#my supervisor is back tomorrow i might call out

[alas--pringles]

ever think you’re just having a tiny little “my dumb brain is trying to convince me that my friend doesn’t like me” cry but then think the wrong phrase and it just spirals into the “we’ve already lost 3 and another is doing Not Great who’s next she was one of the 2015 nightmares what if that happens” and well fuck now i feel like i gotta reach out and not push away even though the comment hurt 

[alienzil]

Nanny Danny

“That is a whole ass baby,” was the only thought running through Lex Luthor’s head when the scientist proudly showed him the tube containing Project KR. It was not remotely the sort of thing he would normally think and most definitely not what he had expected to be thinking the first time he saw the clone.

He’d been pleased when he’d read the reports indicating the success of KR after years of failures. Lex had poured millions of dollars and literally his own blood into ensuring a clone of the alien could be made, one that would be under his total control instead of the unknown aspirations of Superman.  He’d wanted to see the fruits of his labors personally but this…

It. No, not an it. He scrunched his tiny face and smacked his lips and…did he smirk? Was that HIS SMIRK on that baby’s face?! No. No. Babies this small didn’t smile or smirk. They passed gas and their sleep deprived and addled parents mistook it for an intelligent response. He’d heard enough inane conversations in the Lexcorp office about the various progeny of his employees to pick up on that but still. This child had Kryptonian DNA, not to mention his own contribution. Surely, he was far more advanced than the dribbling potato shaped lump of an infant whose pictures he’d been forced to smile and nod over when Mark from accounting had rudely shoved them in his face at the last quarterly budget meeting. Yes, that was definitely a smirk. His, that was his smirk.

“So as you can see its growth is well within expected parameters and we’re planning to start phase one of accelerating the maturation process tomorrow once the testing is do-”

“Take him out.”

“Sir? The testing can all be accomplished while it remains in the tube. There’s no need to-”

“I said, take him out. The project is cancelled.”

“What?! Mr. Luthor you can’t!”

“I think you’ll find I can. Now get me my son.”

*****

Two years later

“Call them again”

“Sir, I’ve called them seven times. They won’t answer.”

“Then call another agency!”

“There isn’t another agency, Sir”

Lex glared at his assistant who stared back at him impassively. Mercy stood by the door staring off into the distance and pretending she didn’t notice him being bested by his own secretary.

He stopped himself from shouting again and took a deep breath before asking, “Then what, exactly, do you propose I do Mrs. Anderson? Adjust my entire schedule around naptimes? Find a toddler size lab coat and safety goggles and bring my son with me to tour the new clean energy project on Thursday? Perhaps buy a tiny business suit while I’m at it for the next board meeting?”

“I’m not suggesting anything of the sort, Mr. Luthor. I’m telling you that no childcare agency in Metropolis will return my calls anymore. Most won’t even answer.  You’ve gone through 27 nannies in the last 3 months. You need someone better suited to your son’s…special needs.”

Lex snorted. “Special needs might be a bit of understatement. He can lift a car over his head and his favorite word right now is No.”

He sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Thank you for…clarifying the situation, Marjorie. If there’s nothing else, you can leave.”

His secretary didn’t move. She looked at him like she was waiting for something and now that he was paying attention, he saw she was holding a file.  “Did you have a suggestion?”

Looking pleased with herself she responded, “Actually, yes, I did.”

“Well?”

She set the file on his desk and flipped it open. He looked down at the first page and raised an eyebrow, “What am I looking at here?”

“This,” she responded pulling out the top set of papers and spreading them out, “is the employee file and background check for Daniel J. Fenton, an intern that started in our engineering department about 4 months ago. He has one sibling, two parents and several close friends he regularly meets with. His current supervisor has nothing but good things to say about him and reports he gets along well with all his coworkers.”

She set out the next set of papers, neatly arranging them on the desk to be easily seen. “These are newspaper articles and screenshots of social media posts regarding a small town vigilante locally known as Phantom. The same small town, Mr. Fenton is from coincidentally. Also coincidentally, Phantom made his first appearance only a few weeks after Mr. Fenton was involved in a minor accident in his parent’s home laboratory when he was 14, the medical records for the incident are included.”

“Hmm,” Lex said observing several photos of Phantom and a younger Fenton arranged in order of similar poses and facial expressions and printed out side by side.

“Finally,” she said handing him the last set of papers directly, “this would be a report from the lab Mr. Fenton works in from an incident that happened yesterday. A test with a new protype went wrong and started a fire. Everyone evacuated per protocol when the alarms went off but one of the other interns was working on a programming issue off to the side of the lab while wearing headphones and didn’t hear the alarm or notice the fire. Mr. Fenton noticed his absence and returned to the lab to get him out.” She stopped talking and let him look at the last several pages in the file, a series of photographs of the lab.

“Is this ice?”

“Yes, it is. It’s several inches thick and covers half of the lab. It completely put out the fire leaving minimal damage.”

“This machine was moved?”

“It was. It was very close to the flames and would have required replacement if exposed to extreme heat or cold. That particular piece of equipment also weighs several thousand pounds and was bolted to the floor.”

Lex read through everything in detail then clasped his hands under his chin and stared at the photo of Daniel Fenton for several moments before turning back to his waiting secretary.

“Have HR send Mr. Fenton up. I’d like to offer him a promotion.”

[satorusugurugurl]

How would satosugu, nanami, and choso react to reader trying to hide a really bad injury after a mission and thinking they’ll take care of it tomorrow, but they end up passing out or something ?

Mwah 💋

Hurt

Summary: You get injured on the job, and try to hide it from your boyfriend, how will they react when they find out the truth?

Characters: Gojo Satoru, Geto Suguru, Nanami Kento, Choso Kam, FAB!Reader

Word Count: 4,221

Warning: Mentions of injuries, blood, suggestivness, little angsty, little crack!

A/N: Ah nothing like a good stern lecture from sexy anime men! Thank you for the request Nonnie enjoy!! 💚

Gojo Satoru + Geto Suguru

This wasn’t good, nope, not in the slightest. Your side was killing you. The structures the doctor at the hospital did sting each time you moved, and you’d already taken the pain meds he had prescribed. You just needed to wait until tomorrow. Shoko said she’d heal you as soon as she was in town. Until then, you just needed to fake it.

“I don’t think you should be alone right now,” Ijichi announces as he opens the car door for you. “I should call Gojo and Geto to tell them what happened.”

“I’m fine,” you respond with a grimace. “They're busy teaching right now. I don’t wanna be a bother.”

“But you lost a lot of blood.”

“I'm fine!” you assured him, patting him on the back as you headed towards your house. “Don't call them. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Standing inside the threshold, you waved as he drove away, but the second the door shielded your face, you doubled over in pain. If the assistant supervisor had seen you like this, he wouldn’t have let you go inside alone. Your trusted friend would have called your partners, insisting for them to come home. If they had known what had happened, they would have cared for you, of course, but you would also have received a lecture on why you should be safe. Geto would insist you train specifically with him. Gojo would ensure you were sent on missions with him until they were sure you could protect yourself.

That would be the worst-case scenario. You hadn’t gotten injured like this in years. It wasn’t even your fault. The floor gave way, leaving you vulnerable for a second, totally not on you, but your boyfriends wouldn’t see it like that.

“Oooh fuck me.” You whimpered, resting your head against the door. “Fuck me”

“That can be arranged.” Hot breath fanned over your neck, making you jump. “Whoa, easy there!”

Gojo’s eyes were on you as soon as you turned toward the voice. They were full of happiness and joy over seeing you come home. “Satoru? What are you doing at home? Shouldn’t you be teaching right now?” Your sudden outburst had him blinking in confusion.

“All of the students were sent on missions,” Geto answered as he leaned against the wall, cocking an eyebrow. “There were no other missions, so we decided to surprise you.”

“Oooh!” The throbbing pain in your side had you wincing. “That’s great! Awesome, what a nice surprise!”

“You don’t look too excited,” Satoru bluntly called you out. “Are you sure you’re okay, sweetheart?”

“Oooh yeah, I’m great.” You were lying; you were far from great because the room was spinning. “I need to sit down; my feet are—” your vision blurred as you stumbled past Satoru leaning against the wall.

“You sure?” Suguru asked, gently grabbing your shoulder and steadying you. “You look pale.”

“I'm just tired.” the faster you got past them, the quicker you could get off your feet and relax.

Suguru releases your shoulder, letting you step towards the living room. “For someone who’s doing great. You sure are swaying a lot.” Satoru was by your side, watching you as if he thought you would fall, which you might end up doing.

“Yeah, I can assure you, I’m fine.” Your tone was as sharp as a knife, causing both partners to cease interrogation. “I just wanna sit down with you both., watch a movie and cuddle.”

Upon hearing your request, the request you always made when you returned from a mission. Both men fell into your routine. Suguru walked past you, heading to the couch, while Satoru ran to the bedroom.

“I’ll grab blankets!”

“Princess, do you want to grab the snacks? I’ll pick out the movie.” there was a particular look in your dark-haired boyfriend's eyes. He was trying to test you to see if you were as fine and dandy as you claimed to be

Knowing him, the interrogation would start if you asked to pick out the movie instead. Neither he nor Satoru would let up until you came clean about the injury. Once that was out in the open, you knew the lectures and scheduled training sessions would soon follow.

Blinking away, the blurry vision in your eyes, you gave Suguru a thumbs up, heading into the kitchen. You grab different kinds of snacks, candy, popcorn, and some chips. Each wavering movement had the stitches in your side screaming in protest; your sore skin begged for you to sit down and relax. You tried to fight through the pain, but your painkillers weren’t cutting in. Leaving you in a sheen sheet of sweat as you carried the bowls back to the living room.

Upon hearing your footsteps, Suguru turned just as Satoru returned with a blanket. The bowls in your hands felt like they weighed a ton as you tried stepping forward, but your legs refused to move. Suguru noticed your behavior, standing and taking a tentative step forward.

“Princess?” Two Suguru’s stood before you as your vision blurred with black spots. Something hot and wet ran down your side.

“Why are there two Suguru’s?” Your voice cracked as the bowls fell to the ground. “I-Is it my birthday?” Your hazy attention was suddenly on Satoru as you stumbled. “Oh,” Blinking at the Satoru’s rushing for you, the room suddenly turned on its side. Oh no, you were falling. “Fuck.”

Darkness overcame you, and thoughts of double Satoru’s and Suguru’s infiltrated your dreams. Dreams that were lewd, sweaty, and full of pleasure. But in the midst of your, what would you call it? SatoSugu orgy, Shoko appeared, staring down at you.

“Make sure you sterilize that wound,” Her cigarette bobbed between her lips. “Infection can set fast.”

“I know that.” The Suguru at your neck responded less out of breath than you were.

The Satoru between your legs looked back at Shoko. “Do you want us to bring her in tomorrow?”

“No, I’ll stop by on the way to work.”

As you blinked in your dreams, your groggy eyes opened, and you found yourself lying in bed. Suguru was shaking a spray bottle before spraying it on your side. The wound suddenly felt like hundreds of hot needles were stabbing it. With watering eyes, you screamed in pain. You knew the spray was supposed to help, but it seemed to enhance the throbbing pain in your side.

“Looks like your patient is awake.” Shoko chuckled on the phone Satoru held. The pain made you try to curl in on yourself just to have your boyfriend stop you. “I’ll let you guys go. See you in the morning.”

“Bye, thanks, Shoko.” the second you heard the FaceTime call, cerulean eyes met you. “Soo, you wanna try telling us how your mission went again?”

“N-No.”

“Ooh, she said no, Suguru.”

“That she did. Do you want to tell her?”

Your white-haired boyfriend shook his head, a sinister smile on his face. “No, I know you were looking forward to it.” Suguru’s eyes were shut as he gave you a gentle smile that wasn’t gentle in the slightest.

“Did you seriously think Shoko wouldn't call us and tell us about your injury?”

It feels like your house crashes around you. “That traitor.” Your wound receives another spray of antiseptic. “Ow fuck! What was that for?!” Suguru continues to smile, the smile that always scares the loving shit out of you.

“You heard Shoko, I need to make sure it’s clean.”

