comments appear. They all tried to outdo eachother and get the girls attention, while she did nothing but tracing her exposed upper body with lost fingers.

Thirsty Lorelay: “Tze tze tze you guys are so dirty” the performer said, shaking her index finger in front of the camera “So impatient” her tongue was pressed against the front of her lips while she moved her head from left to right, smiling all devilish “Your lewd comments alone could make me cum” hips raised to meet the oncoming touch.

Lorelay rose back to sit on her legs. Knees dig deep into the white sheets of her blanket while she sighed in played frustration again, before suddenly her face shifted into a devilish grin with mischievously glinting eyes.

Thirsty Lorelay: “But not today bad boys” she said, reaching for something behind the camera, retrieving it with a purple something in hand and giving the new toy a long, wet and tonguely lick “Today…I want you guys to ravish me with your looks. You think you can do that?” kissing the tip and winking at the lens and everyone behind it.

Again, the Chat went berserk, answering with so many yes’s and pleads, the smaller comments on her appearances got drowned in seconds.

Chishiya watched with raising impressment how the girl that barely undressed in any way already had her crowd cheering in madness, dropping money with wishes and asks for a private chat. But Lorelay ignored them mostly, turning on the vibrating function of her new purple toy and letting it explore her body.

Thirsty Lorelay: “I think” she said reaching her navel anew, the upper part plunging into the way too tiny hole, what made her abdomen flex and retract and forced small gasps out of her sinful throat “Today, there won’t be any penetration.”

[Masturbator666]: Oh no

[AnnonymousGuest]: Why?

Thirsty Lorelay: “I have been such a bad girl, you guys should have seen me at work”

[XXX_SmexyMe_XXX]: Work sucks

[NaughtyBoy_123]: What happened?

[BabyMaker53]: I would have fucked you on my desk if we met at work

[MilfPounder_XX]: You would look so pretty on my cock

[RideMyFace]: Baby girl can ride me all day

Thirsty Lorelay: “My supervisor told me to do something, and I was soouuu bratty” the vibrator moved lower “I didn’t move a finger” right over her hidden cunt “Not a single one” pressing hard against the flesh and eliciting a long desperate mewl “I have such terrible manners” she gasped and Chishiya parted his legs go give his growing bulge more space.

[BigBratThatLovesItHard]: Such a selfish baby

[Ass_on_Me]: So spoiled

Thirsty Lorelay: “He should have spanked me, maybe then I would have listened”

The vibrator went along her thighs and Chishiya saw the goosy flesh pimpling all over her otherwise so smooth skin. He was already addicted to count each one of them, probably hard before he reached even half.

[BabyMaker53]: I forgive you

[HornyDudeNextDoor]: I would ruin you instead

The girl giggled again, letting out a long mhmm as the toy disappeared under her skirt and Chishiya went back to huff and puff against the screen, fogging it all over again.

Thirsty Lorelay: “But we can still have so much fun”

[ProneBoner]: Take off the skirt!!

[RickSpanks]: Show me some skin

[BabyMaker]: Yeah take off the skirt

[Sir_ Cum_a_lot]: We wanna see some good pussy

[BiggusDickus]: Let the London bridge come down!

Thirsty Lorelay: “You guys want me to take off my skirt?”

The chat started cheering, chanting words repeatedly that told her to yes, take off the skirt. Pleads over pleads all begging for the same thing while all she did was snicker all giddily.

Chishiya, under the username Scrubs_MD couldn't help but chuckle at the desperate commands some man did. His eyes followed the toy as she set it aside carefully, then back to her fingers grabbing the zipper on her right hip, pulling it down agonizingly slowly.

Thirsty Lorelay: “You want me naked so fast?”

Again, many yes toppled the chat.

Thirsty Lorelay: “Greedy boys. So impatient”

But Lorelay did what the chat asked her to do and pulled the zipper down, revealing more lingerie in red scandalous lace. Until now, only her thin waist promised what could await a man if he got lucky enough to do meet her in real life, but now it peaked and giving the cheering mass hope for a glance all over. The skirt fell and Chishiya bit his lip, chewing on the sensitive skin as his cock jumped in joy.

What a tease this girl was. Other performer would have already taken off all their clothes, leaving maybe a bra on or just the panties, but Lorelay was still wearing too much for the blond mans liking. He couldn’t wait to see more and so Chishiya tapped the screen, typing a number that he knew only the girl could see.

