#'does liking someone even effect how much of your time you give away' angle

[arg0t]

and really i could do to put less effort into people i dont like

[invisibleraven]

"Can I tell people about us?"

rulie

"You came."

"Was there ever any doubt I would?'

"No. Well, a little. You're late after all."

"It was hard to get away. It's getting harder every time."

"Would you rather not meet?'

"I didn't say that. I'd just rather not sneak around."

"You-you want to be public?"

"I've always wanted that. But you wanted to keep us secret."

"You know why I did."

"And I agreed with you, at the time. Now...now I love you and I want to tell the whole world."

"I don't think the whole world needs to know."

"Maybe not, but I want to tell the people I care about. They already know something is up."

"I don't know."

"Are you ashamed of us?"

"No! Never! I just...I'm nervous about people knowing, how they'll react. How they'll treat us differently because of this."

"But think about it, we could finally go out together-hand in hand, without sneaking around, or worrying. We could just be a normal couple for once."

"I don't think anything about us is normal."

"Maybe not. But I want to have as much normalcy as we can. So can I?"

"Can you what?"

"Can I tell people about us? Please?"

"Yes."

"You sure?"

"Don't make me regret it."

"Darlin' I could never."

"CUT!"

Reggie and Julie stepped away from one another, letting the hair and make up people sweep in as the director shouted adjustments to the lighting and sound people. Then he turned to them. "Perfect job you two, great emoting. Now, we're going to run the next scene, from multiple angles, then we're doe for the day."

"Music to my ears," Reggie said.

"Aww, aren't you having fun pretending to be in love with me Peters?" Julie teased.

"I've had easier gigs," he retorted.

"Okay you two, put the fangs away," the director sighed. "Let's get this done in one and we can all go home happy."

They got the scene done in two takes, and that was only because of a faulty effect, but the second take was even better than the first, so the director was happy, dismissing the entire crew.

Reggie and Julie went their separate ways, off to their dressing rooms and into their civvies before too long. Giving each other civil nods as they drove off to their respective mansions.

Well until later that night, when Reggie drove home, into Julie's loving arms. They had the whole of Hollywood fooled into thinking they couldn't stand each other, and that was the way they liked it.

"I think after this movie is done we should take a vacation," Reggie said. "I'm tired of pretending to hate you and love you for eight hours a day."

"Ugh, same," Julie groaned. "Next time we decide to do a movie together we need to pick an action flick, not a romance."

"It's been fun though, even if I have to hold back a giggle every time someone comments on our chemistry," Reggie said, pulling Julie in for a cuddle.

"You think we'll ever tell people the truth?" Julie asked. "Not that the whole charade isn't fun..."

"Tell you what, when you get nominated for this movie, and win, you say you couldn't have done it without the support of your loving husband, and costar, who just so happen to be the same person."

"And if you win?"

"Then I can finally start using my married name and will tell them to engrave it on the statue in my speech."

"Sounds good to me Mr. Molina."

[bobacupcake]

For the shader thing, I was curious about what you think of the fake volumetric ground fog in TotK. I couldn't find a screenshot of it, but it's very prominent in the ancestor cutscenes, I'm sure you're familiar with it

you are so right that i am familliar with them i fixated on them every time i got this cutscene aghjfbgjh

im not sure!!! i have a few guesses though but nothing is super pointing me towards them

for starters, i imagine the thing driving it is some kind of noise/cloud heightmap texture, along with something masking out areas where they should be and shouldnt be (both of these textures are moving & distorting)

but as for how theyre actually doing it.. houghh.. there is definitely a Height to it, if you look at their legs you can see that much, so its not just a really cleverly lit plane.......

mario odyssey has a kind of similar thing in cap kingdom, but im not 100% convinced these are using the same technique

talked with @krisp-xyz about this and she pointed out the mario one definitely seems more mesh-based, with the alpha being set based on how far objects in back of it are (so if the fog is right in front of a solid surface, its very transparent, but if its further away, its more solid!!)