Satoru is by your side in an instant. “Why wouldn’t you tell us what happened? Did you think we were going to yell at you or something?” You bark out a laugh, giving them a look of disbelief.

“Yes! I made a rookie mistake. Regardless of how it happened, it ended with me leaving myself wide open and getting hurt in the process. I know that this one.” Suguru hums in response. He cleans up the bloodied gauze around you. “Is going to make me train with him. And you aren’t going to let me go on any missions by myself.”

“You’re right about one thing: you will be training with me every morning for a week.” Suguru pats you on the head.

“But you’re wrong about me going to higher-ups. I know you’re capable of taking care of yourself; you had an accident. You’re not the first sorcerer to get injured on the job.”

“Wait, seriously?”

Both your partners exchange a look with each other. “Yeah, we aren’t going to lock you in the apartment and not allow you to go out. You’re strong, but you shouldn’t have lied to us.” Suguru gently strokes your hair back. “So in the future, if you happen to get hurt, just be honest about it. You wouldn’t like it if Satoru or I hid something like that from you, would you?” They watch as you shake your head.

“You’re right, I’m sorry. I won’t ever keep something like that from you guys again.”

“Good,” Suguru kisses your forehead as Satoru lies beside you on the bed. “but just because you apologized doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods yet.”

“Huh?”

Satoru claps his hands together above his head, drawing your attention. “Sex ban for a week.” If your side wasn’t screaming in pain, you would have sat up.

“S-Sex ban?! Why?! Shoko will have me all healed up tomorrow!”

“Your side might be healed, but our hearts are still wounded.” Faux sorrow is thick in Satoru’s voice.

“L-Let’s be reasonable about this! I haven’t seen you guys in like a week! I need you both!”

The sound of things being thrown in a trashcan draws your attention. “Should have thought about that before you lied to us. For the next week, you’re training with me; in that time, neither me nor Satoru will touch. You’re not even allowed to touch yourself. Princess, you’ll have to suffer and watch us go at it.” Satoru scrambles off the bed, throwing himself at Suguru, his delicate pink lips pressing against your boyfriend's. “It’s a shame, too, because you sounded like you were having a great time when you passed out earlier.” You helplessly lay in bed, watching your boyfriends make out with each other.

You never hid another injury from them after that torturous week.

Nanami Kento:

“Ow, ow, ow.” You gingerly touch the gash on the back of your head. It throbbed in pain to the point it was making you dizzy. You had Nitta glue it shut with the first aid kit from her car, ignoring her pleas to call Nanami and go to the hospital. The gash itself wasn’t a big deal. So, there is no point in calling Nanami on his day off. It could wait until Shoko was back at school.

A cursed spirit got too zealous and threw you against a metal gate. The impact had you seeing stars, but you quickly shook it off and finished your mission. The wound would be another addition to the scars you had gained over the years. A superficial cut was something your boyfriend did not need to worry about or get involved in. The only thing he needed to do was lose himself in his book.

Reading was precisely what he was doing as you stepped into the apartment. Nanami’s legs were propped up on the ottoman, his eyes roaming over the pages of the book he had eagerly awaited. The gentle smile on his face as he sipped tea was the only clarification you needed to know you had made the right choice and not bothering him.

“I’m home!” You announced, kicking your shoes off before collapsing on the couch beside him.

“Welcome back.” Nanami laid his book down on his chest, allowing him to kiss you gently. “How did the mission go?”

“Easy, I’m happy to be home.”

“I'm happy to have you home. I was pretty lonely and bored.”

“Lonely and bored? Is your book not that good? You’ve been so eager to read it for weeks.”

“Oh, it’s good, I missed—” his lips move, but a sharp ringing in your ears drowns him out. He notices the blank look as you try to pinpoint what he said. “Love?”

“Hmm?” Play it cool, play cool.

“I asked you a question.”

Well, playing it cool might not be as easy as you thought. “I’m sorry I’m a little out of it. What did you say, Ken?” The questioning look in his eyes lets you know he’s on to you. Damn him for being so perspective.

“I said I missed you and asked if you wanted to lie down on my lap while I read.”

“Oh! Sure, of course.”

You rest your head in Nanami’s lap, making sure your gash isn’t anywhere close to him. Your husband notices the awkward way you lie down, as if your head is tender to the touch, but he doesn’t say anything. He lifts his book while his free hand gently strokes the top of your head.

Each time he pulls his hand back, you stiffen in fear that he’ll graze over your wound. He doesn’t come close, though. Nanami focuses his strokes solely on the crown of your head. Usually, you would have called asleep and could fall asleep, and you would have if it weren't for the pulsing, pounding pressure that begins to build in your head. You choke back, pained groans, and whine, not wanting Nanami to know what’s going on.

The pressure continues to build, and nausea swirls in the pit of your stomach. Ringing in ears, headache, and nausea put the three together, along with a head wound, and you don’t even need a doctor to tell you what’s wrong. Most likely, you have a concussion, and it’s a bad one.

You should have listened to Nitta and went to the hospital. Getting checked out right now was probably a good idea, but how could you tell your boyfriend now? ‘Oh, my brain got scrambled by a cursed spirit and failed to mention it to you. Could you maybe take me to the hospital?’ Yeah, that was a conversation destined to end in an argument or lecture, both if you were lucky. If Shoko hurried up, you might have been able to sneak out to meet her at the school.

“Love.” Your husband whispers. “You’re trembling, and you keep wincing. Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Yeah.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I’m—” Nanami holds his hand out in front of your face. His palm is coated red with blood.

“You’ve already lied to me once, so do not do it again.”

“Ooh, I’m bleeding.” You try to sit up, but your body falls forward as dizziness overwhelms you. Nanami catches you, lifting you into his arms. “The blood is supposed to be inside of my body.”

You blink slowly as Kento rushes out of your apartment. There are blurred shapes and muffled voices as you’re treated in the hospital; you feel disoriented like you’re high. Your husband's hand holding yours is the one comforting sensation that grounds you.

His thumb rubs comforting circles over your knuckles. His deep, soothing voice talks to you, shushing your pained cries as the back of your head is stitched shut. And his smell engulfs you as you lay together in the hospital bed.

Once the room clears, you look towards your husband, who stares ahead with an unreadable expression. The instant he feels your eyes on him, his head jerks in your direction. That unreadable expression shifts into a look of anger and disappointment. You were royally fucked.

“Ten stitches.” An audible gulp sounds from you. “The doctor had to put ten stitches because your makeshift patch job failed.”

“It was only—”

“Stop talking, do not interrupt me.” Oh, he was pissed, and you felt like you were five inches tall as you snapped your mouth shut. “I called Nitta to find out she told you to call me, but you insisted on not bothering me on my day off. When have I ever in our entire relationship made you feel as though I’m not available on my days off?”

“You haven't.”

“Then tell me why you wouldn’t have called me.”

“I-I didn’t wanna be a bother. You work so hard you deserve to relax on your days off.”

Kento turns so he’s facing you, fingers gently holding your chin. “Just because I have a day off does not mean I am incapable of caring for my wife.” The anger that burned in his brown iris shifted to sadness and concern. “Do I make myself clear? We don’t hide stuff like injuries from each other.”

He had every right to be angry. If he had hidden the injury from you, you would’ve reacted the same way. Hiccups bubble in your chest as you softly cry. Nanami’s grip on your chin slides up to your cheek fingers, gently brushing away the falling tears.

“I'm sorry, Kento, I should’ve talked to you.” His lips kiss away the last lingering tears. “I’m sorry.”

“Thank you for apologizing. Are you okay now? You're not in pain, are you?”

“No, I'm just drained.”

Nanami peered at the clock on the wall. “Go ahead and get some rest. I’ll wake you in about an hour to check on you.” His warm and gentle voice has you drifting to sleep.

“I love you, Kento.”

“I love you too, darling.”

Choso Kamo:

“Ew, do you think it’s broken? It shouldn’t look like that.” Nobara cringes as Megumi and Yuuji help ease you onto a bench.

“It’s just a sprain.”

“I don’t know, but it’s already swelling.” Megumi’s blue eyes lock on your ankle. “I might be broken.”

Yuuji is biting down on his knuckle, glancing between your ankle and face. “My brother is going to kill me.” You were going to kill the three of them if they didn’t give you some space to breathe.

“It’s not broken. I assure you of that, and Choso will not kill you.”

What had started as a typical training session had turned into a full-on brawl. One that ended with you getting kicked so hard you stumbled back ten yards just to roll your ankle. None of your students were at fault; if anyone was, you encouraged them to go at you with full strength.

“Look, just do me a favor, okay? Do not mention this to Gojo. The bastard will never let me live it down, and if you see Choso, don’t mention it to him either.”

“Should we just go grab Ieri for you?” Megumi glanced back at your ankle, which was already starting to bruise.

Oh, if only life were. “She has today off, and I refuse to bug her with some so Minuscule; I’ll be fine until tomorrow.” Skepticism painted the features of your students. “I’m fine. Go wash up. Class dismissed.” None of them moved like they were waiting to see if one of the three would fight you on your decision. There was hesitation in their features, so you mustered the best mom look you could.

One that terrified them more than a curse.

“Right, right! Later!” Yuuji was the first to take off, running down the path. Taking a second glance at you was all your other students needed to follow close behind him.

You sat there on the bench, looking up at the sky. All you needed was a few minutes to yourself before you attempted to head back. But those few minutes turned into an hour. Not because you got tired or lost track of time. No, it was because when you tried to get up, your ankle protested at the weight you put on it.

Maybe it wasn’t a minor sprain like you thought.

Regrets of your choices in the last hour lingered like cheap perfume. You had no phone, no students to help you, and there was no one to come to your rescue. Your only choices were to crawl back to the teacher dorms or wait for a soul to pass by. If no one stopped by, you would have to settle in for a long night

You were about to start crawling, praying Gojo didn’t walk by when a confused “Baby?” Called out from down the trail, drawing your attention in.

Choso was rushing forward, his hair bouncing with each step. “Hi, Cho!” You waved before patting the seat next to you.

“What are you doing here? Gojo said your training session with the kids ended over an hour ago.”

“Oh, I, uhm, just wanted to admire this beautiful day. Take a chance to smell the roses.”

Your boyfriend sat down next to you, his eyes moving to look up at the trees. The sunlight that shone through the branches and leaves caused the rays of sunlight to dance over his handsome face. Taking a deep breath, he shut his eyes and soaked in the sun's warmth.

At that moment, you forgot about the pain in your ankle. He looked so happy; the last thing you wanted to do was ruin his peaceful zen to have him worry about you.

Opening his eyes, he let out a soft sigh before his warm gaze met you. He looked at you like he had when admiring the towering trees above. Damn, your busted ankle; if the numbing pain weren’t so bad, you would’ve kissed him until neither of you could breathe.

“I see you’ve been here. It’s a perfect day.” Yeah, if only he knew the other reason you were sitting on the bench. “As beautiful as the view is, it is getting late. Do you want to head back? Yuuji invited us to go to the movies tonight.”

“Uhm, yeah.” Choso took your hand in his, helping you stand up. “Nngh.” You cry out behind your hand as the pain in your ankles shoots up your leg.

Choso’s warm gaze on you and an. “What’s wrong?” He studies your stance, noting how you put all your weight on your good ankle.

“N-Nothing, I’m just stiff.”

“Really?”

“Mhmm!”

“Okay then.” he pulls his hand away, causing your balance to falter. “Let’s go if you're fine.”

Sweat beads on your forehead, not from the warm day but from the pain. “Alright.” You try to come off as chipper, but your voice betrays you, cracking under the discomfort. “L-Let’s get going! Movies! Yay!” Choso crosses his arms over his chest as he watches you.

Taking one step forward feels like a sore is plunged into your foot. You grit your teeth before taking another step forward, the pain more intense this time, the singular sword suddenly multiplied by ten. Blinking away the tears in your eyes, you attempt to take another step forward, only to stumble.

