#my coworker asked if I wanted anything from McDonald’s

[lashonlashoff]

I almost made a Cow Chop reference at work today. What fucking year is it???

[towriteloveontheirarms]

I want to speak to your manager (modern!Criston Cole x reader)

synopsis: On a late-night adventure to McDonalds the fries you are given are cold. Deciding to stand up for yourself you ask the kid at the counter for the manager. Who would have thought that what you get is so much more than just some fresh, hot fries?

warnings: age gap (reader is in her early twenties), smut, making out, oral sex (m receiving), p in v, afab reader

word count: 2.4k

taglist: @hopelesswritergall @urmomsgirlfriend1 @bucknastysbabe

(If you want to be tagged for a specific character/fandom or in general let me know in my asks, comments or DMs)

A/N: Thank you @bucknastysbabe for this cursed idea💜 it was so fun to write this and expand the alternative universe of fast food restaurants that you have lowkey created now lmao and also the other fics that are soon to come

Dividers by me

Writing your bachelor thesis had to be the worst experience of your life. And the worst part about it was, that it was a hell of your own making. At first you had struggled to find a topic to write about and when you finally did, your procrastination set in hard. Cursing yourself for all of it, you close and push away the laptop in front of you, rubbing a hand over your face. Attempting to calm down by taking a few deep breaths, you get interrupted by a loud and quite frankly painful rumbling deep in your stomach, reminding you of the fact that you had skipped every meal since breakfast and one look at the clock revealed that it was currently the middle of the night. Great, you think to yourself. Grabbing your keys, phone and wallet you make your way down to the car to drive to the next spot that was still open. McDonalds. Waiting in line you ignore the cashier bickering with a customer about their order by finding something to eat. Despite the grumbling in your stomach nothing really calls to you, except for the fries. So, when you get called up to order a portion of fries and a milkshake will have to do. Sitting down in one of the seats in the back, you take a few fries into your hand and dunk them into the vanilla milkshake. They feel quite cold already, but when you bite down on them it's not only the cold of the milkshake that fills your mouth. Perfect. Just perfect.

For a moment you ponder just accepting your fate, but then decide to stick up for yourself. You deserved some fresh fries. You deserved some warm food when you ordered it. Though you still felt sorry for the kid you are about to ask for the manager. If there was something you hated, it was the possibility of being seen as a Karen. Ugh, alright. For the sake of some hot fries, you motivate yourself to get up and walk up to the counter again.

“What can I do for you?” The kid with long silver hair asks in a flat, but still polite tone.

“Hey, um I´m really sorry to do this, but um the fries your coworker just gave me are ice cold. Would it be possible to let me speak to your manager, please?” You grace the blond with an apologetic smile, though both of you are aware it doesn't do anything to change your request.

"Yeah, sure. If you wait here for a moment, I'll go get him." The blond turns to get his manager.

"Thank you. I'm sorry." You smile apologetically again.

You aren't sure how long it takes or how long it is supposed to take until the person you asked for gets to the front, but the waiting makes your foot tap and your palms sweat. When the tall, tan man steps around the corner however, your entire bodies movement stops at once.

Your lips part slightly, and you are sure to hear a quiet, high pitched “Hoo” fall from them. Embarrassed by the sound that just left you, you pull your lower lip between your teeth.

“I´m the manger, Criston Cole. What can I help you with?” There is faint, but very captivating dornish accent swinging in his formal voice. "I-I..." You stumble over your words at the gorgeous dark eyes and the handsome stubble looking back at you. "Well, I really hate to be this person, but I just came in and the fries one of your employees gave me was almost freezing cold." "I am so sorry, I pride myself on having employees that are competent enough to not have this happen. Let me get you a new portion right away.” Cole promised, his dark eyebrows pulled together tightly in thought of who he might need to talk to.

“Thank you so much. And I am sorry I interrupted your day with this matter. You sure have more important things to do.” Your cheeks begin burning as you apologise to him as well.

"Oh, no. There is no reason to apologise. If anything, it helped to make any future experiences here more pleasant." He narrows his eyes at the short haired blond that initially served you. Letting him know he was in trouble though it was met with a cocky smile and an air of indifference. "Can I do anything else for you?"

You don´t know what happens when he asks this, but suddenly there courses only adrenaline and desire through your system. The almost pitch-black eyes that look back at you have you in a trance. The equally dark curls enticing you to run your fingers through them.

Without thinking about it too much, you all but blurt out. “When do you get off?”

Criston´s eyes widen for a second. When the surprise has ebbed away however, he eyes you up and down.

“In about an hour. I´m parked directly by the back entrance, meet me by my car then.” His dark eyes roam over your body once before he gives you a wink and disappears back into his office.

Woken up from the trance his eyes had you in, you stand there for a moment longer, perplexed as to what just happened. When the realization does sink in, a happy little grin spreads on your lips. Bitten back by the lower lip between the teeth to not make you look like an entire idiot. Sitting back down in the corner, you eat your fresh fries and kill the rest of the time by scrolling through your phone.

You don´t have to wait outside for long. Only a few minutes after you reach the car, the bac entrance door opens to reveal the man you were waiting for. Criston opens the passenger side door of the vehicle for you and then takes his place in the driver’s seat.

Immediately his large, warm hand cups your cheek to pull you closer, his lips locking with yours. The hungrily crushing together body parts make your breath hitch and closed eyes flutter. The silk of his shirt feels smooth underneath your own finger pads, which crumple it the moment Criston begins mouthing at your neck. Sucking at the skin to leave his marks and arouse you further. The hand that is not on your cheek to move your head around as he pleases, comes up from your hips to toy with your breasts until it heaved from panting breathes. He connected his lips to yours again, the hand from your cheek now laying in the back of your neck, squeezing it ever so lightly sending a shock of electricity down your spine. You moan into the kiss. A breathy sound of absolute perfection that makes his already hard cock twitch in the uncomfortably tight pants. His tongue then licks over your lower lip to silently ask for entrance, being granted it straightforwardly. Your lips open for your tongue to come out and play with his. The two muscles dancing together and exploring the others mouth, while one of your hands lays on the bulge between dark haired man's legs. Almost instantly he begins to rub against the palm in search of friction. This time it is him who groans into the caress of tongues.

The sound urges you on, to fiddle with the belt and button of the pants, until finally you can pull them down just enough to free his cock from its tight confines. Pulling away from his hungry lips, you sit a bit further back on the car seat, to bend forward more comfortably. The hand that Criston previously had rutted himself against now took the base of it as your lips placed little pecks and kitten licks to the already with pre cum beaded tip. As you do so the hair that frames your face falls forward like a curtain. Just as it falls it is pulled back by his hand threading into it, giving it a light tug in the process, just as you wrap your lips around his length, taking it in until your lips almost reached the fingers at his base. The action coaxes a moan from you, which in turn heightened his pleasure as it vibrates through him. Concentrating on breathing through your nose and accommodate his size in your throat, you begin to bob your head up and down in a steady rhythm.

“Shit, your mouth feels so great around my cock.” Criston rasps above you.

Letting him guide your head, you relax your jaw a little further and lick up the vein on the underside of his dick. Wet slurping and light gagging sounds fill the vehicle as you hollow out your cheeks to suck on the sensitive tip.

“You´re so eager… fuck… I don´t think I´m gonna last long if you continue like this.” He growls and whines.

The sounds go straight to your core, to leave you craving for more. You communicate as much by whining around his length. It is the most desperate sound he has ever heard. The dornish man's cock twitches in your hold and to your surprise you get pulled off it only seconds after. Looking up, you see his head had fallen back to rest against the seat. His hair is mussed by his own hand running through it repeatedly in the heat of the moment and somehow the affected state, the way his chest heaves, makes him look even better than before.

“I want to feel you inside of me. Now.” You beg him in the sweetest tones he had ever heard.

“Yeah? Are you that desperate? You need my cock that bad?” The questions escape him with the cockiest and simultaneously sexiest smirk you have ever seen in your life.

“Fuck, yeah. I need your cock so badly.” You plead while mouthing at his neck.

“Well, if you´re asking so nicely, how could I say no to that.”  Criston puts his seat back to make more space for the two of you and then pulls you onto his lap by the hips.

There is no patience left between you two. The air is thick with your mutual need for release and filled with the light scent of sweat and the promise of what´s to come. In the blink of an eye your panties are ripped off and Criston sinks himself into you.

“Oh seven… You´re tight.” He gasps, letting his head fall back against the seat’s headrest once more.

“Shit, you´re stretching me out so well. So big.” You whine back.

You set an almost painfully slow pace when you begin to bounce on his lap, until you get used to his size. The whimpers from your lungs getting muffled by the hollow of his neck.

When the pain in your core subsides, your hips automatically begin to rock against his harder and faster, which he takes as a sign to meet your thrusts. If there was any reason to doubt how good of an idea this was before, it is all gone now. Criston hits a point inside of you that no one has ever reached before, making your eyes roll back and your moans to become hoarse as you bury your face in his neck. The sensations of him bullying your sweet spot become overwhelming fast. Your legs tremble at his sides and the movement of your hips falters fast as he steadily drives you towards the sweet relief of orgasming. The only way you can keep up the rhythm of meeting Criston´s thrusts is by the help of one of his hands supporting your backside and using the chance to massage your ass cheeks.

With some strength you can lift your head again, looking at him through hazy eyes and tightly knit eyebrows. Both of your mouths hang open to make way for heavy breaths and the sounds of the pleasure you each give and receive.

When you look up at him it is like two magnets are pulling you two together by the lips. In that moment the two of you are made purely of electricity. Pushing, pulling and nibbling on the other´s lips, every kiss breathes life into you that is robbed by every new thrust into your burning core.

“Don´t stop. ´m so fucking close. Gods… so good.” You babble helplessly through the fog that clouds your brain.

“If there is a heaven I´m buried in it right now.” His words make your eyelids and inner walls flutter. “Fuck, I can feel you´re close.”

“Yes, yes. So close.” The words that leave your mouth don´t even register in your brain anymore. All you can feel is the fire burning through your body. Screaming for sweet release.

“Come for me then. Soak my cock with your juices.” Criston growls near your ear and as if they aren´t enough he takes your earlobe between his teeth to nibble on the sensitive skin.

One last time your inner walls flutter around his dick, before you do as he commands. Arching your back until your breasts press against his chest and sinking your nails into his shoulders, dragging them down to leave red streaks under the silk shirt, you let the pleasure wash over you. Trembling and shaking uncontrollably.

In the last moments of clenching around his length, you bring Criston to his own peak. Milking him for everything he´s worth, until his seed flows back out of you while you ride out your orgasm.

Underneath you Criston leans his head back to fully expose his neck, eyes squeezed shut tight and whining at the sensitivity. When both your bodies allow you to rest again, you lay against his chest for a moment, before your legs carry you onto the passenger seat. Even though they are still trembling. Looking into the mirror you do your best to wipe the sweat from your forehead and fix your hair. As you do so, you struggle to find the right words for the situation.

“That was…” You try to speak but cut yourself off with a deep breath.

“Yeah.” Criston agrees.

“So, uh…” You still wrestle with your mind for words as it slowly comes back to reality, while pulling down your dress to hide the fact that your panties fell victim to your shared passion.

“I´d like to see you again.” Criston offers after tucking away his now soft length.

“Really?” Surprise flits over your face for barely a second. “Yes, I´d like that too. Very much.”

“Great, why don´t you give me your number and I´ll give you a call some time?” The dark-haired man implored, holding out his phone for you to type in your number.

With idle fingers you take the device to do just that. Before you get out to go back to your own car, you grace his cheek with one last chaste peck.

“Call me.”

[bellysoupset]

Hey Soup~

It's so nice to see you being active again 💞

For a mini fic idea: can we please get a snippet of Max' thoughts after Vince took care of him and they talked a little during that field trip?

As always, feel free to ignore if it's not good enough

(I'm going to come back and comment on so many things in your recent stories soon, but I saw your post about mini fics and thought "why not")

- 💜

Hi darling!! I hope life is treating you well! 💕

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

Max felt like he had just been run over by a truck. Physically and emotionally.

He had been so happy about the field trip, not only because at heart he was still a little bit of a kid and really enjoyed all the jumping and running around, but because he had been invited by the kids, unlike other teachers. He was the teacher they trusted, the one they came to for college recommendations and letters, the one that they weren't shy about asking for extra credit or opening up about problems at home. Max was proud of this.

So it had been a blow to his ego to be bed ridden for all of the trip, entirely at Monacelli's mercy. He had missed out in a lot of shenanigans, had only heard about them second hand by Vince during the last night at the hotel, when Max finally had been aware enough to ask questions. He hated the amount of vulnerability he had been forced to show, how much he had relied on Vince and he hated even more missing out in such a formative thing.

