#will never argue with freebies

[anonymoushouseplantfan]

Bower was right, she really walked into the Royal family thinking she could “borrow” and merch just like Hollywood and influencers do.

Hello? That’s why I started blogging. I couldn’t believe how much money she was making as a girlfriend, and no one was even mentioning it. Kate couldn’t wear as much as a spangly top without the press speculating if it was a freebie or product placement, but no one ever said a peep about Meghan’s epic hauls of merch. It was truly bizarre.

It’s even wilder in retrospect because we the public didn’t know how serious the relationship was from the very beginning and I got a lot of pushback from anons arguing that she was just a girlfriend and she may never marry him and this was her business before she met him, etc… These were all valid arguments at the time, but now we know that she was in it to win it and everyone knew it. It’s baffling that she was allowed to get away with it.

[rhaenin-time]

Tossing a freebie to HBO to fix the issue they created by having Rhaena pine for a dragon rather than being content to wait for an egg, while also aging the twins up from 13 to an age where it's a little odd she hasn't tried to claim Vermithor or Silverwing:

Vermithor would never accept a woman as a rider. He'd also forbid Silverwing from doing so. Silverwing would argue about it and maybe sleep in a different cave for awhile but ultimately would not disobey him.

Also, Vermithor chose his next rider because he had bad vibes.

[lady-byleth]

I love that in recent events Mihoyo has basically taken the notion that Diluc doesn't like Kaeya anymore and just stomped it into the trash can

I mean...keeping all of Kaeya's letters at easily accessible locations throughout the house? Grumbling about it but not hesitating to hand what amounts to freebies out to the Knights, who he never has any kind words for, when Kaeya asks for Weinlese? (Bonus points here for Lisa literally saying he's the best one for the job and that no one knows Diluc better) Basically bullying Kaeya into staying for dinner?

Diluc's got a sharp tongue around Kaeya for sure but I think at this point no one can argue that he actually does still have a huge soft spot for him

[citadelofmythoughts]

I think what strikes me in hindsight is how incurious Ironwood is as a person, and how this affected his command style, and also proves how seriously flawed it is to blame RWBY for not telling him the full details about the situation with Salem.

The man at first is portrayed as wanting answers that Ozpin isn't willing to tell, both partly because Ozpin is keeping his allies in the dark despite his proclamations of needing unity and trust, but also justified given James' propensity for overreacting and letting his ego decide how to handle things.

But the thing is, Ironwood was basically given an absolute freebie when it came to getting what he wanted from Ozpin, or even outside of that:

"So tell me, when you prepare to go to war, which do you send in first: the flag bearer, or the scouts?"

And it never, EVER occurs to him that if he truly wanted to, he could have literally tried to find the information out for himself (or you know, through a spymaster), instead of constantly demanding everyone give him their trust and information while never giving it in return.

And it constantly shows in the way he handles everything else too: No information gathering, no attempts to understand a situation, usually just appropriating what someone else did while not really understanding much else beyond that...

How horrendously incompetent does the Atlesian military have to be if they don't even have spycraft or spymasters, given that's literally military dictatorship 101?

The answer to your last question is VERY. How else could Watts sneak in and pull Jimmy's cybernetic underpants up around his ears without him having the slightest clue?

Having an intelligence department is intrinsic to ANY military org worth their salt dictatorship or not.

I used to think that Caroline Cordovin was pushed out to Argus because of incompetence but seeing her on a Atlas recruitment poster made me realize that outside of Winter there were no competent people in command.

Even the Ace Ops weren't that hot when push came to shove.

[cheswirls]

early op/dc au fic plot points

in honor of finding my notes finally after five months have passed since writing them and after i just wrote out a huge block of what happens during part one of the fic relying entirely on memory and wit alone, here are some freebie things-that-will-definitely-happen (and just random Things to throw in between) to think over while i'm trying to get back into writing this fic

also tagging @kiteou who created jason/sabo and 100% inspired this verse (please look at their ship art it's all so impeccably goooood)

sabo wears make-up to cover his scar when he goes crime fighting and chooses to hunt criminals in a distant district of gotham to avoid being recognized since he doesn't wear a mask

though he doesn't weak a mask, he does adorn a large tophat with a wide brim and uses the shade to conceal his face from view; when he runs into jason and snarls about a hero not posibly wearing a fucking full-face helmet mask, jason argues back about protecting his identity and accuses sabo of being a hypocrite since his hat also hides his face

jason quotes old literature sabo has never heard of when he's trying to make the most of a situation (so rarely) and sabo scribbles illegible-chicken-scratch words in tattered notebooks when he needs to vent about Life in general (it's maybe his goal at some point to create an autobiography of life in gotham and how much It Sucks, Bad™)

sabo using a metal pipe as his choice weapon reminds jason of damian (he's in his bo staff days) in kind of a fond but wary way - this does not last; at some point the pipe scraping against concrete or brick sets jason off, triggering something in his subconsciousness bad enough to make him lose focus in a fight, and it gets to the point where he tells sabo they can't fight together anymore if he's gonna continue to use the pipe as a weapon

ace and sabo are 19 in the beginning because it takes place in fall, and jason is newly 20 - because of this, sabo is 5'9 and ace 6'0 but sabo wears platform and heeled (the heel is inside so it's not visible) boots when he plays vigilante so he's taller than jason by a couple inches; at some point when ace meets jason he implicates sabo's true height and sabo shouts at him (shut the fuck up, ace!) before ace can finish; even later on, sabo ends up at jason's apartment and when his shoes come off, he stands shorter than jason, much to jason's surprise; sabo admits gruffly that being over six foot makes a person more intimidating, which is his goal at night when facing off with criminals, but also insists that he's still growing (which he is, and eventually he doesn't need the boots to stand at 6'2 properly); even though ace is (barely) taller than sabo (just like he's barely older than sabo), he's still shorter than jason, which rubs him the wrong way (and sets off the comment about sabo's alleged height)

while ace is just trying to survive in gotham, owing nothing to the city that's chewed them both up in childhood and spit them back out again in adolescence, sabo chooses vigilantism in a bid to 'just do what's right, or at least try to'

^ going with this, ace and sabo both have awakened meta-genes that grant them fire powers; ace got his first and is proficient in using his powers - in contrast, sabo develops his after his accident that leaves a portion of his upper body scarred, and refuses to train or even try and control/subdue his powers at all due to his intense fear of fire; this causes daily strife because ace should be able to coach sabo through developing (or at the very least, getting under control) his powers so they don't cause accidents all the time, being the more experienced and honed of the two, but because he's never willing to overstep and always afraid of reigniting sabo's trauma, he never pushes sabo toward what should be the reasonable solution

aaaaaaaa smth smth jason being more experienced in relationships but none of them ever going well, versus sabo who's never been in love and doesn't know how to act, doesn't know how to be vulnerable in front of another person (who's not ace, but even then) or what's considered normal for their relationship status, and eventually having to tell all of this to jason to dispel some worries threatening to make him sick; jason tries his best to insist that sabo doesn't need to act a specific or certain way and that they were going to figure this out together and find what worked for them; in the beginning their "romantic" relationship is super dysfunctional and not much different from their status before when they were just friends, but it slowly becomes more functional when they start to clue in to what they and each other want out of this

i CANNOT find my notes which makes me sick (< actually i did!!! not long after i wrote this which makes me SO mad in hindsight) but in this verse jason runs around with roy harper and artemis crock, who are roughly the same age as him and sabo but have the dynamic they do in earth-16 when they're (sibling) in-laws, meaning, they get along like a tight pair and often will team up to lovingly tease jason whenever the opportunity present itself; when they're introduced to sabo, the initial reaction is them recounting ('oh so this is the boy you're always mentioning') various things jason has said about him and then low-key embarrassing the both of them with their teasing, so it takes a bit for sabo to warm up to them

after sabo is burned by a lighter and his make-up runs, jason believes his old face scars to be part of the fresh injury and rushes sabo to leslie's clinic to get seen; sabo is bandaged up and none of the staff ask questions about the vigilantism that would (tie him w illegal activity) but in the beginning when someone asks sabo a basic question in regards to the injury, sabo clams up; jason has to snap at him that (leslie) was a doctor and not the fucking cops, so would sabo please put an ounce of trust in someone for once and let them take care of him; sabo relents and lets himself be treated

when he arrives home with his eye covered, ace is shocked because sabo never lets anyone but ace bandage him up; ace asks what (the fuck) happened and sabo clams up, flinches back when ace tries to reach for the wrap, and snaps at him to leave it because an actual medical professional treated him for once; ace says smth like 'but you always let me patch you up' and sabo appeases him by saying he can redress the wound later when it needed changing, but right now, he wants it left alone; later ace gets to see the damage and immediately realizes sabo got burned which terrifies him, putting sabo's shying away from him earlier into a new light, and ace takes on a new perspective when he helps sabo tend to the injury in order to frighten sabo as little as possible

sabo lives with ace and rouge until zero year, when their apartment floods and rouge gets sick and eventually dies in the hospital without proper medical care; without rouge, neither of them go back to the house in coventry and instead spend most of the remainder of zero year in a church - despite spending a good portion of their upbringing from that point on around clergymen, sabo refuses to believe in a god that would let him and ace to suffer through life to the extent that they had, and when ace curses 'god damn' or 'oh god' sabo isn't even willing to humor it, always blunting insisting 'there is no god' that ace in turn always counters with 'it's an expression, sabo, it doesn't have to mean anything'

aaaaaaaand since i've been sitting on this intro for a good six months now here's a small actual written pv :)

(if tumblr blurs the ss just click on it and it'll clear up)

[svechnikovvv]

can’t take my eyes off you (part 6)

gif by: @his-name-is-ed

pairing: steve harrington x fem!reader

warnings: the usual

word count: 4,960

summary: steve fake dates y/n for a week for a family reunion, but little does y/n know, he's had the biggest crush on her for a while.

a/n: AH, YOU GUYS, WE'RE NEARING THE END

friday. it was FINALLY friday. you haven't left the room since wednesday and you obviously knew that today you had to get off your ass and go be productive again. you were really feeling up for a movie, so later you'd ask steve if you and him can go see top gun. he knows he can't turn down tom cruise.

speaking of steve, he was still asleep next to you.

"he's like a fucking owl," you get up and head to take a shower. you desperately needed one. after all was said and done, you head downstairs and maragaret's standing at the stove, cooking her infamous pancakes.

"y/n. oh my god. i started to think you were becoming a hermit," you laugh at diane's comment and sit down at your favorite bar stool and rest your chin on your palm.

"just needed to take an off day 's all"

"take as many off days as you need, dear. nobody's judging"

"duly noted"

"okay, food's done" your stomach lets out a growl and you make both you and steve a plate. about ten minutes into your eating, steve plops down beside you. he was still wearing his pajamas and you chuckled. he was rubbing his eyes, more-than-likely ridding them of sleep. he then lets out a big yawn and you pass him the syrup.

"you sleep good steve?" diane asks and steve grunts

"no. y/n shoved me off the bed halfway through the night" both margaret and diane look at you. you point your syrup-covered butterknife at steve.

"i told you if i woke up with your damn knee in my back, i'd shove you off the bed"

"i didn't think you were being serious"

"i value my sleep, harrington. and just because you're my boyfriend, it doesn't mean you get freebies" he rolls his eyes and you go back to cutting up your pancakes.

"see what i have to deal with everyday" he says to his mom

"oh please. you wouldn't last a day without me" diane watches the two of you argue playfully with a smile on her face. she loved what the two of you had.

"alright children, fnish your food" she interjects, and you two listen to her, finishing up your breakfast. you wash your plate and step into the hallway.

"y/n!" you snap your head in the direction of the voice and see wendy running over to you.

"wendy! there's my favorite girl" you squat down and open your arms. she runs into them and you stand up holding her. you spin her around and she starts laughing. you put her back on the ground and she brushes her stray hairs out her face, looking up at you.