another thing that i'm not 100% sure about, but the fog in totk seems lower resolution, compared to everything else? so my two guesses are either its just a very fancy mesh-based approach, with the general "shape" of the clouds being blocked out and pushed around by the textures, and then the textures & normal maps being used to give it convincing lighting + transparency (along with what theyre doing in mario odyssey, transparency based on the depth of the objects behind it). and then on top of that it definitely seems like it would be blurred a little bit with a post-processing effect to hide the fact that its a mesh even further, and placed onto the scene based on the depth information. this is kind of similar to what the clouds in sea of thieves do. if this explanation sounds kind of vague thats because it is it looks soo good if theyre doing it like this i cant begin to imagine the specific calculations theyre doing to get it looking so natural from different angles

which is why my second theory is from, and its that, they are doing raymarching??? it LOOKS raymarched, but i didnt jump to it because, raymarching is expensive!! essentially when you hit a mesh, you then start taking little tiny steps through it, and after a certain number of steps, you add all the values you got together, and divide it by the number of steps, and thats the average for that point ! you can also do a lighting calculation for each point but the more things you add onto a raymarched shader the performance very quickly adds up, since if say your step count is 64, every operation you do on a pixel will be done 64 times

here's a very old gif of me messing around with it .. in like ..... 2017......

but again i hesitate on this because, its a switch!! and raymarching is expensive!! though like i said it does look like its scaled up and possibly blurred, so if they were doing the raymarching calculations at like 4x the screen size, and only needed a few steps because it is only taking up a little bit of the ground and they can blur it, and also marking the areas where they Dont have to do raymarching by the mask texture. then maybe????? unless someone has access to the rendering frames for this though i would not be able to say for sure. but those are my two theories!!!

[breelandwalker]

I'd like your opinion on something if you don't mind.

A previous mentor who I was very close to (and has since passed away) taught me that I shouldn't sell my magic but give it freely. I've realized since then that it's really each individual's choice whether or not to do so, but I can't seem to shake the skeevy feelings when I think of selling my own work, even though the money would definitely help. That said, I am less sure that it's from that previous line of thinking and more to do with the fact that I have never been a sales person.

How does one start selling their magical wares and protect against burnout (from putting too much energy into what they make and sell), and how do you keep from someone using the energy you put into it to turn it against you?

This is a very good question and a good example of how it can be a difficult process to grow out of our first set of lessons. It's true what they say about first impressions - they're hard to get past, and it takes some doing to reset your thinking to adjust to new information. So it's good that you're already doing that reconsideration. Be patient with yourself and keep at it!

As for selling one's work, there's another old adage that holds true here - If you're good at something, never do it for free. Lots of witches make some kind of income from their craft, whether it's tips from readings or teaching workshops or selling physical wares. There's nothing wrong with it, but some witches do frown on the practice out of personal preference or a tradition-based perspective.

(Personally, I think the idea smacks of classism and elitism, since disenfranchised and economically-disadvantaged people have traded in charms and divination and other magical practices as a source of income for centuries and many continue to do so, but I digress....)

As for selling your wares, I'd suggest approaching things from a practical angle. Start small, decide what you want to sell, price your components, pay yourself for the time it takes to make things, and research similar items to get an idea of a fair price range. Don't go overboard with your first set of equipment or component purchases - it already takes a long time to make the money back, so don't put yourself into a huge hole right off the bat. (I made that mistake years ago with candlemaking.)

There are lots of options for selling wares online that don't require you to be a salesperson, but you will need to keep good records, stay organized, and do your own marketing. Be realistic about what you can handle as far as production, engagement, and shipping entail. I recommend selling from stock as opposed to doing custom orders. This naturally depends on what you're selling, but it's easier to sell from a pre-made stock of items than to get buried in orders you have to find time and energy to make after the fact.

Look into sites like Shopify and Squarespace and the like for your platform. Make sure you create accounts on several payment sites so your customers have lots of options. Take good clear photos of your wares that show them in the best light and give a good idea of color and size.

If you feel up to it, you can also look into live markets in your area. I've had a lot of success with witch markets, flea markets, and craft fairs, even though they require a fair investment of time and energy. If you decide to do this, keep an eye toward presentation, remember that visibility is key, and practice your pitch ahead of time so you can just spit it out like a recording instead of overthinking what you're saying.

As for the energy issue, it helps to pace yourself when you're making things. Don't try and do it all at once or you'll burn yourself out and it will become a chore. Starting small and not overcommitting definitely helps. If you're going to put a particular magical effect into an item, use small amounts of energy and intention and let the components do the heavy lifting.

For example, I make little bottle charms for various purposes. When I make them, I focus on a general good-will blessing for the pieces, allowing the herbs and crystals to retain their potential energy for future use. Whoever purchases the charm can then put their own energy into it for the designated purpose.

Think of it like using an eyedropper versus a bucket. You don't need to douse everything to make it work. Put just a drop or so of intention and potential into each item and let it brew. The person who buys it can take on the responsibility of fully charging the item when they're ready to use it.