You brace yourself for the impact that never comes. Choso’s arm is around your waist the second you stumble forward. He can feel your ragged breathing as he eases back onto the bench. His long fingers gently push up your leggings, revealing your swollen and discolored ankle. It seems as though sitting on the bench has made it worse. You knew better than to let it dangle. I.C.E., icing, compressing, and elevating was best for you to do with a sprained ankle. Instead, the swelling was out of control when this could’ve been avoided.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were hurt?” In your tear-filled gaze, Choso’s eyes are lingering on your face. “Is this the real reason you’ve been sitting here for so long?”

There was no sense in lying, not when you had been caught. “Yes, that’s why I’ve been sitting here. The kids offered to help me, but I was being stubborn.” The sigh that leaves Choso’s mouth is thick with disappointment. “I didn’t bring my phone, or I would have called you eventually.” Your boyfriend moves, turning so his back is facing you.

“Yet when I’m beside you, you still hide it.”

“I-I know, I’m sorry.” You wait for him to get up and leave you stranded on the bench. But instead, he looks over his shoulder at you.

“Well, come on,” he gestures to his back, “get on, we’ll go home, and we’ll take a look at it there,” You do as he says, climbing onto his back. “And up we go.” he stands, allowing you to bury your face into the crook of his neck. He gives you a piggyback ride across campus. Things remain relatively quiet until he sighs. “Baby, next time you get hurt, please tell me. That way, I can help you,” he glances at the corner of his eye. “I know you think you have to do things all on your own, but you don’t when I’m with you.”

Not even a second passed before you bit down gently on his cheek. “I promise I’ll tell you next time. I’m sorry I didn’t mention it earlier. I’m sort of embarrassed that I got taken down by my ankle. I’m a sorcerer, for god's sake.” You give his cheek another nibble, winning shy laughter from him.

“Don't eat me~ how will you get back to the dorm?”

“Crawl?” You suggest, resulting in Choso laughing harder.

“No crawling for my baby, I got you.” and you couldn't have been more content with that.

Forever Tag List:

@darkstarlight82 @pandoness @nealeart @simp-plague @sugurubabe

[honeytrap26]

I’ll Play Nice

Satoru Gojo x Reader

summary: Your boss invites you and your husband Satoru Gojo to dinner. cw: !!MDNI!! NSFW, talks about sex, gets a little heated between reader and Satoru. There’s cocks in here and I mean cocky men. 😉 aunote: I’ve been pining over Raiden from eighty-six, I can’t help it. just imagine two muscular men, almost equally as tall as each other, fighting over you. I just love Raidens and Satorus dub voices. I hope you all enjoy this one and happy reading! 🐼🖤 wc: 2k+ (proofread but there might be some errors)

This is your boss, Raiden Shuga Cookies for a Confession: a Raiden fluff.

“ Good work today, you did an amazing job with that presentation.” your boss taps on the edge of your desk.

“ Thank you Mr. Shuga.” you smile at him,

“ Please… just call me Raiden. Mr. Shuga is my father.” he chuckles, “ There's no need for formalities.”

“ Thank you...Raiden. But I can't get all the credit for it. We all contributed to that project.” you shut down your computer, grabbing your purse from underneath your desk.

“ Well, you should accept the compliment, you are their supervisor and that says a lot. The company has seen so many improvements since you started working here.” he smiles at you as he loosens his tie.

“Thank you again Mr. Shuga- I’m sorry. Raiden.” you get up from your chair, and begin to walk out when he calls your name.

“ Are you available this Saturday? I would like to take you out to dinner.” he clears his throat, unbuttoning his suit jacket. 

You let out a nervous chuckle, his question making you feel uneasy. He can see you shift uncomfortably in your spot.

“I didn’t mean it in that way.” he sighs, “Let me start over, I would like to invite you and your husband to dinner. I’m currently looking for a potential…”

“Partner? A girlfriend or perhaps a boyfriend?” you inquire. 

He laughs and shakes his head,

“No, a business partner. I have been inviting potential employees and coworkers out to a casual dinner to get to know them more. I would like to start my own business. I am going to need a partner and I would like to know what someone is like in a casual setting.”

You stand there for a moment before you mouth “Oh”

“So that’s what everyone has been talking about.” you clap your hands together, “it all makes sense now” Raiden raises an eyebrow,

“There’s been talk that you’ve been inviting people out to dinner and we all thought it was because you’re looking for someone to date.” you purse your lips together, awaiting his answer.

“Is…is that why everyone has been giving me weird looks lately?” he scans the empty workplace. “That's so embarrassing.” he drops his head down.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.” you let out a laugh, amused at his reaction, “but yes dinner is fine with me. I will see you tomorrow night. Now if you’ll excuse me, my husband should be calling me in 3- 2-1.” your phone rings, you wave to him.

“Have a goodnight Raiden.” you smile at him and walk out of the door into the hallways, waiting for an elevator.

“Toru, are you almost ready? We’re going to be late.” you say slipping your heels on.

“Why am I going?” Gojo takes his time to tie his tie.

“Because he wants to meet you and also I might become a potential business partner.” you say excitedly,  checking your make up once more in the mirror.

“More like just a potential partner in bed. Is this guy even hot?” Gojo glances at you wiping off the lipstick on your teeth.

“He’s not bad looking.” you shrug your shoulders.

“So he is hot” he sulks.

 You walk over to Gojo and help him tie his tie.

“ You know I only have eyes for you and I love you. Now hurry up” -you slap his butt- “ you look good in a suit.” you give Gojo a quick kiss on the lips.  

His face lights up and he pulls you in closer to him, he whispers in your ear,

 “Oh yeah, I think I look better in a birthday suit.”he begins to kiss up and down your neck, he places his hands on your hips making you walk backwards until your back is against the wall.

Your hands roam his chest up to his tie, tugging it. Gojo smirks, his hands find their way to your ass giving it a hard squeeze making you whine.

“That's what I like to hear.” he grabs your face, his soft lips meeting yours, he licks your bottom lip but then  you push him away.

“No no no. We have to go.” you say panting, Gojos hands continue to roam all over your body. He tugs at your dress, lifting it up,

“Come on, just a quick one? Your boss can wait. You look so beautiful in that red dress. I wanna rip it off of you.” his fingers hit the lace on your panties, making him more urgent but you grab a hold of his hands. 

“I know you’re the almighty Satoru Gojo and everyone waits for you but I’m not special. If you’re a good boy and play nice. Maybe I'll give you a little something on the way home.” you grab his tie and tug it gently, he moans biting his lower lip knowing exactly what you meant by that.

“Come on! We’re really going to be late now.” you fix your dress and walk out the door.

“But baby! I’m hard.” he whines, chasing after you.

Satoru and you drive down to the very expensive steakhouse your boss wants to meet at.

“So much for a casual dinner?” Gojo laughs in disbelief.

 “I wonder if he’s already in there waiting for us.” you say nervously.

A sleek matte black motorcycle pulls in just as you're about to walk into the building. The rider revs it a couple of times before putting it in idle. He leans back into the seat and slips off his black leather gloves. The man is wearing a white fitted dress shirt, you can see his tattoos peeking through the cuffs of the shirt, he has on a gray vest over it.

“Hi Raiden,” you smile at your boss. Gojo’s eyebrows furrow as he sees how cheesy you get for your boss.

“Hi…Raiden.” Gojo imitates your voice under his breath, he pretends to clutch his pearls.

“Hey it’s so nice to see you.” Raiden says holding the helmet in one hand, he gets off the bike, walks over to and gives you a hug, he kisses the back of your hand.

“Wow…you’re so breathtakingly beautiful..” he takes a step back to take in…… all of your beauty.

Gojo growls under his breath, his long legs swiftly walk over to you, he wraps his arms around your waist pulling you in. His arctic blue eyes stare daggers into Raiden while he gives you a quick kiss.

“Behave." you slap Gojos chest playfully. “ I'm sorry about that. This is my husband, Satoru Gojo.”

Raiden's emerald eyes narrow at Gojo and he smirks,

“Nice to meet you, husband of this beautiful lady. You’re very lucky.” Raiden chuckles, taking your hand again and giving it another kiss, this time Raidens emerald eyes are focused on Gojo with the same piercing stare.

“You already did that.” Gojo snatches your hand away from him. 

Raiden just laughs, he waves for the valet boy.

“Yes sir,” the valet boy bows to Raiden.

“Just the usual spot. Have fun.” Raiden winks at the valet boy and fixes his suit. 

“Show off.” Gojo scoffs rolling his eyes, he hands the keys to the car to the same valet boy.

“Oh wait, I almost forgot to grab the reports.” you run after the valet boy to get your keys.

Gojo and Raiden are standing there, they both watch as you walk away heading back to the car.

“ You’re the boss, huh?” Gojo slips his hands in his dress pants, he sizes up Raiden, he's only a few inches shorter than Gojo.

“That’s me.” Raiden grins, he sweeps his hands out palms facing up, showing that he doesn’t mean to cause any harm.

Gojo lets out a sarcastic chuckle, he takes a step closer to Raiden, putting a hand on his shoulder. He leans in and says,

“I love my wife and I’ll do anything for her. So for her sake. I’ll play nice.” Gojo says the last part through gritted teeth, he squeezes Raiden's shoulder firmly before letting go.

“ Sorry about that, I just finished the reports earlier today and thought you may want to take a look at it.” you hand the file over to Raiden.

“That wasn’t necessary, I already told you I wasn’t in a rush to get it back.” he accepts the file and tucks it under his arm. “Shall we head inside? I’m starving.” he ushers for you and Gojo to go in first.

“Nice to meet ya boss.” Gojo pats Raiden's shoulder twice making sure to hit him a little harder than he would to most people.

The three of you are sitting at the table, Raiden sitting across from you and Gojo. The orders were placed based on Raiden's recommendation. The waiter brought out wine for the table also based on Raidens recommendation.

“Now shall we begin?” Raiden washes down the very expensive appetizer with wine, he wipes his mouth with the serviette and places it back on his lap.

“Hmm..” you cover your mouth, you chew quickly and take a sip of your wine.

“No need to rush, take your time.” Raiden chuckles. He leans back in his chair.

“Why do you want to start your own business?” Gojo’s eyes narrow at him.

“ What can I say? I want new things. I want things I can’t have and in order for me to get those things I have to leave and grow bigger.” Raiden licks his lips, his eyes darken, practically undressing you.

“So you’re a grower not a shower” -Gojo gulps down his glass of wine- “figures.” he grins, placing a hand on your inner thigh, he leans in to whisper loudly in your ear.  “I think she knows how much I show and grow for her.”

You choke on your food and excuse yourself to the restroom.

The night was oddly weird, this was supposed to be a nice casual conversation with your boss and your husband. At first you thought maybe it was just in your head but as the wine continued pouring the mouths started roaring, somehow this dinner turned into them fighting about who’s dick was bigger.

“That was a very nice meal, thank you for paying for dinner.” you say to your boss.

“No problem at all. We should do this more often.” he winks at you then looks at Gojo, 

“of course with your husband too. We can’t leave him out, he loves attention.”

You laugh at Raidens joke a little too hard for Gojos liking.

“Hey, why don’t we go to some place less fancy. You want to get to know me. I’ll show you.” Gojo says to him. 

You grab him trying to push him but Gojo is built like a tank and doesn’t move if he doesn’t want to. 

 Raiden shakes his head, “I’m fine. It was good meeting you.”

“What are you afraid of me?” -Gojo lets out a fake laugh- “Is it because…” -he tilts his head up- “ you’re weak?” 

You can see the cocky attitude slowly ooze out of him. It was time to take him home.

“Oookay it’s time to go. It was really nice to have dinner with you Raiden. Thank you for paying again.  I’ll see you at work on Monday.” you quickly wave at him, you pull Gojo away when Raiden says,

“ Actually I do want some more drinks, it doesn’t hurt to let loose once in a while, I can play nice.” he stares at Gojo coldly, then he clicks his tongue and shoots you with that charming smile of his. “I’ll see you guys there.”

It was on. If Satoru Gojo wanted to play nice, so could Raiden Shuga.

Extra Trimmings! “So…do I get a blowjob now?” he lets out a toothy grin. “No! What makes you think that you deserve a blowjob?” you slap his arm. “Ow! You said if I play nicely then I get a blowjob.” he reasons with you. “ Was telling my boss-” you lift your chin at him and imitate him. “-you’re weak. Playing nicely?” you sigh, “I’m so gonna get fired.”