Then there was the matter of Vince.

Max slumped against his front door and slid down to the ground, without energy to walk all the way to his bedroom. He had been putting up a brave face for the past twelve hours in an effort to convince his coworker he didn't need a hospital and definitely didn't need a nanny, but it was taking its toll. He felt awful.

His stomach was gurgling unhappily, rejecting the saltine crackers he had been munching on since they left the hotel, eight hours before. His body was ravenous, his head cottony, his stomach sore and queasy and he felt really close to crying, because Max had never felt so incredibly lonely.

He had never felt so... Cared for as he had been in the last three days. It was pathetic and sad to even think it and Max let out a groan and uncurled from his position, deciding he'd rather lick his wounds in bed.

The blonde didn't bother showering, despite the fact he really should've. Instead he climbed up his bed with great effort and curled up under the blankets while still wearing his jeans and shoes, because he had no more strength. His head was throbbing and the minute he buried his nose in his pillow, his mind started drifting.

His mom telling him little kids shouldn't be pillaging their bodies with medicine - who knows what chemicals are in there? - and so the easiest way to end a fever was by riding through it.

Monacelli sitting on the ground next to his bed and playing tic tac toe because Max kept waking up every fifteen minutes thanks to the cramps, using his own pen to mark Max's Xs, "here? You sure about that, man?"

His parents yelling down the hall because his father had gotten him mcdonalds for breakfast instead of cooking and he had ended up throwing up in the school bus and the school nurse had called them. "You didn't have to go! They were just being dramatic, like they're always are! They call us every week!" "If none of us show twice in a row they'll call my job again James!"

"What are you gawking at?" Monacelli had asked on their second day there, once Max's fever had finally broke and he was able to sit up in bed, "you need anything?"

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"I'm not, really," Vince had shrugged, then crossed the room to put away his towel, shaking his wet hair and sending droplets Max's way, causing him to frown, "I just brought you dinner, relax."

"You brought me one of everything," Max had pointed out, nodding to his untouched plate. His stomach still felt iffy and he didn't want to risk his luck once the heaving had finally ceased.

"I don't know what you can eat or not, you said your stomach is sensitive," Vince had gestured to the plate, "you're not gonna eat?"

"Not hungry," Max had curled up further, feeling more than a little woozy.

"Thirsty though? I can run to the kitchen as grab you a smoothie before they close, that might be easier on your belly."

"He's going to fail because of attendance," "he's failing because he doesn't apply himself, not because of attendance. He's always faking sick, always skipping class, anything in the world not to study." "With the stellar role model he's had, it's a wonder" "Not everything wrong with him is my fault, Maya." "Most of it is."

A horrible ringing interrupted his drifting away and Max pushed through the fog, trying to identify the noise. He reached for his phone in the bedside table, then groaned when he didn't find it. His jeans, his pocket...

He clumsily tried to hang up when the number was unknown, but instead took the call and Max groaned loudly, before barking "What?"

"Hey, it's Vince," the other teacher's cheerful voice was the last thing Max wanted to hear, maybe for the rest of his days. It felt... Soothing. Like a cold compress against a feverish forehead, where the better it feels, the worse you are, "was wondering if you got home safe, you looked a little pasty in the parking lot."

"I'm fine," Max grumbled, "just need to sleep the ick off."

"Alright, I'll let you sleep," he could almost see Vince shrugging, had gotten well acquainted with it in the past three days, "save my number and you can text if you need anything. Really, uh- Your house is on the way, just holler." It wasn't, Max had dropped Vince and that friend of his at Monacelli's little house once, their places were close but Vin's was in the opposite direction of traffic.

"Thanks, dude."

"No problem," Vince's voice went up a note, all cheerful, "feel better!"

Max nodded, then realized the man couldn't see him, so he cleared his throat and grumbled, "yeah, thanks" before hanging up quickly. He let the phone fall back on his chest, then let out a sigh.

He was falling for the guy, that was great.

[gloomy-kitty]

in your dreams | satoru gojo x fem!reader

warnings : none

notes : season two/high school gojo. a lil something in between my joshua fic. not proofreading this or anything since it’s just a quick little fic. lil angsty bonus because i can’t resist.

“He’s totally dreamy though ______.” Your coworker sighed dreamily as she stocked the shelves with various beauty products. You groaned rolling your eyes, “Dreamy? Yeah, no. Yuuka don’t get involved with Satoru he’s a playboy.” You warned her furrowing your brows.

“Yeah you only say that because you go to school with him. You have some bias against him.” Yuuka muttered as she stood to her feet flattening the cardboard box, “Anyways I’ll be back. I’m gonna take the trash out to the recycle bin keep an eye on the store.” She sighed before walking away finally leaving you in peace. Generic pop music echoed through the empty cosmetics store but you didn’t mind the lack of customers, it was nice to not have to deal with people. You hummed quietly to yourself as you continued stocking the shelves. When the doorbell chimed signaling a customer coming in.

“Hello welcome to-“ you began to greet them when your eyes landed on the familiar set of fluffy white hair.

“Continue on.”

Nope. You turned your attention back to stocking the shelves. “Aw come on ______ don’t be like that.” Your frenemy whined coming closer to you. Your face scrunched up. God even his voice was grating!

“What the hell do you want Satoru?” You finally snapped turning to face him. You placed your hands firmly on your hips staring up at him. Satoru smirked and held his hand out, a plastic bag dangling in his finger tips. “Got you lunch. Scratch that got us lunch.” He said that stupid sly smile playing on his lips. You wanted so badly to slap that stupid look off his face. “I didn’t ask you to do that. Why do you always insist on bothering me everywhere I go? You annoy me at school and now you come harass me at work. What are you a stalker or somethin’? Go bother Suguru.” Your voice was laced with pure annoyance but it seemed to only fuel the white haired sorcerer even more.

He reached out a finger booping you on your nose, “I’m your stalker ______. Just can’t get enough of ya.” He smoothly said only causing you to scoff even more. “When’s your lunch break? I’m pretty hungry so hurry up.” He said. You rolled your eyes, “When Yuuka gets back.” You snapped. His bright blue eyes widened, “The tall blonde one?” He asked. You nodded. She’s pretty hot but I’m not into gyarus. I prefer my women to be sorcerers just like you, ______.” He sounded so serious which caused your face to heat up but he quickly began to laugh loudly clutching his stomach, “Aw your face got all red. I love when you get all shy.” He laughed. Before you could yell at him Yuuka came in she practically squealed when she saw who was beside you. “Gojo hi! You’re back! Did you come to see me?” She shyly asked fidgeting with her fingers. Gojo winked, “Of course I did. Id love to spend more time with you but ______ made me bring her lunch so next time I owe you a date.” He smoothly said. Such a player. You thought annoyedly, snatching the plastic bag out of Gojo’s hand you began to walk towards the back of the store, “Yuuka I’m going on lunch. I’ll be back in like an hour. Come on Satoru.” You muttered the white haired boy following close behind you excitedly.

Sitting on top of the brick flower bed you crossed your legs pulling out the food from the plastic bag. Satoru watched eagerly as he sat across from you, “Got you your favorite. McDonald’s.” He said, “Did I get your order right?” He asked curiously watching as you opened the box of chicken nuggets. You pretended to examine the nuggets and fries closely before slowly taking a sip of cola then you nodded, “Hmm I suppose you did get my order right. Good boy.” You laughed softly. “See I know you so well. It’s almost like I’d make the perfect boyfriend?” He asked wiggling an eyebrow as he took a bite of his burger. He looked so proud of himself for getting your order right without asking, it was almost cute? Pfft yeah right.

“Boyfriend to who? Me? Yeah no in your dreams.” You laughed. Satoru pouted, “Come on ______. You know you want me. We’ve known each for other for like ten years? So why don’t we make it official.” He whined. It seemed like an on going situation between you and him, him constantly asking to be your boyfriend. It wasn’t like you actually hated him you did like him but it was complicated.

“I’d rather not get caught up in Gojo clan affairs seems to stressful. Plus I told you I’d rather not date a sorcerer too stressful wondering if they’ll die or somethin.” You mumbled avoiding his intense gaze. “Luckily for you my dear lovely future girlfriend that I’m the strongest sorcerer to live so you never have to worry about me dying. You can go become a housewife or something while I take care of you never even have to interact with the clan.” Satoru said leaning closer to you. Sighing you looked up at him, “Meh maybe one day I’ll consider it. Might have to convince me more.” You smirked. Satoru chuckled shaking his head, “God you want me to play the long game huh? Fine I’ll play your games.” He returned your smirk. It was nice to have someone like Satoru in your life despite how obnoxious he was at times.

~•••~

BONUS ENDING WARNINGS

SHIBUYA ARC SPOILERS

You fell to your knees sobbing face buried in your hands. “Satoru…Satoru..” you choked out in between sobs. He was gone and it was Itadori’s fault or so you found yourself blaming. He was just a kid but you felt like if Satoru had never taken a liking to him he’d still be here today. Maybe if you stopped Suguru all those years ago this wouldn’t of happened. Maybe if you were stronger you could of saved him. It was too late now you’d never become Satoru’s stupid housewife.

So many scenarios rushed through your head all the what’s ifs. Maybe if you accepted his proposal he would of retired and you’d be raising a family together now. It wasn’t fair and you’d never be able to see him again.

You felt a gentle hand on your shoulder, “______ come on now your bleeding a lot.” Shoko’s gentle voice broke you out of your thoughts. She was right you were drenched in blood from your injuries. The brunette held her hand out as she gently pulled you to your feet, “Satoru wouldn’t wanna see you like this. He’ll be fine. He’ll find a way out.” She offered you a weak smile which you returned giving her a nod. “Y..yeah Shoko.” You coughed out.

[nerves-nebula]

When I ran away from my parents I had handed in my 2 weeks so my parents wouldn’t be able to harass me at my place of work. I hadn’t told my coworkers about my situation but during one of my last days I had found myself in small talk w/ one of the parent aged ones. I offhandedly mentioned that the restrictions my parents had set up on my phone had prevented me from getting a rewards card earlier that year and My coworker literally paused the conversation to get me one immediately, telling me to set it up with an email my parents didn’t know about while at a friend’s house. I had never been able to trust adults to respond w/ anything other than dismissal if I ever got the courage to admit I didn’t think the way my parents treated me was okay since they have always been social butterflies and most of the abuse was religious. So it felt really bittersweet to realize I might’ve been able to have a trustworthy adult in my life for that past year or so. Heck, I was leaving that place with a bunch of lies to throw my parents off my trail if they tried to get anything from my old coworkers so I even felt a bit guilty

All this to ask, did any of the turtles have any adults like this in their lives? Parent aged adults they didn’t realize they could trust until it was too late?

ive got a similar story to this, though its not really the same since i worked at mcdonalds for such a small amount of time. But I miss my managers there more than I miss my parents, which is wild cuz before that i didnt realize I needed that kind of parent-aged-adult i could trust until i had to say goodbye.

short answer? no. though they were neglected and often ignored to the point that they could kinda just go wherever they wanted- Splinter instilled enough fear of the outside in them that they mostly spent their childhood and even a lot of their teen years exclusively in the sewers and skulking around new york at night.

long answer? kind of but not really. Like, Donnie has a whole thing with Big Mama, right? and he also found the hidden city and just didn't tell anyone for years. but most of the adults he found were NOT trustworthy, even Big Mama, who never really hurt him. She's kind of in a gray area where she can tell his home life sucks and she has genuine affection for him, but her CAPITALIST SPIDER SENSES prevent her from being like. a good person lmao.

Like, she uses the fact that hes a kid and doesn't know what his inventions are worth, and the fact he's clearly being abused and is easily manipulated, to get him to work for her for dirt cheap. And while donnie isnt a great judge of character, some subconscious part of him kind of realizes she's not really an adult he can trust all that much. he could have easily run away to live with her, but a part of him knew that wouldn't necessarily be a better life. just a different one.

as for the others, they really only knew Splinter and Draxum (and April's parents, though they never met them) so theres not a huge pool of adults to even trust in the first place.