"where were you yesterday? me and nicole wanted to play with you" you frowned at her

"i wasn't feeling so hot yesterday so i stayed in my room" she nods

"was stevie your doctor"

"yes, i was," you hear steve speak up from behind you. "and i took good care of her too"

"good. princess y/n needs royal treatment" you laugh at her statement and steve nods.

"yes she does," he places an arm around your waist and the three of you head out to the terrace, you and steve sitting on the porch swing.

"ooh! y/n! can i show you my cartwheel?" wendy asks, running to stand in the grass. you nod. she does a cartwheel for you and steve and you gotta admit, it was a pretty damn good cartwheel. you both clap for her and she does a curtsey.

"where'd you learn to do that?" steve asks her

"my friends from school" he nods and she sits in the swing between both you and steve.

"can we go get more ice cream today?" steve chuckles and looks at you, then looking back down at wendy.

"wendy, sweetheart, it's only 11 in the morning" she shrugs

"it's never too early for ice cream” you and steve laugh

“ask your mom later if you can and if she says yes, then we’ll go”she nods and you and steve continue to gently swing back and forth.

“how did you and stevie meet?” she asks, breaking the silence. you look at steve, having a silent conversation with your eyes. he finally caves and rolls his eyes. he begins to tell her the same story you told his mom, but changes it up a bit.

“well, one day y/n came into scoops ahoy. because i used to work at an ice cream place. but she came in and asked for a waffle cone with two scoops of strawberry ice cream. i remember thinking that she was the prettiest girl that had came in that day," steve briefly looks over at you and gives you a smile. he then goes back to telling wendy the story.

"i told her she looked more like a cookies n' cream type of girl. she laughed and paid for her ice cream then left. she kept coming in every day and eventually, i asked her on a date" wendy gasps and covers her mouth, looking up at you. you smiled and nodded at her.

"where did stevie take you for the date?" you panick because you didn't know what to say. you were surprised you even made up the ice cream story as quick as you did a few days ago. yet you couldn't come up with a simple first date spot.

"i took her to the fair since it was in town" you internally sigh and wendy's eyes are twinkling as if you and steve's fake first date was straight out of a disney princess movie.

"did you guys get cotton candy?"

"lots of it"

"and funnel cake?"

"the best part" wendy then turned to you

"did he share his funnel cake with you?"

"yes. he was a gentleman" she nods and faces steve again

"when did you have your first kiss?" god, you and steve were going to need an oscar for how good you two have been putting up this performance.

"we had it at his house" her face scrunched up at your quick reply

"that's not romantic" you hold up a finger

"every first kiss has a story, silly" she gets excited again. she loves her stories.

"okay, so stevie has a pool in his backyard"

"a pool?!" you nod, chuckling

"you heard right. but anyways, i was sitting on one of the sunchairs by the pool and i had fallen asleep. steve picked me up and threw me into the pool. i was angry at him for throwing me into the pool. so i had an idea. i asked him if he could grab my hand and help me out the pool. he listened, and instead of getting out, i pulled him into the pool with me," wendy starts laughing and you have a smile on your face.

"he then got mad at me, but i thought it was the funniest thing ever. i was laughing and laughing and steve came up behind me, then spun me around to face him and he cut my laughter off by giving me a kiss" wendy's smiling big and she looks between you and steve. but then she looks at steve, getting serious.

"don't push y/n in the pool again while she's trying to sleep" he nods

"i haven't done it since" she nods, crossing her arms across her chest.

"wendy!" wendy gets up at the sound of her mom's voice.

"bye wendy" you and steve both say

"bye stevie! bye y/n!" she walks back into the house and steve turns to face you.

"you're good at lying" steve says to you

"i'm a trained actor. maybe you should take some tips from me"

"seriously though, y/n, how do you come up with this shit so quickly?" you shrug

"i just say what comes to the top of my brain. how do you think authors write stories? steve, if you think about it, writing stories is like telling one big lie" he mulls over your words before nodding

"you got a point there"

"never doubt me, harrington" he rolls his eyes

"what do you wanna do today?" you perk up at his question

"i was hoping i could get you to go see top gun with me"

"you and tom cruise. i swear"

"what can i say? i love duality in a man" he laughs

"fine. fine. we can go see top gun later" you nod, getting excited

"do we want to take wendy for ice cream before or after? because you already know laura will say yes" you ask him

"before"

"so, around 2 ish maybe?" he nods and you make a mental note to get ready around 1. it was already nearing twelve so it gave you an hour to do whatever.

"what do you want to do until then?"

"we could go to the vineyard again"

"yes" your answer comes out quickly and steve laughs

"you're eager to go back"

"it's gorgeous down there, how can i not be excited" he pats your leg then stands up.

"let me go change out of my pajamas and ill be back and then we can head down there, yeah?" you nod and he heads back inside. it didn't take him long to change because five minutes later he was back at your side and in fresh clothes.

"alright. let's go" you stand up and the two of you walk side-by-side as you head to the vineyard. once you two see the familiar trees, you head over, steve right behind you.

"do you guys have any wine that you've made?" he nods

"back at home i have some. and there's some at the house if you want to try it later. i'm sure mom will let you take a bottle home with you if you want"

"uh... hell yeah. i got new episodes of general hospital to watch" he laughs and nods

"alright. we'll take a bottle back home with us"

"fine by me" you two continue to walk around, taking everything in. you make some conversation along the way. by that, you mean it was mainly steve talking about how dustin is "cheating on him with eddie" by that, he means dustin has found a new babysitter. you keep telling steve that he will always be dustin's number one babysitter and there's no changing that. you eventually get him to shut up about it and accept that he wasn't replaced.

"time check?" steve checks his watch

"12:45"

"god damn. we need to head back so i can get ready and we can head out since it takes thirty minutes to get to the ice cream parlor"

"what you're wearing isn't good?" you look at him as if he just said tom cruise wasn't hot.

"steve. this is basic female 101. we have a different outfit for everything. and for going out, i need a different outfit" he rolls his eyes but sighs.

"alright, let's go" you both head back to the house and you head upstairs to get changed as steve waits downstairs for you. he asked you to grab his car keys on your way out, so once you were done, you grabbed his keys and headed back to him. only to see that he wasn't where he last was.

"he went outside to put wendy's car seat back into his car" laura says, coming up beside you. you nod and stand there awkwardly.

"he cares about you a lot, y'know?" laura says, breaking the silence. you look over at her

"yeah?" she nods

"i haven't seen him care this much about anyone... ever" that familiar fluttering feeling is back and you push it to the back of your mind.

"what about nancy?" by the way he acted after their breakup, you were positive he had to care about her at least a little more than he does with you.

"nancy?" she furrows her brows

"yeah. did he not tell you about nancy?" she shakes her head

"you're the first girlfriend i've met of his" your face must be displaying shock because she then speaks up

"y/n. listen to me when i say this. steve has never brought any girl to meet his family. ever. you're the first. so trust me when i say that you're more special than anyone. and definitely more special than you may think" you absentmindedly nod and she gives you a soft smile. steve then walks back inside, placing his hands on his hips. typical steve.

"alright, we're all ready to go. wendy's already out there and buckled up. did it by herself again" he looks at you and laughs and you laugh with him. however, your mind is elsewhere. you both say bye to laura and that you'll be back as soon as possible. you slide into the passenger seat and stare off at the scenery.

wendy talks steve's ear off the whole time, but you're silent. he notices something's wrong with you. he gently places a hand on your leg and you look over at him to see him already looking at you.

"everything okay?" you nod

"yeah. just thinking"

"that's never good" you playfully smack his arm and he laughs

"but seriously. anything bothering you?" you shake your head

"i'm okay steve" he holds out his pinky finger

"promise?" you interlock your pinky with his

"promise" he nods and soon you three are pulling into the ice cream parlor. wendy grabs both you and steve's hand and she does that thing where she runs and you two lift her up. when you get inside, the lady from the other times you came here isn't behind the counter. instead it's a guy no older than you and steve.

"what can i get you guys started with today?" wendy looks up at steve

"can i order first?"

"go ahead sweetheart" she excitedly tells the young boy behind the counter her order and he chuckles, but makes it. you and steve then give him your order and this time, steve pays. once you three sit down, wendy digs into her ice cream and you face steve.

"i could've paid"

"i wanted to pay you back for wednesday night"

"steve. i told you to let me take care of you. which means letting me pay for ice cream" he shakes his head

"that doesn't count"

"fine. then i'm paying for the movie later"

"you can't do that" you smirk at him, a mischievous glint in your eyes.

"we'll see about that"

"i don't like that look, y/n" you shrug, taking a bite of your ice cream. once you three are done, you have to clean wendy's face of chocolate residue again and then you're back on the way home.

"y/n, i'm going to miss you when you leave" your heart melts. you've grown so attached to the kids in the short time you've known them. you turn in your seat to look back at her.

"i'm going to miss you too, wendy. but you can always come visit sometime, yeah? if your mom says yes though" she nods and you turn back around to face the road. once you see the familiar house come into view, you all get out, steve putting wendy's car seat back into laura's car.

"mommy, can i visit y/n sometime at her house?" laura looks up at you

"she was telling me on the way back here how she was going to miss me once i left here and i told her if it was okay with you, if you guys could visit sometime" she nods

"oh that's more than fine with me" you smile

"great"

"so is that a yes?" wendy asks and her mom nods. she squeals of excitement and you chuckle.

"why is she squealing?" steve asks, coming to stand beside you. before you can answer, wendy answers for you.

"mommy said i can visit y/n at her house sometime after we leave here!" steve has the same reaction as you to her excitement.

"oh really now?" wendy nods excitedly. she then turns to face her mom

"mommy, did you know that stevie threw y/n into a pool while she was trying to nap?" laura raises a brow at wendy.

"oh really now?"

"yeah. then y/n pulled him into the pull with her and they had their first kiss" laura laughs at her daughter's excitement and faces you two.

"she's very curious" you tell her and she nods

"oh that she is" you all share a laugh and then you feel something tug your pants leg. you look down and see the little bundle of joy you've grown to love. david's making grabby hands up at you and you pick him up.

"david, bud, what're you doing? where's your mommy?"

"kitchen" you nod and you head to the kitchen, apologizing to laura for having to leave. steve stays back and talks to her though.

as david said, cynthia is standing in the kithcen talking to diane. diane happens to see you and david

"i see david found y/n" cynthia turns around and laughs to herself.

"he can't seem to leave you alone, huh?" you shake your head

"it seems not. but i don't mind the company"

"i'm just glad he's with you and not by himself" diane excuses herself, leaving you and cynthia standing there.

"look, i don't mean to spoil the mood by bringing this back up. but wednesday night... you made me love you even more. nobody has ever stood up to jack and put him in his place. steve is so lucky to have you, y/n" you give her a soft smile

"speaking off, where is he? usually he follows you around like your shadow"

"tell me about it" you grumble and she laughs. speak of the devil and he shall appear. steve then steps into the kitchen

"so. i talked with laur, and wendy's going to come stay the night with me in two weeks. and wendy said she's going to bring her teacups so the three of us can have a tea party after we go swimming in the pool. and i was given verys strict orders by her to not throw you in the pool anymore" cynthia is listening to steve talk and looking back and forth between you two.

"well, whatever princess wendy says, goes. right?" he nods. cynthia then speaks up

"is there something i'm missing here?"

"oh. wendy asked when steve and had our first kiss and long story short, it was in steve's pool after he threw me in while i was napping" cynthia starts laughing and shakes her head

"seems like a steve thing to do" you nod

"a very steve thing to do" david then starts to squirm a bit in your arms and makes grabby hands at cynthia. she takes him

"seems like it's his nap time already" you wave bye to david and he waves back, the two of them heading out the kitchen. you turn to steve.

"when do you want to leave to see the movie?"

"i was thinking we could see the 8 o' clock showing?" you nod

"fine by me"

"that gives us a few hours to kill. i think we have twister somewhere if you want to do that. i can get my mom to operate the spinny thingy"

"i'm gonna win" you tell him and he shakes his head

"not before i do" you roll your eyes

"we'll see about that, pretty boy" ten minutes later, you and steve are an entangled mess on the mat. diane's watching with humor.