I honestly don't worry about people using the energy in my wares against me. That's not really how that works. Energy can have a signature, but it doesn't work the same as a taglock. It's not like I'm handing over a lock of hair.

Also, I don't think most witches make a habit of buying things from people just to try and harm them through magic. Tiktok makes everyone paranoid with these claims of rampant baneful magic that can be aimed through pictures of workings or screen names or what have you. People simply don't have that much time on their hands and even if they did, they'd have a helluva time directly the magic effectively without a clear target.

In any case, if you're worried, a simple set of protective wards should take care of things. Include a reflective layer that turns away incoming magical harm or unwanted spells and you should be fine.

If you have any specific questions or would like recommendations for suppliers, let me know. Hope this helps and best of luck with your business!

[townofcadence]

"You know? As much as I love your little feisty attitude, I think a punishment is in order, don't you think??"

His body coil around them like a snake wrapping itself around it's prey, making the shadow look like a smoke of mist. "You have such a pretty little neck, wonder how it would feel under my hands..."

Without further explanation the creature wrapped its hands around their neck, feeling the pule beneath its fingers. "Thats it, you look so exquisite." The hand around them tightens up as the grin against the creature's face widen in glee.

"So beautiful when you struggle like a rabbit to a fox. Almost makes me wanna eat you." Tensing the hold to make sure the air didn't flow into their lungs. Tighter and tighter...

And suddenly, he'd let go, stepping a few feet back as it cackled. The morning sunshine illuminating off the branches,

"It seems sun is coming up, you're lucky I find you amusing to have around. Good night, my sweet rabbit." The creature disappeared, leaving no trace behind.

Artair hears the shadow and he tenses, but he isn't fast enough. The shadow's body wraps around him tight, too tight, before he can even move his arms or-- do anything. He squirms, kicks until his legs can't move, and even then he wrenches against the smoky mist, despite how ineffectual it proves to be. "Fuck you." He still manages to spit the words with the vitriol and intensity of someone not restrained and helpless.

It isn't until it speaks again and those hands find his neck that he freezes. They run over the fabric of his choker, and line up, just a little smaller than the hand-print seared to his neck in a mottled burn. He swallows and it's something that can be felt this close. His arms try to jerk free, escape, something, but he can't. The words make him bare his teeth like a cornered animal, jerking and snapping. He can feel his arm coming loose and he tries to focus on that over the pressure growing, the thinning air. Almost--- got it----

That thing is smiling, a grin that makes him feel sick, but it's hard to focus on anything but those words, his racing pulse, and then those fingers tightening enough he chokes. Artair manages one last ragged gasp before he can't breathe at all, and pain starts to radiate from the vice of the shadow's grip. It squeezes further and further and tears start to cling to his lashes. The noises he makes are desperate rattling things. His vision darkens at the edges and he can feel himself spinning. He tries to hold that breath as long as he can not to give the shadow the satisfaction, but it only takes him so far.

It doesn't matter anyways. He can feel the crushing force against his windpipe. He won't manage any other breaths and he will lose this one. But the need not to give him this one thing, this one thing in his control--- it wins out beyond sense. He manages to free that one arm and grabs at the shadowman, but it takes far too long, His grip doesn't have the strength it should and he does nothing of effect. A few meager strikes against the shadow's back doesn't make it loosen its grip on his neck, take away the overpowering angle it has on him, stop him from gurgling, or saliva from foaming in his mouth as air desperately tries to escape and return. He's going to die, isn't he? He's---

The release is instant. He drops to the floor on all fours, choking and coughing and hacking through the strain on his throat, which only makes it worse. He wheezes in a few rattling breaths, fingers moving to claw at his throat as if to help revitalize it somehow. He coughs a few more times and each breath he takes is audible and strained, like the air was passing through glass instead of lungs.

But the last words strike him, and he looks up, in time, to see it fading away like the rest of the shadow in the morning light. His teeth bare and his face twists into a snarl.

"I'll. Fucking--." His voice is hoarse and weak, and it delves back into a coughing fit as the creature disappears.

[possiblyaworldbuilder]

Time for more infodumping on magic!!

Another long (and long awaited) post!!Don't worry tho to make it less boring there's some art along the way for you! Anyways I hope it will be interesting anyways!