[gabessquishytum]

That ask of dream having to work the summer at one of his family's resorts and being perved on by hob is so delicious to me. But consider: hob is very rich and powerful, yes. But nowhere NEAR the level of the Endless family and would probably never have even talked to the cute shy waiter who had no idea what he was doing if he knew who dream was. Dream knows this. He really considers telling his supervisor about hob bc it would be taken care of by dinner but he kinda likes the attention... hes always thought people only talked to him bc his family name but here hob is catcalling him across the pool and laughing at him when it makes dream spill his tray of drinks. Hob has no idea how this kid got THIS particular job but hes very glad he decided on extending his stay and might do so again:) hob is constantly demanding dream as his server and tucks his more than generous tips in the band of dreams tiny shorts before sending him off again with a slap to his ass. Hob is mostly playing chicken when he tells dream change into his swimsuit and let hob teach him to swim but dream AGREES and returns in the rarely chosen uniform one piece suit and hob can finally see his little tits cupped by something tighter than the sadly shapeless uniform polo. Hob "accidentally" sends it off to laundry forcing him to remain shivering in his swimsuit and dream knows thats a lie but hob calls him pretty and offers him a drink in apology. Then another, because dream deserves it for working so hard. He cant say no when hob tells him hes going to a yacht party that evening as hobs guest instead of an employee. The last minute addition means theres not enough chairs at dinner but hob waves his protests away and pulls dream onto his lap, keeping him quiet with a glass of wine to his lips and his other hand up dreams dress. Dream is wasted as he walks back to his room with his shoes in hand, he figured he should leave when hob got pulled into conversation when they got back. Hes frustrated because hob never made him come but theres another waiter dreams age whos hes sure has been giving him looks behind those shades and maybe Corinthian is capable of pleasuring him unlike hob :/ hob is pissed his arm candy left before he could get dream to beg for relief writhing on silk sheets but he does get to break rodrick burgess' nose for touching whats HIS and if his pretty boy thinks this was for moral reasons? Hey, hob is eager to accept dreams gratitude and dream rethinks his opinions about hobs sexual prowess when hes got dream moaning on his dick til sunrise.

-🔪

I'm sooooo thirsty about this au. I just love the idea of Hob teasing Dream until he's a little riled up mess, bless him. All those touches with those big warm hands have him aching, and maybe he shouldn't want it... but oh, he does. Its the fact that he could stop it at any time, that he technically has the power in the situation... but Hob doesn't know that. So Dream can really lose himself in his helpless slutty waiter fantasy.

When Hob finds Dream after the yacht party, they even have a little "fight" - Dream says that he's sick of Hob being gross, he's going to call Cori to take him to bed and report Hob for harassment tomorrow! And Hob is holding the hand that he used to punch Burgess and he's like "oh :((( OK I guess. You should know that Roderick won't bother you again by the way, I knocked him out." And Dream is like "oh? you defended my honour?"

And they fall into bed immediately. Hob tears Dream’s dress down the side seams and eats him out until he's thrashing and crying, the bedside lamp is on the floor, the sheets are soaked because Dream squirted everywhere. When he finally gets fucked he's just gushing, coming all over Hob’s dick as soon as its inside him, moaning until he's hoarse as Hob lifts him up and down with one hand. He's never had sex like this. Every slap on the arse, every lewd comment, its all worth it. Hob is some kind of sex-god disguised as a rich asshole.

They sleep in late next morning and Hob is like "won't you be in trouble for skipping work?" Dream just smiles and straddles Hob’s thighs for another go... And that's how Hob finds out that he's been perving on the prized third son of the Endless family...

[dropitlikeapeong]

Waiting for You: Chapter 2-

But why?

Genre: more angst (kinda.. it could've been worse)

CW: Swearing(and lots of it). Seeuns a jerk (a little bit!). mentions of food. Y/n's probably getting fired. mentions of jealousy. suggestive mentions (makeouts, hickeys and love bites) NONE are happening in this chapter, they're only mentioned.

This chapter is not as angsty and sad as it could've been, and thats okay because I still got the next few chapters to torture you with :D

This one's a bit longer than the last one so woohoo. I apologize for any spelling mistakes (my eyesight is a joke) if im forgetting to add something in the cws, please let me know and i hope ya'll enjoy.

Likes, reblogs and comments are very appreciated.

"Let's break up."

"we're done, y/n."

"I don't want us, anymore"

"we're done."

"Goodbye Y/n."

Not a single explanation given, he just simply let you know that it was over, and left. Instead of an evening that usually ends with watching yours and his favourite shows on netflix with some snacks, cuddling and a little makeout in between, your evening ended with you crying yourself to sleep wondering what went wrong. Sadly the world won't stop spinning solely for your heartbreak, and you are very much still needed at work today.

Having slept through the alarms your now ex-boyfriend always set for you, you are forced get up by the several incoming calls and texts from your supervisor and your coworkers. After your phone finally stops vibrating, you sit up in your bed to scroll through the many texts from your friends, Jiwoo and Hana;

Jiwoo: WHERE TF ARE YOU?!- sent 06:18

Jiwoo: you were the last one to leave work last night, you have the office keys now we can't get in- sent 06:20

Jiwoo: also we agreed yesterday you're in charge of the picking up the boys' food, im driving them to the photoshoot- sent 06:21

Jiwoo: and no i will not switch shifts with you again- sent 06:21

Jiwoo: BITCH ISTG- sent 06:52

Jiwoo: we got a spare key. thanks for nothing asshole.- sent 07:05

Well... Jiwoo's mad. You'll have to make it up to her later, and from the looks of it, Hana as well.

Hana: If you value your job, get your ass over here quickly. I can only stall Manager Park for so long- sent 07:52

Hana: and no i'm not gonna tell them you're calling in sick- sent 07:52

Hana: Youre on the meal shift, you not allowed to call in sick today- sent 07:53

Hana: IF YOU DONT PICK UP THE FCUKING CALL ISTG- sent 07:58

Hana: lol, tried to save ya, Manager Park is pissed.-sent 08:14

Hana: And youre on meal shift tomorrow as well since jiwoo had to get the boys' coffee today. YOURE WELCOME.- sent 08:15

hana: AND youre the one who promised the maknaes brownies today, not us, so have fun explaining to them why they arent getting any today- sent 08:18

Hana: im mad at you in case you cant tell.-sent 08:18

Aside from the spam of your upset friends, your main motivator to get into the shower was a singular text from Manager Park letting you know that if you didn't show up at work today, to not bother showing up tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the day after that.

So you rush through your shower routine, grab your bags and your keys and a fruit on your way out of your home, to at least try and salvage this day, and not piss off your friends or your other colleagues even more.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

While driving to work, your thoughts end up drifting back to last nights events. When Seeun broke your heart and left you crying on your living room floor.

Later today one of the staff that were aware of your relationship would be coming around to pick up anything and everthing of his that he might have left in your apartment, during your one year relationship.

'It's for the best' he says. Best for who? Him? Did the CEO find out about you then tell him to end things? that would make sense, however with how clingy he was toward you at work and in front of everyone, it was quite difficult to keep your relationship secret, even from the CEO himself.

After he caught Seeun trying to sneak into one of the supply closets with you, you were both called into his office for a very important discussion about "fraternization in the workplace". He'd given you both a stern yet kind warning that if anyone outside of the company found out found about this, it'd mean a lot of trouble, especially for you, so you needed to be careful.

'Guess there's no need to worry about that anymore.' you thought to yourself.

You make a stop at the sandwich bar across the company to pick up the boys' lunch as well as the brownies you promised, even though you told them you'd bake them yourself, you were unfortunately too preoccupied with dealing with heartbreak their friend caused. Hopefully they'll understand right? Of course they wouldn't they didn't even know you two were a thing. Wait, maybe that's his issue;

What if he saw you with someone else? Maybe thats why!

Could he have seen you with another guy and overthought the situation? You obviously have some male coworkers that you chat with sometimes, but your conversations are always respectful. Even if someone does flirt with you, you always kindly let them know you're not interested.

Him worrying about you leaving for another guy seems highly unlikely, but not impossible. He does tend to have a bit of a jealous streak, epsecially when comes to you being around his bandmates.

With the job of prepping their equipment and clothing for performances, Bringing them their food and drinks and driving them to their many different events since their debut, it's no surprise that you'd eventually grow close to the ten boys. it is how you and Seeun started dating after all, but considering that could get you into an insane amount of trouble, your relationship with him remained a secret, even from the rest of the group.

That secretiveness unfortunately made some of other members comfortable enough to have some flirty conversations with you.

Its kinda suprising how neither of them even suspected you two, with how Seeun would constantly be caught staring daggers at Hunter for constantly offering to take you out on a date after dance practice. Considering Hunter's personality, you know he's probably joking, but it still didn't stop your boyfriend from angrily muttering about how he needed to back off, because you're his and his only.

I mean, at least you were.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

Finally you arrive at the company just in time to deliver lunch to the boys. Once you reach their practice room they're all lying on the floor sprawled out, in different corners of the studio. Jiwoo continues packing up their sound equipment not even sparing you a glance, still very much upset from this morning. You'll have to buy her lunch later to make up for it.

They're all too exhausted from rehearsals to pay any attention to you, so you figure you can sneak in, leave them their food and sneak back out unnoticed, but today is just not your day.

"Y/NNIE!!", is all you hear before a strong pair of arms wrap around you and lift you off the ground, squeezing you tightly.

So much for sneaking out unnoticed.

"Hunter, I can't breathe." He gives you one last squeeze before setting you on your feet again, smiling down at you.

"Where were you this morning? We missed you!" Yujun asked while rummaging through the bag of food you brought.

Now everyone's eyes are on you as you try to explain your absence from this morning but your wonderful ex pipes up before you can even speak.

"Who's 'we'?" he scoffed, while the other members laughed, your smile dropped as you tensed at his response.

Right. He always had to tease you a little to make sure his favoritism of you wasn't too obvious, although according to Hyunwoo, it only makes it more obvious that he likes you, hence everyone just laughing off his comment. Even you would just laugh off his antics knowing he'd give you all his hugs and kisses later, as an apology in case he was a little too mean.

But after last night's conversation, today's joke isn't really that easy to laugh off.

"So Y/n, where were you-Are you crying?" Yechan asks and now everyone is moving in closer to see what was wrong with you. When did you start crying? You quickly wipe at your face but Seeun grabs your wrist, his other hand moving up to as if to caress your cheek, him looking down at you with concern with concern in his eyes, that concern disappears immediately, as he laughs in your face.

"Wait are you really crying?" he sneered. What is this?

This is not his usual teasing, he's really just trying to hurt you.

But why? Why is he being like this?

"Aw, Y/nnie you know I'm just joking, no need to be a baby about it-" he goes to ruffle your hair but you instinctively slap his hand away from you.

He looked a bit shocked at your actions but that expression quickly changed into a mocking smirk.

"Woah, calm down, why are you being so moody today?"

"Y/n just had a bad morning guys, we all have those don't we?" jiwoo spoke up. You weren't really expecting her to defend you after her texts from this morning, but you were grateful nonetheless.

"Yay! You brought the brownies!" the exchange between you two is quickly forgotten as the rest of group rushes off to where Yujun is holding the box of brownies.

"Hey, these are store-bought you said you'd bake them-"

"Who cares, I want one!"

"Hey! hEY- DON'T EAT ALL OF THEM! We're supposed to share!!"

While they all bickered over the bags of food, you backed away silently trying to make your way to the door, but bumped into someone, you turn around to see Seeun glaring at you.

"Watch where you're going idiot." He muttered walking over to where the rest of members were already sitting down and eating, leaving a dull ache in your chest.

What was his problem? Why was he acting as if you're the one who hurt him?

You were tempted to ask but Jiwoo grabbed your arm and dragged you towards the door.

"We need to go see Manager Park right now, but we'll be back in a few minutes. Enjoy your lunch guys!"

Once the door is shut, you are then dragged off to yours and Jiwoo's shared office.