"harrington, if i feel your hand on my ass one more time, i'm going to start to think that you're just using this game as an excuse to touch it"

"i told you i don't have good balance" you roll your eyes from your twisted position. diane spins for steve again

"left foot green" steve tries to maneuver his left foot to green, but he fails and ends up falling, making you the winner. you stand up

"haha! told you i'd win" he crosses his arms from his position on the floor. you bend down and kiss the top of his head

"'s alright stevie, not all of us can be winners" you walk past him, not before ruffling his hair. you head up to you guys' shared room, then locking the door behind you. you had to move quick. you look around for steve's wallet, finding it on the nightstand on his side of the bed. you grab it and take all his money out, then putting said money in his suitcase. you were paying for the movie tonight whether he liked it or not. lucky you, he took a twenty earlier out of his wallet and brought it with for ice cream instead of bringing his whole wallet.

you put his wallet back in place as if nobody touched it and then you quickly unlocked the bedroom door and headed back to the bed, falling back onto it. you stared at the ceiling for what felt like five minutes, surrounded in your thoughts before the door opened.

"figured this is where you ran off to. it was either here or the terrace" you don't answer steve back, still staring at the ceiling deep in thought. steve comes to stand by the bed and looks at you. he then plops down beside you.

"just thinking again?"

"yeah"

"is it about the same topic as earlier?"

"mhm" you two lie there in silence before you start to doze off.

you're then woken up by someone softly shaking you.

"y/nnnnnnnn," they drag out your voice. "wake up sleepyhead. we gotta go see top gun" you shoot up in your spot and frantically look at steve

"what time is it?"

"6:30" you let out a sigh of relief

"i'm not gonna let you sleep through our plans. what do you want to do with the thirty minutes we have to spare?"

"dunno" steve then perks up

"lets ask each other questions"

"okay. you start off" steve sits there for a minute and thinks of a question to ask you

"what's your favorite childhood memory?" you had to think long and hard about this one before a memory came to mind.

"probably... the time anthony almost fell off our roof while him and i were star gazing" you let out a quiet chuckle and steve joined you.

"he's always putting himself in danger"

"all the time. my turn. what's your favorite childhood memory?"

"the first time my mom took me to the vineyard. i ran around it like you did" he smiles fondly at the memory, then speaks up to ask you your question.

"what's something you've never told anyone?" you have to think for a minute.

"i used to have a crush on eddie in elementary school"

"really?"

"yepp. back when he had a buzz" you laugh at it and steve joins you

"i think it was the fact that he was the only guy in my class that didn't tease me" you pause for a bit before speaking again. 'what's your guilty pleasure?"

"ferrah fawcett"

"you're so predictable" you smile and he smiles back

"my turn. biggest fear?"

"you're gonna judge me" you cover up your face with your hands and steve prys them away.

"this is a judgement free zone"

"that's very hypocritical of you to say" he rolls his eyes, waiting for your answer to his question.

"...moths"

"moths?"

"see, i knew you'd judge me"

"i'm not judging you. 'm just curious for the backstory?"

"there's no backstory. just the way they look freaks me out" he nods, listening to your answer. not laughing at you or judging you like you thought he'd do.

"anyways, my turn. any regrets in life?"

"oh yeah. a ton"

"what are they?"

"ah ah ah. that's not the question you asked"

"fine," you roll your eyes

"if you had to save one person in the zombie apocalypse, who would it be?"

"mmmm, this is a hard one. i'm gonna have to go with my brother"

"so you'd let me die?" you shrug

"you only said one person. maybe if you had said two, you'd be on the list" he huffs

"what's your regrets in life?"

"i knew you were gonna ask that"

"guess i'm as predictable as you, harrington" he waves you off

"yeah yeah. let's see. one of my regrets in life is not telling my dad off and just letting him do whatever he pleased" you frown at his answer.

"steve, you're one of the most caring people i know. you just wanted to keep the peace among everyone. you just want what's best for everyone and he was taking advantage of your kindness. there's no need to feel regret. he should be the one feeling regret for not realizing he has an amazing son" steve then pulls you into a hug and it's as though you can feel every emotion he's feeling in the hug. he hugs you tight and you hug him back, rubbing your hand up and down his back soothingly.

"y/n, thank you. for everything. i don't know where i'd be if i didn't have you" you want to crack a joke, out of habit, but you know that right now steve needs this. so you refrain from doing so. you two just sit there for a while, not letting go of one another until steve glaces down at his watch.

"shiit. we should leave now. it's gonna take us thirty minutes to get to the theatre" you two pull apart from one another and steve grabs his keys, heading out the door. you follow behind him and then you're both off and on the road again. the sun was starting to set and you wanted to stay in this moment forever.

next to the moon & stars, your brother, and steve, sunsets were your favorite thing in the world. you'd seen so many sunsets in your life and every single one of them was different. you loved the way the sky was painted different shades of orange, pink, purple and blue. like one big mural. to you, sunsets were a reminder that each day is different, so you must treat it that way.

"you good over there?" steve asks, breaking you out of your thoughts.

"yeah. just admiring the sunset"

"well, i hate to cut your admiring a bit short. but we've arrived at our destination" you look in front of you to see that you did, indeed, arrive at the theatre. you and steve get out of his car, heading to get a ticket.

"what movie?"

"top gun" the lady tells you your total and steve goes to open his wallet and pay, but he sees that he has no money. you give the lady the amount that you owe and she hands you two tickets for top gun. you and steve head inside and he looks at you.

"seriously? you took all my money out my wallet?" you shrug

"told you i was paying" he sighs and you guys go ahead and get your popcorn and drinks, heading to where you needed to go. you and steve sit in the very back, making conversation as you wait for the movie to begin. the best thing about going at night, was that there weren't as many people in the room so you didn't have to worry about your volume. yeah, you still kept it quiet for those who were sharing the room with you, but you didn't have to be as quiet.

you and steve watched top gun and by that, you mean you ogled at tom cruise the whole time. steve, however, was very engrossed into the movie. you were too, but some of the details in the movie seemed to go in one ear out the other. you and steve filed out of the theatre, stretching your limbs and letting out yawns.

"so? what'd you think about it?" you asked steve

"i'm glad i agreed to go with you. definitely was worth it" you nodded in agreement

"see? i have the better judgment here"

"whatever you say" as if on cue, you let out a yawn

"tired?"

"that would be the understatement of the century. i'm exhausted" he chuckles and you two get into the car. it's now pitch black outside, so staring out the window at the scenery to keep you awake is a no. you might as well take another nap. so that's what you do. you don't know when you got into bed, but you're assuming steve carried you up.

he gently shook you awake

"hey, do you want to change into something more comfortable to sleep in?" you nod, your eyes closed. steve grabs your pajamas and hands them to you

"can you turn around or close your eyes? i don't feel like getting up and changing in the bathroom right now" steve nods and he turns his back to you. you change into your pajamas as quick as you could, wanting to get back to sleep.

"okay. you're good" he turns back around and sees you making yourself comfortable in bed. you toss your clothes you previously had on over to the side, making a mental note to deal with them when you woke up. steve slides into the bed beside you and he doesn't even bother trying with the tv. both of you too tired anyways.

"night steve" you say, turning on your side and closing your eyes, going back to sleep.

"night y/n" he turns his bedside lamp off and you two fall asleep. thankfully, you didn't wake up with his knee in your back.

tags: @btsinurmom @lovelyela @fezcomybeloved @manuosorioh @preciousbabypeter @in-this-minute @k-k0129 @prettysbliss @hcloangcls @simonsbluee @joekeeryswife @scoobiessnacks @sorrenthesonnetwriter @goldenbrokenheart @mess-in-side @chocolatepizzatyrant @frostandflamesfanfic

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a/n: sorry i didn't post this at the usual time i do, i got caught up in watching jane the virgin. but here it is

[lilac-5ky]

hi!! could u do married life with gintoki plz?? hcs or scenario whichever u prefer i just want to think about what its like to be miss sakata >////< thx!

I was going to make it into pure married life, but I really wanted to include how the whole proposal and wedding happened. So yay for freebies ^^

Being Gintoki's Wife Headcanons

Warning: slight nsfw towards the end.

Congratulations, you married the protagonist of the anime. That's the equivalent of hitting the jackpot, except you wouldn't be so broke after guessing the winning numbers to the lottery. Hey, no one said that being Yorozuya Gin's wife wouldn't have its disadvantages!

Proposal

The way he proposed to you was... quite interesting. He was a nervous mess and tried to calm down by going down the booze route, which led to him being both inebriated and awkward. You'd been dating for quite a while and he was certain that he could finally tie the knot with you (Thank Kagura, Shinpachi and Otose for pushing him to it). With you he felt comfortable to be who he is, knowing that you loved him despite his flaws. He was always at home whenever you were around, though actually proposing was nerve wracking.

If he was left alone to do it, perhaps he'd just toss you a ring and leave it at that. But, because communism exists, his marital business is Yorozuya's marital business and they'd sit him down and explain that unless he tries to at least be a bit romantic, you'd be disappointed. In reality, Kagura said that you'd leave with another man if you did that, a fact that managed to get him all stressed up in the first place.

And so, Gin really did his best planning a memorable proposal. He took you out to a fancy restaurant, wore his *rented* tuxedo, bought a ring worth of 10 rents which he placed into the champagne glass (courtesy of Otae). It was the perfect night! Or... so it was, until he started chugging glass after glass, eventually forgetting that a ring was placed in one of them and... yes. He swallowed the ring.

I wouldn't be surprised if he hadn't noticed and went along with his proposal, voicing the little speech he had prepared with the guys the previous night, though be it half slurring and messing up halfway. It was a wonder you said yes, but it was a bigger wonder that he had managed to swallow a wedding ring without even being aware of it. Of course, that was something he kept hidden from you, and will probably keep it hidden even until after your children have children of their own. It's embarrassing, don't blame him!

At the end, he admitted leaving it at home, a far less shameful option. You parted ways and no one really asked why he spent the next 6-8 hours in the bathroom. The next day, you had a gorgeous shining ring around your finger, and an exhausted Gintoki by your side.

The wedding

Most likely Gintoki wished for a simple ceremony with those closest to you. Mainly because it would cost less but also because he isn’t one for extravagant parties. A wedding is a union and while he never hid your relationship, he’d be a bit flustered about saying such important words in public.

He did tell Kagura and Shinpachi, as those closest to him. And of course, Shinpachi told Otae, who told Kyuubei and then the entire Yagyuu clan had to pay their respects. Perhaps Gin also let Katsura know, not actually expecting him to show up, though he did and so did the Shinshengumi. At the end of the day, the entire cast was standing before you, some arguing and throwing bombs at one another, while others were too busy stuffing food in bento boxes. The quiet wedding you dreamt off turned into a bit of a fiasco, but everyone enjoyed themselves and so did you and Gin.

Honeymoon Period

I doubt that Gin could afford a proper honeymoon vacation, but perhaps Otose chimed in a bit, giving him enough money to take you somewhere decent as a wedding gift. Don’t think Hawaii or Paris or anything, but he did take you to an idyllic little fishing village or to a lovely mountain settlement.

The time you spent there was quiet and peaceful, unlike your everyday life in the city. It was a welcoming change and for once, you found yourself wishing that it would last more than a few days. Before you knew it, vacation time was over and you were back at Kabukicho.

Married Life

During the first few months, Gintoki would probably put on his good face. He'd be sweeter than usually to you, even going as far as to plan "romantic pizza nights in front of the tv" with candles all around. That would be his basic idea for a date night, but don't worry, he'll keep it up in the future too, minus the candles.

Another type of date time would probably be board game nights, either with just the two of you or his friends. If you end up winning too much, I wouldn't be surprised if Gin decided to flip the table or go as far as to cheat. If you catch onto him and scold him about his behavior, then he'd try to use other means to "win" ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) He is shameless, after all.