[antidictaphobium]

i spend all my free time analyzing the people around me.

what makes them tick, what makes them crash, what i can say to make them laugh.

it's useful for survival, but it's terrifying from a sociological standpoint.

it all feels like one big trap.

i am firm in my beliefs, beliefs no one seems to share once i leave the house.

devout behavior made strange and unsettling to passerby.

it's lonely, more than anything. mutual aid and human rights petitions don't seem to mean much to the masses surviving on hope and tomorrow's lunch money.

i don't really have the energy, to keep explaining myself. to keep rationalizing to an audience why it is worth it to give up my own resources to benefit another. i donate when i can, boycott what i can, speak up when i can. i spend the rest of the life with ears pricked up, analyzing the nasty web that forms in my observation of others.

yesterday my coworker told me she had an interview with domino's for a possible weekend delivery position. it would take up all her free time but it would pay her more than food stamps does, and as a single parent with several kids she'll take what she can get. i didn't have the heart to tell her to boycott, she just seemed so excited. but they lied about the good pay on Indeed, so today she spent her lunch break on hold with the food stamps office, praying she can afford groceries after her car needed an emergency repair. our clients drive teslas to drop off their kids.

i went to a birthday party for a friend of a friend a few days ago. it was nice, but partway through she told me she got her whole fancy outfit off temu. i bit my tongue as we prepared to spend a lavish evening singing karaoke in her parents fully furnished basement, loitering between the all-inclusive AV system and the spotless, throughly stocked bar.

a few weeks ago, another coworker told me she was having some hard feelings about the election. she said she would never vote for trump but she had a hard time rooting for kamala. she likes the overall policy but just can't get behind legalizing abortions. but her husband is a teacher, and he says the left is much kinder to the lgbt, and she is willing to settle for that. i did nothing but listen, biding my time, but not holding my breath.

i've stopped complimenting coworkers on their smart blouses, they're always from Shein.

i have a mental spreadsheet of which people to say "my roommate" to, instead of "my girlfriend". it's just safer that way.

frequently, i ask someone how their week was and get met by a barrage of No money, No car, No freedom, No care, No hope, No fast food and absolutely No free time to cook. No words to say, because what could i do to soothe it all?

when i speak to my conservative father, i am amazed by how many beliefs we share. he wants the same things i do, but instead of rallying for change he wastes away on conspiracy forums, waiting for the truth to come out. because why would the world be so horrible if it wasn't a coverup for something bigger? why would we suffer if it wasn't for redemption later on?

needless to say, i don't go to my childhood church anymore.

i don't respond to the auntie telling me McDonalds has a special sale for National Burger Day.

i sit in silence, never engaging, changing the subject, losing my grip.

i, one of many, sit alone.

i wanted to conclude with something victorious, but i've no victory to sprinkle over my dead and say "it was worth it".

i know it is, and it should be. we are not cruel by nature, i tell myself this every night. the suffering deserve peace. the tortured deserve salvation.

but my hope is locked in the same safe as my upbringing's ashes.

humming, near silent. too volatile, too fragile to touch with my bare hands. making every decision from afar.

[miyuhpapayuh]

3. New beginnings

In the last three days, so much has happened.

For starters, she got the job, which she's so thankful for. Claire is the ultimate sweetheart and her coworkers are nice, but she still misses Joe.

Tyler ended up being pregnant and getting an abortion, and has just been losing her damn mind lately.

She's getting really tired of her downward spiral; cause she's causing her own problems. She won't listen to Stevie or let her even try to help, but you can't help someone who doesn't see a problem in what they're doing.

They're both still going to their classes, or so she hopes, since she's been MIA as of lately.

But on the bright side, her and Roderick are getting closer. Their first official date is actually tonight.

She feels like they've been waiting for this day for the longest time.

Currently on her break, she's sitting in the McDonald's parking lot with Rod. It's pretty warm today, so they're perched on the hood of his car.

She stuffs a handful of salty fries into her mouth, listening to him tell her about his day.

He takes a swig of his Hi-ci orange and laughs at her stuffing her face.

"Listen, I haven't eaten since this morning. Leave me alone."

"Ain't nobody judgin' you, girl.”

"Lies. That's exactly what you're doing.”

He throws his hands up in defense, still laughing.

"Okay, you got it. So, how's the job goin'? Everybody still being friendly and shit?"

"Yeah, I like the place a lot," she sips on her Sprite, "everybody just stays in their space and that makes me happy cause at Joes', that wasn't the case."

"What do you mean? Y'all ain't have no personal space?"

"Well, that and some people just acted like they had to be up in your face, anyway. I'm glad it's different and spread out now."  She rolls her eyes, thinking about John.

"Hm, somebody was like that with you?" He asks.

"Yeah... he left, before he got fired for it. I have a restraining order against him, so I'm good." Joe ended up taking care of that for her, knowing that she had a lot on her plate.

"Aight, just know that if something jumps off, I got you." He says.

She nods, staring back at her fries.

The serious tone in his voice makes her stomach swarm with butterflies. Real foreign.

"You ready to head back?" He asks.

She nods, sliding off the hood and adjusts her black collar work shirt, placing her trash in the empty bag.

He leans up from the hood and tosses his trash in the same bag, heading towards the nearest trash can to throw it away.

He heads back over to her side, opening the door for her. She thanks him and slides into the seat, allowing him to close the door for her.

He rounds the car and gets in, starts the car up and pulls out of the parking lot. It's a fairly quick drive, considering the fact that McDonald's is right around the corner from her job.

"Listen, I don't wanna scare you off or anything. I just wanna let you know that, I'm diggin' you and I think you're dope. We been kickin' it for a minute and I'm startin' to like you." He admits.

She bites her lip to hide the smile on her face.

"I'm starting to like you, too. You aight when you wanna be." She jokes, causing him to smack his lips. Again, she hates that sound.

"Seriously, I'm glad that I get to take you out tonight. You'll have fun, I promise."

"Well, it's been fun so far. I don't think I'll be disappointed." 

He pulls into the parking spot next to her car. She sighs and unbuckles her seatbelt, placing her hand on the door handle.

"Thanks for hanging out with me, on my break." She smiles, and he returns it.

"It was my pleasure, babygirl."

She feels the heat rise to her cheeks.

"So, I'll see you around six thirty?"

"Yes ma'am. I'll be on time, so you better be ready." Sje scoffs.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Y'all take forever to get ready, that's what I mean." He starts laughing.

"Boy, whatever. I'll make you wait if I want to." She says, before opening the door and looking back at him.

"Right. You'll get left." He laughs, stepping out to make sure she gets in safe.

"Wow, so no hug?" He asks.

"Not after you threaten to leave me," she laughs and heads inside, blowing him a kiss. He waves her off and hops back in his car.

She laughs, waving to Claire and walking past the counter, into the back to put her bag away.

"Hey sunshine! How was your break?" She places her pen behind her ear, sending a smirk her way, once she's back in her view.

"It was good. I finally got my fix of fast food I've been craving all day." She turns her around, tying the strings of her apron.

"Mhm, and?"

"And... I'm back?" She laughs and turns back around.

"Stevie, we saw that fine piece of chocolate!" Alana comes out of nowhere and states. Stevie rolls her eyes.

"Okay, congratulations... you guys have eyeballs that work!" She shoots them a 'thumbs-up' and walks away.

"Ugh, people can be so nosy." She mumbles to herself, grabbing a rag and a spray bottle and starts cleaning her station. The chimes on the door sound, indicating that a customer just walked in.

"Welcome to Claire's coffee, I'll be right with you!" She says in the cheeriest voice she could muster up.

"Take your time, girl." She looks up and sees Tyler.

I haven't seen this bitch in two days!

She goes back to what she's doing.

"What are you doing here?" She scoffs.

"You thought, you could get another job and not tell me? What's that about?" She looks at her, completely amused at how she thinks this has anything to do with her.

"You're serious? You think I hid this from you? It's not like you'd listen to me even if I was to run it by you. And, since you wanna come in chastising people, where have you been?"

Tyler just stares at her, egg on her face.

"This really ain't the place to talk about any of this. I'll just see you when you get home." She backtracks and heads for the door.

"What do you mean? It's been a whole forty-eight hours! You didn't call me. You didn't come by the house to let me know you were okay. You didn't leave a note or anything. Yet, you wanna come in here and break bad on me. Wassup with you?" She quizzes.

"We'll talk later." She leaves back out.

She sighs and prepare for the rush of customers that are about to come through. This is nothing like Joe's.

༺═───────────────────────────────────────═༻

She sits her keys on the counter and walks into the living room.

Tyler's sitting on the couch, watching a rerun of Pinky and The Brain. 

She clears her throat, and Tyler mutes the tv and looks at her, patting the cushion beside her. She sighs and sits down.

"So, before you say anything, I just wanna say that I'm sorry. I've been acting like an ass and it has nothing to do with you. I was just making terrible decisions and I didn't wanna hear what you had to say, cause you were right and I knew that. But, I see if was for my own good and I appreciate you still being here for me."

"Well, where else would I be? We live together, and more importantly, you're my best friend! I'm always gonna tell you what you need to hear, cause I don't care about sugarcoating anything and you know that. I just don't want you doing anything stupid. I need you to be good. Do it for yourself. Not cause, you think I'll yell at you or whatever, cause that's a given, but cause you're the only person that can live your life."

She nods before pulling her into a hug. Stevie rubs her back in a motherly manner and stands back up.

"So, what's going on with you?" Tyler asks.

"I'm gonna get ready for my date, tonight." Stevie turns on her heels and heads upstairs. She follows behind.

"Ooh, what are you wearing?" She shrugs and opens her closet, searching through the many different patterns and prints, finding absolutely nothing suitable.

"I have an hour to get ready and there's nothing here! What the hell am I gonna do?" She looks over at her.

She places a hand on her shoulder. "Okay first of all, breathe."

She rummages through and pulls out a black tank top and a neon green skirt. She squints, not remembering buying either.

"See, you have too many clothes! Pair this with your black heels and slick your hair back. Now, get in the shower!" She places her clothes on the bed and smacks her butt, kicking her out of her own room.

If I wasn't in such a rush, I'd give her a piece of my mind.. again.

She showers quickly, making sure to keep her hair dry. She hops out and wraps a towel around herself, before doing her hygiene routine, making sure to use her strawberry scented lotion.

Sliding into her outfit, she grabs her rat tail comb and parts her hair, instead of slicking it back. Tucking the sides behind her ear, she grabs her black sandals from her closet, sliding her feet inside them.

She grabs the Gucci shades that Tyler bought her for Christmas last year and slides them into her hair.

She looks at the clock by her tv, seeing that it reads 6:27 p.m. She smirks, more than amused that she's ready before my "set time".

As if on cue, her phone rings. She grabs it off her nightstand and answers it.

Rods' deep voice cuts through the second of silence. "Beautiful, are you ready?"

"I surely am, dear. Aren't you proud?" She says in a sarcastic tone. He laughs.

"Very. I'll be there in two minutes."

They hang up and she heads downstairs. Tyler pops up out of nowhere, scaring her half to death.

"Well, don't you look fucking hot!"

She smacks her arm, placing her hand over her chest. Tyler snorts.

"Thank you, crazy. I owe this look to you, minus the hair." She twirls the end of a strand, shrugging.

"It's so cute, girl. I bet big head's gonna love it!"

A knock sounds at the door, sending her low-key rushing towards it.

"Girl, calm down!" Tyler teases.

Stevie rolls her eyes and open the door.

Rod stands before her in a black and gold striped, short sleeved button up, paired with light wash jeans and Air Force ones. The durag that he wore earlier is gone, and his waves are on full display.

"So... y'all just gon' stand there and drool over each other?" Tyler asks, from her seat, making her snap out of her trance.

He pulls her hand up to his lips, pecking her skin.

"It goes without saying, but you look beautiful." He says.

She blushes, sending a thank you his way.

"You look good, too."

Tyler slides her clutch into the fold of her arm. She turns around to face her.

"Oh, thank you. I would've forgotten it. But um, I'll be home later, okay?"

"Have fun, boo."

She nods and places her hand back in Rod's, heading down the steps and towards his car. He opens her door for her, helping her in.

"Thank you."

He winks and rushes towards the drivers side. The car comes to life and they're headed out of the neighborhood.

"So, where are we headed?" She asks.

Stopping at their first red light, he looks over at her.

"You like to dance?" He asks. She nods, giggling a bit.

"Well, there's this nightclub called Limelight. I thought I'd do something fun and out of the ordinary for a first date. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good to me."

The light changes and he continues towards their destination.

Rod turns the radio on, cutting the comfortable silence. Pretty Brown Eyes plays through the speakers.

"They made this song for you, you know?" He flirts.

She laughs, folding one leg over the other.

"I could say the same thing about you," she flirts back.

He raises an eyebrow at her, while pulling into the semi-packed parking lot.

"Word?"

"Mmhm."

He chuckles before cutting the car off. Getting out, he rounds the car and helps her out, closing the door.

She smiles, flipping her hair to one side. His large hand grasps her smaller one, leading her towards the short line that eventually turned lengthy.

"Maybe... maybe not." She looks down at their hands and back up to his face. Confidence all in his smile.

