#which i then was able to share with my seat neighbor at the show

[theodoradove]

tfw when you read the acknowledgements for an academic text on an incredibly niche subject and realize the author is the brother-in-law of a grad school classmate (in a discipline that is only somewhat tangentially related to the book in question)

[berry-potchy]

I went through my drafts and found this. I typed this during a moment of weakness for cliche chick flicks and fuckboy Miguel:

This is not edited and messy but I just wanted to share that I'm thinking about a very typical and silly high school coming of age romance setting with the popular broody bad boy x wallflower good girl except that Miguel is already so down bad for (obsessed with) good girl who btw is chubby and cute.

What's on my mind rn is kid Miguel and kid reader were childhood best friends/sweethearts. You were neighbors and your families were close. One day, for some reason you had to move away. This was maybe when you and Miguel were like 7. You were inconsolable during moving day and Miguel's poor little heart broke at the sight. He confessed to you then and asked you to be his girlfriend and you said yes and you kissed him on the cheek and you guys hugged until your parents had to pry you off each other so you can leave. Your parents felt really bad that they had to separate you from your best friend and what they thought was pretend boyfriend but the move was a canon event.

You weren't able to keep in touch, you weren't able to make many friends in your new place either. Like you had friends but they kinda have their own separate friend groups that you're not a part of. You were kinda just there, mourning your loneliness. Growing up you always had that ugly feeling of missing out and the "what if I didn't move back then?" in the back of your head. But one day, you're already like what? Last year in high school? You get a notif on your IG that a Miguel liked a photo you posted from a few months prior (it's a rare photo of you wearing something that shows off of your curves and feeling it). It's odd. You've posted a lot more photos since then. You check the profile and it's your Miguel... but he grew up HOT. Tall, wide, jacked, but it's the same Miguel with the pretty brown eyes and dark loose curls that he now styles slicked back. You follow him thinking he won't notice because of all the pretty girls who comment on his pics but never get replied to. But he followed you back immediately and sent you a 'hey' on DM. You didn't know what to say at all so you just stared at it until he replied ':/' followed by 'see you soon. you better have something to say to me by then.'

Later that day your parents drop the bomb that you're moving back to your childhood home. Next to Miguel.

Not to get into too much plot I just really wanna think about Miguel welcoming back his girlfriend and wanting to make up for lost time which gets you super flustered by his advances and shamelessness. You can't quite tell if he's just teasing you about the girlfriend part but the flirting definitely feels for real.

Your parents telling you to keep the door open when he goes up your room to hang out and you get embarrassed, stuttering that you're not planning on doing anything sexual. Miguel however shrugs and goes "I wouldn't trust me in a room with you either. I would eat you up"

And during lunch at school you cant find a seat, you try to look for Miguel but the scary popular kids are flocking around him. He looks like he's so bored but perks up when he sees you walk by and grabs your wrist to make you sit with them. Some random girl mockingly goes "oh sorry there's no space for you here" and you feel humiliated. Miguel shuts her up with a glare and makes you sit on his lap. No one dares to speak up as he tries to feed you with the snacks from his tray. He's squeezing your thighs enjoying the feel of you on his lap while he goes "I remember you liking this (insert snack or boxed drink here) so I got you an extra one, chula"

There's really nothing else to this I just thought it was cute and had to share.

[dawnisdreamlanding]

CHAPTER 2

Ghost x Reader x Konig

Neighbor! and Roommate!au hehe

About me | Masterlist |

Author's note: Happy Hanukkah! I'd like to say THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT FOR THE FIRST PART AAAA!! I've been wanting to write fanfics for agess but I was always too nervous to hahahdsf so all the support means so much to me, especially for it being my first fic. But less talk, more story, I hope you enjoy part 2! <3

‘Why am I meeting so many tall, buff guys today? Well, not that I’m complaining,’ you chuckle inwardly. Konig’s so tall that when he greets you, he bends down slightly. Talk about being short. You mentally shake that thought away before smiling and telling him to follow you to your apartment.

Everything goes smoothly, and he ends up moving into your apartment the following week. It takes him a couple of days and a little head-banging on the door frame due to his height for him to get used to your shared apartment.

It’s been a month since then. You learn he’s from Austria, and he starts to call you ‘Maus’ which was self-explanatory. But you never really learned anything else other than that. So, to recap, both your neighbor and roommate are both silent and secretive. And they’re hot. You quickly shake that thought away. You shouldn’t be thinking about them like that!

Speaking of Simon, you haven’t seen him for a couple of days. You wonder what he’s doing. After a few extra moments of silence, you realized you’ve spaced out from doing your work. Your gaze lands on the long list of emails you’ll be needing to respond to by tonight, followed by the time on your computer on the bottom right of the screen. ‘7.43 pm’. Ugh, this looks like you’ll be staying back late in the office tonight.

It’s already been a few hours since the last of your coworkers said goodbye to you, and the office lights has been turned off except for your section of the office. The darkness surrounding the office was a little unsettling if you were being honest, but you pressed on with answering those emails. Your phone buzzing makes you jump in your seat and the bright screen in contrast to the surroundings makes you squint a little.

Oh, Konig’s calling. You pick up the call and you’d be lying if you said you weren’t relieved to hear someone’s voice after hours of overtime. The line’s a little staticky, but his voice comes through the phone. “Hello, Maus? Where are you?” Konig sounds worried. “Hey Konig!” You try to sound a little upbeat, but your exhaustion comes through nonetheless. “I’m working overtime tonight; I’ll be coming home late.”

Home. You don’t know when you started referring to your apartment as ‘home’, since you’ve always thought your apartment felt so soulless since you moved in. If you think hard about it, the emptiness of your apartment only ever seemed to disappear when Konig’s large frame started to fill in the empty space in your apartment. Despite not knowing much about Konig’s life, the two of you spend quality time together, bonding over shows on Netflix ranging from ‘The Good Place’ to ‘Emily In Paris’. Though you’d have to admit, the more mind-numbing the show is, the more entertaining it is when you hear all Konig’s quips and comments while the two of you watch it. God, you wish you were hanging out at home with Konig now.

“Maus?” Konig calls me once again, snapping me out of my train of thought. “H-huh? Sorry could you repeat that?” I reply. “It’s looks like its about to rain hard tonight, do you need me to bring you home?” his voice gets a little more staticky by the second, and you’re only able to get out a “it’s fine” before the power in the office shuts down.

“Oh hell no,” you say out loud to yourself. You watched enough horror game playthroughs to know that you’re not staying a second longer in office if you want to see another day. Your line gets cut off and you groan. If this isn’t the start of a horror movie.

You managed to exit the office without tripping in the darkness with being little on edge. Little droplets of rain start to fall to the ground, slowly painting the pavement a darker shade of grey with each drop. Your line comes back and you were seconds away from calling Konig to ask him to drive you back home but then a hulking figure leaving the nearby grocery store enters your field of vision.

You are quick to look at this guy because who the hell is he and why is he dressed in all black at night, looking like a robber? Oh my god is he a robber? Oh, it’s your neighbor, Simon. You should really stop bumping into him in such shady situations.

---

Simon ends up driving you back to your apartment complex. This time around, you try to talk to him the car ride there. In between the awkward silences, the two of you managed to bond over some shared bands playing on the radio and you learn that he’s from the military.

“’s not fair that they’re makin you work overtime like this.” Simon grumbles out. “Yeah well, what can I do? Besides, they pay me quite well.” You reply. It was true; the company you worked is quite taxing at times, but the benefits and pay holds you back from quitting.

“Well,” he inhales as he puts his car into park. “If you ever need a lift home, just let me know.” His offer puts a smile on your lips. For someone who you’ve gotten to really know in the span of a 20 minute car ride, he has a heart of gold. “Thanks, I’ll keep it in mind.”

He has the manners to walk you back all the way to your apartment — you ignore the fact he lives literally right next to you — and makes sure you enter your apartment safely before unlocking his own door.

 You sigh and drop your bag onto the floor. Your eyelids feel really dry and the constant urge to get some shut eye makes the tasks of getting ready for bed seem to stretch on for far too long. Part of you debates on sacrificing dinner so you can sleep a little earlier but that’s when you hear Konig call out for you in the kitchen.

“Eat.” He speaks. “I cooked dinner for the both of us, but I didn’t know you were staying in the office.” A slight pang of guilt shoots through you at the thought of Konig waiting alone at the dinner table for you to come home. “Thanks, Konig.” I smile at him. “I’m glad to be home.”

Konig tries to ignore the warmth that creeps up on him during moments like these. His eyes naturally drink in the sight of you sitting across the table, happily munching on the food he’s cooked you. Fuck, maybe being a househusband wouldn’t be so bad, especially if its for you. He quickly shakes off that thought. He kills. He likes to kill. What was he even thinking?

“Emily in Paris?” he suggests when you finish your dinner. You sigh and shake your head. “Sorry, too tired, Ko.” The nickname slips out of your mouth so easily that you don’t notice it, but he does. His body freezes up and his brain short circuits. He’s so focused on the nickname you used for him that he doesn’t even feel sadness when you rejected his suggestion. He hums in acknowledgement.

“Maybe this weekend?” You say and he nods, watching you turn to head into your room. He decides not to tell you he’s leaving for work that weekend. Leaving to kill people. “Next weekend.” He confirms. You smile tiredly at him and the warm yellow light illuminates your features. “Goodnight, Konig.” God, he wishes you could call him Ko again. “Goodnight, Maus.”

Taglist! @gojo-mochi

[aerkame]

In the finfolk au, what if y/n knew not to give Wally their real name (or at least was weary of him and didn’t trust him enough to tell) and tried to give a nickname instead? Would he know instantly they were lying? And how would he try to get them to say their real name? Also, how would he and everyone else react if y/n upon transforming into a mermaid was terrified and tried to escape?

If Wally doesn't take notice of something Home is there to help... Side note: Normal puppets are just the equivalent of humans in this AU to prevent confusion.

EDIT: ACK, just remembered the last part of the ask. I shall make a part 2 to this ask then. Hopefully the anon will be able to see it when it gets posted!

You were always warned about the finfolk. Luckily you weren't exactly a normal puppet so you doubt that any of the residents here would try to trap you on the island with them. But that small bit of paranoia kept you on your toes...well crutches. Your leg was still healing and as far as you could tell you'd be staying at 'Home' until the injury healed.

"My name is..." You thought of something quick, giving Wally a fake name. You don't know what exactly will happen if you give him your true name, but you've heard plenty of times now to never ever give it out to the fae, demons, angels, or the finfolk.

The tall puppet clicked his felt tongue before placing his hands behind his back. "What a lovely name."

---

Wally is well aware that you have been lying to him, but who is he to try and pry information out of you? He shook his head at the thought. While the finman really wanted to just force the name out of you, it would be better to get you comfortable here first, and then they could begin their goal on making you a permanent resident. Just like they did with Frank.

Speaking of which...he turned around to look at the puppet in question, humming in delight upon seeing you two get along, sipping tea and sharing stories.

Frank was the perfect tool to get you to open up really. He had no issues with the island, he understood selkies and their current dwindling numbers, he was level-headed, and most importantly, he was a normal puppet before. He could relate to you in a sense. The grey puppet even helped you lean towards staying or at least consider the possibility of staying here, having brought up the issue that poachers and criminals alike will do nothing but continue stealing selkie coats for profit.

"Quite frankly, you might be better off staying here. You and I both know there is not much out there for selkies and it's only going to get worse with the constant poaching and coat thieves, your kind are on the brink of extinction for stars sake."

Frank sighed after his mini-rant, having worked himself up. The topic of poaching and hunting exotic or near-extinct species was an upsetting topic and it was easy to tell. You didn't speak much for a while after that, continuing to listen to Frank while sipping at the hot beverage. "Hey...Frank, if I did decide to stay would the others even be alright with that?" Your voice cracked a bit. You don't know why, but it felt like eyes were pinning you to the plush seat, demanding that you stay put.

His eyebrows quirked and he gave you a questioning look. "I have no doubt that the neighbors wouldn't mind you staying." He crossed his arms looking more stern now. "If anything I'd say that you would be safer here with us."

You gave Frank a small smile. The eyes followed you.

---

"So, neighbor. I heard that you've been getting quite comfortable yes?" Wally swished his wine in small circles before taking a sip, not once taking his eyes off you.