Surprisingly enough, Gin isn't bad at doing chores, though he does complain about it. Considering the nature of his job, it's not too uncommon for him to have days off, and so, if you are the one with a more stable 9 to 5 kinda job, he doesn't mind taking over the housework. Mostly to keep cockroaches at bay ;-;

If he is the only one to do chores, he'll start nagging about how you married him just to turn him into a housewife. Bribing him with something tasty, whether that is food or you, is bound to make him forget about it, for the time at least.

Speaking of food, a fun activity Gin would enjoy, is cooking with you. He mostly enjoys eating whatever it is that you make for him (supposing it's not burnt tamagoyaki or rice with egg on a daily basis), but if you suggest making something together, he'll find it just as fun and exciting. He doesn't always follow the recipes and a lot of the time he ends up slacking off, tossing ingredients such as flour on your bare face just to get a laugh out of it. In no time, such a notion would lead to an all out kitchen war. Just make sure that he cleans the mess afterwards, considering it's his fault.

Despite Gin picking up on chores, he can be very messy, turning your house into a dorm. Half finished ramen, jump magazines scattered around, tissues and cans, he leaves disaster in his trail. He will clean when he realizes you need a boat to pass through each room, or, if you order him to.

Perhaps at one point, you both tried to better yourself and engage into some more sophisticated hobbies, such as wine tasting or museum touring. Every couple gets to a point when they look at other couples and wonder if they are doing things wrong. But neither expensive wines or impressionism did it for you, and so you went back to your old habits in no time. It's better when you don't have to pretend around each other.

After a quick detour, back to Gin's messiness we go. He is the type to spend an awful long time in the bathroom, not because he is doing anything weird, but because he takes his jump with him. He can sit on the toilet for hours on end, not even realizing how long it's been.

Whenever he showers or baths, you will definitely know because of the endless stream of water and hot steam following after him. It looks as if someone copy-pasted Venice in your house and Gin isn't apologetic in the slightest over it. The main cause of it, is because he refuses to dry himself up, choosing to wander around the rooms with just a towel. Now if you scold him, he has no issue jumping on top of you with the sole intention of drying his body against your clothes.

Naturally, it doesn't take long for things to get heated, and I can definitely imagine him smirking while saying "Now I'm not the only one who's wet". Shameless, I told you. Besides, he is also the one who jumps into the shower with you if he is in a hurry, without even bothering to ask if it's fine.

Gin isn't against self care. He doesn't admit it, but in order to keep his hair tamable, he uses A LOT of products. Could have an entire shelve dedicated to hair products only, no surprises here. He might tease you if he sees you using a face mask sheet, though if you offer him one, he'll allow you to pamper him, asking you to check how soft his skin is 24/7.

A nice thing Gin does from time to time, is massages. If you come back tired from work, he'll have no issue rubbing your feet, your shoulders, and anywhere else you need him to *wink wink*. Again he'll bring up the "housewife" argument, but he is more than happy to take care of you.

On the contrary, a nasty thing Gin most definitely does, is start calling you old hag. Even changes your contact name to that and acts as if you are some old lady, despite being of similar age to him. Don't, just... don't ask.

Generally, you don't argue a lot and your fights consist of really petty and childish arguments, such as who gets to watch what on the tv. Usually it ends with him sitting on the remote to prevent you from touching it. Or, on cold winter nights, he ends up hoarding the blanket, leaving you to shiver alone while playing tug war with his sleepy self.

At times, Gin experiences severe nightmares about his past. It's something he can't let go off completely, and although he chooses to ignore it in his daily life, he can't control his subconscious. There isn't much for you to do, as he won't be willing to talk about it. However, wrapping your arms around him, assuring him that it's fine, that you are there and that he did his best, will definitely help.

His sex drive does die a bit after you get married, but it's not much of an issue. If you initiate things, he'll almost always be up for it, and he definitely has his "hornball" moments. If you are doing the dishes, he'll be doing you. If you are in it for a relaxing bath time, he'll have you sit between his legs. If he sees you all dressed up for a work event or an outing with a friend, he'll most likely undress you first.

Randomly slaps your butt from time to time whenever you pass before him. If you scold him, he chuckles while giving you the look to know that if you are up for it, he is also up for it. Lots of heated times on the couch, considering he is sometimes too lazy to move things to the bedroom.

Finally, kids is not something in his immediate plans. In fact, he'll try to postpone such talks until you enter the second year of marriage, if not more. He'll always go "La la la la la" at the mention of such things, but if you sit him down and ask him to have a family, he'll groan and take you to bed right away. After all, how can he say no to you?

[thoughtfullyrainynightmare]

Character asks

26: what do you like the most about Fue's relationship with his siblings

MORE FUE

26. (Freebie question)

Okay, so this one is something, for which it's difficult to give a concise answer. Quite simply because, well, short answer would be "the fact that they encourage each other", but I don't think that would really depict his relationship with either of them.

The thing is that with Mereo, it's almost a competition. Which is interesting, because they don't, really at least, have the same goal. I mean, they both want to get stronger, but their goals beyond that seem very different. Actually, I'm not sure if Mereo actually has a goal beyond "get stronger, find the next baddest bitch in the Strong Magic Region and destroy it, become the baddest bitch yourself", while Fue has the goal of "becoming the next WK". Though, I would argue that there are underlying reasons why Fue would wish to be the WK and Mereo doesn't, and that reason would be to keep people safe. They're both on a quest to find strength, so that they might protect. But their relationship does have rivalry-esque themes to them, especially on Mereo's part where she's determined to stay ahead of the curve "as that fool's older sister, I will take you down!!" Statements such as that, where she feels the need to do something as an older sister, or to do something, because if she went down there and then, she'd never hear the end of it, imply that she has the very prominent need of keeping those close to her safe. They also drive each other to be better through this, and that's something that I love about them. So, they would always be there to help and to protect the other, but they also drive each other to be better. With Leo, well, I've had a few conversations with different people about Fue and Leo's relationship, and while everyone seems to agree that Fue has the best of intentions when it comes to Leo's training and helping him grow, it's doing quite the opposite, and how the Vermillion (or Fire Vermillion anyhow) seems to be "demanding of strength" in a way. As in, sure, they would support Leo through anything, and would come to his rescue if need be, because they love Leo, but as Vermillions, they're also striving for strength and greatness (but "greatness" can be interpreted in a lot of ways). Which is placing a lot of pressure onto Leo. I don't think that "demanding" is necessarily the right word here, but perhaps "expecting" it? Sure Leo can take his time, but he's expected to become strong, and Leo feels the pressure to actually be and become strong. And I don't think that any of the parties involved really realize this. But instead of allowing Leo to really find his own path, he's put on a path to become, specifically, a strong knight through the means that they have at your disposal in the Royal Capitol (or Clover Kingdom). It was only in the later chapters that Leo was allowed to venture to Heart, which Mimosa had done before already. Why this is, I don't know. And for myself? I do adore the Fire Vermillion brothers. Leo admires Fue so so so very much, and while I think that Fue has the best of intentions with Leo's training, I don't think he's making the best decisions for Leo specifically. Fue obviously cares for Leopold. I think it was most concretely seen when Heart was under attack, and Fue was all fired up to go save Leo. But I also think that was one of the moments, or times, which proved to Fue that Leo, the baby brother of the family, is capable of standing on his own two feet. Fue just needs to see Leo as who he could be; a strong, capable knight, rather than someone to worry about. So, I think that the wish to protect one and another would be my favourite thing in both relationships Fue has with his siblings.

[commajade]

i'm like never gonna open a convo about it on twt but this is a slower calmer site relatively (or at least my blog is) so do any mutuals and followers have like nuanced realistic takes on jonghyun merch?

of course shinee is 5 and the members know it and the fans should know it and i would love for jonghyun to continue to be acknowledged in every step of shinee's ongoing work but i would also personally be uncomfortable with sm monetizing anything with jonghyun's name and image? like it wouldn't feel good. and the inconsistent way they do use his name and image already is weird and hurtful to a lot of fans should be improved but i don't expect the company to go out of their way and can't rly see a simple alternative?

like on twt it's a big thing rn about how 2009 shinee polaroids r freebies with merch and ppl r arguing about how since they're free inclusions it's not monetizing so they should include jonghyun but also because of the scarcity of jonghyun content it's always gonna be heavily monetized and they're gonna be resold for much higher and etc. and on top of that you have to purchase something to get the freebie so it's not actually a freebie it's another photocard lottery situation which wouldn't feel good. the twt style outrage is tiresome and unnecessary in my opinion but i do understand where the pain is coming from.

the best option of course would be for sm to go out of their way to discuss with jonghyun's mom and sodam for every single shinee marketing decision and have a shiny foundation approved jonghyun merch that partially donates to the charity every time but sm is never doing that.

fundamentally i think that if shawols esp new shawols had more of a sense of security that everyone that matters remembers jonghyun plenty and shinee is 5 forever and ppl don't need renewed ways of consuming his memory to be sure of that it would help. like. no one is forgetting him ever Especially not korean people and the company doesn't actually have the capability of erasing his memory and artistic legacy by not monetizing his image. but on twt i would get put on blocklists for that opinion i think.

[blacktofade]

Feb 6 — Inferno

Dustjim

CW: nsfw, lap dancing, semi public sex

Dustin leans against the bar, his sleeve immediately soaking in god knows what — maybe beer, maybe condensation if he’s lucky. It’s yet another shitty part of an already shitty night and he shakes it off with a huff as the guy sitting two stools down glances over.

He looks out of sorts, shoulders high like he doesn’t want to be noticed, dressed far too casually for a strip club. Dustin wonders how he even got in.

“What a shithole, huh?” Dustin says, a master of small talk, and the man looks over at him with a bored expression.

“I work here.”

Oh, Dustin thinks, feeling like a real dweeb. “Cool,” he says, which is somehow even worse.

The guy must be a bartender or something. Maybe just stopped by for a drink and his paycheck.

Dustin stares forward, not ready to make another mistake, his focus on the bottles lining the back of the bar, reading the labels and processing none of them.

“You here for a boys’ night out?” the man asks and Dustin glances over, unable to hide the surprise in his expression at the fact that this guy apparently wants to continue the conversation.

“Uh,” Dustin says, the height of wit, “something like that. Bachelor party.”

The guy nods. “Makes sense. Not yours, though. You look like you’d rather be elsewhere.”

“I’m that obvious, huh?” Dustin jokes and the man smiles, teeth bright and straight. “It’s for my soon-to-be brother-in-law.”

“You’re not having fun here?”

“Depends on your definition.”

The guy smiles again. “Half naked women aren’t included in that?”

“They are, just not when it simultaneously makes my wallet lighter.”

The man tips his head in understanding. “They’re good at that. You’re in the wrong place for freebies.”

“You work here,” Dustin tries, “don’t you have like a coupon I could use?”

The guy thankfully understands that it’s just a joke, laughing like it’s caught him off guard. It’s a weird laugh, not that Dustin has room to judge, but it’s — unique.

“Funny guy,” the man says, tapping idly at the bartop.

“It’s all I’ve got going for me,” Dustin says with a wry smile and the guy laughs again.

“Here you go,” a voice says loudly beside Dustin, startling him embarrassingly, and he turns to find the bartender nudging three beers toward him.

He glances at the guy and then reaches for his wallet, tossing a twenty onto the counter and gesturing that the bartender can keep the change, solely because he doesn’t have enough hands nor energy to deal with it.

Carefully, he gathers up the drinks and tips his head at the man he’d been talking to.

“Have a good shift,” he says awkwardly, “if, y’know, you’re working tonight.”

Dustin doesn’t wait for a response. He’s already ruined any chance of seeming cool, and he can only fit so much of his foot in his mouth at once.

He turns away, tail tucked, ready to drown himself in alcohol and women he can’t afford.

*

“Hey, Sweetheart,” someone purrs over Dustin’s shoulder. “You’ve been requested in the private rooms.”

Dustin chokes on his drink and glances over. “What?”

“Someone bought you a dance, Darling,” she says. “Want to join me in the back?”