And she saw it. The message of Scrubs_MD popped up on Asa’s screen, offering her 7 000 yen if she took of her underwear. It made her smile to herself, knowing how much this guy was thriving to see her most inner parts. To have her all on display and enjoy her looks, while telling her how beautiful she was. Back in her hometown, no one ever told her that.

She was nothing more than a Daisy among others. She was called cute and sweet and on some occasions lovely, but never has any man craved to see more of her, obsessed at the thought what she could hide under baggy hoodies and washed out jeans. This Chat was different. All those men wanted her. Begged for her attention and paid money for the tiniest bit sinful skin that only she could offer.

The blissful moments she gave herself were all situations that those man hoped to see more and more of and here she was, depriving Scrubs_MD of a way too soon end, knowing damn well that it would only make him want her more if she kept playing with him.

Thirsty Lorelay: “Nice try, scrubs, but you gotta have to wait like everyone else”

The skirt fell nonetheless and exposed more delicate slick skin, pristine and unspoiled.

No I don’t, Chishiya thought, typing another number and sending away the offer, sure this time he would get what he paid for.

Asa read the new number looking directly into the camera and cocking her head while flashing a seductive discreed smile only for him.

Thirsty Lorelay: “Nah ah, what a stubborn boy you are”

The blond doctor was sure he had her where she wanted. After all, the numbers had doubled and if he was honest, it was the highest he ever paid to have a girl undress in an open chat, but to his surprise, the girl refused again, what weirdy made him proudly puffing his chest up.

Now that he didn’t get what he wanted, Chishiya couldn’t wait to see what was worth more than 14 000 yen. His eyes scanned the girls body up and down. There was a scar on her waist right above her appendix that obviously has been taken out years ago when she was younger and one on her left side, right where her strongest muscle was beating steady, so Chishiya indicated that she also had a heart surgery long ago, since the scar tissue had paled to a nice ivory tint.

On her left thigh there was a collection of small reddish dots. 5 Moles so close to eachother forming the oddly close form of the constellation Cassiopeia. Chishiya narrowed his eyes, squinting while almost faceplanting on his tablet. It looked exactly like the constellation.

It can’t be, Chishiya thought, leaning back into his chair. No way this was a natural birthmark. The blond man was sure it had to be tattooed on her skin, but the fact that at least 3 of them looked a little frayed, told him differently.

He observed now with higher interest how the female camgirl grabbed her toy again and fell to her side, laying completely down and giving everyone a good look of how Leonardo Di ’Caprio would have drawn this not so french girl.

The Vibration made a comeback and disappeared immediately between her legs, hidden by her thighs side that had the 5 small dots playing with Chishiyas mind. Her back arched upwards as the tip likely traced the clothed part of her folds, maybe even dipping in? Who knows.

The crowd could only speculate on it and so could Chishiya. Looking for signs of her body that could indicate that the pleasure she displayed to have, was real or faked. His eyes took more and more of her every move in, making his own heart race with anticipation.

Then it happened. Her free hand reached for her chest, opening the front clip with skilled fingers and Chishiya catched himself holding his breath, while wait for the cups to pile away, but the fabric stayed where it was, not revealing anything and Chishiya groaned annoyed at cursing the stupid designers of this erotic piece of clothing that again deprived him of the least bit of fun he could have set his eyes on.

[justrainandcoffee]

The Wandering Jew (Alfie Solomons x fem!OC)

"Welcome to end of the World", Alfie said.

Alfie x Rose Masterlist

Summary: It was like an apocalyptic movie. First it wasn't that bad, or that was people thought, until it was that bad. Rose landed in London with the idea of returning home a week and a half later, but few days after that, the PM decided to close everything. His flight was cancelled and getting a new one was an impossible mission. The world is facing a new era and she's there trapped in an Inn, in a distant city with a complete stranger and his dog.

Warnings: Just topics related to covid-19.

Words: 2K. || I'm rewriting the first chapters I posted last year. I changed several things and I'm happier now. You can find the rest of their modern story here.

Series masterlist.

18th March 2020.

The world was starting to panic because of the new virus created in China. Or maybe it was a sick bat that, like a domino effect, caused thousands of deaths already. China was closed, countries around it, too. Italy was collapsing slowly and the WHO already declared that this new virus, called COVID-19, was a pandemic.