"I thought we had to go to Manager Park-"

"Yes. You do. In an hour or so;"

She then shoves you into your chair and stares at you expectantly.

"I know you're probably so mad at me right now- and you have every right to be-"

"-Apology accepted. You'll pay for my lunch later. Now onto more pressing matters, what's up with you and Seeun? You guys were so tense just now! Did you guys fight or something?"

You roll your eyes and sigh at her nosiness. You had planned on keeping the relationship a secret from her and Hana as well, but they put two and two together when you had gone into his dressing room to 'help him with his stage outfit', and came back with hickeys littered on your neck and collar, and bite marks on your shoulders and chest(you probably shouldn't have worn a sleeveless top that day).

Although there was a lot of concern about how things could easily go very wrong with this, they were still very happy for you and being the good friends they were, they promised not to tell a single soul.

"We broke up." Her mouth fell open, with her eyes widened in shock.

"Uh.. O-Okay?? Why??" She asked incredulously.

You shrugged, wishing you knew that answer as well.

"Jeez so that's why he's been so sour this morning, you broke his heart!" she says slapping your arm lightly and you narrowed your eyes her.

"First of all; He broke up with me-"

"-The fuck? Why?"

"Beats me." you leaned back into your chair closing your eyes.

"Well shit, then what the heck was he mad at us for?" you sat back up at that.

"He got mad at you guys?" she nodded and sat on you desk.

"He was so snappy with everyone this morning, no one knew what his deal was."

Before you could ask her for more information, the door opened and Hana rushed in, slightly out of breath.

"Manager Park is looking for you- and wants to see you in the practice room. Right now."

"Me? I thought he wanted to see me in hour-"

"-Change of plans. He wants to see you now and i suggest you move fast, cause he seemed pissed."

Shit.

"We all come late from time to time- hell even he was late too last week- he can't still be mad about that right?" Jiwoo asked trying to reassure you even though she seemed just as worried as you. Hana shrugged and looked at you.

"You coming?"

You exhaled deeply and stood up, following her to the the practice room.

Time to face the music.

<previous chapter :: next chapter>

[givemea-dam-break]

ephemeral - chapter three

a/n: i hope you all enjoy this - the next part will have a lot more going on, i promise!

warnings: mild language gn reader

full collection: here

The next morning is spent at 35 Portland Row, the four of you - you, Lockwood, Lucy, and George - pouring over the contents of the file you stole not even twelve hours ago. Still, after a comfortable nap in Lucy's bed, you feel as if you've been running only recently, heart pounding and feet aching. Nothing a good brew won't fix.

"It looks like the mansion used to be home to this family - the Mortons - in the early eighteen-hundreds," George says, pushing his glasses up his nose. "All of them died in a house fire, save for the only daughter and her son. Some theories suggest she started the fire so that her son would inherit the money instead of one of her six brothers, but it was never confirmed. She went mad a few years later while they were living in northern England after the son died from tuberculosis when he was eight."

Lucy frowns, taking a bite out of her glazed doughnut. A few crumbs fall on her pyjamas. "Bit grim. So, do we think it's the dead family haunting the mansion? I mean, they were killed in the fire - if not murdered - so they've possibly got a reason to come back."

"The report says there were at least five Type Twos," you say, carefully sipping your tea so as to not spill it over the aged paper. "Two men, three women. A mix of Phantasms and Wraiths. The kid who died was ghost-touched by one of the Phantasms. The one who was driven mad had been ghost-locked by a Wraith. The supervisor barely got that one and the other agent out alive. Wait..."

"What is it?" Lockwood leans over the arm of his chair, his face coming far too close to yours.

"My old supervisor - she was one of the kids on that case."

"Hanna Reid?" Lockwood takes the report from your hand, scanning over the writing.

"She was your supervisor?" George asks. "Maybe we could ask her for help, see what advice she could give."

You shake your head, taking the report back from Lockwood and trying to ignore how his fingers brush yours almost purposefully. "No, she never spoke about her cases, really. She was a good supervisor, but she wasn't entirely there, you know? Besides, it'd reveal that we were the ones that broke in yesterday. All that would lead to is DEPRAC arresting us and Steve Rotwell sending this company into an early grave."

"So we can't ask her for help," Lockwood says. "What else do we know? Do we have a layout of the mansion, anything else the report itself tells us?"

"Here's the layout," Lucy says, pushing forward an architectural plan. "Big place. It's got a ballroom and everything."

George takes the plan. "The fire originated in the east wing of the house, over by the drawing room, but the report says that the team found a source in the ballroom under the floorboards. Obviously, it wasn't the only source, because there are ghosts still lingering."

"This is assuming these ghosts are the same ones from almost two decades ago," Lockwood reminds you all. "Could be a completely different set of Visitors. They might well have triggered a new haunting."

Lucy groans. "How are we meant to be prepared for tonight? This kind of case needs a few days' worth of preparation, not one morning."

"Not to make things worse," George says, "but Miss Jeffries called earlier on, Lockwood. We're prohibited from using magnesium flares seeing as her party is tomorrow night and she doesn't want her mansion blown to pieces."

Now you groan, plucking an Apricot Danish from the plate on the coffee table. "So a repeat of Combe Carey Hall, then, except this time we won't even have a smuggled-in bomb flare."

"I could arrange something," Lockwood says, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

"No, I don't think that'd be a good idea," George says. "As much as I'd love to get my eardrums assaulted again, we have to go about this all differently."

Lockwood doesn't let that discourage him. "Well, we'll stock up on extra salt bombs, and I can head to Satchel's to pick up some heavy-duty chains."

"Lucy, go with him, won't you?" you say around your pastry. "Make sure he doesn't get flares. I'll pack the bags here."

If the prospect of getting dressed and leaving the house bothers Lucy, she doesn't show it. "I've missed you mothering him."

The comment stops you cold. George chokes on his biscuit. Lockwood isn't moving. Lucy's eyes widen.

"Sorry, I didn't mean -"

"It's fine," you say, swallowing. It's his fault I've not been here to do it. "I'm going to go pack our kits. George, here are the rest of the reports. I'll be in the basement."

--

One of Lucy's mixtapes is blaring from the speakers down in the basement, and the loud music is a good distraction from your thoughts. With it playing, you can focus on oiling the chains you've picked out and packing the kits with everything you might need. Salt bombs - you've spent a good hour or so making another batch - along with packets of gum in each bag to save George having to figure out who's got it, some snacks unique to each person, a flask of tea in Lockwood's for everyone to share. Once the chains are finished, you wind them up as tightly as you can manage and shove them into the kits.

The whole routine comes to you too easily. It isn't hard to forget everything and pretend, and, oh, how you would love to pretend that the past eight months never happened, but you have to keep reminding yourself that it did. After this case, you'll never see Lockwood again.

It surprises you how much it hurts to think about that. You hate him for what he did, and he probably doesn't particularly like you after things you said that extended far past calling him a conceited asshole, but, surprisingly, you hate the thought of never seeing him again more.

This is just a taste of what it would be like to be with the team again, and you've found yourself enjoying it. You've no issue with Lucy or George, but even being with Lockwood isn't nearly as bad as you thought it would be. Do you really never want to see him again?

I'll stay away until you're ready to speak to me again, or forever if I have to.

A little part of you is smiling at the memory of his words. The arrogant prick knew you wouldn't be able to stay away.

"Am I interrupting something?"

You jump, turning to find George at the foot of the basement stairs. "Oh, George, hey! No, you're not. I've just finished packing our kits."

"Oh, ok, just that you were staring at Skull for longer than any sane person would manage."

"Was I?" You look over at the skull trapped in the Silverglass jar, the Type Three only Lucy can speak to, and cringe as he pulls a grotesque face. "Right. Everything alright, George?"

"Lockwood's just called. He and Lucy have stocked up on more chains, filings, the sorts, and want us to meet them at the train station so we can head to the mansion. Better to get a feel for the place as soon as."

"Have you got the information you need?"

George takes off his glasses, cleaning the lenses on his jumper. "Some, but I'll admit, I don't feel good about this case. We've had even less time to prepare than we did for Combe Carey, and we're going in almost completely blind as to what we're facing. Will it be the ghosts of the family? Some other ones we don't know about?"

You can tell that the whole thing is frustrating him even more than he's showing. For George not to have found much on the mansion outwith what you got in the folder from the Rotwell archives, it must be infuriating. You know how much he hates not knowing things.

"Right," he says. "I'll get my shoes on, then we'll go."

And so you do.

Lockwood and Lucy are already at the station when you both arrive, hoisting heavy chains over their shoulders. By the time you reach them, you're sweating from carrying two kit bags plus Lucy's rucksack in which Skull resides. Your respect for Lucy has only increased after having to lug the heavy case around.

"Extra salt bombs are at the top of all the kit bags," you say, handing Lucy her bag and rucksack. "Your belts are also there, with even more salt bombs and pouches of the usual filings. Two sets of chains in mine and Lockwood's bags, one in Lucy's and George's. I've also put some snacks and tea in. Figured we'd get hungry before the night's even over."

Lockwood grins. "You're the best, (name)."

"I know I am. I wouldn't be here otherwise." You reach into your kit bag and pull out a paper bag, infinitely glad the contents haven't leaked. "Oh, also, milkshakes for everyone, courtesy of Arif."

You pass them around - strawberry and chocolate for Lucy, banana for George, your own unique recipe for yourself, and mint chocolate for Lockwood. It feels nice to hand them out, even nicer to have been able to remember their favourites.

Eventually, you all board the train, sipping milkshakes as the air conditioning whirs quietly. The train is packed with people going on holiday, but the four of you manage to get yourselves a table seat, thanks to your heavy kits and gleaming rapiers.

Although you're providing a vital service, you still get glares from some of the passengers. You remind them of exactly what they're trying to escape.

"So, what's new?" Lockwood asks.

George, who sits beside him, spreads his notes out along with a few sheets from the report and images of the house and its layout. Lucy moves his milkshake out of the way.

"Not much, honestly," George says. "Thanks, Lucy. Okay, well, like I said earlier, the source that had been found by the last team was here in the ballroom, but there has to be at least one more seeing as more ghosts attacked on their way out."

"So what are you thinking?" you ask.

He's got that sparkle in his eye again. "There are at least two ghosts left, a Wraith and a Phantasm, but I called up one of the maids who had been working at the mansion and asked her a few questions. She's younger, not young enough to still have any Talents, but her senses are still more heightened than her coworkers. She said the first time she felt one of the ghosts had been on the second floor, up where the servants' rooms are, when she was heading to bed. The second time, the feeling followed her around the house as she was finishing up.

"Another one of the maids was ghost-touched as she was leaving, right at the front doors. Thankfully, she was driven to the nearest hospital in time to get an adrenaline shot and she's in recovery now. Some of the others have commented about feeling like they're being followed or chased, but after the ghost-touch, none of them will set foot in the house."

Taking a sip of his milkshake, Lockwood says, "So, we've got ghosts immediately on the ground floor and then on the second floor, too. That leaves the first floor potentially safe, but we need to keep our wits about us. We'll all go floor by floor to check the place out, together to begin with, and then we'll work from there. Sound good?"

You all nod in agreement.

For a little bit after that, you're able to relax. You sit and sip your milkshakes, talking about this and that, poking fun at each other. It's nice being able to do so, to smile and laugh as if you're just regular kids, hanging out during the summer holidays like kids would've done so many years ago. You can pretend your rapiers and kit bags aren't there, replaced with rucksacks filled with snacks and games to play.

But the feeling is short-lived.

Soon enough, the train stops momentarily at a station, and you all file out, Lockwood leading the charge.

The fresh air, free of noise and air pollution, is incredible. You can smell freshly cut grass and a distinctly summer-like smell, and in the town that connects to the station, you can hear children squealing with glee. It should be lovely to be surrounded by such peace, but the taxi in front of you ruins it.

It's a big slab of black, with a young man in the driver's seat and, while it's different from the night cabs agents usually have to take, it makes you feel uneasy. This case is giving you a bad feeling, and this taxi is only going to take you closer.

It takes a lot of squishing for everyone to fit in the back of the taxi, but you manage eventually. Really, one of you should sit in the front passenger's seat - Lockwood - but the driver insists you'll all fit just fine.