Dustin’s alone for the moment, the others distracted — perhaps the only reason she’s wandered over — and Dustin sets his drink down. He’s most of the way drunk now and following her almost seems like a good idea. It might actually make his night a little better.

“Someone bought it for me?” he asks and she nods with a smile. “Who?”

Her grin widens. “Sorry, Baby, that’s confidential.”

He doubts it, but isn’t sober enough to argue. Instead, he lets his gaze trail down her body, definitely not subtle, though she doesn’t complain. He would be more than happy to receive a free dance from her.

“Yeah, okay,” he agrees. “I’ll take it.”

*

The private rooms are exactly that — private.

The music from the rest of the club is just a distant thud and Dustin buzzes with a strange kind of energy — a mix of anticipation and the fact that he’s never been able to afford being in a private room in his life.

“Here we go, Darling,” the woman says, gesturing to one of the closed doors and Dustin draws up short. “Go get yourself comfortable.”

Dustin nods, palms already sweating as he reaches for the door handle. She pats his shoulder and he watches her as he steps into the room, but then weirdly, she’s pulling the door shut behind him, her on the other side.

“Wha — ?” he starts, glancing over his shoulder and yelping as he realizes he’s not alone. “Jesus!”

“Not Jesus,” the man says with a grin. “Jim.”

It’s the man from the bar, the one who’d said he worked at the club, but Dustin had never believed — he’d never suspected he was a dancer. He looks different now, no longer in his casual clothes. He’s wearing more fishnet than Dustin knows what to do with — a shirt that’s see-through and showing off a set of abs that Dustin can only dream about having, stockings that only make it halfway up his thighs. Paired with the tiniest of daisy dukes, it’s a combo that has Dustin stumbling over his words.

“Did I — am I in the wrong room?” he asks, glancing around, but it’s just them and an armchair that’s probably seen too much over its lifetime.

The man — Jim, apparently, which might be his real name because Dustin’s never met any other exotic dancers called Jim — shakes his head and offers a smile.

“Heard you were having a bad night,” he tells Dustin. “Thought I’d try to make it better. Unless you’d rather something from someone else. Maybe Abigail?”

He gestures toward the door with his head and Dustin’s going to assume that the lady who’d led him back there is Abigail.

He watches Jim for a long moment, silent, though not necessarily on purpose. He’s still feeling stunned by the whiplash. He doesn’t know what he can say.

“I won’t be offended if I’ve read the room wrong,” Jim says and Dustin finally finds enough brainpower to shake his head.

“No, I — you just took me by surprise.”

The corner of Jim’s mouth curls up and Dustin’s stomach flips.

“How does this work?” Dustin asks, and Jim’s head tilts in clear interest.

Jim takes a step closer to the chair in the middle of the room and touches the back of it.

“You wanna come take a seat over here?” Jim asks. “I’ll try my best to make your night better.”

Dustin swallows, mouth suddenly a lot drier, but he nods and takes two unsteady steps forward, carefully easing himself down into the seat and staring up at Jim, who smiles softly at him.

“What do you want me to call you?” Jim asks and Dustin wipes his sweaty palms on his thighs.

“My name’s Dustin. You can just call me that,” he says and Jim nods.

“Hi, Dustin,” he replies with another smile and it feels like Dustin blacks out for a moment because suddenly there’s a gentle beat of music in the room and Jim’s crowding closer, almost straddling Dustin’s thighs.

Dustin drops his hands to the edge of the seat cushion and grips it for all he’s worth. He knows he’s not allowed to touch Jim, so it’s best to remove the temptation.

Obviously, Dustin doesn’t know Jim. Doesn’t know what he does for fun when he’s not working, doesn’t know what makes him laugh — apart from cheesy jokes at a bar — but the way Jim watches him as he moves against him makes Dustin want to find out.

“You’re tense,” Jim murmurs, face close to Dustin’s ear, hips moving tantalizingly.

All Dustin can do is nod. He sure as fuck is.

With his hands on Dustin’s shoulders, Jim eases Dustin backward, forcing him to slouch into the armchair, his spine no longer ramrod straight.

“That’s it,” Jim encourages and Dustin’s dick twitches, his face flushing, and he just hopes it’s dark enough that Jim can’t see.

Dustin’s chest feels tight and hot, like there’s an inferno spreading through his body.

Jim bites his own bottom lip and watches him, grinding forward and — fuck — Jim’s actually hard. He can feel him through the tiny shorts and Dustin didn’t know that was a thing. Maybe Jim took a viagra before Dustin arrived, because it’s not like Jim would actually be interested in him. But then again Dustin doesn’t have much experience with strip clubs.

If Dustin had his way, he’d get his hands on Jim’s hips and pull him right down into his lap.

His knuckles ache from gripping the seat cushion.

Jim slips away, off of Dustin’s lap for just a moment before he instead turns and grinds backward against him, and Dustin wants to put his hands on Jim’s waist, to feel the warmth of his skin.

“Is your night improving?” Jim asks, glancing over his shoulder at him, and all Dustin can do again is nod, face burning, tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth.

Jim smells like hair gel and an oaky kind of deodorant that clings to the inside of Dustin’s nose. He’s so close it’s probably rubbing off against Dustin’s clothes and he’ll go home smelling like Jim and poor decisions.

Jim leans back, body pressed flush against Dustin’s. There’s no way he can’t feel that Dustin is very interested in him, but then Jim tips his head back, mouth close to Dustin’s ear.

“You’re less handsy than the others,” he says, a weird kind of compliment.

Dustin swallows, trying to get moisture back in his mouth.

“Thought it was polite,” Dustin tells him, which feels like a funny thing to say when Jim’s grinding against his hard dick through their clothes.

“You can put your hands on me,” Jim says mildly and Dustin lifts one hand just enough to point at the sign by the door.

“The sign says not to.”

Jim turns around to face him again, perched delicately on Dustin’s thighs, looking like the kind of person Dustin would love to ruin. He holds Dustin’s gaze, his eyes a dark, piercing blue.

“And I’m telling you to put your fucking hands on me.”

Jim’s face looks as flushed as Dustin’s own feels, but he looks serious and Dustin lets out a shuddering breath.

“Yeah, yep, sure,” he agrees, immediately sliding his hands up Jim’s thighs, enjoying how smooth they are under the fishnets.

His fingers briefly tease at the hem of his shorts and then he slips his palms around to Jim’s ass, pulling him closer. Jim’s expression shifts as though pleased with the change and he dips down, fingers suddenly in Dustin’s hair, pulling his head back gently, hovering above him.

“Please tell me you’re single,” Jim says, and Dustin definitely doesn’t think he’s getting the typical strip club experience.

“Embarrassingly single,” Dustin agrees and Jim leans the rest of the way in to kiss him.

Dustin can’t stop the noise that escapes him, but Jim swallows it down. His mouth is warm and wet and Dustin can’t get enough.

When Jim pulls back, his lips are reddened and his eyes are heavy.

“We’re not really supposed to — ” he starts, and doesn’t finish the sentence, but Dustin can fill in the blanks.

His experience is one of a kind.

Jim shifts in Dustin’s lap and Dustin tightens his grip, guiding Jim as he rolls his hips, giving them both much needed pressure against their dicks.

“You’re really fucking hot,” Jim tells him and Dustin’s too stunned to reply. He’s just a guy. But apparently Jim’s super into that.

To make a point, Dustin slides a hand up Jim’s stomach, thumbing at his abs and making Jim groan.

“If I thought we could sneak out of here without anyone noticing, I’d let you come across them,” Jim says and Dustin doesn’t stand a chance.

The next time Jim grinds down against him, he comes, his whole body feeling electrified, head tipping back as he stares at the ceiling, the post-nut regret hitting hard and fast and without mercy.

“Holy fuck,” Dustin grits out and Jim mouths at his jaw and murmurs things like yeah, and god, and that’s so hot, Dustin.

The inside of Dustin’s slacks are a mess and he has no idea how he’s going to get through the rest of the night with cold come all over his cock. He’s going to have to shower the second he’s home if he wants to try to get it out of his pubes.

“Fuck, Jim,” he pants and Jim nods.

“Yeah, that’s the point,” he says, but then he’s tensing up against Dustin, shuddering and clutching at Dustin’s back as though he wants to somehow get even closer, maybe just straight up crawl inside him.

Just as suddenly, he slumps forward, face tucked against Dustin’s throat as he breathes heavily, smelling like a mix of alcohol and minty gum.

Dustin suspects they’ve broken a lot of rules and made more of a mess than anyone rightfully should, but he’s not sure he’d change anything about it.

“Fuck,” Jim exhales after a long moment before finally sitting up to meet Dustin’s gaze.

His face is still flushed, mouth still red, but his eyes are bright with the kind of happiness Dustin doesn’t really understand.

Slowly, Jim leans in, eyes open as he seems to gauge Dustin’s reaction — perhaps expecting him to pull away now that they’ve both finished — but Dustin presses forward to meet him, kissing him gently.

“Y’know, I don’t usually have this much fun,” Jim admits as he pulls back, when Dustin’s lips are starting to tingle. “Can I buy you a drink sometime?”

It takes a moment for the words to process in Dustin’s mind, but eventually he smiles and nods, hands very briefly squeezing at Jim’s waist.

“I’d like that,” he says, and supposes perhaps the night hasn’t been that bad after all.

[monty-glasses-roxy]

This is an invitation to ramble

About Roxy and Freddy? Sure. I'll come and add a read more if this goes on forever.

How about they both think the other is a massive hypocrite?

They've never bothered to actually get to know eachother deep enough to realise that there's just as much thought and nuance in the other's actions as they have in theirs. On the surface, they just seem like they're acting like there's one rule for them and another for everyone else, but there's generally a lot more thought to it.

To Freddy, Roxy is all about the abolishment of rules. She's just gonna do whatever she wants, rules, safety and impact on kids be damned. She's never where she's supposed to be if she decides it's not worth her time, she's deliberately broken rules in front of him out of spite, and he has a sneaking suspicion - but no evidence, just a gut feeling on occasion - that she's breaking rules so big that if she ever gets found out, she'll be scrapped in seconds. And yet, whenever he's in the Raceway, she is pushing safety standards, sometimes even better ones than Fazbear Entertainment's official ones. She refuses to let anyone get away with cheating/breaking the rules in games they all play together and she's very loud about hating liars. To him, all he sees is her enforcing rules when she feels like it, but not holding herself to the same standard and it's incredibly infuriating to him. The rules apply to everyone and are there for a reason, she shouldn't get to pick and choose who follows what and when! What kind of trouble are the kids going to get into following her example? What happens when her thoughtlessness gets someone hurt? He's not gonna try and cover for her that's for sure. She's had this coming for years. He's so tired of her shit.

From Roxy's perspective though, a lot of these rules don't make sense. She's questioned why they're there every time it's hindered her, and over time, has worked out which ones are there for company money making/saving reasons, and which ones do actually need to be followed. She's tested the boundaries of what she can get away with, and it's only confirmed it for her. So long as she's not caught breaking any of the serious rules, she's fine. The rules she breaks are calculated, thought out, and generally to make her job entertaining easier. She gives out more freebies, she takes the occasional kid or two into areas they don't have a pass for, she got caught rigging a claw machine for a teen that had been trying to win something for months with no luck, and sneaking extra arcade tokens to those that can't afford to keep playing. She's careful about who she does this with, meaning she ends up with her own little group of kids that she knows fairly well instead of a mass of fans she doesn't. It's also much easier for her to entertain by doing these things, when she doesn't have an open attraction, so really, she could argue she's just trying to keep herself relevant. She's not. She thinks the rules preventing her and the others from giving kids a good day at the Plex are stupid and will gladly break them. (The other's do too, she's just way more obvious and known for it. She's got no attraction to maintain what else is she gonna do all day?)