"oh, uhm, yes! It's very nice here, there are so many smaller islands and lots of places to explore. And the colorsss..." Your words slurred slightly "so many colors evenn in the plantss. I've never seen any place like thiss! I mean even the insects and fish are unique here, Frankyy showed me his whole collection which he says isn't done ye-" Your face was beet red and the finman could tell he had you drunk enough once you couldn't stop talking yourself into a mess.

Carefully leaning over, Wally placed a hand on yours as he rubbed circles into your palm. Time to butter you up.

"You know, you could always stay with us here, forever. You'll never not be bored, you'll have friends, and you'd be safe." He inhaled, the small but hidden slits behind his cheeks opening, smelling the scent that lingered on your form remembering it was the perfume he gave you. He sighed, content.

Wally looked down at your small body. You had stopped rambling and now you were avoiding eye contact, preferring to look down into your lap or looking off to the side.

"Ah...you know, I could never get your name out of my mind. It's just so wonderful...If you did stay I could call you by it all I want." He leaned in closer, softly grabbing hold of your chin to lift it up, making sure he could see your eyes.

A thumb brushed over your mouth "I just wished there was more I could do to help you..." He breathed out your false name and watched you struggle internally...good.

"Uhm, actually, Wally, there's something I've been meaning to tell you."

"Oh? I'm all ears." His plan was going along flawlessly.

Wally softly let go of your face, but remained close, fixing you in a position of feeling pinned. "I-I lied. About my name. I lied aboutt a lot of things." Some of your letters still slurred but it was obvious you were trying your hardest to think clearly.

"That's alright dear, I knew the whole time, but I figured you had a reason." Wally was grinning ear to ear.

"My real name is..." Your named slipped your mouth.

Yellow hands flew up to cup your cheeks. Wally held a mixed face that was of bliss and excitement. "Oh my darling I am so sorry I've called you by another name this entire time! Please allow me to make up for it with another dinner? Same time tomorrow."

Your head felt fuzzy as you nodded along to whatever he said. "It's- alriight." You felt numbed. Wait...

A part of you panicked for a second, having snapped into the the realm of reality, but you calmed down shortly after. You trusted him. Wally would never harm you or trap you right? He and the others have been all too kind and welcoming and if they really wanted to trap you they'd have figured out a way by now. Your thoughts were so rapid, everything is fast, too fast.

Wally was so caught up in his own thoughts he didn't pay attention to your swaying body until he heard a loud 'thud' and looked down at your sleeping form.

Oh dear, maybe that beverage was too strong for you to handle.

TL;DR

Don't get drunk around Wally. He's a finman and won't get drunk as easily... and he'll probably take advantage of that to get info out of you. Or he'll just make you a blushing mess.

[strawberry-lemonade-kisses]

Home alone

Tags - Modern AU, swearing, threatening children (in a joking manner), reader is called Mommy by children

When you first walked in the front door, before you were able to even slip into a pair of house shoes you were always bombarded with hugs and kisses of greeting, ones you were always happy to receive. When you walked in today, however, the house was unusually quiet. Which was not what you expected. “Sanemi? Shinya! Seina!” You called out to the whole household, heaving the bags of groceries into the kitchen as you looked around. The house was tidy, toys put back in their usual spots, and no blankets scattered around the sofa and floor. There wasn’t a single stuffed animal sitting in a random spot in the house. It was suspiciously spotless. “Sanemi Shinazugawa!” you called out again, wandering down the hallway towards the wing of the house where the bedrooms were. Peering into each room for any sign of a small human or even your owl-eyed husband. Going back to the kitchen you pulled your phone from your bag, dialing your husband's number. It was picked up after 2 rings. “Hey babe, what’s up?” “Where are you? Where are the kids?” You put the phone on speaker so you could put away the groceries, organizing the many snacks for the twins and even snacks for you. “We went to the park. I bet them that if they could clean their rooms faster than I could clean the living room we would go to the park. They won, don’t check under their beds though. They both shoved most of their stuff under them. I didn’t even want to correct them, they did it.” You laughed, knowing that even though they no longer shared a room, they still shared ideas and personalities. Your neighbor had mentioned a twin telepathy thing that you denied, but it seems you were being proved wrong once again. “Oh, alright. Thank you for cleaning my love, it looks beautiful. Not one single block for me to step on” Sanemi laughed this time. You could hear children screaming in the background, high-pitched laughter, and squeals of joy. “Is that mom!? Tell her hi!” “Hi, Mom! Dad lost! Izumi is here too!” “Get out of my face, don’t scream in my ear you two. Go play with The Tomioka’s you’ll see Mom later.” Sanemi continued scolding the twin, Seina’s sharp tongue lashing right back at her father. She was a crybaby most of the time but when she was riled up she had an attitude that could rival her father's. “Seina be nice to daddy! He doesn’t like loud noises they give him headaches.” You called out, hoping she could hear you. “You hear that brat? Be nice” You didn’t have to see to know Seina was pulling a face, the grumbling that resonated through your speaker made you shake your head. Thankfully Shinya had chosen to remain quiet. Although he was 10 minutes older than Seina, he had your temperament, more docile and quick thinking rather than emotional. “Alright babe, I’m gonna throw Seina in the lake, go ahead and make dinner for three” Sanemi interrupted your thoughts with a maniacal laugh. “DAD! NO!” giggling ensued on the other end of the line, a few squeals accompanying it. “Dad! MY turn, spin me!” Shinya was joining in. “Alright bud, hold on. Let me say bye to your mom first.” “Bye, Mom!” “Bye, Mommy! Love you” You gave them your love “Okay, baby we’ll be home in like an hour. I love you” “I love you too Sanemi, Be safe.” The line cut off, letting you continue with the task at hand.

“Mommy we’re home!!” Shinya ran into the living room where you were seated, jumping onto the couch next to you. “Daddy took us to the park and we got to play with Izumi because she was there too. There were ducks and even a bunch of frogs! Daddy said I can’t keep one” Shinya was pouting as he cuddled into your side, resting his head on your shoulder. Sanemi finally showed up, Seina fast asleep on his shoulder. You waved him over to you, motioning to the seat on your other side. “we can go back and visit the frogs. But you can’t take them from their home, their parents will miss them. Just like Daddy and I would miss you if you left.” Shinya nodded, letting out a yawn. “are you guys hungry? I made Beef curry.” Sanemi shook his head laying his head on the back of the sofa. “They wore me out just as much as the park wore them out. Did you know that Izumi bites? I’m so glad they don’t, I would have to bite back” You giggled, reaching over to smooth back his hair. before looking down at your son who was passed out on your shoulder. You cooed smoothing his hair down as well. “And you bite hard my love, I’m pretty sure I have at least one scar of your teeth on my shoulders” “ah, that is supposed to be there, no one is going to fuck with a woman who has my teeth in her. No one should fuck with you anyways” You nodded “Very true, I also don’t think anyone would mess with a woman who has two screaming 4 year olds. No matter how cute they are, they were terrors when they are well rested. C’mon, let’s put them to bed, then we can eat and pass out on the couch” Sanemi didn’t waste time getting up from the couch, offering you a hand as you lugged the children to their rooms.

[eviesessays]

43. If you could thank anyone, who would you thank and why?

Possibly the first words we were taught as babies were, “please” and “thank you”.   From the earliest age and for the simplest gift we gave thanks.  It is a good lesson and a habit that is not forgotten and seldom abandoned with age.   

We never can know what might have been but I am very thankful that my grandparents had the courage to leave their homelands and venture to unknown places in Canada. Stephan and Eva Kolody elected to go thousands of miles to where they had no home, no family, no friends and did not speak the language. That takes courage beyond description for which I am thankful.  Both my maternal and paternal grandparents did just that.  My paternal grandparents left Galacia to be potato farmers in Selkirk, Manitoba in 1909.  Their homeland was divided and at war and they dreamed of being able to work in peace and earn a living in return.  They came to Canada with no money, little education and a great hope for a new life free from political oppression.  The Bolsheviks were running rampant through their motherland.  

I know little of my maternal grandparents, Peter and Anna Schreyer.  My mother was 7 when her father died and 9 years old when her mother died.  My aunt Caroline Sitter, my mother’s oldest sister was married before my mother was born and had children older than  my mother. My grandfather Schreyer was a successful wheat farmer and in very few years was growing enough wheat in Ladywood, Manitoba, to repay the Canadian government for his land grant. They were hard working people and I am grateful they had the courage that allowed me to be born a Canadian.

If it were possible to go back in time I would certainly thank all the neighbors we ever had from my earliest days.  World War II was raging and some things were scarce.  Neighbors shared their children’s outgrown clothing, shoes, and food ration stamps.  Everyone seemed to care for their neighbor and we were no exception.  Since I have had a family of my own my experience has been the same with the exception of one neighbor I had in Warner.  He was unfortunately, home    quite mentally ill and was moved to family in Maine.  When we lived in Alaska and Heather and Jaylyn were toddlers, the teachers who lived in the apartment above us would bring home interesting things for them to see.  They once brought a gerbil that got loose i the apartment and we spent several hours trying to trap it in one room.  I was happy we succeeded before nightfall.  My neighbors in Washington became lifelong friends.  My dear friend, Rose is now gone but Jack is surprisingly spry at 90. I cannot even remember the names of the neighbors with whom I car pooled when Peter was in kindergarden.  I had a Triumph Spitfire which had one passenger seat in front and a ledge just large enough for three small bottoms in the back.  It was adequate except that I drove

on, “show and tell,” day and one little boy always had a new airplane to show.  The planes usually had a wing span the width of my car.  Somehow we managed.  I thank all those Moms for their patience.

I have thanked my primary care physician who insisted that I get the nodes on my left clavicle biopsied as soon as possible. The surgeon opined that this was probably, “cat scratch fever” and he prescribed an oral antibiotic. After I finished the antibiotic with no change in the nodes, I insisted they be biopsied.  I was diagnosed with Non Hodgkins Lymphoma.  I chose to be treated at Dana Farber Cancer institute in Boston after three treatment failures here in Concord.  I am very thankful for my primary care physician who insisted those nodes needed to be biopsied,  I have been cancer free for fifteen years.

I am most thankful for my current neighbors.  Since I am the current neighborhood octogenarian, they all seem to look out for me.  They are all exceptionally kind and generous.  During Covid confinement they shopped for me and drove me to appointments.  They are wonderful people and I am thankful to be so blessed.  

I am thankful for my Domino’s group.  We meet every two weeks for a few hours of conversation, laughter and even a good Domino’s game or two.

I will end this story by recognizing how wonderful my grandchildren are.  Without exception they are kind,  generous and thoughtful human beings.  I am grateful for them and thankful that I am so blessed.  These days I am beyond thankful and delighted that I am blessed with my new wee, sweet darlings Joan Clementine, Everett Floyd, Laura Winter,  Harriet Murphy and a coming February arrival.  My life has had many blessings and for all that I am thankful.

[dylanakamura]

Joe Pera Takes You To The Grocery Store

Breakdown

This isn’t a super in depth thematic analysis, just a breakdown of an episode I really like of Joe Pera and the details I think make it so great.

Opening/establishing shot 0-0:53

We get this small look into Joe’s neighborhood grocery store, a remarkably mundane store, nothing glamorous, but the music and direction brings the store to life. Not the brimming kind of life you get in a Disney film but a very real yet bright kind of life.

Joe’s introduction 0:53-1:44

Joe, like in most areas of life, has a well thought out philosophy on grocery shopping. It’s an “immersive theater experience” where we all play our parts as shoppers. It engages the senses in a familiar and comforting way that’s filled with all the same variables and goals but never plays out the same way twice. The role is fun yet challenging, something you could say about any walk of life.

Tackling the infinite options 1:44-4:03

The number of items in your average grocery store is unthinkably high and only keeps growing exponentially. That’s a lot to take in, so Joe has rules put in place to keep him in line. He has his three Yes’s, Should he eat this, Will he eat this, and Can he afford it, to keep himself within his budget of $70, which he writes out in a check to keep himself in check. You can think of these rules as part of his role as a shopper on top of giving Joe the necessary calories to fill his roles in the rest of his life. He draws the line himself to keep himself from “ruin” as he puts it.

Melskys 4:03-6:11

This section mostly focuses on Joe playing the role of a responsible neighbor and teacher to Sue and Nicole Melsky respectively, making small talk and inevitably listening to their issues, mainly Mike and his new Chicken diet which has been only causing issues. Joe tries to make the best of it for Sue but ends up just apologizing for Mike’s absurdity.