She begins looking around, taking in her surroundings. She stares straight ahead, finally noticing the clubs appearance.

The entire building is railed with a neon light, same shade as her skirt. Black brick is the foundation, and the name is written in white calligraphy.

How cute.

"This club is usually, twenty-one and up," his lips being so close to her ear startles her, "but, on Fridays they lower it to eighteen, so you're good."

"How do you figure I'm not twenty-one?" She looks up at him, again.

"Wild guess. Plus, you have a baby face."

She shrugs. He's got a point.

"I could be, though."

He stares at her.

"Are you?"

"Nah," I play with the hem of my skirt, "a couple months and we'll be the same age."

"When?"

"June."

They move towards the bouncer, showing our IDs. Pulling the green rope back, they head inside and boy, is it loud.

She sighs, feeling a slight pang of anxiety kick in.

Rod lets her hand go and wraps a protective arm around her waist. They head towards the bar.

"Are you alright?"

He helps her into the stool, as she pushes her glasses back into her hair.

It'd be rude if they covered my eyes all night.

"Yeah, I'm just not used to loud environments. Other than my job, of course." She laughs, "screaming out coffee orders should prepare me for places like this."

He laughs along with me.

"I totally understand. I just wanna make sure you're having a good time, cause we can always go somewhere else—"

"No, no we don't have to leave. I love that you came up with this idea, it's so different and I appreciate it. I promise."

His hand rubs her knee.

"Did you wanna dance or you wanna chill here?" She looks towards the many alcoholic choices and smirks.

"Doesn't sound like they're playing anything worth dancing to at the moment, so we can stay here."

He grins.

"What do you want to drink?"

"Whiskey sour, please."

He orders our drinks.

She looks around for her clutch, realizing she left it in the car. She hops down and pulls at her skirt, which has rose slightly past her thighs.

"I'm gonna head towards the ladies room. I'll be right back."

"Alright." He nods.

She heads past him and turns the corner, pushing the teal door open and the scent of lilac hits her nose.

Girls litter the tiny space, either in the mirrors or standing around conversing.

She squeezes through and grabs a paper towel, wet it and blots her dry mouth.

I was gonna ask to either have him go get my clutch or hand me the keys and let me grab it, but I didn't wanna be extra.

"Hey," she looks towards her left and finds a blonde haired beauty; she's about five foot seven, slender with dark red stained lips.

"Yeah?" Stevie asks, tosses her wrinkled paper towel in the trash, giving her, her attention.

The girls' lips curl into a smirk. "You're here with that cute black guy, right?"

It takes everything in her to keep her eyes from rolling back. She nods, pursing her lips together.

"Are y'all dating? Cause, my friend thought he was really cute and she wanted to talk to him."

She scoffs at the audacity.

"Yeah, we are. Tell your friend to stay away from what's not hers."

She slides past her and makes her way back towards the bar.

She turns the corner and finds some girl near Rod. That must be the friend.

She walks over to him and sits on the other side, making her presence known.

He goes from staring straight ahead to looking at her, smiling. He slides her drink towards her, turning his body to face hers.

"There you are."

"I heard somebody was tryna snatch you up, while I was gone." She laughs, looking behind him, glaring at whoever she thought she was.

She huffs and storms off.

He starts laughing, watching her sip on her sour drink.

"You're something else. Let me find out there's a jealousy streak in you."

She downs the rest of it, smirking at him.

"Well, I wouldn't call it jealousy. These bitches don't hold a candle to me, and I hope you wouldn't go for a white girl, anyway! They're trouble."

He nods, hopefully taking in her words.

"You're right."

"I know!" She says matter-of-factly. He laughs.

"You like laughing at me. I know for a fact, that I'm not that damn funny."

"Oh, you're definitely that damn funny."

She waves him off, holding back a laugh of her own.

Lady by D'Angelo starts playing.

Without a word, Rod stands up and for a split second, she forgot how much taller he was than her.

He holds his hand out for her to take. "Will you dance with me?"

She nods, feeling those butterflies come back. He helps her down and leads her towards the floor.

They squeeze through, until the perfect spot is found.

Facing him and place her arms around his neck, while his hands rest on her waist. Her hips sway to the beat.

You're my little baby, my darling baby

I swear you're the talk of the town

And everybody wants to know what's going down

Babe, I know they've seen us before

He lip syncs, looking down at her. She chuckles, feeling like this song is perfect for what just took place.

His hands hang dangerously low on her hips, while his chin finds its way into the crook of her neck. She wraps her hands around his buff arms.

The drink she had earlier is starting to kick in, making her body feel incredibly warm, and him being so close and smelling so good makes her hotter.

"You feelin' alright?" He asks, sending a chill through her.

"Yeah," she gets out.

The song continues to play, but it sounds like background noise at this point. All she hears is thumping from the bass and her hormones are going crazy.

Pulling his face away from her neck, he stares down at her lips, knowing the thought is on both of their minds.

Throwing her nerves to the wind, she closes the small space between them, swearing she felt a spark as their lips touched.

She wasn't alone, either.

Pulling away, she stares at him, kinda unsure of what to say.

"Your lips taste good." He blurts out, making her smile.

༺═───────────────────────────────────────═༻

Walking her to her front door, she opens her clutch and pulls her keys out and turn towards him.

He smiles, pulling a strand of hair away from her face.

"I had fun, tonight."

"I did, too." She mirror his expression, unable to stop the little giggles that follow.

"Does this guarantee me a second date?"

"Maybe... maybe not." She tucks her lip between her teeth as he takes a step toward her, wrapping an arm around her waist.

She leans in and kisses him, again.

The door opens behind her. She pulls away from Rod and look behind her, finding Tyler with her arms folded over her chest with a smirk on her face.

"So," he says, as she turns back towards him, "I'll call you, tomorrow?"

He nods, still smiling as he pulls away and heads down the steps, back to his car.

She turns back to face Tyler. She steps aside and Stevie walks in, closing the door behind them, sitting her keys and clutch on the counter.

"Well, I definitely don't have to ask how your date went." Tyler says with a laugh.

"You kinda ruined the moment, though." She rolls her eyes and drags herself upstairs, her friend in tow.

"Aw, come on. That had to at least be a second kiss. You looked too comfortable."

She chuckles and pulls her heels off, sitting them back in her closet.

"You should be a detective or something, Jesus."

She plops down on her bed and swings her feet back and forth.

"You like him?" Tyler asks, making her look up at her and raise an eyebrow.

"I mean, I'd hope so. I don't just kiss random guys on my doorstep. That's your job." She winks, while she pretends to be hurt.

"Ew, they're never random, bitch. Don't try these lips!"

Stevie waves her off.

"Anyway, y'all are kinda cute. I adore the way he looks at you."

"There's a way he looks at me?"

She nods, beginning to laugh.

"Girl! That man looks like he's in total heaven when he's around you. How do you not see that?"

She shrugs. "I don't know... I guess I've never paid it any attention. I don't know what any of this stuff means!"

"It's okay, you'll figure it out. I can see y'all being official, real soon."

"That'd be... something. We'd have to go on more dates and shit, but I don't see a problem with that."

Tyler grins like the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland.

"Girl, go away! I'm sleepy as hell," she tosses one of her pillows at her, smacking her right in the face.

She sticks her middle finger up at her, before leaving out, with her pillow still on the floor.

She eventually stands back up to grab it and pull her clothes off.

Tossing them in her hamper, grabbing an oversized T-shirt and pull it over her head. She grabs a hair tie from her dresser and pulls her hair into a messy bun.

She pulls the covers back and slides into bed, turning her lamp off and tv on. The background noise helps her fall asleep, which is eventually what she ends up doing.

@soufcakmistress @504queen @ghostfacekill-monger @hearteyes-for-killmonger @uzumaki-rebellion @blowmymbackout @supersizemeplz @chaneajoyyy @captainsaveasmut @cocoa-puffs @nahimjustfeelingit-writes @daddy-killmonger @twistedcharismaaa @prettyisasprettydoes1306 @headcannonxgalore @quietstorm-thundathighs @sheabuttahwrites @thegifstories @blackerthings @becauseimswagman1 @cecereads209 @nayaxwrites @xsweetdellzx @blackburnbook @darqchilddaydreamz @killmongerdispussy @trippyscotch @emjayewrites @unfriendlyblkhotti3 @blackpinup22

[coquelicoq]

how aboutt jiang cheng, wei wuxian and jiang yanli for the ask game 👀

fuck, marry, kill but instead it’s get them randomly assigned as your lab partner for a whole semester, get trapped with them on a broken elevator for ten hours, and they’re your employee trainer for your new job at McDonalds

okay so the only way to do this is to eliminate the things i would definitely NOT want to be doing with wei wuxian and then go from there.

so wei wuxian: would NOT want to be his lab partner. i feel like he's good with his juniors but peers? a nightmare. i would be stressing about our lab notes and he would be finding five ways per period to blow something up. also i wouldn't be able to keep up with his leaps of genius and would feel self-conscious asking him to stop and explain over and over.

would also hate to be stuck in an elevator with him. he's opening panels and hotwiring shit and i'm calling my friends and family to say goodbye, convinced that i'll be plummeting to my death at any moment.

so i guess he has to be my mcdonald's trainer. actually that could be pretty positive? i would be his junior in that situation, and i feel like he'd be very patient in a training context. and he's very personable, which is nice to have in a coworker when you're in a customer-facing environment. i know if anybody started giving me shit he'd step in and help me out.

jiang cheng: would also not want to be stuck in an elevator for ten hours with him. definitely not as bad as wei wuxian, because he would stay within the bounds of normal behavior and i would not have to worry about him precipitating our demise, but it would be awkward. i'm not making small talk, he's not making small talk, i look like i want to murder everyone when i'm not actively trying not to look like that, he also kinda has that problem.

he would be a great lab partner though! hardworking, law-abiding, success-oriented: all things you want in someone with whom you're getting graded on your ability to jointly follow instructions. only potential issue is if wei wuxian is also in the class, because then there's a good chance jiang cheng is spending most of his time putting out his brother's literal and figurative fires.

jiang yanli would be an absolute joy to spend ten hours stuck in an elevator with. she's so attuned to the needs of others that no matter her own feelings she would definitely not be doing anything that could upset me in any way (this is not a good thing for her, but it would work out well for any stranger stuck in an elevator with her lol). in fact she would be going in the other direction and actively trying to put me at ease. we would probably end up talking the whole time about our little siblings, which is my absolute favorite topic.

the only potential downside is that (if we're imagining cql here) xuan lu is so pretty i might be flustered enough to pull a jin zixuan and blurt out some awkward compliment, but in this situation i wouldn't have jin zixuan's follow-up move (run far far away) available to me. i feel like we could get past that though. we'd have ten entire hours. i could probably get my face to emerge from the safety of my shirt (into which my head would have retreated, like a turtle) eventually.

[meraxes-of-new-albion]

What's it like being a zookeeper? What's your day like, and how'd you get into that?

Hi!

It's both really cool and really frustrating lol.

For context this is US, AZA based zoos; if you're elsewhere I have no idea whether the path that works here works elsewhere.

This got long so readmore.

I don't want to paint this career with rose tinted glasses. It's a passion career, and like all passion careers, you will be overworked, underpaid, and probably surrounded by reasonably privileged white people who can afford the overworked + underpaid. (I am absolutely no exception to this rule, btw.)

That said, a couple weeks ago I got to pet a Canada lynx. I've fed peanut butter to wolves, watched a secretary bird hunt, bonded with a Harris hawk, and made best friends with a plush-crested jay. You get the *coolest* stories, and it helps make the crappy parts of the job feel worthwhile; it's hard to resent your life when you're feeding bananas to a moose.

As far as career path goes, I'm still early in mine, but generally from talking to people, this is how it goes for most people: they go to a 4 year college/university for a degree in biology or something related -> they do at least one (unpaid :/) internship during college to get experience -> they work seasonally/part time at a zoo (generally several zoos, generally moving across the country multiple times)(this is where I'm at in my career) -> they get a full time, benefitted gig somewhere, and either work until a spot at a zoo they'd rather be at opens up, or they live the rest of their career there.

I'd like to stress this isn't the *only* career path - a lot of my coworkers here were dog trainers or what have you beforehand, a different coworker at a different zoo moved from guest services into a seasonal role and got hired on full time from there - but it is by far the most common one. This is also the reason we're pretty much all privileged white people - if you don't have family/friends who can subsidize three months worth of work that you don't get paid for, often you're a bit SOL. This is, very slowly, changing, apparently the MIlkwaukee zoo pays their interns for example, but it's still few and far between, and a very competitive field.