"Ow, Lockwood, you're proper digging me into the door!" you grumble.

"I can't move! Lucy, shuffle over a touch."

"George is in the way!"

"Well, then, George, you move."

"I'm stuffed into the door, too! I can't move anywhere."

"Everybody comfy?" the driver asks. Before any of you even get the chance to reply, he says, "Good. Let's go. Where to?"

Lockwood shifts slightly, elbowing you in the ribs accidentally. "Elmview Estate, please."

The car jolts to a start, and suddenly you're whizzing down the roads at a speed that is probably illegal. You're not sure - you can't see the speed dial. Every twist and turn has you all jamming into each other, and multiple times you end up with Lockwood's elbow dug into some part of your body painfully. Yours does the same, but not every time is accidental, and Lockwood may have caught onto that fact.

If you were travelling a tad slower, you're sure the view would be beautiful as you leave the town and enter the countryside. The distant hills are a blur, and the trees move by so quickly they're but a blur of green. Once or twice, you pass groups of cyclists, and you're pretty shocked by the fact that the driver hasn't hit any of them.

To be honest, this guy's licence should probably be revoked.

But he gets you where you need to go. You reach the estate sooner than you should've which, at least, gives you more time to scope out the mansion. In a very strange way, you're all grateful for the guy.

"Don't tell anyone we were here," Lockwood says to the driver, handing him extra money.

"Gotcha. Stay safe, kiddos."

Then he's speeding off down the lane and out of sight.

George scoffs. "Kiddos. He's not even that much older than us."

Slowly, you all turn towards the house. It's a hulking beast of a thing, towering three storeys tall with massive windows on all floors. Balconies made of stone and wrought iron host beautiful flowering plants. A set of large white steps lead up to the large double doors, made from white metal of some sort and stained glass depicting some scene or another that, really, should be one of the most stunning things about the house. But it's smashed as though someone fell through it. Elm trees surround the house, bursting with green leaves that blow gently in the breeze.

"Lovely place," Lockwood says. "If it weren't haunted, I'd like to live here."

"You've nowhere near enough money," you remind him. "And what would you do with all the space? Imagine all the dusting you'd have to do."

"You sound like my mum," George grumbles. "Every time we used to pass a big house when I was a kid, it was: Oh, imagine all the dusting! I'd love to say I've got a mansion, but I'd hate the cleaning."

"I suppose that's why Yvette has maids," Lucy says, staring up at the house. "If you have the money to own a mansion, you have the money for hired help."

"This is all besides the point," Lockwood interrupts, although he's smiling. "We best get started, check out the house while it's light."

With a big, shared sigh, you all climb the steps into the house.

<- part 2 part 4 ->

[lumine-no-hikari]

Dear Sephiroth: (a letter to a fictional character, because why not) #204

The power is out at my house. It has been out since 1:30pm. It is currently 7:43PM. The estimated time that it will come back on is midnight tonight. But… I'm a little skeptical of that. Because the first estimate was 3:45PM. Then it was 5:15PM. Then it was 8:15PM. Then midnight. And now 5am tomorrow. I wonder what happened. It must have been a bigger problem than they initially thought.

It's extremely hot and windy at my house today. It got up to 94 degrees F today (34.4 degrees C). The humidity is at 75% and climbing. That hurricane called Beryl is moving over the Great Lakes right now, in some kind of northeasterly fashion. Check it out:

The Great Lakes are those big ol' blue blobs of water to the west. The land is the white stuff with all the fancy labels in black ink. We have the Atlantic Ocean to the east; that's the super big ol' blob of blue on the east side. And the rain is the green-yellow-red blobs.

We have tornado watches in my area, which is very unusual for the geography and climate of where I live. But it looks like the bulk of it might just squeak right past us, for the most part, maybe. There's still that westernmost blob of precipitation that still might hit us later, though...

Hell, to have a storm system travel so far over this continent is unusual by itself:

But I went to work at the bakery today, and that was very nice! Normally, my supervisor Mi and my coworker Ma is with me. But today it was different; Mi is on vacation and I'm not sure where Ma was; maybe he just wasn't scheduled for today. But this other lady L took Mi's place, and there was some other lady, Ra, who was there! And both of them were delightful! I won't see Le as my manager again in the coming weeks, though; someone else from some other store will be coming; I hope they're nice, whoever they are. And I found a feather along the way:

My outfit for work is all black, like this:

...And my hair has to be tied back and out of the way, like this:

But!! Under all this black, I get to wear my crazy colorful socks!!!

...Sometimes I wonder if you wear colorful socks under ordinary things, just like I do.

We ended up going to the library, because our house has no power. They had a fish tank!!! It had three Plecostomuses, and two were albino, and there were so many others, too!! Look!!

Sometime after that, I had to go pick up the dress for my best friend BB's wedding. I got a picture of a robin at her house:

...And then I got a picture of a rabbit on the way home:

...Don't worry. I chased this one away from the road. It doesn't belong there.

Now we are at a hotel, because M and I need it for our CPAPs. Can't sleep without 'em unless we wanna suffocate multiple times in the night. I need mine because my lower jaw is too small to properly accommodate all the soft tissue on the inside of my face, and so when it gets relaxed (like when we sleep), my airways collapse because there's simply not enough space for everything. It's really super lame like that...

It becomes late; goodness, I got distracted a bunch of times while writing this. It's like 12:31am now. So I guess I'll stop writing, because I'm well into "rambling" territory at this point. Sorry about that.

...I really hope you liked the pictures of the cute scaled and feathered and fuzzy animals, though.

I love you. I'll write again soon, okay? So please stay safe...

Your friend, Lumine

[iviarellereads]

The Murderbot Diaries - Compulsory(1) (Wired Magazine)

(Curious what I'm doing here? Read this post! For the link index and a primer on The Murderbot Diaries, read this one! Like what you see? Send me a Ko-Fi.)

In which we go back in ti-i-ime.

First published in Wired in 2018, shortly after Exit Strategy, this prequel story is still free to read as it once was... with a note. Today, we cover the original version, and tomorrow, we'll be reading the expanded one that just came out through Subterranean Press for something like $1 as of time of writing, to compare and contrast, and if I remember after part 2 goes up, this text will be edited to a direct link. All aboard!

Murderbot's thought about killing humans since it hacked its governor module, but then it found the entertainment feeds. So, what's the hurry? It can kill them after this series ends.

And honestly, even the humans here think about killing each other. MB hates mines, everything to do with them,(2) but the humans hate mines even more. It predicts a 53% chance of a human-initiated massacre before the contract ends, then witnesses some name calling, and tracks that up a bit.

It's watching episode 44 of Sanctuary Moon while the humans talk about flow rates. One of them, Sekai, says SecUnits creep her out. MB can't argue that: even it doesn't like SecUnits. It doesn't react, though. Nearly all its attention is on its show, to the point that it misses the humans' actions until it hears a yell.

Running its recordings back, Asa knocked Sekai off the platform, seemingly accidentally. It tracks Sekai's fall, which looks painful. Because of where she lands, she's about 90 seconds away from dropping her in the collectors on the way to the incinerator.

You might think that rescuing her would be its job, but no. MB's job is to prevent workers from stealing company property, prevent workers from injuring or killing management, and prevent workers from harming one another. Rescue is up to safety bots.

HubSystem's alert tells it to stay in position. The nearest safety bot for rescue is 200 meters out, and will arrive just in time to retrieve a smoldering lump. Asa is horrified, Elane is sobbing. MB could ignore them, but it likes the human in peril on the show in this episode and doesn't want to watch her die yet, while Sekai is a human it's technically responsible for, and will be really dead sooner.

Having free will after so long under strict controls sometimes make MB do things it doesn't understand.(3) Before it thinks too hard about it, it jumps off the platform, landing next to Sekai. HubSystem tries to fry it via its governor module, but joke's on HubSystem.

MB tells Sekai to clip her harness to it, and as it climbs, it works on hacking HubSystem to show that the rescue was its idea. The supervisors are confused, but it all worked out. Better a fine for almost clogging the collectors than dead.

Elane makes to pull Sekai away, but she comes back and thanks MB. MB worries for a moment that she can see through its visor, and its performance drops 3% at the thought. Asa tells her SecUnits can't talk, but she says no, she heard it.

Back at my guard station, I started the episode again. Maybe somebody would save the colony solicitor’s bodyguard too.(4)

=====

(1) How do we think the title relates to the content? The novellas, so far, have been fairly straightforward. All Systems Red, like a classic red alert, everything is not good. Artificial Condition, a state that is made up and thus conditional and dependent on perception rather than reality, like the fear Tapan felt. Rogue Protocol, going rogue, or seeming to. Exit Strategy, needing to find the exit with Mensah. Compulsory, I think, is a fascinating turnabout on that, because it's not an obvious one to me. I think it calls back to the perceived dichotomy between its assigned behaviour (stay in place) and what it feels driven to do (save the human). It feels compelled to move, even though not-helping is literally the compulsory/assigned action. (2) How much do you think it remembered about the incident, when this is set? (3) I think it's only just starting to understand its impulses to help during the novellas, myself. (4) Do you think this was the first time Murderbot wanted to save a human consciously? Or, perhaps, the first time it started processing and learning good behaviour from its serials? Or, do you think this is just an ordinary day for it?

[vulpine111]

I mostly napped after I got my methadone today, but now I'm going to take a shower. I finally found the spoons to make a couple of medical calls.

I called my insurance for more rides to the clinic. I put in as many as they will allow me in advance. It's always a hassle to ask the robotic line for a representative. I have to say "agent now" about 10 times in a row.

Anyways, I also called customer service to figure out how to stay on my health plan. I've been getting reminders it's just about time to reinroll for next year. I'm not sure if social security will do it for me automatically but I should probably call first thing in the morning tomorrow.

I would talk to the income support division now about how to reinroll, but they close in 15 minutes and the hold times are long. It has to wait.

I figure they want me to communicate to some extent that I still want this plan. I don't know of any other plans that would serve me better, so I'm going to continue to choose Blue Cross Blue Shield through Medicaid.

Speaking of medical stuff, I only need to lose 6 more pounds and I'll be at my goal weight for the hysterectomy. Maybe I should call and see how much longer it's going to take to get answers regarding my sleep apnea.

Like I mentioned, they can't perform the surgery unless they have info from the sleep study. The wait list is taking forever. A lot of stuff is backed up here.

I don't think I should end my life until I see how surgery and the CPAP machine treat me. It's possible I might be happier and more capable at some point. It would be a shame to cheat myself out of any possible future happiness.

Besides, it is extremely unlikely I will end up in a group home. I'm going to fight as much as possible to stay in my existing apartment, tbh.

I know they're not social workers or guardian angels or anything like that, but I plan to talk to the office here and let them know it would be a huge hardship for me to move.

Maybe they'll have heart for my situation and agree to work with me whenever I upgrade to section 8. Maybe they can talk to the supervisor about it- even though in the past I've been told they don't like to change leases.

Since I always pay early, I've demonstrated I am a decent tenant that they can count on.

[emodialisse]

(Giving a tour on Octavius Industries, first year of Peter's internship)

Otto: Don't worry about leaving too much junk around here, as you can see it's very roomy, this is our main workshop area after all. You can tidy your office later, I'll just need to file some paperwork and have it delivered to my foreseeable suitor. She has shown much promising feedback coming from the health care org.

Peter: I honestly wish I could spit on my high school scientific initiation supervisor's face.

Otto: I won't stop you. Take a look, this is where we shall be. Impressive, won't you say?

Peter: Yeah, much. Especially for a start-up.

Otto: Well, I did get a reliable network after lots of peer reviews. We have everything we need here... And soon after I go through the pile of paperwork that is craving my attention now and then, we can hop into the thing I wanted to discuss with you after tomorrow's interview.

Peter: Oh, I didn't... Do you already have something going on? Oh, you're getting me all pumped up, Doc!

Otto: Alright, alright, let's dial it back a little bit. How could you tell?

Peter: Well, you must have! I mean, isn't that why you called me here?

Otto: Maybe I just enjoy your company.