Now, from Roxy's perspective, Freddy acts all high and mighty as a rule enforcer and follower and likes to make some sort of moral judgement on that. She calls him a thoughtless, one trick pony just doing as he's told all the damn time, yet seems perfectly happy to bend them or find loopholes specifically to spite her personally. He's literally kicked her out of Fazerblast once over deliberately misinterperating how she was playing it with a kid in order to accuse her of cheating. The reason? She was supposed to be somewhere else in the building doing something completely different. It seems to her that he picks and chooses who to punish for rulebreaking and who not to, as in her eyes, the others are getting off way lighter (because she's like a lightning rod of attention he's too busy being pissed off at her to notice the others). For someone that's all about rule following, how comes he can bend them whenever he wants? How comes he can break the occasional rule to stop her from doing something, but she can't be left alone to do her own thing? It's none of his business what she's doing! If he's so fussed about rulebreakers, she thinks he should start leading by example instead of nitpicking and stonewalling everything she does! She's never ever letting the situation where he accused her of cheating and disqualified her from a Fazerblast game go. She's so fucking spiteful about it because playing fair is something she prides herself on and how dare he try and say otherwise!!

However, from Freddy's perspective, he is leading by example. That's the whole reason he cares about this so much. He wants to make sure the kids have someone to look up to and be like that isn't going to get them in trouble. He stays out of trouble and does his best to 'lead' the others down the same path of being the best example to the kids possible, but Roxy just doesn't seem to care about that. To him, what he's doing is for the best. The rules are made for a reason, even if it's for monetary gain, that money is what is currently keeping them safe, functioning and alive. By following the rules as best they all can, they're securing that safety for themselves, and he's convinced of this. If they help the company do well, if they enforce the rules that make the company more money, and follow through with what they want from them, they'll be okay. Him being so against what Roxy does on a daily basis is his way of trying to make sure the kids that love her (for reasons he cannot fathom, and she feels the same about him) have the best rolemodel they possibly can, and that she's contributing to the continued existence of the Pizzaplex, and themselves. The fact that staff have given up and keep bending things to let her get her own way all the time has just stirred him into trying harder to keep her in check. His patience wanes by the day and much to his frustration, he finds himself slipping and letting things slide every so often. Even worse, his efforts with the others are falling short too, and the fact he's catching them more now rather than before Roxy was moved to the band, he's attributed this entirely to her being a terrible influence. What if she's as bad with the kids and they start copying her? He can't stand the thought of kids getting into trouble because of her thoughtlessness! He's honestly waiting for the day that management finally snap and scare some sense into her, or at the very least, remove her from the band to limit her influence and reach. He swears, she's gonna be the death of all of them and the reason her fans are gonna get seriously hurt.

So. They both see each other as hypocrites, but they also don't listen or care to find out what the actual thought process behind their actions are. Roxy can't stand the sight of a child whose parents couldn't afford the expensive prices of the Plex, and Freddy can't stand the thought of a kid learning bad behaviours off of any of them. Freddy follows and Roxy breaks. Freddy bends to keep order, and Roxy doesn't for a fair game. They both have their priorities and are both so stubborn they won't budge on them for anything, especially not each other.

You, may be wondering about the middle ground here. About setting a good example whilst also making sure everyone has fun. There is one, but they're not giving an inch. They have a truce for rehearsals, performance and events where the whole band has to be present and that's as good as it will get for them. And was established after they both had a joint party/event thing together, just the two of them hosting, and things got very out of hand. It was decided that since both of them were participating in what happened and both clearly fucking hate each other, that the easiest solution would be to prevent anymore parties without at least two other animatronics present for it. It took three, maybe even four to deal with that one situation so um. Yeah they're not fucking around now. No more Freddy and Roxy duos.

Things have cooled down over time, but that's only because of the truce and the new rule that they can't be left alone together. They still get into arguments and shit all the time though. At least it's less frequent now, right?

[intricatechaosofyou]

Chapter Three: Carrying the Banner

As Laces came down the stairs, she could already hear the chaos. It wasn't a morning in the lodging house if there wasn't chaos. Although it wasn't her favorite thing in the world, Laces had learned to live with it.

"Hey! That's my cigar!"

Race glared at Albert who just shrugged and just replied with a,

"You'll steal another."

That's when Henry came out of the bathroom, shaving what little facial hair he had. Specs tried his best not to laugh.

"Hey, look, it's bath time at the zoo."

Henry shrugged and continued dragging the razor blade across his cheek.

"I thought that I'd surprise my mother."

Albert scoffed and crossed his arms.

"If you can find her..."

Every single newsie in the vicinity of the conversation, including Laces, shouted in retaliation.

"Who asked you?!"

Albert ignored the outraged comment. "Papes ain't selling like they used to. I need a new spot. Ya got any ideas?"

Race thought for a second before offering up his suggestions.

"From Bottle Alley to the harbor,

there's easy pickings guaranteed."

Finch nodded in agreement and added on,

"Try any banker, bum, or barber!

They almost all knows how to read."

Jack was still buttoning up his blue shirt as he came down the stairs from the rooftop.

"It's a crooked game we're playin'

one we'll never lose.

Long as suckers don't mind payin'

just to get bad news"

As they finished getting ready, the newsies all banded together. They threw their arms around each other as they all sang.

"Ain't it a fine life,

carryin' the banner through it all?

A mighty fine life,

carryin' the banner tough and tall.

When the bell rings,

we goes where we wishes.

We's as free as fishes

Sure beats washing dishes!

What a fine life,

carryin' the banner home-free all!"

As the newsies hit the street, Romeo started his usual antics. His victim today was a young woman in a purple dress who was walking with a nervous-looking man.

"Well, hello, hello, hello, beautiful." He smirked as he eyed the very uncomfortable lady.

"Woah, Romeo. Nothing more concerns you here," Jack interjected, shoving the younger boy away. He took Romeo's spot and flashed the woman a charming smile. "Mornin', miss. Might I interest you in the latest news?"

"The paper isn't out yet," the woman argued trying to push past Jack.

"Oh, I'd be delighted to deliver it to you poisonally."

The woman's friend tried to step up to say something, but the woman stopped him and took the matter into her own hands. "I've got a headline for you: Cheeky boy gets nothing for his troubles." With a small, victorious smile at Jack's frown, she and her companion continued on their way.

Laces barely contained her laughter. "Back to the bench slugger!" She shouted. "Ya struck out!"

"I'm crushed!" He laughed, putting a hand over his heart in fake hurt.

"Hey Crutchie, what your leg say? Gonna rain?" Finch asked.

Crutchie shook his leg before arriving at a conclusion. "No rain. Oh-hoh! Partly cloudy, clear by evenin'!"

"They oughta bottle this guy!"

"And the limp sells fifty papes a week, all by itself!" Race smiled and slapped Crutchie's shoulder.

"I don't need the limp to sell papes," Crutchie protested with a playful smile. "I've got poisonality."

"It takes a smile that spreads like butter.

The kind that turns a lady's head."

Race, Finch, Albert, and Elmer, of course made the situation more dramatic.

"It takes an orphan with a stutter,

who's also blind

and mute

and dead!"

Laces and Crutchie laughed at their antics as they followed along with the other newsies towards the circulation gates.

"Summer stinks and winter's freezing

when you works outdoors.

Start out sweating, end up sneezing.

In between it pours!

Still, it's a fine life

carryin' the banner with me chums.

A bunch of big shots

tossin' out a freebie to the bums"

Finch pushed his way to the front of the group, impatient to get his papers.

"Hey! What's the hold up?

Waitin' makes me antsy.

I likes living chancey."

The rest of the group rolled their eyes.

"Harlem to Delancey!

What a fine life

carryin' the banner through the-"

Like every day, the newsies were met with the sight of the nuns from the local church. They offered the group cups of water and stale bread crusts. It wasn't much, but on bad days it was all they got.

"Blessed children,

though you wander lost and depraved

Jesus loves you.

You shall be saved!"

"Thanks for the grub, sista!" Elmer shouted, waving his hat at the nuns.

One of the older nuns glared at the boy. "Elmer, when will we be seeing you inside the church?"

"Ise don't know." Elmer shrugged and smirked. "But it's bound to rain sooner or later!" Before the nun could say anything else, Elmer rushed off.

Continuing towards the circulation gate, the chatter didn't die down between the newsies.

"Curdled-

Just give me half a cup.

-coffee.

Something to wake me up.

Concrete donuts-

I gotta find an angle.

-sprinkled with mold.

It's gettin' bad out there.

Homemade-

Papers is all I got.

It's eighty-eight degrees!

-biscuits-

Jack says to change my spot.

Wish I could catch a breeze.

-just two-

Maybe it's worth a shot.

-years old!

All I can catch is fleas!"

Jack smirked as he led the boys through the streets.

"If I hate the headline,

I'll make up a headline."

Laces and Crutchie stood to his sides, joking and throwing fake punches at each other. Although the trip to the circulation gates was long, they always found ways to entertain themselves on the walk.

"And I'll say anything I hafta.

'Cause at two for a penny,

if I take too many,

Weasel just makes me eat 'em afta."

Romeo and Race joined the trio in their play fighting, shoving each other as they walked down the street.

"Got a feelin' bout the headline.

I smells me a headline

Papes is gonna sell like we was givin' 'em away.

Betcha dinner it's a doozy

'bout a pistol-packing floozey

Who knows how to make a newsie's day.

You wanna move the next edition.

Give us an earthquake or a war."

Elmer pulled off his cap and raised his right hand.

"How 'bout a crooked politician?"

The rest of the newsies rolled their eyes and hit him with their own caps.

"Ya nitwit, that ain't news no more!

Uptown to Grand Central Station

down to City Hall.

We improves our circulation

walking till we fall

But we'll be out there

Carrying the banner man to man!

We're always out there

soakin' every sucker that we can!

See the headline:

Newsies on a mission!

Kill the competition,

sell the next edition.

We'll be out there, carryin' the banner!

See us out there, carryin' the banner!

Always out there, carryin' the banner!"

Finally, the newsies arrived at the circulation gates. They peered through the bars as they waited for the headline.

"I hope it's real bloody with a nice clear picture," Specs commented.

The others shouted their approval when Finch pointed out they were putting up the headline. Everyone held their breath as the man wrote out the words "Trolley Strike Drags on for Third Week."

Everyone groaned at the sight of the headline. Laces ran a hand over her face. She couldn't believe that this was the best story those writers could come up with. As the boys complained, the Delancey brothers made their way over to unlock the gate.

Race smirked and leaned against the rusting metal. "Oh, dear me. What is that unpleasant aroma? I fear the sewers might have backed up in the middle of the night."

"Nah. Too rotten to be sewers," Crutchie joked as Laces nodded her agreement. "It must be..."

"The Delancey brothers!" The newsies hollered, smirking as the gate finally opened.

"Hey, Oscar. I hear you and ya brother took up jobs beating up strikin' trolley workers," Finch commented, walking into the circulation area.

Oscar glared at the gutsy newsies and shrugged. "So? It's honest work."

"Crackin' the heads of defenseless workers?" Albert asked incredulously.

"I take care of the guy who takes care a' me."

Race sneered and got up in the boy's face. "Ain't ya father one a' the workers?"

"I guess he didn't take care of me!" Oscar growled, shoving Race back.

Suddenly, Morris walked up to Crutchie. "Ya want some of this, too? Ya lousy crip!" Ripping the crutch from the boy's grip, Morris shoved him to the ground.

Laces immediately helped Crutchie up while Jack snatched the crutch back from Morris. "Now, that is not nice, Morris!"

"Five ta one, Jacky and Laces soak 'em! Huh, who's bettin'?" Race shouted.

The rest of the newsies rolled their eyes replying, "Bum odds!"

"Now, one of these days, you might find yourself with a bum gim of ya own. How would you like it if wese picked on ya?" Jack questioned.

"Hey? Why don't we find out?" Laces interjected. At her words, Jack used the crutch to hit both of the brothers in the knees, knocking them to the ground.

"Oh, just wait 'till I get my hands on you two!" Oscar growled, trying to grab for Laces. Luckily, she jumped out his way before he could get ahold of her.

Jack smirked and grabbed Laces' arm. "You gotta catch us first!" The two taunted before running off with the Delanceys close on their tails.