Yet, millions of people continued with their lives as always. Working, going to classes, visiting friends or relatives and others, like Rose, were travelling.

Born in London in 1988, Rose Coldwell was returning to her city after eight years living in New York where she moved with her mother and two brothers. She received an important job offer back then and the money was beneficial for the four of them. Louis, her youngest brother went to high school and Samuel, the second brother, begun to study law in a good college there. Now the youngest was studying architecture and Samuel was part of a law firm in Manhattan.

Rose, on the other hand, ran her own fashion blog and had a small business. Nothing too extraordinary, but something that made her happy. After several years of sending mails and filling out forms to be part of any international fashion event and equal numbers of rejections, she sent a mail to be part of an international convention there in London and she was accepted. 2020, it was going to be an unforgettable year, she thought.

And she was right… but the reasons were going to be quite different.

The plane landed and she felt she was returning home like the prodigal son, or daughter. Not even once since she left the country she returned there and it was a pleasant feeling to be back on her land.

Some people around her in the airport were walking fast avoiding the multitude. Some were wearing masks, some not. A woman wearing one was offering alcohol to sanitize people's hands. An old man sneezed and caused several disgusted faces from people around him.

'Probably he's just allergic,' she thought.

While she was waiting for her baggage, she checked her phone. Her mother called her several times and also one of her brothers. She ignored them for now, once she was in her bedroom, she'd be able to call them.

"I think he needs to close everything."

Rose heard two men talking near her, one already had his suitcase, but the other not.

"Johnson already denied that, Luke. We're safe, he said."

"And you believe him?" the one named Luke, asked. "Give the virus a couple of days and we're doom, Fred."

Rose's heart started to beat fast. The fact that she was on the other side of the ocean away from her family, suddenly terrified her. But she shooed those thoughts from her mind. The UK under a strict lockdown sounded ridiculous.

.

The Wandering Jew was an Inn that opened its doors in 2017. The most popular in all Candem Town and its surroundings. Rated by its guests with five stars in websites like booking.com and full of positive feedback.

The Wandering Jew had over 60 rooms and five of them were almost a suite. Not like a the ones you would find in the most expensive hotels, but still quite elegant.

But most of all, The Wandering Jew had a man named Alfie Solomons, the owner.

Alfie bought the building, that was about to be demolished, in 2016 and hired people to reconstruct it. From engineers and architects to construction workers. One and a half years later, it was finished it. It costed him several thousands pounds but it was worth and he was happy with it.

His apartment was above the Inn, so he never really left that place, except to walk his dog and closest friend: Cyril. Every late afternoon it was common to see both of them walking out the Inn to go to a park and spend an hour or two there.

During the day, while Alfie was behind the reception counter, Cyril usually was sleeping next to his feet or greeting some guests.

And that was exactly what Cyril did that 18th of March.

The reception was empty in that moment, most of the guests were out visiting some places and few others were sleeping or at least they were in their bedrooms. Cyril had been chewing his favourite tennis ball, when he heard a taxi and he stood up quickly. The dog ran towards the glass door and spied from there. Alfie barely paid attention to him.

Cyril was excited. He didn't know her, but the dog was still happy. He could smell her as soon as she left the taxi and now that he could see her, his tail was wagging faster than before. His excitement caused to Alfie to finally raise his eyes from the newspaper and put attention to Cyril who was now hopping.

Alfie saw Rose for the first time while she was pushing the glass door with her body. In one hand she had her baggage and in the other her phone. She was speaking with someone and was clearly upset. And had every reason to be mad. The one on the other side of the line, was a bastard whose only purpose in his life was to harass her. No matter how many times she blocked him, he always get a new number to call her.

"Go and fuck yourself, dickhead!"

Alfie was amused, without no doubts that was the best entrance ever. And a very pretty one.

He saw her sliding her phone in her pocket and then watching at Cyril who seemed to be more than happy after she petted him gently. Cyril ran towards Alfie and barked at him.

"Did you see her? Did you?" He seemed to say.

"Calm down, boy," Alfie said to the animal and then he looked at her who was already in front of him at the reception counter. "I'm sorry, he's usually quieter."

"Don't worry, he's nice! And I love dogs." Rose smiled at him and he did the same. "I booked for a room online, two weeks ago. Coldwell is my last name," she told him.