Peter: Ha. I don't want to question you or anything, sir, the pep talk you gave me that afternoon really stuck to me, but I haven't got this kind of confidence to do something... In years, you know?

Otto: I understand that completely. Lend me some of that faith and I promise you, it won't disappoint.

Peter: Wow. You weren't kidding, it's chilling in here.

Otto: If the circumstances won't turn against us, we might start to warm up tomorrow.

Peter: Good thing I called off all of my compromises, but I do have gym training at six, every Tuesday, so...

Otto: Good to know you're one to keep in shape, but we do need to send a clean report to the org every week, I'm afraid, as I'm counting on not hiring anymore staff for now. I think you've got it covered.

Peter: Hell yeah, if you need help with paperwork, and I'm just letting you know, in my AT position at ESU, I was called the fastest man alive.

Otto: Don't worry about that, it's an stock of ideas for budget, counting that everything goes well with the ethics committee once we get the engines running on my next project.

Peter: With a place like this? External funding should be easy. This could fit the entire of my aunt's homy living room at Queens. How did you find it?

Otto: Oh, this used to be an auto repair shop. Back in the day it seemed like a pretty good deal. The man who sold it to me was a very... Colorful character. He only accepted being referred to as “Paulão”, although I'm pretty sure my pronunciation isn't spot on. He was very easy going, but the same couldn't be said about his partner.

Peter: Oh, so there was two owners?

Otto: I don't think so, no. He showed up only once, and it was the day Paulão would hand me the keys. Hm. He had a very remarkable taste for t-shirts, like they came straight out of kaleidoscope. He came with a taxi, but I'm pretty sure he was driving it. I haven't seen something like that since the 70s, it's funny to think about him now.

Peter: Gotta love someone whose dedicated to strike a first impression.

Otto: I hope this is also a nod to a certain TV celebrity we're getting all over the news these days...

Peter: You watch his show?

Otto: I don't change the channel.

Peter: Do you like it? I don't watch it. Just... You, know, I can see the appeal of his character.

Otto: Well... Then you could say I'm very... Curious, about his existence. Although it's not a topic we can explore much further, after all, the man prefers to be cover his face all times. No surprise that charlatan bouquet Jonah likes to sell it to scare us off. However there's not much performance to pass on a message, he's just showing off cool tricks.

Peter: Got it, “kids like him”.

Otto: Now you're putting words in my mouth. But it's not an entirely misguided assumption either, hm?

Peter: Whatever you say, Doc, I'm just following you.

Otto: I think that's enough for today.

Peter: Yeah, I need to beat it too, I had pick up May at F.E.A.S.T... a hour ago. Fuck.

Otto: Need a lift?

Peter: Thanks, Doctor, but I'm kind of scared of bikes.

Otto: What, never learned how to ride without training wheels?

Peter: When i was ten a kid beat my ass with a tire once and now I have nightmares every night.

Otto: Charming. Well then, don't waste no time.

Peter: Smell ya later!

Otto: You have such way with words, don't you?

Peter: I did try to get into poetry once. If I give you a taste, I can't promise you won't be swoon.

Otto: No thank you, you already had me with your bachelor's thesis, remember?

[starry-hughes]

did everything go ok with HR today?

i didn’t even get called in. the other trainee was out sick again. so i was given her whole workload on top of the things i had to do to today. and my trainer and i went to her house for lunch and i told my trainer i was goin to vomit from stress.

so when we got back to the office, i sat with my supervisor, trainer, and my attorney im assigned to and we went over the cases that were mine and the ones the other trainee messed up and the other trainee is supposed to be back tomorrow so they let me return all her work i couldn’t complete to her desk and i ended up working an hour overtime trying to complete things and i ended up not completing everything.

and my trainer was like “i have a bad gut feeling that the other trainee might just quit..”

which i would be fine with having the whole section to myself if i wasn’t being left with a bunch of fucked up files that are due tuesday.

[joy-of-life88]

Can I love again? [a Roman Reigns story] 18 Happiness and love

Roman POV

"Angel? I'm back!" I called as I entered our new home.

Despite the fact that there were still unpacked boxes everywhere and it was still very messy, it already felt like home. We were both glad that we had quickly agreed on a house and we had managed to get everything wrapped up before Christmas. And to be honest, Y/N and I didn't care if we celebrated Christmas in the middle of moving boxes and chaos, as long as we were together.

I heard noise coming from the kitchen and realized that the people who were installing the new kitchen were already there. That surprised me a little, because I hadn't seen a car outside.

"Hello gentlemen. You're here already? Earlier than I expected. I didn't see your car at all." I greeted the workmen as I walked into the kitchen.

"Hello sir, yes, we called the lady of the house and asked if it would be okay if we started early. She had no problem with that. Our colleague is on his way to pick up the appliances right now. If everything goes smoothly, we'll be done tonight and won't have to come back tomorrow," the supervisor explained to me.

"Great. I'm glad it all worked out so well before Christmas," I replied, and then went off in search of Y/N.

I went into the bedroom and I almost had a stroke. It looked as if a bomb had hit. There were clothes and shoes everywhere. Bedding and towels were lying around, as were books and other odds and ends.

"Woah! What happened? Are you okay?" I asked as I saw Y/N running around the room like a madwoman, obviously looking for something.

"I can't find my necklace!" she cried, rubbing her hands over her face in frustration.

"What do you mean? You were wearing it this morning, weren't you?" I replied as I immediately began to help her find it.

"I know. I took it off to go take a shower. Right after you left. I thought I put it on the nightstand, but it's not there. This is driving me crazy, Ro! I couldn't have lost it!" she sniffled as she came over to me and wrapped her arms tightly around my middle.

As she rested her head against my chest, I gently rubbed her back, hoping she would calm down a bit.

"We'll find it. There's no need to panic. It can't be far." I said softly, giving her a kiss on the top of her head.

"Okay..." sighed Y/N as she broke away from me.

I went to her side of the bed and started looking for the necklace. On the inside, I started to panic myself, because I had been quite sure that I had put the necklace right back in its place. God, this was all my fault. All I wanted was to surprise her and now she was having a panic attack because I was too stupid to pay attention.

I quickly turned on the flashlight on my phone and scanned everything. Luckily, I soon saw something shimmering.

"Baby, come here. I think I've got it. Hold this." I said to her and handed her the phone.

Then I took the lamp from the nightstand and pushed the heavy furniture aside. The necklace had slipped right between our new bed and the nightstand.

"Oh my God!" gasped Y/N as she bent down and picked up her beloved piece of jewelry.

"Everything okay again?" I asked as I put everything back in place.

"Yes, I am so relieved. Thank you Romeo." she said as she threw herself into my arms.

"Me too. That would have made everything very complicated otherwise." I muttered.

"What? What do you mean by complicated?" asked Y/N.

At that moment I realized that I had almost spilled the beans. Now I had to quickly try to distract her.

"Oh, not so important. It's good that the kitchen might be ready tonight. It went faster than expected." I babbled.

"Roman... what's wrong?" she asked suspiciously.

"Nothing at all!" I said immediately.

"Are you keeping secrets from me?" she wanted to know.

"No, of course not. It has to do with Christmas. You'll have to be patient," I replied.

"But what does my necklace have to do with Christmas? Come on, spit it out!" she demanded.

"No! I want to surprise you. Since we already couldn't celebrate our anniversary properly because we were on the road, I want to at least do this right." I said.

"You want to do what right, Roman? You're not making any sense." she replied with a frown.

"Just let it go, angel," I tried to avoid her.

"How can I let it go when you're hiding something from me? Did something happen? Do I need to worry?" she asked anxiously.

I realized that she really thought it was something bad. I couldn't blame her, because I knew that Y/N didn't like surprises. Nevertheless, I had tried to prepare a surprise for her, but now I realized that I had messed it up by my lack of cleverness.

Y/N POV

I looked up at Roman and the longer he hesitated the more worried I became.

"Angel, you don't have to worry. I actually wanted to surprise you on Christmas Eve, but somehow I messed that up for myself. I waited outside until you were in the shower. Then I came back inside because I know you take your necklace off to shower. I had to check if my gift turned out the way I planned. I guess the necklace must have slipped off the nightstand in the process. I'm sorry that my clumsiness made you panic," he began to explain.

"You did...but why?" I asked.

"In a minute, Y/N. Close your eyes, please." said Roman gently.

I did as he said, though it made me a little nervous. Right now I had more questions than answers. Still, I trusted him because I knew Roman wouldn't do anything to hurt me.

"Okay, you can open them again." I heard him say softly.

I opened my eyes and immediately they grew big. Roman was in front of me, down on one knee. I put my hands in front of my mouth.

"Holy Mother..." I gasped when I saw that he was holding something in his hand.

"This is not how I imagined it, but what the hell. In the end, all that matters is that we are together. The how and where doesn't matter.

Y/N, you know, better than anyone, that every minute of our lives is precious and that we don't know what tomorrow will bring. I know there is a reason why we met. We helped each other to become stronger. Together we were able to love again.

I want to commit you to me. As tightly as it is possible. I love you more than life itself. Without you no day makes any sense. That is why I ask you here and now, in our shared home, if you will do me the great honor and become my wife?" Roman spoke.

I sank on my knees and pressed my mouth firmly on his. I brought him off balance so that we both ended up on the floor.

"Yes, yes, yes! I want to marry you, Roman. I love you." I whispered as tears ran down my face.

"Thank you angel." he replied and kissed me back.

After a few minutes he sat us up and pulled me onto his lap.

"This one is for you. I had it specially made." he said softly and then showed me the ring.

But it was not an ordinary ring. There was a diamond on the right and left side of the ring, but there was a hole in the middle. It almost looked like a halo.

"Why is there a hole?" I asked, confused.

"Because, my darling, I know how much your first ring means to you. I had this ring made so that you can insert the other ring in the middle. That way you have three big diamonds in your engagement ring." he explained, taking the necklace off my neck and removing the ring.

Then he placed the ring inside the new ring and it fit perfectly. It was so beautiful.

"Now it represents the past, the present and the future. All in one ring, which as you know has no beginning and no end. It is infinite. Just like my love for you." he continued.

I was so overwhelmed with emotion. It was so perfect. And he had put so much thought into making something that was perfect so much more perfect.

Our love was truly a gift from the heavens. I had no doubt about that. When James told me in my dream that they would send the right people into my life, I didn't know how much my life would change because of the right man. Through him and my angels I got something back that I thought I would never have again. Happiness and love.

[musicprincess1990]

Today so far has been... interesting.

I woke up way too early, spent a couple of hours scrolling through TikTok, then fell back to sleep. Slept through my alarm, just barely managed to get to work on time. I get here, and the phone is already ringing, and there are four missed calls and three voicemails. I call one person back, another person calls. I try to call the next person back, and the first person has another question, so they call again. Round and round it goes, until finally, there's quiet.

Then I can't find a document I need, so I go to try and print it off again... and the file is gone. I email my supervisor, who sends me a new file... and when I try to print it off, I find out we're out of paper. Not just the printer, the WHOLE. DAMN. OFFICE. Eventually, after scouring the whole place, I find maybe 20 sheets of blank printer paper, but that won't last all day, so I have to email my supervisor again, as I am not able to leave the front desk because it's THAT job, and she has to take time out of her busy day to bring a couple reams of paper to the clinic.

And THEN, one of the patients on our schedule calls saying she isn't sure she can make it to her 1:00 appt. I tell her we have later times available, she says no. I let her know that the therapist will want to see her this week if possible, so I offer her several times tomorrow (we have a huge gap in the afternoon). She says no. I am about to say that I understand, sometimes it doesn't work, when she irritably sighs and says, "You know what? I'll just come at 1:00 today, might just be a little late." I ask if she's sure, and she tersely goes, "Yep," then hangs up. She ends up getting here at 12:45.

Also found out no PTO was applied to the day I took off at the end of February, even though I had requested it several weeks in advance.

The silver lining? I'm now in the perfect mindset for today's SAW prompt, and it's gonna make a great one-shot.