The other newsies cheered them on as they ran around the paper wagons.

Not looking where she was going, Laces collided with someone. Barely managing to stay on her feet, she looked at the person she ran into. He looked about her age—and handsome, too.

"What're you doing?" He questioned, tilting his head.

Laces would have taken her time to appreciate how concerned his tone was if it weren't for the footsteps of the Delancey's behind her. "Runnin'!" She shouted before taking off again, leaving the boy dazed and confused.

She met up again with Jack and the two managed to evade the brothers, taking twists and turns through the familiar alleyways of New York before they landed right back at the circulation gates and returned the crutch to their friend.

"We'll all be out there

carryin' the banner man to man!

We're always out there

soakin' every sucker that we can

Here's the headline:

Newsies on a mission!

Kill the competition,

sell the next edition.

We'll be out there, carryin' the banner!

See us out there, carryin' the banner!

Always out there, carryin' the banner!

Ah, ah, ah, go!"

The newsies laughed and joked at the Delanceys' expense as Jack approached the stand to get his papers. "Weasel! Did'cha miss me?"

Weasel rolled his eyes and grumbled. "I told ya a million times. The name's Weisel."

"Ain't that what I said? I'll take the usual," Jack replied, slamming his coin onto the box.

"Hundred papes for the wise guy," Weasel jeered before turning to Laces who was currently skimming through the paper that sat on the edge of the counter. "You want the usual, too?"

"Don't rush me! I'm perusing the merchandise, Mr. Weseal." She made a show of reading the paper for a few more seconds before adding her fifty cents to the box. "Yup. Usual."

Oscar handed her the bundle of papers and she smirked at him. "Good chase today, Delancey. You was closer to catchin' us today."

The boy flushed scarlet at the taunt and was about to yell before he was interrupted by his uncle. "Well, look at this. A new kid."

Turning on her heel, Laces saw that it was the boy she ran into while running from Oscar. Now that she wasn't running for her life, she took her time to size him up. His dark brown hair was mostly covered by his cap and his nose was slightly crooked. He was at least half a foot taller than Laces and didn't slouch. His shirt was tucked in and free of wrinkles. He looked too proper and educated to be a newsie, but who was Laces to judge?

She was almost too busy scrutinizing the boy to notice the younger boy, presumably his brother, poking his head out from behind him.

"I'm new too!" The younger boy proudly proclaimed.

Race sent a fake smile his way. "Don't worry kid. It rubs right off."

"I'll take twenty newspapers please," the boy said, pushing his brother back behind him.

Weasel stared at the boy expectantly. "Let's see the dime."

Confused, the boy tilted his head. "I'll pay you when I sell them." The rest of the newsies laughed at this statement.

"Funny, kid. Cash up front."

"But whatever I don't sell, you buy back, right?" The boy was obviously new, and Laces pitied him for being so clueless.

"Certainly! And every time you lose a tooth, I put a penny under ya pillow. Now drop the cash and move it along!" The boy held up the dime and put it in the box as Weasel turned to the next boy. "Albert! Let me see your money!"

As Albert continued to mock Weasel, the new kid thumbed through his papers. Laces watched him curiously, wondering what he was doing.

"Excuse me? I paid for twenty but I only got nineteen," the new boy piped up, interrupting Weasel and Albert's conversation.

"You see how nice I was to this new kid? And what do I get in return? Ungrounded accusations."

The boy took a step back, pulling his little brother further behind him. "I just want what I paid for."

"He said beat it," Morris growled.

That was the moment Laces went up to the boy, Jack hot on her heels, and snatched the papers from his hand. She counted the papers as the boy anxiously fiddled with the strap of his bag.

"Hold on! New kid's right, Weasel. There's only nineteen. Don't worry though. I'm sure it's an honest mistake seeing as Morris here can't count to twenty with his shoes on," she jested, taking a small step back as Morris attempted to grab her through the metal bars that separated them.

With minimal grumbling Weasel shoved a paper into the new kid's hands. "Here! Now take a hike!"

"Hold it!" Jack interrupted, putting another coin into the box. "Give the new kid fifty new papes."

"I don't want more papes."

Every newsie's head popped up and looked in the direction of the new kid. That was the dumbest thing any of them had ever heard (and they all knew Race). Jack ignored the comment and shoved the papers into the boy's arms.

"What kind a' newsie don't want more papes?" Laces asked with wide eyes.

"I'm no charity case. I don't know either of you," the new kid protested looking between Laces and Jack, trying to give the extra papers back.

"His name's Jack! And that's Laces," The younger boy piped up, staring at the pair in awe.

"Yeah, this here is the famous Jack Kelly. He once escaped jail on the back of Teddy Roosevelt's carriage. Made all the papes," Crutchie explained with a smirk. "And she's Laces. Best newsie 'Hatten has."

"He has to say that. He taught me everything I know. Now how old are you?" Laces asked as she kneeled down to look at the younger boy.

"I'm ten!" He proclaimed proudly before backtracking. "Well, almost."

Jack frowned and rubbed his chin. "If anyone asks, you should say you're seven. You see, younger sells more papers. And if we're gonna be partners we-"

"Who said we wanted partners?" The elder brother interrupted, crossing his arms.

Crutchie scoffed and nudged the boy. "Are you kidding? Selling with Jack and Laces is the chance of a lifetime! If you learn from them, you learn from the best."

Laces looked down at the ground, smiling sheepishly at the comment. Cructhie had been the one to teach her how to be a newsie when she was just six years old. She owed all her skills to him. But she couldn't deny that she and Jack were usually the first ones to finish selling their papes—and with the biggest tips.

"If they're the best, then what do they need with me?"

Jack glared at the boy. "We don't need you, pal. But you have a little brother and we don't. With his puss, we could easily peddle a thousand papes a week. Hey, look sad, kid," Jack ordered, turning his attention to the boy.

He immediately pouted his lips and tilted his head. He looked absolutely miserable.

Laces laughed and ruffled the boy's hair. "Oh! We're gonna make millions! Say, what's your name, kid?"

"I'm Les! This is my brother David. He's older."

Laces faked a gasp and looked up at David. "No kidding."

"Nice ta meet ya, Davey! My two bits come off the top. We split the rest seventh-thirty and-"

"Fifty-fifty!" Les demanded, dropping Jack in his tracks. "You wouldn't try to pull a fast one on a little kid!"

Laces tried her best to contain a giggle as Jack turned to Les with wide eyes. It took him a second to regain his composure after the bold comment.

"Sixty-fourty. And that is my final offer."

Les looked to Davey for approval. With a sigh, Davey nodded and Les turned back to Jack with a big smile. "Deal."

Smirking, Jack spit into his palm and held it out to Les who copied Jack's actions before shaking his hand.

"That's disgusting," Davey commented, causing Crutchie and Laces to burst into laughter.

"That's just business. Newsies, hit the streets! The sun is up, the headline stinks, and this kid ain't getting any younger!" Jack proclaimed as the newsies followed his orders.

"We'll all be out there

carryin' the banner man to man!

We're always out there

soakin' every sucker that we can

Here's the headline:

Newsies on a mission!

Kill the competition,

sell the next edition.

We'll be out there, carryin' the banner!

See us out there, carryin' the banner!

Always out there, carryin' the banner!

Ah, ah, ah, go!"

[dangarretjournal]

Introduction

Pictured here is Dr. Daniel Garret. If you’re at all familiar with him, then it’s because of his contributions to the field of archaeology, or his rivalry with the man known as Maxwell Miracle (formerly Maxwell Grant). He went missing some time in the early ’80s, and this photo is the last one taken of him (I believe the context was he or someone else was showing off vintage camera equipment… I know it was nearly 40 years ago, but there were color photos back then). Due to his dedication to the field, he never really talked to his daughter, my mother. Consequently, she couldn’t really tell me much beyond him being an archaeologist and fighting in WW2 (which may as well be a freebie for people who were alive back then).

Recently, my mother died, meaning I inherited what could generously be referred to as clutter, some of it hers, and some of it inherited from my grandfather. Normally, I’d be the sort of person to maybe look there once and never again, but then I found something rather interesting; a paperblank diary with a blue scarab beetle engraved on the front (specifically the pattern used by the vigilante “The Scarab”, a very commonplace symbol used by people who were politically active in the 50s and 60s, unfortunately commodified by a company in the 70s who started slapping it on everything… including expensive notebooks. Based on his profession, I doubt Garret saw it as anything more than a beetle reminiscent of etchings found in Egypt). 

The contents of this diary are a good argument for the use of pencils. Many of the pages were written with ink (probably from a fancy fountain pen I found in a desk) that has since smudged and spread due to water damage from the condensation in the attic. A couple of pages were written in pencil, making them the most easily legible (though not by that much; sorry grandfather, but your handwriting could use a bit of work), and contained unexpected insights into the world of what he calls “Capers” (an archaic term for vigilantes and superhumans coined by newspapers in the 40s), including many claims that are largely unknown to those who study this bizarre area of history. 

Mixed in with this are incidents that Garret believes relate to a folkloric figure known as “Fantomah” that he focused his studies on later in life. Of course, some could argue that she was a very early example of a superhero, what with how most stories around her talk about protecting people from invaders, but I’d argue that her system of punishment isn’t really in line with the typical Caper. 

Because of this (and, admittedly, a hope to know more about my grandfather), I’ve set about transcribing as many pages as I can. My hope is that his unique insights will garner the interest of historians who I may be able to send the journal so that the rest of the pages can be transcribed. Until then, these are pages from the journal of Dr. Garret.

Sincerely, Gale Porter

P.S. From now on, all notes from me will be italicised, and all excerpts from the journal will be normal.

[therantingfangirl]

The Twins ( 2 each but you can pick who answers which)

3. What is your favorite childhood memory?

4. What is your least favorite childhood memory?

12. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? (on vacation or permanently!)

21. Describe your ideal partner.

Kurono:

13. You’re given an unlimited budget to build anything you want!  What do you build and where do you build it?

7. Who do you look up to?

Freebie from Rukia: "Okay so what did you think of me when we first met and then what do you think of me now?"

Since Daiki answered 3 and 12 here I'll have Mamorou answer them this time!

Mamorou

3: What is your favorite childhood memory?

"On the anniversary of Daiki and I moving in with Konan and Kurono, Angel had gone out and found some sweet breads to serve us to celebrate. The four of us ate them and Angel told us stories of her, Nagato, and Yahiko when they were kids. It was one of the few moments when it was just us and we didn't have to worry about our goal."

12: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? (on vacation or permanently!)

"I've never really thought about it, to be honest. The idea of a vacation seems a bit foreign. I've never been on one before. But I didn't hate visiting Konoha...They have this ramen shop that I loved going to!"

"Thanks for asking...Unless you're hoping to use these answers against me and my family...Then you should know that we're stronger than we look."

Daiki

4: What is your least favorite childhood memory?

"The day my parent's died, Mam and I had gotten into a fight with our mom. She hadn't wanted us to go out and play with the civil war going on. But we argued with her and snuck out anyways. When we came home...we found their bodies...it wasn't—well, it made it really hard to stay in that house and is what left us living on the streets until Angel found us."

21: Describe your ideal partner.

"Someone who sees me. Someone who looks passed what they can see on the outside and can open themselves up to something they aren't used to. I want to be with someone who cares about their loved ones and isn't afraid to stand up for them."

"Thanks for the questions...I'm not used to people asking about me. Usually people care more about Kuro and my brother."

Kurono

13: You’re given an unlimited budget to build anything you want!  What do you build and where do you build it?

"I would build a gigantic orphanage. Each child would have their own room and there would be multiple bathrooms and a huge living area. Ideally, I would do this for each village, but I would want to start with Amegakure. The majority of the children there are orphans and it's something that we could've used growing up!"

7: Who do you look up to?

"I did already answer that here , but there's a few others that I also look up to besides Konan. Now that I've met so many others outside of the Akatsuki, I've come to really appreciate people that I would've hated before! Lady Tsunade is the original badass. Her advances in medical ninjutsu is inspirational and I want her to teach me everything she knows! My cousin Naruto is one of the most positive human beings I've ever met, and he inspires me every day to grow beyond my past trauma."