After giving him her ID, and while he was checking the information she paid attention to the place. She had already seen several photos online and she liked it but the Inn was really nice. The paintings on the walls were warm and several represented the sea. A plant over the counter called Wandering Jew, like the Inn itself, captured her attention. Her mother used to have that kind of plans when they lived in London. She asked herself if the Inn's name was because of those plants or there was another reason.

"Everything is okay, Ms. Coldwell," he said giving her ID back and also a key "Room 44. Welcome and I hope you enjoy your days here."

"Thanks! I will!"

"Every room has a phone that communicates directly with this one," he said pointing at a black one over the counter, "if you need anything you can call me... us. Call us."

Rose chuckled and nodded "Thanks…"

"Alfred. Alfie."

"Thanks, Alfie."

_

Two days later, the 20th of March, it was obvious that things were out of control. Hospitals were saturated, the numbers of sick people were increasing, flights become to be a necessity and there weren't enough planes. Countries like Italy, Greece and France were collapsing under the virus. And several of them closed their frontiers. Boris Johnson had already a rope around his neck but he refused to start a quarantine yet.

"No, I'm not admitting new guests," Alfie said to the person who called the Inn "I'm sorry."

His right hand, Ollie, was next to him. Both of them were waiting news from the government but there was nothing except empty words and promises about a bright future.

The convention were Rose had to go was cancelled because the organisers were sick and it was suspended. And in top of that she received an email saying that her original flight to return home was cancelled. The company gave her the money back but they didn't say anything about a reschedule.

She returned to the Inn that afternoon only to see in the TV that was in the reception, that there were riots everywhere. Demanding a lockdown, demanding more medical assistance and some demanded Johnson's and the Queen's heads.

Both men, Rose and an old woman were paying attention to the BBC journalist who was in front of one of the hospitals.

"Welcome to the end of the world," Alfie commented.

He wasn't that wrong.

The night of the 22th of March, it was chaotic. Finally the lockdown was imminent and some people was already leaving the Inn. Ollie, who worked the night shift, was giving them their money back for the days that they couldn't stay. That night Rose didn't sleep. She tried to get a flight and she could hear her mother's voice in her head "you should listen to me."

And yes, Mary Coldwell was right but it was too late now for any regrets. Rose needed to return with her family, the thing was how.

The next morning it was officially confirmed the beginning of the quarantine. Alfie again behind the counter, was attending the remaining guests who were living the Inn. Including those who refused to leave. One particular woman was complaining about the lockdown and she was basically blaming Alfie because of that.

Alfie was trying to remain calmed but this Karen wasn't making things easy.

"You can't expelled me like that. I paid for my bedroom for three weeks and I've been here for only one. I want to stay here for three weeks!"

"But you can't. You can go to 10 Downing Street and talk with the Prime Minister about your holidays, if you want. I'm just a citizen following these new rules, ma'am. Pick up your belongings and get in your car and return home. Stay there until the Quarantine is over."

Rose was sitting on one of the armchairs at the reception. Phone in hand, refreshing the airlines website every two seconds, but not avail. Everything was collapsed and there wasn't any flights. The news showed people sleeping on floors and she knew that was her fate and she was really upset. So hearing that woman was ending with her patience.

"I'm going to sue you, you'll see! And you're going to regret it! This is a complete nonsense! There's no such thing as a virus!! It's the media! And the left and…"

"Shut the fuck up, for once! Fuck!"

Both Alfie and the woman stared at Rose who was frowning. The first one smiled, but the woman seemed offended.

"I didn't pay to be insultated!"

"I'm doing this for free," Rose replied.

Gasping, the woman warned Alfie with a lawyer one last time and left the Inn, according to her, to search a better place to stay. She found none.

The rest of the guests left the Inn without drama and by 4pm only Rose remained there. From all the guests that The Wandering Jew had there at the moment, she was the only one living in United States, the rest were all over Britain. In consequence, the only one having problems was Rose.

"Any luck?" Alfie asked watching her with her phone still in hand.

"No. Not really. My brother is trying to help from his home but he's not having luck either."

"You can stay here for tonight if you want," Alfie said.

"I was planning to go to the airport and stay there."

"Sleeping on the cold tiles in middle of a pandemic? I'm sorry but it sounds risky."

"But…"

"I hanged the sign. For everyone here, the Inn is closed. Don't worry."

"Just for tonight, I promise," she said.

Alfie agreed.

"Just tonight."

How wrong both of them were.