Samples 6:11-8:24

His next exchange is with Fred the sample guy, who’s job is to obviously sell samples. He convinces Joe to buy his Honey Ham, but Joe is always prepared with a $5 fun budget for purchases like this, keeping him flexible yet firm. Joe also tells us about how Fred was in jail for 14 years prior to the grocery store giving him a “second act,” which in my opinion makes him feel less like an annoying guy trying to sell a product and more like an entertainer wanting to bring joy to this experience.

Freezer aisle 8:24-9:47

Joe has to keep his eyes away from the temptations of Ice Cream since he spent his fun budget on Fred’s Ham, something difficult since Joe loves his Ice Cream. A guilt also sets in about all the waste and negative factors that come with a grocery store always being stocked to the brim. He feels these conflicting emotions of comfort, awe, and waste as he hurries down the aisle. He doesn’t necessarily like it, but some things you just have to go with the flow of and participate in, and without the supermarket he’d miss it. He finally makes it out the other side to the checkout.

Checkout 9:46-10:32

As Joe checks out his total comes out to under his budget because of a sale he happened to miss. He’s been rewarded for playing his role just right. This miracle is part of the joy and excitement he gets from the supermarket experience. He sprints back to the Freezer Aisle and grabs a tub of Ice Cream, triumphant music plays as he runs, and his total jumps up to an exact $70.

Ending 10:32-End

Joe shares with us how nice it is he’ll be able to have a few scoops of Ice Cream tonight since today is his Birthday which he doesn’t like to make a big deal of. I really like this detail because it shows how well maintained and rewarding it is for Joe to hold himself accountable and never drown in deep seated desires besides simple pleasures. He looks to the mundane for excitement but keeps the big news to himself, never disappointing and always finding beauty in the simple things which is an aspect I really commend Joe for.

[castle-dominion]

I can't type as fast on my phone but I am going to finish this episode & this liveblog.

Edit: I am clipping stuff so I will try to get a little bit of a liveblog in

Nice music

Trail of bills lol

nice accent lol

WHAT CELL PHONE BILL?

Lol castle mind reading the books

alexis' hair <3

Martha got money babes!

How did esposito hear what they had said eariler? a million. ten times that. try 100.

Voice of experience lmao

VAPORIZED his heart they were betting on it XD clip? no.

Castle: not as great as you would think. Only as fast as all te other cars in rush hour

Oh no "servant"

Cars with heated seats <3 yeah girl keep it on the downlow. I like how mom didn't say nicole was on drugs until nicole gave her ok. My man helped the soup kitchen. Good on him

Why would he NOT share what was so important if he said he Needed TO share it?

not clipping "the butler did it" ppl holding out hands & the shake of the head. Good little things in the show.

He still sneaks money out <3

Looks like Just Some Guy Why did he need it & where did he get it?

Love esposito's outfit. Dislike Ryan's shirt tho.

TS: idk it was dark! KR: so's your future todd They look like they are trying to talk privately but they are not even whispering in front of their suspect

sweating like he'd been walking, WALKING not running the car is moving rn?

Jersey Brethren lol.

Winery Big-ass boat! fantasizing about the size of your rods Time out, WHO did I kill? "but did I want his car?"

Timeline straight thirty two credit cards!? Oh lmao one for every nfl team. JE: and that's just the tip of the iceberg. He also bought a racehorse, minority stake in a lingerie football team, and a Bentley which is currently at the bottom of the Hudson River because he drove it off of a boat he was renting. KB: Wow, sounds like that money really turned Hixton into a different person for a little while. RC: Yeah, money doesn't change who you are. It just magnifies your personality. JE: Well, it wasn't all bad. He also bought a house for the clerk that sold him the winning ticket, a mausoleum for his dead neighbor, JE, no longer saying "it wasn't all bad": and three acres on the moon. RC: Get outta town. He's right down the crater from me. KB: Why doesn't it surprise me that you have property on the moon? RC: You know what? Laugh it up. When the earth is a desiccated husk, you will be begging to come live with me in the Nectaris Basin.

KR: Hey. So, I searched the car. KB: Oh, yeah. Sorry, York is not our guy. (noone thought to call ryan?) KR: That's okay. Jersey impound lot's nice this time of year

Same shirt ryan is wearing as the dead pool episode

Esposito has that entire room covered in financials. I mean the guy was rich.

KB: Last time I busted him, he was trying to grill cheese a guy in a dry-cleaning press.

"misspoke" not "lie" Ah he got the gun just last night OH YES GREG & TY PAGE I LOVE THESE TWO "going hunting"

MR: *enters wearing a leopard print dress and fur coat, with both hands full of shopping bags* RC: Whoa! Looks like you made a serious dent in your surprise inheritance. Is it safe to say there is not an animal print left in any store in New York City? MR: Very funny. *looks down at herself* Probably true.

Ooh we get to see the convo abt lanie right?

This is why I want a ubi. People would still work, they like to work, but a ubi would mean people who can't work as much or who need breaks or need to take time off to take care of kids would be able to. You wouldn't need to try to get a job you hate that pays more bc you can work the job you like that pays less.

HEY I MADE IT I RELIVEBLOGGED THE FIRST HALF & GOT A COUPLE CLIPS. NOW I NEED TO GO TO WORK. I'LL GET MORE CLIPS LATER.

Yes, Esposito, a winery. The fiancee is not damaging him. As if Lanie hasn't changed you! This legit sounds like a fight between lovers or two people who are pinning for each other but dating other ppl, like Beckett & castle.

Je: Wpwplwpldjfhsj Lanie??? Kr: yes, we all know! Je: castle & Beckett know too? (clipped)

Aw, inner child. That's so true. Freedom to write, spend time with Alexis, live life at your own pace. That's what we all want. We want to be able work a job we enjoy without worrying about money, we want to be able to spend time with our kids, we want to be able to live life without worrying about how we can keep living in this cramped apartment or paying for college so at least one of us can get a high paying job working 80 hour weeks because that's definitely better than living in poverty why afford a nice big home if you are never there to live in it?

That property on the moon? I just bought that last month.

I can't hear the hip-hop music that the captions claimed.

Wow this sucks. I usually touch type so I can watch the show while typing (mostly, & only during non dialogue parts) but here I need to watch my phone as I type.

Yucky ryan coming gun first around the camera

Lol I love them

Just doing some hip-hop rap about their robberies in some grungy recording room, these are the glory days. (I'll clip the actual music video too later)

Three armed cops & a writer makes four. You're under arrest, get on the floor. (clipping)

Castle you're a wordsmith don't make them stop rapping! Wait I was wrong. "I'll buy the album" XD (meh won't clip)

Cat named oz?

This boy is a kid

You know that's valid. Hire the guys who robbed you to beat up your daughter's dealer & then they go make a rap album? I would watch that movie. Real meet the Millers vibes. Or that zombie apocalypse Vegas heist. they're just admitting to assaulting this individual

Poor Ryan, exiled to watching them upstairs while the other three go down. Ryan really is the new guy, they said they would stop after remaking the pilot. (has his gun out already) Plus, he's been there two years more than castle, they had their ten year anniversary at the end of s7. Timeline facts: for 14 months before joining homicide, ryan was undercover. Ike was "dead" for three years in season two & when Ike died that's when esposito transferred to homicide. Rysposito worked their first case together ten years before the s7 finale.

RC & me: looks like oz wasnt kidding when he said he'd burn them alive

Don't ask her this in front of her mom!

Oh Hun no, you are not the reason your father is dead.

Marvin osminkowski is a cool name, a gay loser name tho... Oz is a cool gay name tho.

Oz catches one whiff of bacon & he disappears into thin air. So valid bestie. & Thank you for the imagery. (kinda want to clip but nah)

Still tho, Esposito's hair is short & stubble is long.

Martha my beloved. Oh Beckett & Martha I love their relationship. Beckett quoting castle. Beckett low-key saying what she would do if she won the lottery.

Rick looks nice.

Let castle drive it's his car! (she's into muscle cars apaprently, we learn that later)

Or not. I love the framing over the city I hate the driving.

It's like me & my brothers, we always pass the keys to the passenger out of habit BC we are so used to driving with mom.

Ooh she looks good! She knew she was walking like that, probably for his benefit, then when she sees him checking her out he's mad? Nah.

Is it really that easy for a cop to get in? I thought he had a network protecting him. How did they choose the correct club anyway?

Ibitha? Is not Ibiza? love the lighting btw

Little birdy have a name? Yes. You gonna tell me? No. (meh won't clip)

That your boyfriend? For now. Shiny!! Reminds me of firefly...

See? kick em in the balls. Not the drink castle! This she didn't say it!

No she looks great!

You can't charge him for a crime you made him commit. Felony blowing crap up. (also holy crows & maggots, 20 years is a Long time!)

Medical condition XD (the way he got beat up)

True true, don't commit the crime if you were seen by the butler.

I like how they have convict photos of ppl up on the board but then they have this nice halfbody shot of the butler

Ooh look at Ryan's sweater he's so pretty! (took a pic)

Ah wearing an apron. Nice. Yeah eat the rich. He employed him, not owned him True, it is not really stealing lol. Wow that's,,, a lot of money. His tax on being an idiot XD.

His bad luck? Like the drugs or?

Aw that's so cute!

KB: No! RC: Yes!

Castle & Beckett humoring one another.

Aw captain plays his kids' bdays! His two older girls & his little boy! Je: I play my firsts. Sex & combat. Is being horny that important to you & is your first combat that important to you? That is wild to me. Kr: I play his firsts too. FIRST OF ALL WHAT THE FUCK SECOND THATS GAY BRO. Je: looks at him kr: what? That way we both win & it's not awkward. Esposito looks like he's just saying "why did you just out our relationship to everyone?" B'y that is so gay, playing his firsts. & you know them? (already clipped)

It is weird to me to choose to gamble on your first time in combat. So weird. & honestly sad. See maybe it's just bc I'm so anti military.

What is so important about the moon castle? You immediately go talking about the mausoleum for the neighbour but you first mention the moon?

I'm assuming that was just edited together for our benefit & was not actually real time?

For real? Yeah he was an old man dying of like six different things. (if that's the actual quote I will clip it)

Jason & whizzer falsettos.

This guy looks high rn.

Oh. Fun. That's going to be a lot of work. Maybe you could start a scholarship. Or maybe making money off the school would get you out of living with your son.

I didn't know Beckett played guitar IS THAT THE RAP SONG SHES TRYING TO COVER??? GET ON THE FLOOR (meh don't need to clip but I could)

By all means please come in.

He is doing so much for her he really loves her. <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

WAIT HOLD ON A SECOND CASTLE SAYS "IF WE GET THIS ONE GUY, BILL ROWE, HE'S SO RICH" & THEN IT CUTS OFF BUT BILL ROE IS A DIRECTOR OR DP OR WRITER OR SMTH

[jdgo51]

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR APRIL 14, 2023

God’s Plans for Me

By Terry J. Burns (Florida, USA)

READ EPHESIANS 2:1-10

We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

EPHESIANS 2:10 (NIV)

"I had a plan for the next few hours: take a walk with my husband, eat lunch, and attend an online Bible study. The timing would be tight, but I would be able to do it all.

When my husband and I started our walk, I spotted our neighbor. I felt led to talk to her, and I got to know her on a deeper level. Then near the end of our walk, we stopped to talk with another neighbor. She told us she was experiencing a major struggle, and we promised to pray for her.

Only 30 minutes before Bible study, my sister called with exciting news. I had not yet eaten lunch and feared I would be late. But then I saw an email from the study leader asking me to offer the opening prayer, so I quickly ate my lunch and joined the meeting on time.

In the past, a day like this would have stressed me out. But since studying Ephesians 2:10 with my Bible study group, I have begun praying that God will open my eyes and heart to God’s plans for me. God often calls me to listen, share, and do good works. I strive to be willing and joyful as I fulfill God’s purpose for me." Sometimes getting everything in seems impossible. We busy up our schedule and then wonder if it all will get done. Such is the process to fulfil God's plan for yourself.

TODAY'S PRAYER

"Heavenly Father, grant us the wisdom and courage to accomplish the works you call us to do. In Jesus’ name we pray." Amen.