[rosavulpes]

" Yes ... Yes , it might have very well been that . Apologies . I assure you that I'll be back in to work first thing in the morning tomorrow to compensate for anything I'll have missed for today . Yes ma'am , I'll be sure to head home immediately to get some proper rest . Please pass along my best to everyone else there and my sincerest apologies for any inconveniences . Thank you , goodbye "

Ending the call with his supervisor at the Alchemy Commission . Laying his phone to rest within his hand basket next to his books . Shuichi kept his tone even as he spoke , his tone of voice calm , composure relaxed as he seemingly walked about the streets of the Xianzhou Luofu without a proper destination in mind with a hand basket in tow .

While he'd originally planned to spend the majority of his day in the Alchemy Commission to both further his studies , and to continue his work . His plans had changed the moment that he'd begun to feel her eyes burrowing into his back no matter how often he'd attempted to throw her off his course .

Blending himself in within the moving crowds of people , even other foxians in case she was making use of his distinctive physical features to spot him out from the others , taking what he knew to be the " long " ways of getting around the Luofu that required a number of turns , and twists to see if he might cause her to make a mistake in her pursuit . As well as to verify ... if he was her point of interest or it if was perhaps was purely coincidental . The latter becoming more unlikely as her presence persisted , his ears registering the sound of her heels clacking against the stone tiles of the walkways underneath them as she both kept pace , and her distance from him . Though he willed them to remain still , not at all twitching or remaining too stiff to suggest that he was aware of her .

Remaining aloof yet remained his best defense for the time being .

When he'd first spotted her , he'd not made a show of it , albeit ... he'd recognized her face almost instantly . It was hard not to . While it wasn't often that wanted posters from the IPC flashed on holographic displays aboard the Luofu . The Stellaron Hunters were far more than just the run of the mill typical criminals . A soft smile , and a small wave as he walked past her . Nothing different than what any another resident of the Luofu would offer to anyone that could be considered a tourist or " guest " aboard the Luofu .

Shuichi had even gone as far as to deliberately avoid taking any pathways that might put him within the range of attention of any Cloud Knight Soldiers as they policed the streets they walked in case it would prompt her to take action if she suspected he'd caught on to her ... but still , she continued to follow .

At this point , there was no doubt in his mind that the stellaron hunter was intentionally seeking him out . Therefore , he had no intentions of leading her to his place of study within the Alchemy Commission if was her aim to use him for information , or anywhere near his home ... which was why as he boarded a nearby large passenger star skiff , it's destination bound towards another district aboard the Luofu . Far away from anyone he knew , he'd taken out his wallet , passed along an appropriate amount of strale to ensure he'd be given a private booth .

A smile given to the staff as his ticket was given , and he found his way to his booth aboard the large passenger starskiff . A sizeable space with enough space for at least four passengers to sit in with overhead bins to store valuables , and other carry on luggage such as handbags .

Taking his seat , setting his basket down beside his tail , the foxian removed his sun hat , pulling out one of his text books from his basket and beginning to read from where he'd left off during the night before . Thankfully , given his tendencies to stay far longer past his set shifts at the Alchemy Commission to ensure he was no longer needed as opposed to being required to be there , coming up with a believable excuse as for why he couldn't report in for today had been quite easy .

While he didn't like the idea of inhabiting an area where others might potentially come to harm depending on how the situation unfolds , it was also best to depart from any areas that may contain cycranes . Both the visible that carried cargo to and fro ... as well as the unseen ones .

Now ? Now all that he would do , would be to wait ... wait and see what next steps Kafka decided to take .

@grislyintentions

[dankusner]

You have not heard these priceless Texas stories about LBJ

Skip the profanity

You have not heard these priceless Texas stories about LBJ

In my line of business, you meet quite a few Texas storytellers. ●

One of the finest is Ken Ashworth. ●

Ashworth, 92, grew up in poverty, mostly in South Austin and East Austin during the 1930s and ‘40s, after his mysterious father abandoned the family. ●

His astonishing memoir about that strange but ultimately uplifting time, “Phantom in the Family,” has few peers. ●

State commissioner of higher education for 20 years — do people in Texas government last that long these days? — Ashworth served in the U.S. Navy before attending Syracuse University and the University of Texas, where he earned his Ph.D.

He worked in management in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco before taking top posts at UT campuses in Austin and San Antonio.

Along the way, Ashworth met captivating characters in places high and low.

Using his training as a historian, he collected and shared priceless stories about those people.

He could do so, in part, because of his quiet, amiable demeanor and his ability to listen actively.

Ashworth recently released another cache of tales, “Stories Better Not Told: Recollections from a Lifetime,” which one can purchase online or at BookPeople.

“Many of the stories here came from my seeming to be part of the furniture,” Ashworth writes with typical modesty, “while I was really a fly on the wall — and taking notes.”

With the author’s permission, I’ve taken this opportunity to share several short, funny tales from the book about one of the most outsized Texans of them all, President Lyndon Baines Johnson.

Anyone who knew LBJ’s personality could predict that I’ve been forced to edit around the worst of the president’s profanity.

Unless you know Ashworth personally, you’ve probably never heard these LBJ stories before.

For the sake of history, thank goodness scores of them are preserved in this enlightening and entertaining book.

LBJ and the owl in the White House tree

A friend who had worked briefly as a military aide in the White House told me he got to swapping stories with a couple of the Secret Service agents who also spent some idle time around the mansion.

They told him late one night three agents on duty heard loud shouting at the back of the White House.

They dashed out and looked up to find President Johnson at his window, shaking his fist and yelling, “Goddamn it, shut the (expletive) up. Now, damn it. Now!”

“Mr. President, what’s going on?” one of the agents called out.

“Don’t you hear that goddamn owl hooting? He’s keepin’ me awake. Get a gun and shoot the son of a bitch.”

“I think we can scare him away,” an agent said.

Now that LBJ had an audience, he made a show of it.

“No, I want that son of a bitch dead. He’s keeping the president of the United States awake. Now get a shotgun and shoot the (expletive).”

“Mr. President,” the officer in charge said, “I don’t think we should be firing guns out here in the middle of the night. There will be stories all over town tomorrow. I don’t think we ought to shoot that owl.”

“Well then, one of you shinny up that tree and strangle the son of a bitch.”

The junior officer took off his coat and shoes and handed his weapon to a colleague.

He started up the tree.

The owl flew away.

In closing his window, LBJ said, “If you’d been quicker, you coulda caught the little (expletive).”

LBJ finds the right Secret Service agent

Secret Service agents working in the White House sometimes found it challenging.

One agent told my friend, “We all learned in a hurry LBJ liked to have people around who could give him straight answers, right away. One of our agents had to be transferred because LBJ complained he didn’t know what was going on in the White House.

“You might guess, our supervisors took him aside and asked him what could make the president say that. He said he didn’t know; maybe it was because he couldn’t answer some of the odd things LBJ would ask him about — things that had nothing to do with his work, like ‘Why is that picture crooked?’ or ‘What’s the matter with the grass there by the walkway?’

“The agent said, ‘So I had to tell him I didn’t know.’ The Secret Service immediately undertook to instruct all us agents in the White House on how to deal with unusual questions the president asked us.

They said, ‘Make something up if necessary, nothing outrageous, but don’t say you don’t know.’

“So later, when LBJ asked a new agent why a picture was crooked, he quickly said, ‘Mr. President, we’ve just debugged this room for listening devices, and that picture was one of the things we checked out.’

Another time LBJ asked, ‘Why’s the carpet wrinkled there in the corner?’ his answer might be ‘Sir, the termite guys were here today checking things out.’

When asked about a bare spot on the lawn, the agent said something like ‘It’s the squirrels, Mr. President; the little bastards are breeding like crazy and burying acorns everywhere.’

When LBJ demanded to know why a chair was out of place, he was told, ‘I regret to tell you, sir, it was your dog, J. Edgar. We chased him out of here; that chair must’ve got moved.’

“LBJ spoke to the new man’s supervisor. ‘I really like that new boy. He gives me the straight skinny. Be sure we keep him. He knows everything going on around here.’”

What happened to Walt Rostow?

Another friend told me that during a particular international crisis, none of the key staff to President Johnson had been able to get away from their offices for several days, wearing their same clothes and sleeping on cots.

National Security Adviser Walt Rostow asked one of his colleagues to cover for him for a couple of hours; the situation was dragging on too long; he just had to get away.

When President Johnson started trying to find Rostow and began yelling about where the hell were people when he needed them, Rostow’s confidant said, “Mr. President, Walt’s gone home to take a quick shower and have a drink with Elspeth.”

“Oh, poor Walt,” Johnson said. “Why didn’t he say something? He coulda had a drink with me.”

LBJ’s daddy was another Aristotle

Harry Middleton, one of LBJ’s speechwriters, told how they were going over a speech one day in the Oval Office when the president exploded.

“What’s this crap here, ‘as Aristotle said?’ I’m talkin’ to a buncha rednecks. I can’t say that. I don’t wanna sound like some sissy prissy pants. Take that out.”

After reading on, the president said, “No, I like what he said. Leave it in. I’ll figure some way to use it.”

Harry said, “When he gave the speech and arrived at that point, LBJ said, “An’ like my ole daddy use ta say” and he quoted Aristotle.

Don’t give (expletive) answers

Otis Singletary, President of the University of Kentucky and former vice chancellor of the University of Texas System, recounted for me an experience he had with LBJ.

“Following President Johnson’s dedication of the Job Corps Center in San Marcos,” Singletary said, “there was a delegation of us who’d been invited to his ranch. So there’s a couple dozen of us sitting out there on his deck eating homemade ice cream and talking.

“To regain the center of attention, LBJ calls to his wife, ‘Bird, that’s the best goddamned ice cream I’ve ever had. I’ll have another bowl.’

And Lady Bird says, ‘I’m sorry, Lyndon; the ice cream is all gone.’

“Everybody stops eating while LBJ proceeds to lean over, looking in everybody’s bowls. He points his finger around the group and says,

‘Bird, you mean you served all these people before I got all I want?’

“Now that he’s got everybody’s attention, he gets down to business with me. He turns to me — remember, he’d made me head of his Job Corps program — and says, ‘Now, Dr. Singletary, why is that camp near my university built for only 1,500 boys? Our cities are full of young men who will be dead or in prison in two years if we don’t find some way to get ’em off the streets. What I want to know is why that camp is for only 1,500 boys. Why can’t it be bigger? Why can’t it handle 3,000 boys?’

“So I said, ‘Mr. President, we brought in the country’s best educators and best social workers and psychologists, and they studied the needs of these boys and their problems. And they all agreed 1,500 is the optimum size for a Job Corps campus.’

“LBJ looks at me while everybody is sitting there in silence, and nobody has taken another bite of ice cream.

“Then he says, ‘Perfesser, when I was runnin’ the National Youth Administration for President Roosevelt, he asked me a question like I just asked you, and I gave him a (expletive) answer like you just gave me. You know what FDR did to me? Huh? He sent me to El Paso. Dr. Singletary, how would you like to go to El Paso?’

“I said, ‘Thank you, Mr. President; I’ve seen El Paso. I think we can find a way to accommodate 3,000 boys in San Marcos.’

“So, Ken, that’s why there’s 3,000 boys in the San Marcos Job Corps Center and 1,500 at all the other centers.”

‘Lady Bird’s gonna have you for lunch’

Some of us cronies were having lunch when one of our gang, right out of the blue, said, “I’ll never forget the advice LBJ gave me.”

That got our attention. I said, “How did you know Lyndon Johnson?”

“I didn’t know you knew him either,” one of the others said. “What advice did he give you?”

“Well, I was there the day they dedicated the LBJ Library. There was this enormous crowd in Austin from all over the country. All the big muckety-mucks. I was there with my boss.

“And after all the folderal and speeches outside, I was walking up a sidewalk toward the auditorium, and suddenly, behind me, here comes LBJ with a crowd of photographers and news reporters and Secret Service agents crammed around him. They’re in a hurry.

“I got shoved out of the way and pushed into a little tree they’d just planted. I was trying to get myself untangled from a limb I’d gotten caught in.

Just as LBJ stormed by, he turned and shouted, “Boy, if you don’t get outta that tree, Lady Bird’s gonna have you for lunch.”