Freebie from Rukia: "Okay so what did you think of me when we first met and then what do you think of me now?"

"Oh, Ruks, I thought you already knew that I'm madly in love with you. When we first met, I couldn't stop thinking about how damn unfair it was that we were on opposite sides. But then I saw how much of a badass you were and you complimented my jutsu, and I got this thrill from the battle? Enemies-to-lovers has always been a compelling idea to me. Now that we're on the same side, I'm quite relieved, honestly. I would've hated to actually go up against you during the War. You were one of the first people (besides Kankuro and Gaara) to trust me and forgive me for my past, and you've become one of my closest friends. Please, come to Suna soon so we can torment Kankuro some more!"

"Thanks for asking. You know I'm always up to answering any questions you have."

[fendsworld]

A Coin Has Two Sides, Mine Has Three: My Medusa of Perceptions

CHAPTER 1

The Old Testament of Living: A Guilt-Tripping Story

It's easy to demonize human gratification for ease and comfort when we talk about life in mundanity. To buy the idea that regardless of today's gift of advancement, we must opt to kindle the roots and deny the savor of its fruits. While this is equally idealistic and nostalgic, there may be peeks in the idea we must consider.

To a degree, it was never just a matter of predilection but of life's demand. In this fast-paced world, you could feel slowed down. Perhaps, with the pressure, it comes in terms of your ways and means. Nevertheless, there's a staggering tag and pull of going where, why, and how. Comfort is a luxury, and not everyone can afford it. Which makes people differ in their paces and graces. There's a cost for a 6 that's the reality. We pay to exist. We live through rates. And we fill our cups. There's no other way around. Unless, of course, if privilege is your cherry on top. Which is unfortunately, is not served at every diner.

Another thing is romanticization in the guise of denial as an untackled facet. While we are all entitled to unsubscribe to popular opinion, lapses in this kind hint at a slippery slope of stagnancy; that in one way or another impedes collective ascendance. A rejection of modernity and an embrace of tradition that screams patriotism of some sort without utter intention. Others may argue that this is a capitalist take. But truth be told, it goes beyond the confining bounds of that, but of mindful inadvertence and a pose to challenge innovation per se. Which raises a question, what for, then? Why must we castigate a lending hand? Because it’s a splinter-in-the-toe ego thing? 

In a practical sense, inevitability should be weaponized to good use; a rear mirror to potentials and possibilities. That if pursued becomes a catalyst to development. As we all know, is an economy’s pivotal component. Hence, to disregard this very fact speaks the same utterance of self-sabotage and impediment vis-à-vis. A pledge to regression.

CHAPTER 2

Melancholia and the Glimpse of I

On a lighter note, if we're not to cast our issues unto the very essence of welcoming change, there's also something to reminisce about as we move forward. Say the easier times. The simpler life. How things are supposed to be and how they used to make us feel. Besides, moving forward doesn't mean forgetting, right? It only means moving with whatever comes along with openness and utmost acceptance.

To stir an aroma of nostalgia, I remember when I was a kid, I used to be fond of reading. I loved everything 'lit': short stories, myths, riddles, idioms, you name it. Whenever we'd go to the market, I’d always ask to be brought something to read. And when I turned into a young teen, I started collecting teen mags like Candy and Total Girl magazines. I loved waiting for every month's issue. Who the magazine cover would be and the exclusive freebies it would come with. It's such a joy to see the new magazine's issue on a rack whenever I go to the mall because I know one's coming home with me. Not long enough, I also started reading the book series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid counter: Dork Diaries. And so, as some Wattpad books. From that, I resorted to reading novels and self-help books. I just so happen to have a slump, I am still battling up to this date. 

The print really helped me a lot through life. It gave me a safe space. Another world to live in. An escape from whatever pains me. It was a home back then. A solitary comfort. And my piece of adventure. There's so much more to say, but I think that this could describe enough. Sometimes, I wish I still had that yearning in me. Because I feel like I lost it. But I believe, sometime around, I’d get it again. I'll feel it again. There's just a lot going on right now that I am still yet to care about. Hasta Mañana, then.

CHAPTER 3

Mellow Blues Played on Sundays

Growing up with shelf-long people in my early years influenced how I view life and how I opt to experience it. The old always felt warm. The old always felt good. But the old is bound to be replaced. And it’s the way to go. Nevertheless, there’s a chokehold of comfort and peace to rest in the caress of it. And perhaps, a glory it owns.

Before print was used for entertainment, it once served as people’s compass. To life’s how, what, when, and where. It did a lot more than it is credited for. It was, in a way, rudimentary to people’s lives at a time. In which, it was needed more than it is now, prior to the conquer of revolution to mankind. It fed people. It taught people. It helped people. And beyond. Although the rift and shifts the phenomena call, it is still yet to prove it that will never die. But perhaps has to constantly thrive. Manic as it sounds, it coughs difficulty and wheezes effort. But it does not deny, it succumbs. And it pars with good grace. A merit we can warrant it for.

Perhaps people would say, the industry it creates as it accommodates change is far-fetched sedentary, unreal, and half-as-good. Which I beg to disagree. As I don’t think, it should be taken as that. As it’s merely obligated but hence as purposeful and productive, just less the proclivity it holds. Nevertheless, substance goes beyond the structure. And the riff-off is unintentional and not inherently dismissive. It’s just that, it’s time-bound and corollary. As how human life is designed to be. Humanity tied in a string of incessant changes. To end, this is not a rival but an attempt to survive – by book or by crook. And the saving happens when we cherish and remember.

[myths-of-fantasy]

Snippet 13: Haebond Part 2

This was surprisingly hard to write lmao and now it's mostly a shopping chapter.

----

“That is too much,” Kite snapped. “These are worth at least three bundles.”

“It’s only worth one,” the merchant said stubbornly. “Not as high quality as it could be.”

Kite’s tail lashed angrily, the fur on her neck beginning to stand up as her eyes narrowed.

“This is a fresh talon,” the molly hissed. “Three bundles is me settling.”

“Is not fresh,” the tom argued. “How would you know? Who did you trade it from?”

“No one you daft beetle brain!” Kite growled. “I got it from the monster I hunted. Never mind - I don’t want to do business with you anymore.”

Squirrelpaw watched the tom’s face turn from aggressive to panicked as Kite returned each of the talons she’d gotten to her bag. She ignored the merchant’s frantic back peddling and motioned them all to leave. Kite stalked up to a different merchant who was displaying an even wider array of herbs. She greeted the molly kindly, albeit she was slightly terse with her words as she pulled out a single crestbeak talon.

The merchant’s eyes bugged out as Kite blandly asked, “What can I get for this?”

The molly shook her head in amazement, “That is fresh? From what kind?”

“Shallow crested,” Kite said. “Sorry if that’s not good-”

“Shallow crested is fine,” the merchant assured. She flicked her tail to a collection of items on the far end of the rug. “You may pick any of these.”

Kite nodded, turning to her party.

“Pick a satchel from him,” she said flicking her tail to a brown tabby lounging by a collection of bags. “They aren’t super special but they’re free and we can’t afford for me to be the only one with herbs and travel supplies from this point onward.”

Squirrelpaw’s ears pricked, and her fur bristled with excitement, “Are-are you going to teach us how to be proper Farwalkers?”

Kite’s tail swished, “We’ve long since passed the point of no return so yes. I have to teach you lot to survive as both a unit and alone - if we cross the mountains with you still only knowing the basics, none of us will make it.”

“You aim to cross the White Peaks?” the merchant inquired, surprised. “You oughta stop in the White Market before you do so.”

“I plan so Imo,” Kite said with a light nod as the old molly straightened up. “Go on, pick a satchel - and see if you can find a starter stand. They’re not here frequently but sometimes you get lucky.”

“Okay!” said Shrewpaw as the bounded over to the satchel merchant.

The tom opened a single yellow eye for half a second and then closed it again, settling down as he picked his teeth with one of his claws.

“Take one for yourself - try not to take one where the straps are longer than your tail.”

Squirrelpaw sat on her hindpaws, holding one of the bags turning it over. They were all the same leather brown and most were styled as simply as Kite said. She hopes that once Kite teaches them proper adventuring, the Snow Market would have even better satchels - and maybe she could keep the one she already has and give it to Leafpaw? It would make attending to cats far away easier if healers weren’t limited by what they could carry in their mouths.

She finally picked out a simple leather satchel, sliding it over her head and letting it settle on her left flank. She wiggled a little, trying to adjust to the new sensation as she twisted to look at the small, tube shaped weight just at the top of her right flank that kept the pack balanced.

“The starter shop is two blankets down,” the yawned, pointing down. “You only get one freebie though so don’t ruin those bags - I’ll remember your faces.”

“Thank you,” said Feathertail, as she finished adjusting the bag on her own back.

Squrrrelpaw fell into step behind her friend, looking around curiously as some cats went through a similar series of events to Kite. Arguing and debating about the worth of their finds with stubborn merchants - some would concede and make the trade, others would respond as Kite did and seek another merchant. Sometimes it was the merchant who sent away the farwalkers, claiming their items fake.

“Think that’s it?” Shrewpaw asked, pointing his nose towards a blanket with two cats talking to each other. On the blanket was a series of bundles - seemingly miscellaneous objects until Squirrelpaw realized they were different types of items all separated from each other to allow individuals to observe them.

“Welcome new walkers - I’m Heavy Wind and this is my sister, Pollen Breeze,” the caliby molly greets warmly. “These are your starter bundles! Because your party is so big, I’m requesting that you each only take two packages each and that you try to disperse these among who is doing what role!”

“What are all of these?” Squirrelpaw asked curiously.

Pollen Breeze stepped forward and gestured to the items beneath a red blanket.

“These are all combat orientated,” Pollen Breeze explained. “Everything under the blue blanket are all healing related and everything else are general items that you should have.”

“...I want to heal,” Feathertail stated. “It doesn’t look pretty but I want to know as much about healing as I can.”

“I hope you find a good tutor,” Heavy Wind said. “This bundle is of basic herbs. Dock leaves, catchweed, chervil, daisy leaf and leather bandages.”

“Thank you,” said Feathertail. “Do I keep the wrapping-”

“You can keep the bay wrapping,” Heavy Wind reassured. “Use it as a vomit pad or just to hold the herbs if you wish.”

Feathertail slipped the herb bundle in her bag.

“I’m a fighter,” admitted Stormfur.

“So am I,” agreed Shrewpaw.

“Well these are combat wraps," Heavy Wind said, flicking her paws. "It keeps your bones aligned when you fight - helps prevent you from breaking your legs but also helps it heal straighter.”

“And these are throat guards,” Pollen Breeze explained, touching what seemed to be a thick leather clasp. “Can’t have your throat torn out if it’s protected. You can find wider ones that also cover your scruff.”

“Do you have anything for claws?” Stormfur asked.

“Not over here no,” said Pollen Breeze. “You’re better off looking at the White Market.”

“And I suppose you are simply an adventurer?” Heavy Wind said, looking to Squirrelpaw.

“Yeah,” she admitted sheepishly. “Fighting and healing is cool but I would rather just wander.”

“You’ll want some leg guards as well then,” said Heavy Wind. “But you will also want this set that has a wayfinder, a basic map and runed camp stakes.”

“What’s a waywinder?” Squirrelpaw asked as she accepted the parcel. “Is it like a map?”

“Kind of,” said Heavy Wind. “It’s more to help you orient yourself - especially if you’re somewhere without landmarks like the Flatlands.”

“Cool,” said Squirrelpaw. She already felt much more prepared for the journey and she sank her claws into the ground in anticipation. Kite had already begun teaching her how to be a proper fire charmer and if she worked hard enough, she’d start being able to read.

“Let’s get back to Kite,” said Feathertail.

Squirrelpaw nodded and for a brief moment, allowed her imagination to run wild with images of she and her friends mastering the outlands.