Ephesians 2:1-10

New International Version

Made Alive in Christ

"2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." We are created, specifically to carry out the work of God. Jesus was on earth to pave that path and teach us how to be on target with that. Just know that every part of life is important; then do you. Blessings! Joe

[movinghomethemovie]

“Nury and them” is this weeks new poster child to codify the evil coalitions of Govt officers that use their authority in the worst way. Their conversation ushered in ugliness that begs the question of the significance and necessity of elected position. Each Government office is in place to support, protect, & remedy the needs of their constituents experiencing the worst of current and/or historical harms. They are also tasked with advancing, and safe guarding the progress in their jurisdiction for outcomes that are doing well.

This leaked ugliness abounds in districts, cities, states, regions, municipalities, et Al. This group got caught, yet the rise in homelessness, lack of distributed services, wealth gaps, stagnant growth, and etc vastly show the same ugly truth. As this election cycle moves forward please consider which candidate will have the bravery to uproot these pockets of torturous outcomes fueled by racism, sexism, homophobia, and any other otherism.

The ugliness they shared in private is vastly on public display by most that identify with the Trump party. Nury and the others involved are exemplifiers that ineptness for human regard crosses every party line. Without the leaked tape it’s difficult to tell who carries their spirit of injustice. However the best litmus test is simply looking to the left, right, and across the street in your own neighborhoods. Are the needs of housing, food, water, education, safety, employment, voting access, financial security, and etc being met for your home and your neighbors? If the answer is a no to ANY of the above, there are definitely leaders like “Nury and them” making the decisions.

If the elected leader is new to office, voice your complaints to highlight areas showing inequities of the system built by those of historical misguided precepts of superiority still exist. Most importantly closely monitor their work to dismantle the inequity. As voters, especially in historically under served communities, now more than ever is the best time to question the conditions of your community, resources withheld, and expect swift corrective action.

For those who are invested in the suffering of certain people, or who have acquired misguided precepts of superiority, just stop. Resign and get out of the way!

I pray this next election cycle brings more humane understanding that Government office is a place for unceasing service. Many leaders are trying to distance themselves from the ugliness on full display by Nury and the leaked tape. However the persistent tangible outcomes of ignoring the calls for help and resources needed for improving the quality of life, are equally damning and telling.

Government for far too long has been used as a springboard for status and notoriety. Being taken away from my mother on my 7th birthday and placed into foster care had me at the mercy of failed Government Policy very early. The conditions encountered and lived experience amplifies my first hand understanding of the ensued brokenness.

I’m still persuaded that there are a few candidates that are deeply committed to enhancing the quality of life for those most in need. We are currently in the heart of domestic violence awareness month. Many within this group are also amongst displaced voters that are not able to vote. With urgency I ask that you consider at the polls any and all of the transient invisible population, examine the quality of life improvements for everyone, and vote for the candidates that will tangibly enhance the lives of the most vulnerable as their first priority.

I want to send a public thank you to The New American Leaders. As a #ReadyToRun 21’ alumni and #ReadyToLead 21’ alumni each cohort focused on value based leadership, and foundations built on values to insure the aspirations of office are built on collecting wins in resource distribution for the community, instead of stagnant decades in office. If your district has a #NALPISTA on the ballot take a look at their platform and make the best decision for your community.

[vegaswrites]

I huddled with my dormmates in disbelief that childhood was over. Their faces gleamed under torches and the luminous night sky which poured into the boathouse. We waited our turn to board the enchanted boats for the finale of our graduation ceremony, each head adorned with a pointy black hat. My eyes swelled with tears after waddling into my seat and watching the castle steadily shrink in the distance. I shared a knowing look of sentiment with Mary Macdonald seated next to me. There was a rumor I had fucked her boyfriend once. I grabbed her hand and a tear of fondness shed down my cheek. I’d miss her. I touched the embroidered lion on my chest with my opposite hand, fingertips toying with the snagged thread one last time. I did fuck her boyfriend.

The annual celebrations of Seventh Years Only with Absolutely No Exceptions in the last carriage on the train back to King’s Cross were infamous, and now it was our turn. We wore our own clothes, a detail slight but palpable. It was odd to not see everyone in their respective colors, but it brought an air of Very Adult harmony for our final goodbyes. We were now off to enter civilization older and wiser, or something like that.

James fished through his bag, tossing various Honeydukes sweets in my direction. I barely winced when a box of Fudge Flies crashed into my eye, which he quickly followed with a singsong apology, “Sor-ry!” I tore the box open and watched the chocolate bugs escape and zip through the compartment between miniature firework shows, stray hands reaching to pluck them from the air.

“Alright, alright, listen,” Lily shouted, cheeks flushed as bright as her hair. Her lips were still wet from the bottle she handed to Kinglsey, establishing the passing order: Lily, Kingsley, me, Dorcas, Remus, Peter, Sirius, then James. She was amping herself up for a heartwarming we’ll-be-friends-forever speech and the anticipatory distaste on my face must’ve shown since Doe elbowed me. I hummed, lips curling into a guilty smile, which she responded to by nestling her head on my shoulder. Her hair smelled like gardenias. She was the loveliest girl I’d ever met.

“You’re coming tomorrow, aren’t you?” she asked in the undercurrents of Lily’s rambling.

“Mm-hm,” I answered, tilting my head to rest atop hers.

There was a symphony of cracks once the graduates stepped off the train onto Platform 9 ¾. I dodged the Disapparations and tenth round of goodbyes and set off towards the streets of London. It wasn’t too far of a walk to the nearby wizarding pub The Dancing King, hidden down a tiny alleyway and concealed from Muggles with a warding charm. It had oak paneling, stained-glass windows, and an aroma of meat pies and ale. Most importantly, it had a fireplace connected to the Floo Network. I’d been anti-Apparition ever since my second splinching incident. I settled myself in a leather upholstered booth and ordered a pint, draping my jacket over my accompanying trunk riddled with Hogwarts paraphernalia. It all felt very Grown Up of me. When I finally scanned the room in its entirety my eyes froze on James, who was sat at the bar and already staring at me.

The James Thing. We’ve been neighbors our whole lives in an affluent countryside wizarding community, which is just as pompous as it sounds, and fulfilled the tropes of hormonal teenage angst and miscommunications through the years. But I knew it was always going to be Lily, so I never let it get very far. Except the one time I fucked him when he was dating Mary Macdonald. We didn’t talk much after that.

He strutted to me, sliding into the booth.

“Been home?” I asked.

“Yeah. Sirius is there.”

I forced half a smile thinking of the last few summers since he’d moved in. James took a long drink, fiddling with the handle of his frosted mug. It was as if we both knew that if we actually talked about The Thing, we would never be able to talk again, so we both tiptoed around The Thing to stretch out the last bits of our time together before he was swept into domestic bliss with Red.

“When are you leaving?”

I finished my drink before he answered.

“We move in next week.”

We being James, Lily, and Sirius.

“Congratulations,” I said dryly, but sincerely, hoping he’d change the subject.

We sat for another hour, sharing a few laughs and memories and mulling over tomorrow. He explained that he knew my mother would want to see him, which is why he had Apparated to the pub in order to accompany my arrival home. My father worked as an archaeologist, specializing in the identification and experimentation of ancient magical artifacts. It was lucrative enough to afford a sprawling ivory-hued estate with Regency charm, and for my mother to have no necessity to work. Dad was gone often, and I’m an only child, so I’ve always been close with her, which inevitably made James close with her.

His suspicions were proven right once we finally arrived to my mother having a tizzy over my late arrival, though quickly soothed once James held her in his strong arms. It soon turned into a whole thing with Sirius coming over and convincing her to make cocktails, which threw her into a fit of shameless boozy flirting. I was positive they wouldn’t notice if I snuck up to my room, but Sirius called me out during my attempt. Hours later, once my mother finally retired to her bedroom, I was sat in the conservatory with the two boys just the same as we’d done the last four summers.

“I’m ready to not feel like a waste, I’ll tell you that much,” Sirius drunkenly groaned.

“Whaddyou reckon they’ll have us do tomorrow?” James slurred, leaning into me with glossy eyes, “Do you think they’ll make us take a Vow? Do you think they have a mission already planned? That seems like something Moody would do. Sink or swim. Do or die.”

[lord-ofthe-frogs]

fantasy game but it's in the present and instead of getting quests to attack stronger and stronger monsters and stuff like that you just get more fucked up and hard to do quests.

"lvl 15 quest: powerwash this rotting rodent off my porch."

"lvl 30 quest: this one actually isn't all that bad. find this specific special quarter in all these quarter rolls. Just kidding it's pretty bad and will likely take you hours and if you miss it you will have to finish whole thing and then do it again."

"lvl 50 quest: I'm hiring you to find me a first edition mint copy of this comic."

"lvl 65 quest: clean up this dead old ladies house so it can go on the market again. Warning, there are at least 3 dead animals and alot of rotting things. Might want to skip this one if you have a weak stomach."

"lvl 70: man passes you stack of 100's and tells you he'll give you the rest if you can kill his next door neighbor. He doesn't really care how you do it he just doesn't want the blame to be able to end up on him."

"lvl 75: I'm pretty sure someone dumped a dead body in those woods. Go search literally the entire forest with no guidance. Also yes, the forest and where they are hidden is randomly generated (generated to make them hard to find of course. but they won't be in the same place every time)

"lvl 78: some guy found the body I dumped in the woods. I'll give you a thousand bucks and this mint first edition comic if you can either get rid of it or shift the blame to someone else."

"lvl 80: same guy that handed you a stack of 100's comes back with a briefcase full of cash and asks you to kill his other next-door neighbor. You wonder if that's gonna draw attention to him. He then explains that this next-door neighbor is a politician."

"lvl 85: it drew attention to him. He now shows up with a jug of gasoline and asks you to help him fake his death. He says you can take whatever you find in his house, which he would like you to then light on fire along with the houses of his next-door neighbors. You don't know how much he has in his house but at this point. You're kind of obligated, in a way. Plus, that politician deserved it.

"lvl 85 (again): the guy who asked you to get rid of the body before walks up to you, thanks you again for last time (with a hundred dollar bill), and then explains that he needs some help smuggling his friend over the border. you're not exactly sure what border because this world is supposed to be made up, but something gives you the impression you're smuggling them out of America. He says it will be nice for you to go on a little vacation, and he'll pay for vacation expenses; if you want to tag along.

You meet up with him to cross the border and find that his "friend" happens to be the guy you helped fake his own death. He affectionately calls out your name upon recognizing you, the two exchange greetings and share how they know you, and the guy who's neighbors you assassinated crawls under a tarp in their truck as the other guy escorts you to the drivers seat."

"lvl 90: you're in what seems to be some warped game version of mexico now, and for some reason they wont let you go back to fake game america. The quest this time is just to help those two get settled and find some way to cross the border without getting noticed."

"lvl 91: you actually go back to the nice little quests like the ones you had at the beginning. helping grandmas get groceries, getting cats out of trees, catching common street thieves. it's weird to go back to it now, though. Knowing what you've done. when did you stray so far?"

"lvl 92: some poor guy is now paying you to help impress his crush on their first date."

"lvl 93: his crush is now paying you for intel on him. You have to wonder what direction exactly their relationship might be going..."

"lvl 94: he asked you to find out what kind of things she likes so he can get her a suitable gift for her birthday. you are now "spying" on both of them for each other."

"lvl 95: the crush asks you to assassinate someone. Upon investigating, it seems like the one she wants you to assissinate is an ex-lover of some sort, and is being king of a bitch about her new relationship. Also has been threatening to kill her boyfriend. Plus you find out he's been abusing his dog. ... it seems maybe the girl really does love her new boyfriend?"

"lvl 100: suddenly there is a time skip and you are about 3-5 years in the future. You hold a wedding invitation in your hand. It appears to be... For the two guys you helped smuggle out of the country? it's a good thing gay marriage is legal in fake-mexico. Good for them? Somehow the couple you helped at lvl 92-95 are there too, and are quite excited for the wedding! You assume their relationship went well because they start kissing passionately in the backseat of the minivan you possibly stole. maybe. Also you find out the boyfriend came out as trans 2 years ago and is actually a girlfriend. also comes out that her crush that asked you to get intel on her at lvl 93 was actually an assasin all along, but also genuinely interested in her, and just wanted intel to make sure they were safe to date and that her assassinations wouldn't impact them. This has since been revealed to her and she has accepted it as part of them. Love wins I guess."

[na-cafe]

Characters: Jisung x reader

Genre: kinda angsty, fluff

Warnings: teen pregnancy, childbirth, strong language

|1| |2| |3| |4| |5-end|

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Welcome to your final month.