As far as my day to day goes, that changes a lot from zoo to zoo and even job to job - I'm a relief keeper here, so my day changes drastically based on which route I'm covering. At my previous zoo, I worked in their bird department, so my days were a bit more predictable; that was also a much bigger zoo so things like diet prep were handled by a completely different department rather than every route doing their own diets, or one person doing all of them every day. it's definitely worth investigating which kinds of animals you'd like to work with, and asking people who work with those specifically, if you can. For example, occasionally I serve as our second person to work the big cats - we have a two lock system so you can't accidentally let the lions out if you're cleaning in their yard, kind of thing. And I love our lions, and our snow leopards, but also... they're enormous, and terrifying, and sometimes uncooperative as anything. They're cool! But not an animal I'd want to work with every day.

General pros and cons:

Cons:

Pay :/ the mcdonalds I drive past every day would pay me a solid $3 more an hour. And probably give me paid time off.

You will work weekends and holidays. I've worked every holiday for the last two years.

Culture - so here's the thing. Zookeepers, as a group, are people who went individually in their lives "Hey i really suck at people skills. I know! I'll work with animals instead!" and then you put all of them together in the same room with animals they're emotionally invested in. Petty office drama, toxic management, and other such problems are common. We skew leftist and queer but that doesn't mean we have conflict resolution skills.

You are very, very, very likely to end up moving states at least once in your career.

pros:

No two days are ever the same. there's always something new to learn, some new problem to solve, something you all have to pull together and help with. Whether that be relocating an alligator, unloading a frozen meat delivery, a news crew hanging around, or something else, there's always something to change up the day.

The work you're doing never feels like a perpetual motion machine - it always has meaning to it. Everything you do benefits an animal you probably know personally, by name. You get to share those stories, those individuals, with the visitors who stop and ask; if you're lucky, they might go home and learn more about those animals. We all thrive by the concept of "You protect what you care about; you care about what you know; you know about what you are taught". Did I know kori bustards existed before I worked with them? no. Do I care now, and I'm glad to know they're no longer poached for fly fishing bait thanks to (i think) CITES in the 80s and 90s? You bet I do they're wonderful animals.

Your life, the everyday mundanity of it, becomes something that other people will always consider you the most interesting person in the room for. I don't get to work with said lynx very often anymore, due to staffing changes and whatnot, but every morning like clockwork Carson would meet you at the fence and follow you right along it to the den, because he knew you had his breakfast. It felt mundane, after a while, but it's always worth the moment of acknowledging "wow I actually get to hang out with some lynx today. That's pretty cool."

Hopefully this actually answers your question lol. It's not something I'd trade for anything, but I don't want to paint it as a world full of snuggling wolf puppies and rainbows and sunshine, because it's not that, either. It's sometimes grueling, frustrating, bitter work, full of frustrations about budgets and supplies and not having enough hours in the day. But then you go and you hang out with the giraffes for a couple minutes, and that in itself is wonderfully grounding.

so yeah. Hope this helps!

[house-in-the-backyard-trees]

guys gals and nonbinary pals I think I am finally getting a backbone.

so yesterday my coworker said she was gonna go pick up garbage outside the hour before I was to leave. she ended up sitting in her car for that time. ticked me off but I was about to leave when I caught her so I didn't say anything to her. told my manager about it though. today, after she shows up an hour after her scheduled start time bc she forgot what time she started (everybody has days like that but it's literally all the time with her. yesterday she called me and asked what time she worked. like she's constantly late and it's not just a one time thing with her) she went outside a few times to get some food from her car. it was fine but I kept glancing outside to make sure that she wasn't going out there to sit again. the third time she goes out and started cleaning out her car like an hour and a half into her shift. I was like nuh uh so I armed myself with the garbage bags (I find I can yell at people better if I'm holding something lol) and went to check the trash and make sure that was what she was doing. But she had all her doors and her trunk open and a plastic bag in her hands. So I marched over there and said get inside now you are here to work not clean out your car and she said I'm getting to it and I said no now I am not standing in there and working all by myself while you get to be out here and clean out your car that is not what you're here for and she started going on about how she was just gonna leave and that they already cut her hours and I may or may not have said because you don't do anything. she pulls the 'i'm by myself all the time' crap which literally no the fuck she is not our manager changed the schedule so at most she is by herself like 2 hours bc she cannot be trusted to do literally anything alone or even with another coworker and I said you know what so am I i've been here alone since you got here and I kind of blacked out and forget what all I said to her. But we went back inside and there was three people in line bc it's a Sunday and right around when church gets finished up and we get BUSY. and then we didn't say a single word to each other the rest of my shift except for when I ordered a frappe (as a reward for yelling at her lmao) and I looked over at McDonald's to see if it was ready and I didn't know she was over there waiting for food but she was like IM JUST WAITING FOR MY FOOD like I was looking to see what she was doing and that I was gonna drag her back over to the registers by her ears. She ended up putting the dates on the pastries I had out thawing. Yelling at her makes her work apparently. bc she will literally just stand there and do nothing all shift perfectly content to let everyone else do everything. if she was gonna get on the phone and just stand there I was all fired up I was about to tell her that the cappuccino machine needed cleaned. I'm tired of being the only one that does stuff here and i'm tired of her getting away with everything. I'm so close to getting another job and I really don't want to bc I like this job it is easy when I don't have to deal with the bullshit and it's close.

[basilsbestpainting]

For pride month thos year I want to share the absolute wildest take I've ever heard since coming out as trans.

So, I was working at McDonalds as a 17 year old in a small town. They refused to call me by my chosen name until I had legally changed it, which was interesting to me considering a lot of my coworkers were gay and bisexual.

Well. Late one night, after the rest of the minors had gone home and I was waiting on the other manager to finish up so she could drive me home (she was my neighbor), the night shift manager started up a conversation about being trans with me. And Oh Boy did she have some ice cold takes. This bisexual woman asked me a bunch of questions (I can't remembered all of the, it's been 6 years) before ending our conversation on this gem:

"Only intersex people are truly transgender. You'll never truly transition, you weren't born that way like them"

I just stared at her, so fucking baffled. I could not figure out anything she meant from that sentence, it was as if she suddenly started speaking a separate language.

[hospitalterrorizer]

diary60

11/10-11/2023

friday - saturday

a worrisome day.

today began okay. i don't remember my dream. no, i do, another one about vacation, this time, in the desert, on the way to some kind of theme park, in an ugly little town, an ugly little rollercoaster, a sideshow attraction, it turned out to be where we were headed, and in a family restaurant stuck to the attraction, we sat, plastic from 1991, graphics from 1991, it reminded me of all the old mcdonald's playplaces, it made me feel dirty. the car felt impossible and fast, we were a bullet along the desert, it used to be an ocean floor, i thought about that, the coaster had an aquatic theme. fast like crashing waves, maybe something about tsunamis. orange-red letters fly across a wave, the graphic that advertised it. i was there, an amalgam of a family, all the one's i've had, my gf's mom, my father, my extended family in all circles met in a center i don't ever want to see materialize, and i felt trapped all over again. i really have been traumatized by travel i think. it's good for your soul, but i go to these ugly places, my dreams absorb new terrain, but it all makes me sad. all i can say is oh well, tonight's only made me sad, i say oh well, i hope by the end of everything i will be there laughing, like my friend was tonight, after sobbing, in fury i think, about a man she's served at work came in and kept asking about her breasts. she couldn't say anything, her coworkers didn't do anything. i was wishing the whole time i was hearing that i heard, and that if i heard, i would do something. but what if i didn't, i could be a coward, apparently everybody's a coward, it's 90% of the world. that makes me want to kill myself. i don't want to be a coward, and i never want to have to prove i'm not, because i don't want the world to be bad, but the world is bad. we are on a cursed star. i don't think it's possible to say otherwise.

first tonight, was the breast themed birthday party. it was sad, the woman turned 26, she got very drunk, natural i guess, a 35 year old alcoholic in denial because she only gets wasted socially and every day is social and every day is a party and begging for shots is just fun and not a suicidal urge making itself a joke like everyone's trained themselves to do, kept asking everyone to take shots. she entered the room, and said: shots, i think it's time for shots. it was like a cartoon. she does this all the time. the woman who was being celebrated, she had a shambolic casual sex situation she was trying to handle, the man saying he can't anymore, while still showing up to the party, showing some kind of interest still. maybe he just really wants to be friends, and wants things to be pure between them. i hope that's the case, i don't want more men to be evil. at the same party, a 35 year old man who had been evil to a 26 year old woman, not the same one celebrating, another, were both there, and he alone and she with friends, all hating him silently. we don't know how he was evil. it just makes me sick knowing, distantly, that it was something unforgivable. all the people kept partying, i got upset at my girlfriend as she got very drunk, and got handsy, and wouldn't listen to me, i asked her to not scream my name during the part of the night where they judged breasts and she screamed my name for the nip slip award or whatever (the award being tiny and plastic and useless). she says no one cares, i saw people staring but less than that, i asked her not to, but she did, that still upsets me, even after this pretty long night, it still sticks under the skin. i wish she didn't, how hard is it to respect me even a little. i know she does, so i'm just being dramatic. everything just makes me sick now. i got to see our couple friends, they were very nice, and happy to be with us, we chatted shit about the people there. i said loudly, to one: these people don't care about me. and i said loudly, at the room: these poet-artists don't care about me, or anyone, i am invisible and i could be crushed like an insect, i am here to be crushed, no one cares, no one hears or sees. no one heard or saw. i know outbursts like that only make people uncomfortable. something is wrong with me and i kept doing it tonight. maybe i'll remember more to say about the party tomorrow. the celebrator touched my arm weird, in pulses, sadly i think. people said i was pretty, because i think they thought i didn't want to go up out of shame, and not because i just know i didn't want to. anyway, maybe more on this tomorrow.

we went to a rave. the music upset me, until a certain point. all the same, all minimal techno and hard to the point of being a grey 90 degree angle, and the same forever, until a song came on everyone recognized, and they posed a little and whatever. there was a dog, there was a baby. they are important. the dog was ugly but beautiful, the baby was sad. we met my other friend there, he made a joke about wanting to kick the bassist out of his band, but i wanted it to not be a joke. it's so much to put in writing. i am so tired. i will try and journey fully, for nobody, myself only. i couldn't hear that well, i put earplugs in, the music doesn't matter, only the people matter, so i hovered around them as much as possible, just talking, everything was important but i like those secrets. at one point, i ran off, around the corner, i stood on the corner watching some cars, i think i must have looked like a lady of the night, a car stopped on the corner, a stop sign, for so long, i can't fathom why other than to hope maybe i would come over or something. obviously i didn't. a guy on his bike did a double take at me, i think to figure out whether or not i have a cock. my gf and my friend's gf but also our friend and her friend and you know, came around the corner, i ran off again and triggered this thing to go off, like, an alert, a woman's automated voice rang into the night that we were being monitored in a restricted area.

when we came back, we lingered outside, and i was leaning against this shutter door thing. a woman in a crop top came out, super low rise jeans too, and was flirting with a man, her friend with her flirting with another. crop top produced a bag of drugs, did a keybump. i kept saying, oh my god she has drugs, she did drugs off a key, oh my god, god and jesus and her dad and mom and the cops and earth saw and knows forever. over and over again. i don't know why. it was funny. later on, we got to a long discussion about the bass player, my friend wasn't there, only the other friend who is his lover and my gf and myself. saying basically: he is a guy only in a band to get laid, he wants to be the face of the band, he doesn't even want to play bass anymore really, his ego is huge. just all kinds of shit. then we left, with our friend. we talked to him about it in the car, we talked to him about it in the restaurant. basically, he doesn't know what to do, he doesn't know the bassist well even, he doesn't understand him fully, other people feel how we feel even, and my friend is also totally disengaged with the band, he's become bored with it, and he feels like after this, he'll never do another one again. i hope that's not true, i want him to just be happy again though, with music, and if maybe giving up on band stuff would help him, then whatever. but he is a very good musician, he should be listened to, but isn't, because his bandmates want to stick themselves to an ugly trend rn, of becoming a band that's like deftones kind of. before that though, my gf and our friend went off to this front room, the rave still happening, but this was a warehouse attached to an apartment almost, basically, and the baby was there, and the dog, and what my friend and i saw as we walked to our gfs, was his holding the baby, consoling it while it shrieked, and my gf, weeping, saying this baby is going to have a worse life than she did, and that this is like trainspotting, and weeping. and neither of us knew what to do. the dog was alone with the baby before, protecting it. the mother came eventually, someone who owned the business i suppose, or related to that end of things. it made me want to cry too, i didn't. i felt bad for everything. we saw a white claw in the drink holder part of the baby carriage. the world is very bad.

now i'm home. we ate at a restaurant, talked about things with my friend, he is just very depressed right now, and it's almost like there's not much pulling him out, other than being around people. it's sad that music isn't doing it for him. he is very angry right now too it feels like, i understand, he is like stuck and it's because of others in part, and shedding that weight would be selfish, but maybe that would be best. everyone feels impotent tonight, i feel bad for everyone, i can't help him, or his gf, with simply suffering for being born and being attractive to men, being treated as a place to stuff desire.

i am glad i saw them though, i love my friends. i guess at least something feels nice about knowing we can handle bad times together.

these circumstances could not make anyone happy.

byebye!!!!!