"JISUNG!" you screamed in pain ( in so much pain ) for your boyfriend who just came home from school. He had to stay there for more than three hours because he was in charge of welcoming kids and their parents to show them to your school.

You heard some noise coming from downstairs and you knew Jisung is trying to get to you as soon as possible. Because if you scream like someone is stabbing you, then it has to be serious.

"Y/N?" he burst into your shared room. "Y/N, what's wrong? Your screaming probably could be heard our neighbors." he come closer to a chair on which you were sitting and kneed down to match your high ( he is very tall and he doesn't want to bend over because his back might hurt ) "If you want just some chocolate again..."

"Jisung, just shut up!" you said little angry. You saw that he was a little shocked by your behavior but you didn't care right now. "No, I don't want chocolate. I need to go to the hospital!"

"Hospital?" he furrowed his eyebrows. "Why would you need to go to the hospital?" he looked very confused and that pissed you off even more.

"Why would your fucking pregnant girlfriend need to go to the hospital, hm?!" your question was followed by another scream of pain.

"Oh my God!" his eyes went wide. "IT'S TIME!" he got up on his feet and started to look around your room.

"No, shit, Sherlock," you mumbled under your breath. "And what are you doing? Aren't you supposed to help me?!" one of your hands found a way on top of your stomach because you were very uncomfortable and everything hurt when your baby girl kicked ( well... It does hurt even without her kicking ).

"Yes, yes." he looked at you, helped you on your feet, and then also helped you to his car. When you were seated, he went on the driver's side and started the car right when he was inside. Then you were on your way to the hospital.

--

"Can someone please help me?" asked Jisung when you both were inside the hospital. You were almost on him by your full weight because you couldn't stand very steadily. "My girlfriend is in labor," he added and looked around to find someone in white.

"You said your girlfriend is in labor?" suddenly, some elderly lady showed up in front of you. She was in white and also had these slippers that doctors or nurses always have; it was a win.

"Yes, she is." he tightened his grip around you. "Where should we go? Can you help us, please? I'm not sure where to go, I'm just scared and-

"Hey, it's okay." she smiled at him. "I'll be right back, so stay here for a second, and then I'll take your girlfriend to her doctor."

"O-okay." he nodded but the nurse was already gone and you two were left alone once again. To be honest, you didn't pay much attention to what was happening around you because you were trying to focus on keeping yourself on your feet. Somehow it felt very hard to walk or just move in general.

"Here we go." the nurse came back with a wheelchair for you to sit on. You gladly do that ( with Jisung's help ) and she took you to your doctor.

Luckily her ordination was free so you didn't have to wait. Jisung helped you on a bed and your doctor began with an ultrasound. She even asked you some questions but you weren't able to answer them, so Jisung did it instead of you.

"I don't feel so good," you informed everyone in the room and it was true. You weren't feeling the best. You started to feel like this on the car ride to the hospital; very weak, sick and just not right. By the time, it got even worse.

"Y/N?" your doctor was fully concentrated on you now. "How do you exactly feel?" she asked in a slightly worried tone. "Do you feel like throwing out or just sick? Dizzy? Does your head hurt?" she asked so many questions that you understood just 'How do you exactly feel.'

"Like... Like I'm gonna pass out." as you said it, you were feeling much more tired. It was like someone snapped their fingers and you were falling asleep.

"No, no, no, Y/N." she took your hand. "You can't fall asleep now, Honey. Try to stay awake, okay?" she went somewhere but you couldn't see where did she go.

"I... Can't..." that was the last thing you said before you were out and didn't know about the outside world.

What made you pass out? Was it all the food you ate during your pregnancy ( or just one specific thing )? Or all the stress you were feeling during this beautiful time? Or was it because you're so young and mentally not prepared for all of this, so your body just shut down? Who knows...

--

All you could hear was a crying child.

You opened your eyes and you were instantly blinded by a light. You shut your eyes once again and tried to open them a few seconds later; you were successful.

"C'mon, sweetheart." you heard Jisung's voice and you could tell he was crying. "I know you want mommy but we need to wait for her to wake up," he said and it was clear he is holding his sobbing back to not to cry again.

"Ji..." you tried to talk but your voice was very horse so it was a little bit hard. "Jisung." after a few tries, you were able to call out for him.

"Y/N?" you could hear as he stood up from his chair. You knew you were correct because you could now see him standing next to your bed with a small baby in his hands. You wanted to sit up but when you tried, it only hurt. "No, don't move." he smiled softly at you.

"What happened?" you asked. "Can I hold her?" you said your second question right before Jisung was able to answer the first one. Your baby was still crying so you wanted to hold her and calm her down.

"Of course." he carefully gave her to you. "She just can't stop crying and I have no idea what to do." he wiped away some tears.

Some people might find this situation funny but after you were given your baby girl, she immediately stopped crying. It was just like magic.

"Are you kidding me?" he shook his head. "That's unbelievable." he laughed a little because he found this funny.

"She just wanted her mom," you said and looked at your daughter. You could see only her and nothing else. You didn't even care about what happened to you ( but you will ask him later ). It was a journey but you are loving the result.

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A/N thank you so much for reading this little story. Hope you like it and leave a heart ♡

Taglist: @kosmiks

[navalcriminalimagines]

Better than me

This is my very first Joel Miller x Reader work. And I completely got carried away. I may do a series, if you guys like it? Joel deserves all the love in the world 🥺Please, let me know what you think!

Summary: You live across the street from Joel. Every night, you watch him play the guitar on his porch and one night, you find the courage to go out and talk to him.

Songs: Future days ; Better than me

Warnings: Smut, oral, p in v, creampie, unprotected sex, a bit of roughness

Words count: 5k

Jackson, Wyoming

Just like every night, your neighbor Joel Miller was sitting on his porch, playing his guitar. Just like every night, you stood by your window, listening to whatever he’s playing, tonight he settled on ‘Future days’. You remembered this song from a long time ago. And just like every night, you hoped you’d find the courage to go out and talk to him.

But you never really talked to him. You crossed paths every now and then, barely exchanging two sentences. It’s way much easier to talk with Ellie, the teenager living with him. One day, you were actually talking with Ellie inside the house and when he got home, you found a stupid excuse and disappeared pretty quickly.

You haven’t been able to find the courage to talk to him. Until that night. It was 2am, and you could still hear him play. He was trying to be silent, even though that’s not really possible. You quickly checked yourself in the shitty small mirror of your bathroom and got out of your house. Joel noticed you only when you were standing right in front of him.

“Hey, Y/N. I’m sorry, did I wake you up?” he gently asked.

“Nah, don’t worry. Couldn’t sleep,” you waved off. “Thought I’d enjoy the music from closer,” you were thankfully it was dark outside, so he couldn’t see you profusely blushing.

“Take a seat,” he offered, showing off the chair next to him. “I’m not sure we’ve ever been properly introduced?” he said, after you settled next to him.

“Yeah, me neither,” you smiled. “Y/N Y/L/N, I’m from Nevada, I’ve been in Jackson for a few months and well-- what else can we say?”

He chuckled. “Fair. Joel Miller,” he said, extending his hand to you over his guitar and you shook it. “I’m from Texas. And I play the guitar,”

“Noticed. You actually have been my personal radio for the past months,”

“As long as you enjoy it. Do you play?”

“Unfortunately not. I used to play violin though,” you confessed. “Long time ago,”

“I wish I could find one, just to hear you play,”

That night, most of the conversation turned around music and instruments. You were a teenager when the virus appeared, and you were a music junkie. You didn’t know why but you confessed to Joel that your dream was to be a rockstar and tour all around the world with a band. He told you about his favorite artists back then, and how he started to play the guitar. He confessed about writing songs when the inspiration hits. Which hasn’t for a while.

The next day, you happily joined him again. This time, you talked less about music and more about yourselves. Joel told you about Ellie, how he met her and how that teenager made her way to his heart. For a moment, he considered telling you about Sarah, but what would be the point? You don’t know each other enough, and he didn’t want to look like the man stuck twenty years prior. Even if you all are, somehow. You told him about your family, that you lost a while ago and how you ended up here in Jackson.

For weeks, meeting Joel on his porch became a thing. You were there almost every night, even when there were some sorts of events in town. You enjoyed his company way more than you should and so did he. But neither of you would say so. Some nights, he didn’t even pick up his guitar, it was just you and him, right there, talking. Falling.

One night, Joel’s heart rushed into his chest as he saw you walking with a limp, up to your house. He put his guitar down and jogged to you, right before you slammed your front door. “Y/N, are you okay?” he asked, clearly worried.

“Huh, yeah, yeah. My knee didn’t appreciate today’s patrol,” you told him, motioning him to join inside your house.

“Were you attacked or something?” he asked, watching you collapsing on your couch.

“No, no, nothing like that. I’m just a klutz,” you tiredly giggled. Joel wanted to laugh too but he was still very worried. He grabbed a pillow and gently lifted your leg to put it under.

“I’ll be right back in ten minutes, okay?”

You didn’t have time to overthink. Joel left your house in a rush and true to his words, he came back ten minutes later with something in his hand. You hadn’t moved a bit, and you watched him approaching. What he had in his hands was ice. “Do you mind if I bounce back your pants?” he asked and you nodded.

Ever so gently, Joel freed your injured knee and put the ice on it. You hissed at the cold and thanked him anyway. “I’m gonna let you rest,”

You didn’t want him to leave. Not just yet. “You know, the pain will probably keep me awake for a while. I wouldn’t mind a private concert by my favorite guitarist,”

Joel chuckled at that, trying to avoid how it made his heart melt. “Fine. I’ll be right back,”

That night, Joel played ‘Future days’ over and over after you asked him to. He kept playing and singing until you fell asleep next to him.

It took a few weeks for your knee to heal, during which Joel had been nothing but an angel. He was over your house every day, checking on your knee to make sure it was properly healing. He made sure you have enough ice and he brought your meals to prevent you from going to the self. Even while being on a patrol, he found a way to have your meals being brought to you.

“Must be nice to be Joel Miller’s favorite,” Jesse joked as you opened the door. He was holding your dinner in one hand and some ice in the other. “God I wish someone would home delivered for me,”

You let your friend in, and settled back on your couch with your leg up. “I can injure your knee for you,” you offered with a grin.

“Wouldn’t work. I’m not cute enough to get Joel’s attention,”

“Shut up!”

Jesse sat next to you. “His guitar’s here. Is he living here? Oh my god, are you guys dating?”

“No! We’re just friends,” you explained. “We just share the same love of music. So, yes, he does come here and plays,”

“Wow, you really think I’m gonna buy this?” Jesse raised an eyebrow at you.

“Jesse, I swear. Nothing is happening between me and Joel,”

“But you wished,”

“Just leave already.” you retorted.

“Y/N, be careful, okay? The man is broken,”

“Yeah, so?”

“I just don’t want you to get hurt,”

“Right. Cause you surely stopped loving Dina when you found that she was a lesbian!”

“I’m just saying, Y/N.”

“Thanks for the home delivery,” you don’t want a cold to stand between you and Jesse, “If I had money, I’d tip you,” you smiled at him.

“You know, you could pay me in nature,”

While that sentence made you laugh, Joel didn’t have the same reaction. He was standing right behind Jesse, his arms crossed over his chest. Your friend didn’t see him at first, still waiting for you to say something, “Hi, Joel,” you said, embarrassed.

Jesse didn’t turn around immediately. He knew Joel would kill him if he could. “I’m just gonna go and avoid your eyes, Joel,” he said, leaving the house in a rush, his face buried deep in his shoulders.

“Good call,” Joel muttered.

“It was just a joke,” you said as soon as you heard the door closing.

“I wouldn’t be sure about that, Y/N. He was just waiting for you to say yes,” Joel was still standing with his arms crossed.

“So, what if I agreed?” you teased him, hoping it would make things move forward a little. But it didn’t.

“Do you want me to call him back? He isn’t far, yet,”

“Just come here and give me my hug, would you?”

Joel’s anger - and obvious jealousy - evaporated as soon as you wrapped your arms around his neck. He isn’t much of a hugger, but you are and you managed to make him addicted to your hugs. He loves being intoxicated by your scent, he loves how you hold him tight, he loves how your fingers always find their way to the small hair in the back of his head. And you love how he buries his head in your back, how his strong arms wrap you so perfectly, how his hands sometimes grab your clothes in a fist.

A few weeks later

Your knee was completely healed and you were back on patrols. Things were moving in Jackson and you and Joel spent less late nights together. You were missing him and he was missing you.

One night, a ball was being held. Everyone here needed that every now and then to cheer up and have some good time. Jesse, Dina and Ellie convinced you to come. You did and as predicted, you spent the entire night waiting for Joel to appear, but he never did.

You were walking back to your house around 3 in the morning. As you approached your street, you could hear the music. Instead of going home, you stopped in front of Joel’s porch. “You said you’d come,” you told him.

“I know, I shouldn’t have. Those aren’t my thing,” he apologized. “Are you mad?”

“No,” you said, lying just a little and sitting next to him. “Just disappointed. It was really nice,”

“No doubt. I’m sorry,”

“I’ll accept your apology with you show me how to play,”

Joel chuckled and handed you his guitar. Then, he moved his chair closer to yours. His chest was literally against your back, his face a few inches from yours. You tried to focus on the instrument, but he made it really hard as his hand covered yours in order to show you where to put your fingers. He started with the easiest chord, E.

As you played violin, it wasn’t completely new to you. But you’d have played dumb if needed, as long as he stayed right where he was. When E sounded good, Joel turned his face to the side to look at you. You were already staring. His lips were so close to yours, you could feel his hot breath on your skin. His eyes went from your eyes to your lips, from your lips to your eyes.

It was now or never. You took your shot and crashed your lips on his. Thankfully, he eagerly responded to your kiss. One of his hands moved to your neck, his beard was gently tickling your skin and he parted his lips, letting his tongue out. You happily welcomed his tongue into your mouth and moaned. The kiss was passionate and intense, Joel couldn’t get you close enough to his liking.

But eventually, he broke it off. You whined, and when you opened your eyes again, you couldn’t see it caused him physical pain to break the kiss. “Don’t you want—“ you start to say.

“I do,” he cut you off. “God, how I do,” his nose was brushing against yours, his hand still in your neck.

“Then why aren’t lips on mine anymore?” You gently nipped his bottom lip and that made him chuckle.

“Are you sure, Y/N?” He had to ask.

“Fuck, Joel. I’ve been simping over you for ages,”

“Simping?”

“Right, sorry I forgot how old you are,” you rolled your eyes.

“I’m gonna show you how old I am, babygirl,” he groaned.

In a flash, Joel grabbed his guitar and your wrist. You’re actually not sure which one he was holding the softest. He put the guitar in the living room and took you to his bedroom. As soon as he kicked the door shut, he spinned you around, holding you against the door and his lips crashed on yours, roughly.

He didn’t kiss you long enough, though. He quickly drifted south, and assaulted your neck. You moaned in his hair, and you could feel the obvious bulge in his jeans against your thighs. His hands traveled under your top and you tried to palm his erection, but he immediately stopped you.

Joel grabbed your wrists into his hand and pinned them above your head. He just stared for a moment. Stared at your swollen lips, at the marks he already made in your neck and in your eyes. You were looking at him with both killing desire and love. It confused him for a brief second but he shut his brain and kissed you again.

You were desperate to touch him, undress him, feel him. But he was strongly holding your hands, all you could was grinding your center against his thigh. “So needy,” he whispered in your ear before nipping the lobe. You swallowed thickly and let out a loud moan.

“Yes, I need you Joel. Please,” you begged him. When was the last time someone beg for him?

“It’s been such a long time, I probably won’t last,” he breathed out, shamefully.

“We have a lifetime ahead of us, who cares,”

That sentence didn’t have the impact you were shooting for. In a second, you were completely free from Joel’s grip as he took a big step back. He was panting. “That’s not—“ he whispered, trying to put his thoughts into words.

“Aw baby, did you already come?” you teased him.

“That was a close call, but that’s not my point, Y/N,” you could see he was getting angry. But why? At who?

You took a step forward, your hands tenderly cupping his bearded cheeks. “Then what is your point?” you asked, genuinely concerned.

“This—is a bad idea,” Joel struggled. He leaned into your touch but frowned as he knew he couldn’t enjoy it too much. “You—you should leave,” he wrapped his hands around your wrists, forcing you to let go of his face.

“Not until you give me one good reason, Joel.” Now, you were getting angry. Hurt. Frustrated. All of that.

“You deserve better—“ he whispered. “Better than me,”

“That’s not a good—“

“That’s good enough for me. Please, Y/N.” He begged you, pain clearly written all over his face.

“You’re making a big mistake, you know that?” Joel heard your voice cracking and you had barely finished your sentence, that his thumb was softly brushing your lips.

“That’s my jam,” he sadly tried to joke.

You have no idea what happened in his mind in a brief period of time but for whatever reason, Joel wanted you to leave. He had changed his mind and you’re not the kind of person to force people. If he doesn’t want you like this, if he doesn’t want you around him, you’ll let him be.

You left his house. Leaving you both broken-hearted.

A year later

Avoiding someone in Jackson isn’t an easy task, but somehow, Joel managed to do it pretty well. He always disappeared when you showed up, no matter where it was. He managed to never stare at you from afar when you were definitely staring. The only moment you could’ve walked to him and asked for explanations was at night, as he kept playing the guitar and all of those songs you kept talking about. But he asked you to leave and never apologized. Why would you be the one to make the first move?

As Joel checked his next patrol, he noticed he’s set on a patrol with you the very next day. Completely pissed off, he bursted into Tommy’s office and slammed the door behind. He planted his fists on the desk and stared at his younger brother. “Why the hell am I teaming with Y/N for tomorrow’s patrol?” he barked.

“What’s wrong with her?” Tommy asked, genuinely curious as to why Joel was that mad.

“Nothing,” he said, raising his hands defensively. “I just don’t want to team up with her,”

“I’ll consider making some changes, if you give me a good reason,” Tommy stood up and got closer to Joel.

“I--I almost had sex with her,”

“Almost? Couldn’t get through with it, brother?” Tommy teased him.

Before answering, Joel threw himself on the worn out couch and Tommy sat on the armbar, waiting for explanations. “We were--at it. But I had to stop,” Joel admitted, growling at himself.

“Couldn’t get it up?”

“Tommy, fuck off,”

“I honestly don’t understand how in the world you couldn’t have sex with one of the most beautiful women in Jackson,”

“Cause-- she deserves better than this. Better than me,”

“Bullshit!” Tommy shouted.

“Listen, I’m an old grumpy and lonely guy--” Joel trailed off.

“Cut the crap, bro. I’ve always wondered what her deal was, since she’s turning down all the guys around, but now it makes sense. She clearly wants you,”

“She shouldn’t,”

“Don’t you think that’s on her to decide? So, please, get the hell out of my office, go on that patrol with her tomorrow and take things back where you left them,”

“You’re the worst brother ever,” Joel rolled his eyes.

“I know. I want my brother to get laid, how horrible of me,” Tommy sarcastically answered, before giving his brother a tap in his back.

The next day came way too fast for Joel.

He was late and people were pressing you to do the patrol. You took the two horses with you and walked up to his house. You knocked and let yourself in immediately, “Joel, you’re late,” you called out for him, “I know you don’t want to spend the day with me but we don’t have a choice,” you spoke loudly, not knowing where he was. As you walked to the kitchen, you saw Ellie packing her bag. “Oh, hey El!” you greeted her, hoping you weren’t blushing.

She smiled at you. “Joel’s in the bathroom. He should be down in a minute,” she told you before walking out. “He brought some coffee. Help yourself,”

“Oh, nice!”

Upstairs, Joel couldn’t decide what to wear. Why did it matter anyway? Why did he want to look...good for you? He didn’t have much clothes and all of them were used and dirty. But he settled for his green shirt, as he remembered you telling him it looked good on him. He checked his hair and beard one more time, he even checked his breath before cursing to himself. And he joined you downstairs.

You poured yourself a cup of coffee in Joel’s used mug and started to look around, waiting for him. You hadn’t been there in a year, you hadn’t even approached the porch. You missed this, you missed Joel.

A paper on the coffee table grabbed your attention. You took it in your hand and started to read what was on it, but you heard Joel’s footsteps coming down. You only had a glimpse of it

“The bed I'm lying in is getting colder

Wish I never would've said it's over

And I can't pretend

I won't think about you when I'm older

'Cause we never really had our closure

This can't be the end

I really miss your hair in my face

And the way your innocence tastes

And I think you should know this

You deserve much better than me”

You recognized Joel’s handwriting. This really sounded like a song, but no time to analyze it, as he took the paper from your hand and folded it in his back pocket. “Is that a song?” You asked.

“Really don’t want to talk about it. Let’s go,”

“Haven’t finished my coff—“ you didn’t have time to finish either your sentence or your coffee. Joel grabbed the mug from your hand and drank the rest of the brown liquor.

“There. Finished.”

“Wow, it’s gonna be a long day,” you mumbled in your teeth as you were walking out.

“What?” Joel asked from behind.

“It’s gonna be a wonderful day!” You sarcastically exclaimed.

It was indeed a long day. You and Joel barely talked, only exchanging about your ride of the day. You tried your best not to look much at him, but it was hard as he was looking this good with his green shirt. The worst was when he rolled up his sleeves, showing off his strong and veiny forearms.

On the other hand, Joel spent the entire day looking at you. Most of the time, you were riding the horse in front of him. He had a perfect view on your ass and he loved how it bounced. You were wearing an old tank top, letting him see your tattoo on your shoulder. He wanted to press his lips against your skin again. He missed you like hell.

“Are you mad at me, Y/N?” he asked, while the two of you had gone down from the horses. You turned around to face him.

“Mad?” you sounded angry but somehow, your body language and the sadness on your face said otherwise. “No, I’m just--lost. I still don’t understand, Joel.” you shrugged. There was something in your expression, on your face, that broke his heart all over again.

“I told you.” he just answered.

“Well okay, let’s say that it doesn’t make sense to me,” you corrected yourself, “We spent so much time together, and every second was amazing. Then we kissed and--you took me inside your house, you pinned me against your door, I thought it was going really well and all of the sudden, you backed off. And--and you spent the past year avoiding me, but somehow, you still play your fucking guitar on your porch, knowing that I can hear you. Hell, you spend a serious amount of time playing ‘Future days’— and what you wrote—”

You hadn’t realized you were rambling until his lips crashed into yours. Rough but tender at the same time, his beard tickled your nose. He was holding your face in his hands, making you as close as possible to him. It stayed a chaste kiss until he pulled back. “And now you’re kissing me again,” you said, a bit shaken in a beautiful way.

“I just wanted you to shut up,” he smirked.

“Please, make some sense, Joel,” you pleaded him. “Because I really don’t understand and it prevents me from moving on,” you paused, “Not that I actually want to move on,”

“You never shut up, do you?”

“Then maybe you shouldn’t stop kissing me,”

Back at your house

This past year was long forgotten when you and Joel reached your house. You locked your door behind and basically ran to your bedroom, taking him with you. You were so fast, Joel almost tripped in the stairs. Once in your bedroom, you threw him on your bed and straddled him. You were not going to let him escape this time.

You crashed your lips on his, and you kissed him feverishly. You never unbuttoned a shirt this fast in your life. Joel’s hands got under your tank top and quickly got rid of it, along with your bra. Joel cupped one of your breasts in his hand and brought his mouth to the other. He played with your nipples for a moment, while you freed him from his jeans and boxers. You stroked him a few times, feeling some precum on your fingers. Joel let out the biggest moan he ever had. It’s been so long. So fucking long, he couldn’t stand the foreplay, “I need to be inside you, sweetheart. Like, right now,” he growled.

You got off his lap just to take your pants and panties off. Joel’s eyes darken at the sight of your naked body. He could’ve come just from the sight.

You pushed his shoulders so he was completely laying on the bed. Joel felt your wetness when you started to grind your center against his hard cock. It was killing him.

“Just for my peace of mind,” he managed to say, “You’re not a virgin, are you?” he asked, his hands resting on your hips.

“Would it change something if I was?” you answered, pressing your body against his.

“Yes. I wouldn’t want to hurt you. I would take my time with you,” he gently said, planting soft kisses around your mouth.

“I’m not a virgin. It’s been a while though, does hymen grow back?”

Joel laughed at that, but his laugh quickly turned into a deep growl as you made him penetrate you. You slided onto him so slowly, it took everything in his power not to shove his length as deep as he could. You felt his fingers digging so hard on your hips, you’ll probably wake up with bruises in the morning. It’s been such a long time, it almost felt like it was indeed your first time.