[zzzaaafffaaarrr]

I wanted love until I turned 15

After I turned 15 I stopped caring

But I felt guilty

We moved into this beautiful house

Everything became achievable again

It was grade 10, 2010

Before then we mostly lived in basements

I did my best to survive

I took everyone’s emotions

And I decided to love myself the most

Because if I love myself, I didn’t need to react

Once we moved here

I decided I wanna be happy

I told everyone that’s what I want from life

And to my surprise

Everyone else felt the same way

I could tell life was difficult for everyone

I learned to help myself

And I wanted other people to learn how

After highschool, 2012

I felt school was too traumatizing for me to go back

I decided to get a job at McDonald’s

I liked myself a lot

But it still felt like people didn’t understand me

I simply wanted to be useful and get a new life out of it

I got a lot of confidence at that job

I proved myself to myself

In hindsight, I really overexerted my mind and body

I didn’t wanna become a manager there

I knew that I was ashamed of the reputation

I was meant for good and healthy things

Working at jugo juice was fun

I enjoyed everything about that job

It was a lot of work

And the salad wraps created angry customers everyday

Making those wraps literally made me want to kms

But other than the exhaustion

It was pleasant

Coworkers were fun

Customers were appreciative and conversational

And I began reading psychology in my free time

I’d always been shy and anxious talking to people

But I felt like I could talk to people easier after reading some psychology

After some years at jugo, I was told that I need to get another job or go to school

Everyone was pulling me

I knew exactly what everyone wanted from me

I couldn’t stop thinking about it

It made me depressed

Because all I really wanted to do, was make art and learn things on my own

I only had one friend who encouraged that

I didn’t know what to do

So I tried to do all of it

My dad wanted me

I visited him

My mom wanted me to get another job

So I had 2 jobs

My sisters wanted me to go to school

I juggled it well in the beginning

My chest hurt but it was all going

And then it just crashed

I couldn’t get out of bed

I just wanted my chest to stop hurting

It felt like no matter how hard I try

Nobody will get better

The only person who actually listened was my friend

I love him because he literally changed to be a better friend for me

Nobody did that before

I felt like I was actually able to achieve my purpose with him

But my family just kept pulling

And my guilt drove me

My life was in shambles in 2018

Things just kept crashing down

So I ran away

To my dad

The businessman

Life became calm

Predictable

But I was going insane on the inside

I didn’t even know

I just kept going

Tried to make things better for the business

I told myself, “just do it for the money”

“Just get yourself on the will”

“Put your name on the business”

But I always do things different

I couldn’t focus on my work

I spent most of my time making art

And I didn’t want anyone to know

I just felt too guilty about it

I should’ve finished the paperwork yesterday

It literally only took a few hours

I just didn’t trust that I was gonna get anything

It felt like the story of my life

I do the hard things

For nothing but pain

The narrative of my life played this way every few years

I just wanted to trust people

But I knew these people were too fickle

I knew my parents traumas

I knew my siblings traumas

I think they know mine now too

I wanted to be the fixer of the house

If you’re struggling, I’ll do it for you

But it felt like I had to “be a man” when I tripped

And I did

I didn’t complain

I didn’t say no

I made plans and used mental tricks to keep me going

It was a little easier with my dad

Because he never brings up the past

He automatically calms me

He’s actually good for my mental health

I can give into the active and sensory around him

He kept me improving

But I don’t know why

I just got depressed again

Maybe I needed a new toy

I asked him for a MacBook

He told me to sell 3 cars

I sold 4 within the week

But I felt guilty

Did I deserve this MacBook?

What if I betray him someday?

What if this is a mistake?

What if I can’t trust his love?

I got my fun toy

But I didn’t feel I deserved it

I wanted to make art on it

But even that filled me with guilt

My dad never splurged on himself

I just saw him work and work and work

We always did the frugal thing

He tried his fucking best to make me smile

I just didn’t wanna give it to anyone

Only my friends deserved that love

After 5 or 6 months, my time with my dad ended

He wanted me to stay

I actually enjoyed the pace of his life

He treated me like a prince

I acted like his son

But I felt better thinking I was his bodyguard/driver

He didn’t accept my help with his work

I was barely focusing on my work

I had college coming up

He asked me if I could withdraw

I told him I’ll come back when I’m done

When I came back home in 2019

Everything just pounded me

The speed of everything was jarring

I could only focus on my art and music

And I had college coming up in a few weeks

I decided “fuck it”

And I just kept moving my body

It felt like I made no progress anywhere but art

When I entered the design program

I realized I’d already learned everything on my own

It was frustrating

Because the busses were exhausting

My home life became depressing and retraumatizing

I couldn’t spend any time at school because I was always worried I’d miss my last bus

Getting out of bed was an ordeal

Getting to school was exhausting

And at school, I just kept remembering past traumas

I wanted to be a chill dude, but I was overflowing with pain

When class ended, all I wanted to do was get to the bus

I wanted to get home so I could relax

Work on my homework

And possibly sleep

I’ve never been good at sleep

It’s always been difficult to sleep

I usually fall asleep after sunrise

But it’s always been fluctuating

I remember talking about it a lot around age 6 and 7

Our family doctor said it’s normal

Anyways

At some point

I stopped finishing assignments and stopped going to some classes

I just felt exhausted failing everything

I even fucked up some stuff my friends were planning because of the exhaustion

I stayed in bed for weeks

Only coming out to hang with my friends

Everything continued to fall apart

But I kept making promises to put it back together

I made so many promises to so many people

And then the pandemic happened

I felt like I died before the pandemic

And then so many people died

I got numb

I gave up

I gave up on physical existence

I made my own existence online

I could do what I want online

Nobody could tell me what to do

I could ignore everything they wanted

I could build myself my own home

I could be honest and authentic

I could make stuff beautiful

And when I go out into the real world

Nothing could effect me

If I kept my cap on

My head down

And blast some rave music

I could get through physical existence without a scratch

I can say here

I’m a virgin, and I don’t wanna care

But in the real world, people have assumptions

They’re wondering “what is he hiding by saying that”

Most doctors seem to think I’m hiding something half the time

I’m doing my best to make sense of the memories

But I compartmentalize everything

It causes locational and situational memory loss

I do my best not to be hyperbolic for effect

But I wanna be hyperbolic sometimes

When something is truly beyond words

Tho I know it causes misunderstanding

So maybe I should be more responsible with my understanding of my past

Regardless, I don’t know what I’m doing here

It just feels better to spew here

I do what I like

I don’t really wanna change for people

I just wanna make things a bit better for myself and others

I guess I’ll see how I feel when I read this over

[marveliter]

Surprise | Doc Ock

Summary: You are at work six months after Otto had his nightmare, and while on break you get a very special visit from the criminal boyfriend you’re harboring, who decided to grow out his beard as to not be noticed by the public, and your coworkers become jealous at how good-looking he is.

A/N: Yes. I’m obsessed with bearded Otto. I think we were robbed not seeing him bare chested and bearded in NWH…definitely more bare chested bc come on that look is iconic. Also...how would y’all feel about the Single Word Series being on Wattpad w/ an OC I’ve made up? ;) Just a thought! Anyways! No warnings! Except mention of age gap. Only fluff! :) 

The Single Word Series 

6 MONTHS LATER 

“Jim doesn’t do anything when I’m here. He doesn’t think to ask the kids if they’re hungry--as a parent, you should know that your kids need some dinner, right?” your coworker, Michelle was complaining about her nice but also oblivious husband.        Katherine, your other coworker scoffs, “Tell me about it. Andrew gets my kids McDonalds--that’s a Friday treat for after school, like getting ice cream, and when I’m not home that’s his idea of dinner for them. Casey is a picky eater, and I’m trying to get him to lean away from the same foods he eats everyday.”        Joss, your other, other coworker, pipes up, “I don’t have kids, but my boyfriend basically is like a baby without me.”        You hear your three coworkers scoff, laugh and groan at the things their husbands and boyfriends do while you open your small plastic container of sliced peaches. You didn’t really like the hospital food, and when your break started, you weren’t as hungry as you should be. You were only three hours into your shift, evening coming soon, and you were slightly dreading eating the pasta that was going to be served. The hospital food wasn’t bad, but pasta was always a reoccurrence for dinner. It got old quickly.        “How about yours?” you hear Michelle asked.        You looked up from your peach container, a peach slice on your plastic fork as you looked across the table at your three coworkers.        “Huh?” you asked.        “You know, that boyfriend of yours we’ve never met,” Katherine smirked and raised a brow at you. 

      “Yeah,” Joss giggled. “You’ve been dating him for what? A few months now? And we haven’t met him yet?”        “He might not even be real then!” Katherine cackled.        You felt your cheeks grow warm, and immediately the women laughed. “Six months!” you said, being a good sport. “I’ve been dating him for six months--well, coming up on six months. And you don’t see him because I’m always here, and he’s always at home, so we like spending time together on my days off.”        It sounded like a lie, like you didn’t want them to meet Otto, but it was true. Most of the time.        Now that it’d been a few months since you found Otto in the harbor, everyone felt good about not having any interesting criminals running around New York climbing onto buildings or flying on machines. Now, Spider-Man was only working with robbed banks and criminals in driveaway cars. Which meant everyone forgot about Doc Ock, forgot about Otto Octavius.        Everyone but you.        Usually when you had a few days off, you would rest up one day, go out with Otto the next and then spend time with him in your apartment the next. Most of your off days were spent with Otto either curled up in bed or on the couch watching movies. And in the mornings on your off days, you both would make fun of J. Jonah Jameson trying to find anything to harp on Spider-Man for ever since his last villain, being your criminal boyfriend of the past six months, had disappeared. It was your first ever good relationship--and though it was half a year strong, you were happier than ever. However, dating your harboring criminal boyfriend came with a few cons, like not bragging too much about him to the point where your coworkers and friends wanted to meet him.        However, this made everyone question if you even had a boyfriend, like now. 

      “What’s his name?” Katherine asked. “Oswalt?”        You made a face at her, trying not to let your agitation show.        “Otto,” you corrected.        Michelle started being kind. “Awe, I love that. It’s cute!”        “It sounds old.” Joss said. But then she saw your eyes move to her, to which she quickly added, “But cute!”        Michelle was nearly the only coworker who could be genuinely nice, Katherine wasn’t exactly genuine, and Joss was a kiss-ass. Joss was also the closest to your age, maybe a year or two older, but she wanted to so badly be part of a group that gossiped and made her self-esteem grow, so she attached herself to the two middle-aged women she worked with and tried to match their “maturity.” You called it something else. Not a nice word, but one that fitted the three better than “mature.”        You smiled at the thought of Otto. “It is such a cute name. Fits him too.”        “I love it when people look like their name. I can’t imagine them as any other.” Michelle said.        “Me too.” Joss agreed. As always.        Katherine wanted to be included, and said your name before adding, “I notice you snack a lot on the fruit cups here. You know as nurses we have an employee discount.”        You shrug as you munch on a peach. “Having spaghetti three days in a row when you work gets old. Especially when coworkers keep requesting it and you can’t stomach it anymore.”        “But it’s a discount,” Joss tried jumping onto Katherine’s good side.        But Michelle was being very genuine with you today. “Ugh! Tell me about it. You weren’t here last week, but I worked four days in a row, and for four days in a row it was Walking Tacos for the main meal. I hated it. So I did the next worst thing and ate a salad.” she cackled at the end, making you smile.        Joss then gave into Michelle’s point, “Yeah, that’s annoying.” 