As he bottomed out, Joel kissed you roughly. He’s not going to last. This is too much. “Fuck, Y/N! You’re so tight,” he groaned in your ear, holding your hair in his fist.

You pulled out slowly and got him to bottom out again. You rode him with this killer pace, until he couldn’t take it anymore. He made you roll over and pinned you down onto the mattress. Again, his fingers dug into your skin, and his lips crashed on yours in a rough and sloppy kiss. Joel quickened the pace, fucking you relentlessly. He could hear you cry his name and it quickly became a blur to him. It was so much for him, he completely forgot about your pleasure and after a few quick and hard thrusts, Joel came deep inside your pussy, crying your name out loud.

This was too quick, you didn’t have time to cum too. But you didn’t mind, you knew he was going to get even. Plus, seeing him falling apart on top of you like that was the most sexy and erotic and amazing thing you ever witnessed. That image only could get you soaking wet. Pretty much like you were at this moment.

“Fuck, sweetheart, I’m so sorry,” he said, collapsing on you.

“It’s okay,” you reassured him, stroking his hair and kissing his temple. He was sweaty as hell, but you loved the taste of him on your lips.

“God,” he panicked, “I came inside you,” he looked at you with wide eyes, realizing the risk it was. He should have never come inside you. This is way too risky. There are no birth controls and no condoms. He can’t do that again. The panic washed him over, but you stayed pretty calmed under him. “Why are you not freaking out? Yelling at me?”

“Is there anything we can do about it?” you asked, steady.

“Well--” he trailed off. Obviously, there’s nothing you can do about it. He came, it’s too late.

“I’ll be careful next time, I promise.” he apologized and kissed you.

Once the panic disappeared, Joel remembered that you didn’t come. He got carried away by his own pleasure, he completely forgot about yours. “Don’t move,” he ordered you and made a trail of wet kisses down to your core. You moaned when his lips reached your clit and he smirked. He licked and sucked on your clit for a moment, one of his arms around your waist to keep you still. When he felt your hand running through his hair, and your nails digging on his scalp, he moaned himself. “Fuck, you’re tasting yourself,” you breathed out.

“I couldn’t care less.” he muttered.

As he kept eating like a starving man, Joel surprised you with a thick finger entering your core. “Jesus, Joel! Yes!” you cried and he didn’t waste time adding another finger. His fingers were curling inside you, hitting exactly where they were supposed and he remained sucking hard on your clit. “Just like that, yes! Fuck!” he felt your body shaking under him and his free hand immediately rushed to your breasts, pinching your nipples between his thumb and index. He didn’t stop, not even slowed down until you came hard on his face, crying his name so loud, all Jackson probably heard you.

As you were catching your breath, Joel got back on top of you and wrapped an arm around your neck. He held you so tight, you almost couldn't breathe but you loved every second of it. You were surprised by his length teasing your oversensitive entrance, “I’ve never recovered this fast in my life.” he growled in your ear. “Can I?” he asked for your consent, gently kissing your temple.

“Yes please! Give it to me, baby. Fuck me!”

That was all he needed. He didn’t need his hand to slide inside of you again. In one thrust, he bottomed out and cursed. “You were made for me,” he said, huskily, before kissing you, all teeth and tongue.

As he thrusted hard and deep inside your pussy, you grabbed his ass and squeezed. He chuckled against your mouth and quickened his pace. He fucked you relentlessly again but this time, he took his time. There was less urge, he was thinking about your pleasure too.

He finally let go of your neck, and got on his knees, lifting your hips a little. Your ass was resting on his thighs as he kept thrusting. That angle drove both of you crazy. While one of his hands was holding your hips hard, he furiously rubbed your clit with the other. He could feel you're losing it. “I’m gonna cum, baby,” you told him. “Fuck, you feel so good!” you cried his name again, coming and creaming on his cock.

“God, I’ll never get used to that sight,” Seeing you losing it under his touch sent him over the edge. He managed to withdraw just in time to come on your stomach, he didn’t even have to give himself a few final strokes.

He collapsed on top of you again, not caring about the sticky mess between your bodies. “You’ll be the death of me, Y/N,” he said and you chuckled.

“I love you, Joel. There’s no better than you,”

[aminiatureworld]

Opposites

Characters: Xiao, gn!reader

Word Count: 1,594

Warnings: Swearing

Premise: In which the reader is the brain and Xiao is the brawn

Author’s Note: I wasn’t sure what the general setting should be so I put it in a vaguely college/university setting. Prolly cause that’s around my age and also because I cordially dislike highschool AUs. Hopefully that works out alright!

I had to type out almost 2,000 words on my iphone. I never want to do that again.

Xiao

Honestly none of your friends are actually sure how you two got together.

After all, if someone were to take a picture of you and your partner side-by-side then show it to people not in the know, well the prevailing emotion would be something along the lines of: “Are they classmates or neighbors or something?”

To be fair, when the two of your first met even the idea that you would ever end up in love was something laughable. Having been pushed together for a project, your knee-jerk reaction had been: Oh I’m totally going to end up doing this all by myself.

Thankfully however you’d been quickly proven wrong. Although Xiao hadn’t necessarily been the best about planning and other such things, his work was organized and he always showed up to every meeting with his parts completed.

By the end of the project you never wanted to work with another person on a group project again.

And, to be completely honest, you’d definitely developed a crush on your slightly aloof group partner.

Xiao’s reaction was much harder to read.

At first he appeared to want nothing to do with you. Work was emailed to you with not so much as a subject line; meetups passed in awkward silence broken by tentative questions on your part. You’d sort of assumed that he saw you as annoying and the group work as useless - which to be fair it sort of was useless.

So when he emailed you a few weeks later asking for your number and if you wanted to do something, well, safe to say you almost fell out of your chair.

Though the start was a little awkward, Xiao’s conversational nature didn’t develop much in general, you two fell into a routine of sorts, a relationship of unspoken boundaries and spontaneous confidences.

During the first few weeks of you odd sort of relationship you’d come to the conclusion that, though not a talker, Xiao was ultimately quite apathetic in nature. Eventually however you realized apathetic wasn’t the right term.

Though he might’ve appeared sullen on the outside, Xiao never actually acted in a way that hinted at any resentment or irritation; he never dragged his feet about something or implied it was stupid that you should ask for help or for a favor.

His assertiveness, which might’ve been mistaken for aloofness, was endearing. Xiao never half-asses anything, even when if wasn’t doing something for another person, like you.

You appreciated this side of his personality, the fact that he was quick to act, admired if even. It certainly stood in stark contrast to your tendency to overthink things, something that could quickly end up kneecapping you depending on what decisions were being debated.

It was an alien concept to you, the sort of philosophy Xiao seemed to live by, and its novelty was refreshing.

As your thoughts slid more and more to focusing on Xiao you became more and more aware of the rumors that abounded about him.

He was a troubled youth, he was prone to fighting, he had been so uncontrollable in secondary school that only one teacher had been able to get him to do anything. The only times he spoke was to wound, and he never had a word to say that wasn’t angry.

Well, obviously that wasn’t the truth, but any attempt to clear up the situation was quickly met with odd stares and responses that all smacked of: “Oh you poor idiot, you just haven’t learned yet.”

You would’ve liked to think that you didn’t let it affect your relationship with him, but evidently the rumors had begun to catch up to you.

“Hey, you’ve been avoiding me.”

“Have I?” You shifted awkwardly in your seat. Xiao sighed, evidently aware of where this was going.

“It’s because of what people say about me, isn’t it?”

“Maybe.”

“I see.”

That had been the beginning and the end of the conversation for quite some time, almost as if Xiao had yet to decide whether or not you were one of the few in whom he could entrust the truth. Yet despite the rumors and the odd looks you still found yourself gravitating towards Xiao, and soon enough that initial pull turned into something much deeper.

The day that you two became “official” was the day Xiao told you the truth. He had been a delinquent as a teenager.

Born into a family full of troubles Xiao shouldered the circumstances as best he could.

However things cannot stay untouched forever; the distress that Xiao experienced only grew, the pressure ratcheting up with every incident, every item thrown to the ground, every fight that ended in humiliating pain.

Eventually it became too much, and when it did Xiao took his anger out not on his family, not on the people who had failed him, but on any classmate who antagonized the vulnerable child.

Fights became a regular part of Xiao’s life until university, and it was only in meeting his mentor, Zhongli, that the lost young man had managed to pull his life together.

Things made more sense after that, though one couldn’t say that everything was right with the world. Students, coworkers, the particularly idiotic TA, all of them still carried the sense that Xiao was not to be trusted. You could see how it upset your partner sometimes, when he was ignored at the coffeeshop or excluded from class group chars in the like.

Whenever he did that Xiao tended to retreat into himself, as if worried he might explode again. It took a lot of coaxing to get him out of such situations but it was always worth it to see your partner’s expression soften, to see his small smile once more.

What you didn’t tell him was that you were just as angry as he was, just as resentful at the people within your major which were hellbent on acting like they were still in high school.

Eventually however the trials of your early were utterly forgotten, the questions and the secrets replaced by a sense of slightly hilarious domestic bliss.

You were definitely the brains of the group, something Xiao didn’t seem to mind - though he probably would find that actual statement somewhat silly.

Xiao, on the other hand, held the esteemed position of Person Who Actually Got Stuff Done. You relied on him to get you out of your mental spirals, to pull you out of your room and out of your brain fog and to get you to do something; even if it wasn’t the thing you were thinking about.

In return it was your job to make sure Xiao didn’t get himself killed doing something stupid.

Xiao’s reticence masked an almost supernatural recklessness. Though your partner didn’t own a motorbike, if he had you were completely convinced he’d ride one without a helmet. His almost total disinterest in his own safety was something that you brain shrunk from, and more often than not a crazy plan of his would end with you listing the terrible things that might happen if something were to go wrong, even if those things weren’t always the most realistic.

There was a storm in twenty minutes? It was the perfect time for a walk! There was cavern nearby with tunnels were so tight you had to walk single file? Sure why not!

He would talk about such things as if there was nothing to it, as if it didn’t send your heart rate spiking. There wasn’t the slightest acknowledgment of danger. Even his tone was as gruff as usual, as if it was the most natural thing to want to go mountain climbing, not interesting enough to get even a little excited about.

It was probably good he did martial arts. You didn’t even want to think about where all that energy would go otherwise.

Xiao’s straightforward nature came out in softer ways too, ways that you envied much more than his full-steam-ahead recklessness.

He was never afraid to state what was on his mind. Whether it was correcting a waiter who got his order wrong or telling a rude doormats to fuck off, all these things were natural to him.

To be honest you completely envied that aspect of him, unable go replicate such a mindset in yourself.

When you’d commented on it once Xiao had stared oddly at you. After a moment he told you that he figured it came from his background. Sometimes you had to learn how to say “no” or “that’s wrong” or “you’re a shitty person.”

Just as you tried to curb the most extreme parts of Xiao’s recklessness, so too did Xiao work to bring you out of the spirals your mind went down sometimes, and so did he try to coax you out of the overthinking that kept you from asserting yourself in your life.

Saying you two were complete opposites wouldn’t really be accurate. You shared similar views, similar passions, similar opinions on what mattered. Yet it was true that, in some ways, you complemented one another. And when it came to those traits in which you differed, well you would like to think that your differences just made you stronger as a couple.

Maybe your friends couldn’t understand how you two got together, or why you were so deeply in love with the person you’d chosen to be your partner. But you didn’t care.

You loved Xiao with all your soul, and, at the end of the day, that was all that mattered.

[halaboyz]

–– BOOK // SAN.

pairing: non-idol! san x gn! reader genre: fluff word count: 2.7k warnings: profanities, poorly written, no more that i know of

“hongjoong, is the book back?” you hesitantly ask, giving your friend, the librarian- hongjoong, an apologetic smile. 

“hey y/n..” he reflected your smile, “sorry. it still isn’t,” he pouts at you, scanning the borrowed books log sheet. 

you sigh and throw your head back, growing frustrated.

you see, there’s one book series you’ve been reading and it’s been exactly one month since you’ve last read the second book of the series. the next book, harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban, is still yet to be returned.

“come on,” you groan, throwing a fit in front of hongjoong. “don’t you have another copy for that? the other library is miles away and i really, really want to finish the series soon,” 

“okay, first of all,” hongjoong chuckled. “the harry potter series is hella expensive, y/n. second, just wait for it then, i know who borrowed it, i’ll just tell them off for you,” he winks, patting your forehead lightly with a book.