      You wanted to roll your eyes. Even though it’d been a while since high school, people still needed cliques and such to fit in anywhere. Even worse, they still talked and gossiped like it was high school.        “So,” Katherine twisted the straw in her cup. “Back to this fake boyfriend--”        “He’s not fake,” you smiled. This joke you could take, but what you couldn’t take was the annoying pushes for them to meet Otto. You wanted to show Otto off, tell your coworkers how he was better than their husbands and boyfriends in need of babysitting. However, there was one thing Otto had told you that he felt embarrassed about now that he was with you--this scared you, thinking he was saying that he was embarrassed to be with you, but he was more embarrassed about himself.        “He’s. . .just a little shy,” you told the women with a shrug. “He’s an introvert, but I think we can all be either or, he just prefers to stay at home.”        “So, you haven’t introduced him to anyone?” Joss asked. “Not even your parents? Friends?”       You forced a chuckle, but it ultimately came out weak, “Don’t have parents, and my close friends are all scattered through the burrows.”        “You haven’t even introduced him to your friends?” Katherine asked. “Really?”        “Well,” you awkwardly shrugged. “He gets nervous. He’s a little insecure about one thing,”        Even as you said it, six eyes went wide. Oh great, you thought, they’re hooked now.        “Oh?” Katherine sat back and fiddled with her straw from her cup again. “And what’s that?”        You hated yourself for letting it slip, but now they had to know, and you worried about the reaction they were going to give you. You parted your lips to speak, eyes looking away from theirs.        The one thing that worried Otto about being with you was-- 

      Someone spoke your name, someone who wasn’t the three women. The voice sounded curious, a little confused, and belonging to a man.        A man you knew.        You and the women turn towards the opening leading into the break room, and for a moment, no one was there, but then you saw him in the doorway.        Him.        Your mouth dropped into an open smile, eyes wide with awe. 

      Otto stood in the doorway, long black jacket over a black crewneck and blue jeans. When his eyes fell on your face the moment you both realized you were in the same room, he smiled. A lot of things about Otto changed in the last few months that you and Otto had started dating, growing closer. His hair grew darker and longer, gray streaks peaking through strands of hair, his brown eyes were brighter, his skin peachier and along with the gray streaks in his hair, he’d grown out a salt and pepper beard as well. In the beginning of letting it grow out, he said it would change his appearance just the slightest so he could go out more without fearing of anyone recognizing him. Well, no one had given him the slightest idea that he looked like the man with four metallic limbs, even when the actuators were hidden under a coat or jacket.        You were worried about the summer coming up, as you had met Otto in the fall, and it was April now. The weather in New York was starting to warm up, and your boyfriend was still insecure about his four metal limbs sticking out from his back. 

      “Oh my God!” you laughed, standing up from the round table, approaching him with open arms. You hugged, feeling the metal part of the waistband against your stomach as Otto held you close. You didn’t mind it, as Otto gave great hugs anyway. “Wh-what are you doing here?” you asked.        That’s when you notice the plastic bag in Otto’s hand as you let each other go from the hug. He held it up and handed it out to you.        “It’s for you.” he said. “You were pretty clear on how you don’t like eating the dinner food here.” He chuckled as you punched him in the arm.        “That’s exactly what we were talking about a second ago!” you gesture to your coworkers, whose faces were stuck in shocked expressions, eyeing Otto up and down. “Oh,” you turned back to Otto. “Guys, this is Otto, my boyfriend. Otto, these are my coworkers, Katherine, Michelle and Joss. We’re all on rounds for tonight.”        Katherine moved her shocked expression away from you and Otto to Michelle next to her, while Joss was still staring wide-eyed at Otto with an open jaw. Michelle must’ve kicked her in the shin, because Michelle cleared her throat as Joss closed her mouth and shook her head.        “It--it’s so nice to meet you,” Michelle smiled. She started twirling a long fly away in front of her ear.        You looked from her to Katherine, who was looking Otto up and down in wide eyes. You weren’t sure what she was feeling, but you could see her swallowing hard. Otto stayed standing next to you, but gave the women a little wave.        “S-So, what do you do, Otto?” Michelle asked, her tone becoming lighter, interested.        Otto nervously chuckled, “I’m a physicist, I do projects dealing with nuclear fusion.”        All three women stared and blinked at him before you laughed, “I don’t get it either. But I like it when he talks about it.” 

      You look up at Otto and put an arm around him, smiling. He does the same, looking down at you with a warm smile.        “How did you two meet again?” Katherine asked, lips forming a smile but her eyes narrowing.        “I was on an early morning jog when I met him down at the harbor,” you told them. That was true!        “I was collecting odd objects that washed onto the shore,” Otto smiled. That was not true! But you both knew you couldn’t tell the true story--and that was pretty unfortunate in your eyes.        Joss took Katherine’s lead and narrowed her eyes at the two of you, but mostly Otto. “You’re very. . .” she puckered her lips in search of the right word. “Tall.” you thought she nearly hissed it, but also, you didn’t care for Joss, so anything that came out from her mouth sounded weird. You saw her bright eyes move to the two other women, to which Katherine nodded and caught on.        “Yes. . .tall.” she told Otto.        You furrow your brows as another coworker you liked a hell of a lot more, Quincey, walked in from another doorway. She greeted you by name, and then in the same way Michelle was looking at Otto, her eyes grew wide and a smile fell on her face.        “Hi,” she greeted Otto, then her eyes looked to you as if to say Is this him? You nodded with a smile at Quincey, who smirked. You only told Quincey about what Otto looked like, appearance and all--besides the actuators, of course.        “Hello,” Otto smiled at Quincey.        “You must be Otto!” she smiled, looking between you and him. “I’ve heard so much about you. So nice to put a name to a face--and a handsome one too.” Quincey winked at you, to which you playfully nudged Otto with your hips and smiled at him.       Otto nervously chuckled, “Why thank you, though she makes me look better.” Otto looked down at you, and to his remark you slapped his arm again.        “No I do not!” you laughed with him. “You are handsome damnit!”        You, Otto, Quincey, and even Michelle laughed, though she laughed a little louder. That made Joss and Katherine eye her. 

      “So what is this not-so-mysterious-man-anymore doing here at the hospital?” Quincey asked as she grabbed herself a soda.        You lift up the plastic bag and smile. “I’m not eating pasta again tonight!”        Quincey cheered, making you and Otto laugh.        “That’s so sweet of you to bring her dinner,” Michelle sweetly sighed to Otto.        Otto shrugged. “Charity work.” That earned him another playful slap on the arm from you.        “You’re done now. Bye.” you giggled, pushing him out of the doorway.        Otto chuckled as he waved to all the other women inside, wishing them a goodbye. You and Otto walked a few feet away from the breakroom so you and him could have your own conversation. 

      “Thank you so much for this,” you told him. “I really appreciate it.”        “I thought you’d enjoy a change since the last time you worked it was pasta again. Seems like I came at a good time.” he replied.        You nodded. “You did. It was nice seeing someone not in scrubs or a patient dress for the first time today.”        You and Otto laugh as he brings you in close for a hug, to which you get on your tip toes to kiss him. Short and sweet, but it put big smiles on your faces.        “Your coworkers seem nice.” he told you.        You nod but shrug. “Yeah. They’re nice enough. Quincey is my favorite though,” you whispered that last part, making Otto chuckle.        “I hear her name a lot from your work stories. She seems lovely.”        “She is,” you smile.        “At least she wasn’t staring at me with open mouths.” Otto chuckled.        “Yeah I’m not so sure what that was about, but I think Michelle has the hots for you.” you told him, then crossed your arms. “Don’t get any ideas now.”        “The only idea I have is an escape plan in case she and I end up in the same room alone.” Otto remarked.        You both laughed and hugged again, but this hug stuttered for a moment before Otto looked behind you, then went, “Hello, Joss!” 

      Turning around, you catch Joss’ blond hair dart back through the doorway. You turned to Otto, covering your mouth to keep from laughing.        “What the hell?” you laugh. “So weird!”        Otto chuckled and gave you a proper hug. “I’ll wait for you back at home, dear.”        You smile and hold him a little tighter. “I’ll be counting down the minutes.”        You both kissed one last time before you both parted, and you walked alone back into the breakroom. You heard whispers immediately die the moment you walked in. Quincey was still next to the sodas, behind the table of the three women. 

      “What?” you ask the three women at the table as you move to the fridge to put your dinner inside. “He clearly saw the way you all were looking at him--and me too, I saw. What’s on your guys’ minds?”        Katherine looked shock at your words. “I’ve never seen this confrontational side of you before.”        You shrug. “You guys are gawking and talking about my boyfriend--one that I really like and enjoy spending my time with, of course I’m going to confront you about him.” You cross your arms and look at the women. “So, what’s on everyone’s minds?” You tried not to smile seeing Quincey smile at your newfound confidence.        Katherine and Joss looked to Michelle, who started giggling. You eyed Michelle, who began blushing.        “He’s hot!” she exclaimed. You, her and Quincey started laughing, but Michelle had even more to say. “He’s so hot!”        Katherine was the one to put an end to the laughter. “Isn’t that weird?” she asked. “I mean, how much older is he than you? That’s weird, right?” she looked around as if there was a larger audience in the breakroom.        “I think so,” Joss shrugged, siding with Katherine. 

      You shrug. “I mean, he’s definitely out of my age range, but it’s not like I’m extremely young. I’m not fresh out of college.”        “But you’re near my age, right?” Joss asked. “Right?”        That didn’t help your case, but who cares? You certainly didn’t. Otto made you happy, and you were going to brag about it.        “Yeah.” you shrugged. “I am. But he treats me right. He’s kind to me, he likes going out with me--”        “He brought her dinner!” Quincey added. “Now, who’s boyfriend or husband has done that for them?”        She mostly looked between Katherine and Joss, who looked away from her.        “He’s a keeper!” Michelle nodded. “I don’t know what twist of fate brought you two together, and I love Jim, but I’m so jealous of you right now.”        “And he’s a scientist!” Quincey stated, then looked at you and said, “You’re a sugar baby.”        You cackled with her and Quincey, and then Joss joined.        “That’s funny!” she said, but her kiss-ass smile faded when you gave her a look.        “Well, we’re all jealous over your older, hotter, thinks about you all the time boyfriend--I need a man to think about what I’m eating for dinner!” Quincey laughed. “But anyways, I’m happy for you, as you know.” 

      You nod and smile at her before you check your watch. “Ugh,” you groan. “Gotta get back to my rounds. Bye, ladies.”        Quincey approached you. “I’ll walk with you.”        You smile. “I’d like that.” And you waved goodbye to the three women before you and Quincey walked out of the breakroom.        When you both were far enough away so not even Joss could hear your conversation, Quincey snickered.        “Girl, you have all those women in there wishing they had your man.”        You laugh, “Michelle was eyeing him and twirling her hair.”        “Hide him from her.” Quincey laughed. “And it doesn’t seem like it, but Katherine is so jealous you snagged Otto. She wants a rich old man to care for her like that.”        You roll your eyes and laugh. “I don’t see him as old! I see him as a man who treats me right.”        “As you should!” Quincey exclaimed.        “He’s not exactly rich either.” you tell her. “I’m just happy to be with him.”        “He feels the same way. I know it.” she winked. “Keep him, and don’t ever let him go.”        “I plan to.” you smile. 

[fatiguing-thoughts]

"Victoria's Game III" - Embry Call x Reader

Summary: Part III to "Victoria's Game" a n g s t c i t y Read Part One / Part Two / Part Three / Part Four here

As time went on, the paranoia only grew.

Embry's soothing words were no longer comforting. The constant patrolling of the pack and the Cullens merely brought more fear into me.

The constant protecting didn't make me feel safe, it only reminded me of the impending doom coming my way.

It reminded me of her.

"Please." Embry whispers. His tired, sunken in eyes searching for any sign of life in my own eyes, seemingly devoid of life.

"Embry, I can't help it. If I could, I would. I- I just can't calm down." I argued, looking up into those chocolate brown eyes I fell in love with. "I just can't handle the fact that I'm a target. I even more can't stand that you're all-"

"Don't even say that. Don't think of it like that. We just want you safe, and we'll do anything to do it." He interrupts, his eyes piercing mine further.

"I just feel so guilty." I whisper, slightly shaking my head.

"Please, don't... If anything- it's me who needs to feel the guilt."

"Why would you feel any ounce of guilt? You're torturing yourself to protect me." I shake my head in confusion.

"I'm the reason she's after you." His voice was full of disgust as he once again blamed himself. "I didn't want you brought into this world, and here you are. A leech trying to... to take you from me as some form of sick revenge. I didn't want this for you."

"Em..." I murmur, not able to say much as I found my mouth hanging agape; watching his face contort in regret as his eyes squeezed shut. "This is not your fault, you didn't ask for any of this."

"I just wish I could keep you safe."

"You do keep me safe."

"If you were safe, we wouldn't have to be doing this right now. She wouldn't be able to get you if you were safe." His eyes grew cloudy, tears threatening to spill.

I couldn't shake the pained look on his face from my mind. Flashbacks of last night's conversation echoed through the walls of my skull.

I look over at the clock, listening to the agonizing tick tock noise it made every second. My shift would end in five minutes and I'd once again be met with Embry, Jake, and Quil waiting for me in the truck to be driven home.

Embry has barely left my side, unless he has to patrol. However, patrol usually happened outside of my house. I understood where he was coming from, I just knew he was absolutely exhausted.

In-fact, I knew they all were exhausted. I appreciated everything they did, more than I could put into words.

I noticed as Embry walked into the entrance of the office I worked in, his kind eyes searching for me sitting at my desk. I grabbed my bag and walked over to him.

I felt his feverish lips press a soft kiss to the top of my head as we waved goodbye to my coworkers.

I insisted we stopped at McDonald's to get food for the boys, as they had a shift ahead of them. Jake and Quil would be patrolling until tonight, where Embry and Paul would take over. Until then, Embry would be in my bed with me relaxing.

I bought the food for the three men with never-ending pits for stomachs. Watching them eat and joke with each other brought a smile to my face. Though, I couldn't eat myself, the anxious thoughts stripping me of my appetite.

Finally getting back to my house, I once again thanked Quil and Jacob for their help before leading Embry inside.

In my constant state of fear, I found myself extra cold. Thankfully, space heater Embry was great at keeping me warm.

His large hands stroked my hair as we laid in my bed, bringing me to a slumber-like state. I felt my eyelids growing tired. I was fighting the urge to fall asleep, though his soft whispers lulled me to sleep.

"Please baby, get some sleep." Soft, feverish lips pressed themselves to my temple as those same hands held me close.

I woke up with a jolt, as did Embry. We heard snarling and barking coming from outside my bedroom window.

Embry sprung up out of my bed before I was even able to realize what was going on.

"I'll be back." He rushes, opening my window and jumping out.

I followed him, looking at what was my biggest nightmare coming to life.

I watched as Quil laid on the ground whimpering, seemingly lifeless as two vampires stood over him. As Jacob was trying to buck off two that were holding onto him.

I watched as Embry hit the ground with a thud. I watched as he phased to only be rushed by more. There were so many, yet I couldn't find her.

Jacob and Embry struggled as howls echoed in the distance. I watched helplessly from my window as these monsters attacked them. The other two joining in to take them down.

Jacob was then crushed on his sides, falling to the ground with a whimper as they moved over to join those attacking Embry.

Embry's whimper rang out, sending shivers down my spine. I was speechless from witnessing Jacob and Quil, I felt the air completely leave my lungs as one wrapped their arms around Embry's neck.

I watched in horror as he fell to the ground, his jaw falling slack.

I stood there, unable to move as I wondered how any of this was real.

Where were the Cullens? The rest of the pack? They should've picked up on the scent and should've been here to stop this already.

This couldn't be real.

It was then that it dawned on me.

Where was Victoria? Why wasn't she here?

I watched in horror as the fiery red hair appeared from the treeline, staring up at me with a crooked smile.

Before I knew it, she was up at my window. Her blood red eyes boring into mine.

"Hello." She taunts with a small smile as I feel my chest getting ready to burst.

[navalcriminalimagines]

“Hi ma’am. Uh—I’m looking for Jethro Gibbs?” The 15 years old boy asked to Ellie Bishop. Who’s that kid? She’s never seen him before, or heard her boss talked about a teenager. And she doesn’t recall how it could be link to any case.

“You are?” She asked, intrigued.

“It’s—personal,” the teenager said. Now, she’s even more intrigued. If he had blue eyes, she’d have asked herself if he shared DNA with her boss.

“I’m gonna call him but I just need your name,” she said, grabbing her phone.

“Harry! What are you doing here, bud?” Gibbs approached the teenager and Harry immediately ran into his arms. Gibbs hugged him tight.

“Can I stay with you today?”

“I—“ Gibbs wanted to tell him that he was working. But he was the sad eyes on Harry’s face. The kid has been though a lot lately, he can’t tell him no. “Let him call your mum, okay?”

Gibbs stood aside the bullpen while he called you, Harry was right next to him and the rest of the team came back. Tony and McGee stood next to Ellie, following where her eyes were watching. “Who’s that kid?” Tony asked first.

“I was hoping you could tell me,” Bishop answered.

While on the phone, they saw their boss smiling. A real smile. And then he put his hands in Harry’s curly hair.

“Does Gibbs has a kid we don’t know about?” Tim asked.

“He has green eyes,” Bishop stated.

“So? Do I look like my father?” Tony said, without thinking. Tim and Ellie turned their heads to look at their coworker. “Yeah, bad example, but you get the point.”

Right after Tony’s sentence, Gibbs hang up. The three agents pretended to be occupied at their own desk. Their boss had his arm around Harry’s shoulders as they came back to the bullpen. “Harry is going to be our honorary agent for the day. This is Tim, Tony and Ellie,”

“Hi,” Harry shyly waved at them.

“Hello Honorary agent Harry,” Tony stood up to check the teenager’s hand. “And he is?” Tony asked his boss.

“None of your business,” Gibbs simply answered. Tony growled, unhappy about not having an answer. “Update,”

While the team updated Gibbs on the case and what they found, Harry stayed really close to the boss. Gibbs always had a protective and special warmth towards kids and teenagers, but there was something special there. Tony promised himself to find what was the relationship there, by the end of the day.

Abby knew Gibbs would entered her lab any minute, but he never expected him to come in with a very young special agent. “Abby, Harry. Harry, Abby. Lab tech,” Gibbs said, and both Harry and Abby waved at each other. “What you got, Abs?”

“Many questions,” she said, looking at the teenager’s green eyes.

“Unhappy look,” Harry whispered to her, looking at Gibbs that was standing right behind her, waiting for her report.

“We call it the Gibbs stare, here,” she quickly said, before telling her boss what we wanted to know.

Harry was impressed. We knew things about Gibbs’ job, just like he knows what yours, since you’re a cop too. But what Abby is doing is very impressive to him, he would love to her multiple questions. “Can I stay with her?” Harry asked Gibbs, as they were about to leave the lab.

Jethro definitely hates how weak he can be with Harry. “Okay but a few rules,” Abby and Harry listened carefully, “First, Abby, do not interrogate him. And do not show him weird things his mother can be mad about. And you, bud,” Gibbs took a few steps closer to Harry, “enjoy your day, okay? I’ll come get you for lunch,” Gibbs kissed Harry’s forehead and left.

Abby didn’t waste any time, “Okay, bud,”

“Nope. Only Jethro calls me that. I hate it, but it’s an habit now,”

“Fine. Who are you to my boss?”

“Stepson, I guess. I think?—I’m not sure. Jethro and mum has—“ Harry stopped in the middle on the sentence and turned around. “God, I thought he was standing behind,” he said.

“Does he do that outside of work, too?” Abby asked, super exciting about knowing personal things.

“Yeah, it’s like he has a detector every time we say his name,”

“Today’s going to be so fun!”

Harry has never been into sciences at school, he’s more into languages and literature, just like his father. But Abby Sciuto made it so fun that his curiosity was exploding. Pretty much like the experience he was doing. “What did I do wrong?” Harry said, frustrated about failing.

“You took this,” Abby said, showing a product, “instead of that,” she showed another product.

“Damn!” Harry said. And of course, Gibbs has entered the lab at the very same moment. He extended his hand to his stepson, “do we have to do it even when Joe’s not around?” Harry complained. “I’m not a kid anymore,”

“Fine, but don’t tell your mother. And—what happened here? A tornado?” Gibbs asked, looking at the mess.

“I’m definitely not good at sciences,”

“You just need a good teacher, sweetie,” Abby said. “You can come around when you need help, if your—stepdad is okay,” Abby grinned at Gibbs, happy to know that info.

“What happened in that lab—better stay in that lab,” Gibbs said, “Hungry, bud?”

Gibbs and Harry went to the diner for lunch. “Text your mum, Harry. She’s worried,”

“Dad broke up with Lindsay. He wants me to come back and live with him again,”

“Is that what you want?”

“No—yes—maybe. I don’t know,”

“Hey, whatever you want to do, your parents will agree to it. All they want is for you to be happy, wherever you are,”

“Even if it’s in Australia?” Gibbs looked at Harry, confused. Last he knew, your ex husband is living in California. “Dad had a job offer in Sydney, he said yes. And he’s leaving next month,”

“If you want to go with him, do it,”

“How would you feel about it, J?”

“It doesn’t mat—“

“It matters to me. You’ve been in my life for almost ten years now. At some points, you were more a dad to me than Dad was. And you’re my baby brother’s father. I care about you, and I care about what you think,”

This is typically what Gibbs doesn’t like. He hates that kind of conversation, he hates to let people know how he feels and what he thinks. But if someone deserves to know a little about it, it’s definitely Harry.

“For me, there’s no difference between you and your brother— Family’s more than DNA. It’s about people who care and take care of each other.”

“Stop with those sentences all made up! Tell me how you’d feel if I move to Australia,”

Gibbs chuckled. The shy little boy he met 8 years ago was now becoming a confident young man. “I’ll miss you, okay? Just like I missed when you left for California! Are you happy now?”

“No! I’ll be happy when you and mum stop acting like children, and finally give Joe a stable family,”

“Your mum and I are dysfunctional, but we work that way. Did Joe tell you something?”

“He’s 5 and he wants what any other 5 years old want; he wants to live with his mother and his father, 24/7. In the same household,”

“With his big brother too, right?”

“Yes, but that’s not the point,”

After a blank during which Gibbs intensely stared at Harry, “I didn’t see you grow up. I’m proud of the young man you’re becoming,”

Harry smiled, “Say it,”

“What?” Gibbs asked, his mouth full of his burger.

“You know it! Say it,”

“Nope,”

“Why? Why is it so hard?” Harry paused. “Look— it can be easy when it’s true. I love you, dad.”

Harry called Gibbs “dad” occasionally. Sometimes on purpose, sometimes not. Jethro remembered the first time he heard it from him and the first Joe said it. He felt the same for both. That’s how he knew there was so difference between his real son and his stepson. They are both his sons.

“I love you,” Gibbs mumbled, with French fries in his mouth.

“Didn’t understand. What did you say?”

Gibbs swallowed. “I love you, son! Okay? You happy? Can I eat in silence now?”

“Yes, you can,” Harry proudly smiled.

In the afternoon, Harry stayed with Gibbs until the agent had no choice but to go on a run for the case. Gibbs let his stepson with Ducky. The doc showed Harry around, avoiding the autopsy and corpses obviously. By the end of the day, Ducky and Harry were playing chess at Gibbs’ desk, waiting for everyone to come back. But when they heard the elevator opening, here you were, with Joe in your arms. The little boy got down and ran to his brother as soon as he saw him. You hugged your son tight. “How are you, baby?” You asked.

“I’m good mum,” he smiled and kissed you on the cheek. “I’m beating Ducky,”

“Not yet, young man,” Ducky stood and hugged you. “How’s my favorite Gibbs?” He asked to Joe, who was holding onto his brother like a koala bear.

“Say hi to Ducky, sweetheart,” you told your youngest son and the little boy waved at the doc. Ducky and Harry sat back in their chairs, Joe was still holding Harry and you sat on Jethro’s desk.

“Where’s J?” You asked.

“Followed a lead, he should be back soon,”

The four of you stayed together, talking about everything and nothing until the elevator opened again. This time, it was Gibbs with his team. As soon as Joe saw his dad, he jumped from his brother’s lap and ran into Gibbs’ arm. “Hey baby,”

Tony, Tim and Ellie were more confused than they were hours ago when they met Harry. Ducky couldn’t help but smiling big. Before anyone could say anything, Abby appeared with Jimmy in the bullpen. The entire team was there. “How’d it go?” She asked.

The team explained that it led to nowhere, and they had to go back to the beginning on that case. While they did that, Jethro stole you a quick kiss, and he whispered something in Harry’s ears. “Checkmate!” Your son told Ducky as he made his final move.

“That’s cheating,” Ducky said.

“Nope. Dad and I share one brain,”

When the word “dad” was heard in the bullpen, everyone stopped talking and turned like one man towards Gibbs and you. Your boyfriend laughed, and moved Joe on his back, “Hang on Monkey!” He said.

“Can we go to McDonald’s?” The little boy asked.

“Nope,” “yes!” Gibbs and you answered at the same time. Jethro looked at you, but you were looking at Harry with a smile. “Boys!” You said.

In a second, Joe was tickling his father in the neck, and Harry was searching for his car keys while you were holding his arms. When your oldest found the keys, he handed them to you and the three of you ran to the elevator. “Team work!” You high five the boys.

Gibbs’ team was looking at him, more confused than they have never been in their life. Their boss laughed and walked towards the elevator and his family, “Good night everyone!”