“who is it anyway? i’d love to tell them off myself,” you huffed, raising your eyebrow.

“it’s choi san,” hongjoong laughs when your face scrunched, “you don’t know him, do you?” you shake your head, “he’s a friend of mine. i’ll make sure to make him give it back to you the moment i tell him, okay? now go back home, it’s getting kind of late and i have a date,” he winks, leaving you all pouty on the reception table.

after throwing a few glances at the books in front of you, you decided to go home after giving hongjoong a small wave. 

reminiscing the small bits of the second book of harry potter to stop yourself from forgetting it, you have already arrived in your apartment to see tons of boxes beside yours. 

“oh,” the landlady opens her door to take out some trash just in time, smiling at you. “yeah, you’ll have a new neighbor! he was in a rush and instantly got that room a while ago so i didn’t have time to tell you.”

“it’s okay, i’m not much of a socializer myself,” you share a chuckle, and after a small talk, you finally let her do her chores and you finally enter your house, after taking another glance at all of the boxes in front of your neighbor’s door.

wouldn’t hurt to say your greetings tomorrow.

“fuck, fuck, fuck,” you continued to mumble under your breath, grabbing everything insight that you could think you needed.

you started scrambling around your flat when you woke up late, caused by your alarm not going off. 

“holy mother of god!” you exclaim the moment you step out of the doors, broad shoulders and wide chest greeting you. you gasp exaggeratedly, looking up to meet the man’s eyes.

you gasp for the second time, swallowing the lump on your throat that stops you from forming words. the man in front of you anxiously smiles, his dimples showing making your knees weak. 

“uh, hi,” he mumbles, tiptoeing and pressing his lips to a thin line. 

“hi!” you unintentionally squeal, widening your eyes. “mmh, hello.” you regain your composure, smiling at him, “you’re my new.. neighbor!” 

“yeah!” he gave off the same amount of excitement, grinning at you and it may be early, too early to gawk at him and say you’d grown a little crush on your new, cute but at the same time, very very hot neighbor.

“holy fucking shit,” you mumble as you felt your phone vibrating, a call incoming from probably one of your friends to remind you that you.. “i have a class in five fucking minutes,” you gear yourself to run, patting him in the arm, “i’ll see you again! bye!” you wave your hands as you look back at him, already forming an apology to the professor for being late.

“what the fuck did you do that you’re late for almost half an hour?” yunho drags you to your seat, your readied apology faded away as you managed to sneak into an available seat yunho saved beside him.

“my alarm didn’t go off,” you quickly mumble, taking your book and notes out of your bag,

“sucks to be you,” yunho sighs, watching you with squinted eyes.

“oh hell no, i love today, even.” you smirk at him, leaning closer to whisper. “my new neighbor.. is hot. one hundred percent hot, another hundred percent cute,” you quietly squeal, hitting your friend’s arm.

“stop, it hurts,” yunho grasps your arm, making you attend to the class going on. “fangirl later, listen first,” yunho winks, and you smile at him in excitement, feeling good even though your day started shitty.

“so.. how’s he again?” yunho sits in front of you with his food tray, giddily waiting for you. “are you finally getting a partner? oh my god,” 

“okay well, first, like i said- how can someone be so hot and cute at the same fucking time?” you rhetorically ask, taking a bite of your own food. “his shoulders- woah,” you gasp, “it’s,” you try to imitate the measurement of the man’s shoulders with your hands, “...so wide,” you almost growled, and yunho almost choked laughing at you.

“what’s his name?” yunho asks the million-dollar question, making you gasp for the nth time today.

“i didn’t get it,” you shrink on your seat, pouting. “i’d see him again anyway, there’s no rush.”

“yeah, you can get it later,” yunho assures, rubbing your hand. “by the way, have you gotten the book?” 

just when you thought you had your day going well, you frowned at the sound of book again. 

“i still haven’t,” you scrunched your nose, “fucking choi san and his slow reading,”

“oh, choi san?” yunho perks from his seat, interested. “he’s a friend,”

“of course he is, hongjoong and you are friends, of course, the social butterfly is friends even with hongjoong’s friends,” you snicker playfully, finishing your food to head out to the library once again.

“oh, y/n!” hongjoong excitedly greets you with a light hug, and seeing him all jumpy with you made you excited too.

“is it back? is it back?” you poke his side, jumping.

“no! but the one who borrowed it is here! right timing,” he leads you to a shelf of books and seeing the familiar back and broad shoulders, you gasp, and you could only imagine the amount of oxygen you have inhaled today.

“you?!” you immediately frowned, unintentionally shouting which made hongjoong cover your mouth. 

the man in question turns his tense body to you, sees your familiar face, and instantly smiles. 

“oh hey! i just realized i didn’t get your na-,”

“choi san.” you said through gritted teeth, “where the hell is the book?!” you questioned right away, pushing his shoulder.

san shifts his eyes to you and hongjoong, begging for help.

“w-what book..” he slouches, as if it made him smaller beside you.

“hongjoong!” you whined, turning back to hongjoong. “you still haven’t told him?” huffing, you get the box of the harry potter series and showed him the missing part, pushing the book on his chest.

“oh! the prisoner of azkaban book!” he enlivens for a second before he faces you, the smile instantly drops. you get a glance at his dimple and you just need to.. raise your finger and.. poke.

san stops on what he’s doing, frozen. same as hongjoong, frozen but concealing his laugh as he stared at the both of you.

just a minute later have you realized that you indeed, poked his.. dimple.  

fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck..

your nose twitches, tightening your jaw, and presses on his cheek further.

“you! where the hell is the prisoner of azkaban?!” you say through gritted teeth, only craning your neck after a few seconds of processing your words.

“probably in jail?” san mutters, trying to lighten the atmosphere with his smile again and you thank the gods you haven’t taken your finger off his cheek as you felt his dimple slowly showing.

you clicked your tongue, and you could finally hear hongjoong laughing to his heart’s content. seeing your jaw dropped, hongjoong finally makes his way to detach you from the tense man.

“cut the man some slack, y/n,” he chuckles, “he’s packed,”

packed.. like? packed body?

“time, y/n, time.” hongjoong, as if reading your mind, smirked at you. “he borrowed it last time he visited, now that he moved here after a heartbreak, you’ll be able to get it soon,” he pats your arm, nodding at san. “right, san?” 

san nods delightedly, shifting his eyes to you and hongjoong.

“yeah, and apparently he moved beside mine too,” you mumbled, rolling your eyes but can’t help feeling happy at the fact that you’ll be seeing san around more.

“that’s nice then! you’re friends with my friends here,” hongjoong pointed at you, “we should hang out sometime! all together!” hongjoong clapped, thrilled at the plans he had made himself.

“only if he gives me back the book,”

“i can give it to you later!” san beams, jumping on his place with a big, big smile. 

“now, why don’t you guys head home for today?” hongjoong bites his lip to suppress his smile, pushing the both of you out of the library.

you glared at san and he instantly flinches, you had started to walk home.

“hey, uh,” san catches up with you, fiddling with his hands. “sorry about the book,”

you stopped on your tracks, squinting your eyes at him.

“you’re lucky you’re cute.” you hiss, craning your neck at him.

san immediately freezes and feels his cheeks warm, a small smile crawling up his lips.

at least i didn’t say you’re hot.

you thought, beating yourself inside.

“thanks.. i guess..” san muttered, looking down to hide his smile.

you chuckle, reaching your hand out.

“we haven’t properly introduced yet,” you smile, “i’m y/n.” san shakes your hand introducing himself back. “so.. a heartbreak?” you started walking again, san beside you.

“hongjoong’s such a chatterbox,” he sighs, then he glances at you, giving a small smile. “mutual breakup, that is,” he slowly nods, heaving a deep breath.

“ah.. sorry,” you quickly muttered, pressing your lips to a thin line.

“no need to, it’s just..” he tries to find words, “really nothing. we both felt like drifting apart and i think that’s completely normal!” he defended a pitch higher, making you jump.

“okay then, normal!” you assured, leaning back unconsciously.

“sorry..” he mumbles and you hum in response, a small laugh escaping your lips. “it’s been almost a year and i just found the company of my friends really enticing so when they asked me to move here, i didn’t hesitate,” he explains further, and you nod at him, pursing your lips.

silence engulfed the both of you again until you’ve arrived in your flats, stopping you. “do you want to go inside and have a drink? i’ll bring you the book,” he smiles, offering. “i mean, if you’re still uncomfortable i can just give you the book right now, right now!” his high voice made you burst into a fit of chuckles, and you could only smile at him.

“i would love a drink, san,” you nod.

he welcomes you with the biggest smile and a dimple, offering you to sit on the couch while you wait for him. you look around his flat, loving the warmth it emitted even if there are still unpacked boxes in the corner and the fact that he just moved in.

“i love it here,” before you could stop your running mouth, san had already stopped in front of you with your drinks.

“please, you’re welcome anytime.” san feels butterflies in his stomach, but he isn’t going to tell you that. at least, not yet. 

it’s too early.

you didn’t know if he meant it platonically, but you could almost feel your heart beating out of your ribcage. you simply smiled, taking his offered drink. 

“let me just get the book.. out,” he sighs, taking a box out of the corner and rummaging through others. 

you peeked curiously, gasping yet once more, to see at least five boxes full of books.

“what.. the hell,” you mumble, letting your fingers trail over the piles and piles of books. “are these all yours?”

“yeah, though i haven’t read all of it,” he chuckles, “i just have a terrible hold of myself when buying books that get my interest so.. here we are,” he waves his hands in front of the boxes. “ah, let me show you something,” he drags you to a room, and if you think you’ve gasped enough for today, this was something more to gasp on.

“you.. have a whole ass library.. on your apartment..” you mumbled, letting your feet wander around as san watched you admirably, leaning on the doorsill with his arms crossed over his chest. there are already books on the shelf, the boxes in the living room with unpacked books long forgotten as if a spell was onto you the moment you have entered this room.

the instant san realized he’s been staring at you too much, he perked on his position and walked back to the living room, finding the prisoner of azkaban.

“here!” san holds the book and pushes himself up, only to stumble back after meeting your frail body being so close to him. after san left you in the room, you had caught a glimpse of him leaving so you followed him, not wanting to overuse his welcoming presence of letting you wander in his own house.

peeking over his shoulder, you watched him rummage through the boxes until he found it, not expecting him to jump hastily and bump in your body, making you tumble. san’s hands were faster and immediately took ahold of your waist, balancing you.

“i’m sorry!” he quickly removes his hands after you stand up, handing you the book.

“it’s okay, you practically saved me from banging on a sharp corner,” you giggled, pouting to point at the sharp edge of his coffee table. you flip to the pages of the book, getting your things. “since i already got what i want,” you faced him, “i should get going. i don’t want to disturb you too much,” 

san was too preoccupied busy calming his heart with what just happened.

“sure,” he mumbles, walking you to your door with his hands tucked in his pockets. because if not, he’ll probably be fidgeting with it. 

“thank you again, i’ll see you around san,” you smiled at him, and san almost swooned at the way his name flowed out of your lips.

“uh, y/n,” he calls out before you close your door, 

“yeah?” you bite the insides of your cheek to stop your growing smile, looking at him expectantly.

“y’know..” san anxiously bites on his lower lip, “as you may have seen, i have tons and tons and tons,” he drags the last word, explaining it with his hands making you chuckle, “..of books and.. it was really nice meeting you.. and uh,”

is this your way of telling me hey, y/n, you can come whenever you want, san?” you smirked slyly, waiting for him to respond. 

well, the only response you got is his wide eyes and red ears- and that was enough.

 “yeah.. i mean.. yeah.. that.. yeah,” he stutters, looking back at you with puppy eyes.

“i’d love to be your company, san. that would be very nice,” anyone could sense you liked each other, the small smiles and the anxious fidgeting of fingers giving it away. 

“even if it takes me forever to finish those books?” he raises his eyebrows, a smile finally settled in his face as his dimples showed again.

“even if it takes forever,” you much him, winking. 

maybe it was early, too early.. but the both of you can’t help liking each other. is it what they call love at first sight?

you don’t know, but you were certain you did like the man the moment you closed your door, staring at the harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban on your hands, continuous chuckles coming out of your lips.

and san was certain he liked you too when he washed his face and looked at the mirror, his dimple faintly showing and reminiscing the incident awhile ago, in the library- making his dimple fully show, a light laugh bursting from within.