First a little more on the workings of the magic! As said in the previous post, every user of the magic has a certain amount of energy they use. This isn’t the same for everyone and some people have more than others. Why this is isn’t confirmed and at the moment it is most often thought of as just dumb luck. However, users can gain more energy over time. This is done with devotion. Both to Saròs, by worshiping, doing favours and ‘aligning’ yourself to Saròs, and to the art of the magic, by practicing and using the magic a lot. These methods are not very scientific at this point in time and exactly how well and how consistently they work is debatable. How much energy users gain also wildly varies. Some never get much further than what they started with and some get significantly more over time.

Anyways, with more energy you can do more stuff! Distances you can travel increase and also the radius in which children of Saròs can use their magic ‘sight’ increases. The passive abilities like the sense of direction will also improve by this. Users can also use more abilities at the same time. For instance: using their magic sight and while opening their pocket dimension or teleporting a large distance.

On top of that, skilled users can open tears without using their hands, and solely using their energy. Though, if both ends of the tear are far away the two distances between you and the tears add up. Commonly it is just used to open a tear close, and not having to use your hands is useful enough. For a multitude of reasons.

But now we get to some fun exploits of the system!

I assume most of you are well aware of the portal games. So you must know what happens when you put two above each other. You get an infinite falling loop! Now what if after you’ve build up all the speed, you could redirect the portals! This is something that gets used a lot by children of Saròs in various ways. But Lets get to the fun one first :)

FLIGHT!! Sorta. Not exactly. But close enough! After gaining enough speed in a loop, the user redirects the portal to shoot in whatever direction they want. For example upwards with a 45 degree angle. This way they get launched through the air in whatever way they want. They can then repeat this a few times, hopping through tears for large distances, and whenever they start to slow down, they can start another loop and continue on again. This is both fun and it can give you a nice and strategic view of any location from high up too. Now if you want to land again simply shoot upwards, wait until you lost your momentum, and you can teleport down safely. Users should always keep the current gravitation in mind while doing this.

Now this trick also works on people who don’t want to fly and who won’t be able to land safely. This is a good example for why opening tears without your hands can be fun. Just open one below someone and trap them in a loop until you send them to the clouds. This is however viewed as a disrespectful move, because it is needlessly cruel. This does not mean it is never done just that it’s not a something you try to do often if you don’t want a negative reputation. This is an acceptable move to pull on monsters during hunts.

Another way this trick is used is to launch projectiles. Thick heavy darts are commonly used for this. And I made a little (very rough) animation to illustrate it!!

Spears, arrows or just heavy rocks even can be used for this very effectively. Especially if gravity is on your side terminal velocity can be faster than here on earth and the impact force is enough to kill fully armoured opponents. Not only that but huge beasts and monsters are a lot easier to kill this way.

Now it can take a while to reach terminal velocity normally, but one little detail about the magic system can help with this. From the last post:

The tear closes again as soon as the user lets it go. Things that are still inside when it closes are pushed out in the direction of it’s momentum or to the side where the largest portion of it’s mass is.

closing the tear at the correct moment gives it extra speed. This added acceleration becomes bigger the higher the projectiles speed is while passing through. This way speeds can build up higher and faster than they would otherwise. It has in some cases been recorded that a loud booming noise occurred when objects were launched at incredible speeds. This is believed to be the roar of Saròs there to show that the projectile has reached a high enough speed and to bless it to hit it's target. (Yes this is actually a sonic boom from breaking the sound barrier.)

In sieges it is common to launch large rocks this way at walls. This has way more destructive potential than any catapult or trebuchet. Children of Saròs don't really have to take castles and fortresses seriously anyways, but using them to their full potential in sieges makes castles a lot less effective entirely. Gòlhyík having by far the most magic users means that they have a massive advantage in wars. This was in fact crucial in many ways to them regaining independence after the Banyíro occupation.

Another way the magic is used on a larger scale during battle is to avoid melee range. One user opens a tear and someone helps them to draw it out to a larger size. The other and it the tear can be placed above the enemy for example and a line of archers can shoot through it, or pike men can start stabbing from above or even behind enemies. As soon an the enemy adapt to the threat the magic user can close and open a new tear from another point and do the trick again. Dropping things in top of enemies is also common to do. Get in two or even more children of Saròs to work together and you can do even more crazy things. Really there’s a lot of creative and deadly ways to use magic and most likely there are still plenty to be discovered.

War and battle and fighting is what magic gets used for the most now, especially on large scale. Obviously there are a lot of non-violent uses too though. After the gaining of independence and before the assassination of the kings husband, there was more done with this. But that death took a great toll on the King and in turn Gòlhyík as a whole and so a lot of progress was stopped. Most of the magic users are monster hunting, fighting in border skirmishes, showing off in special tournaments or just busy with the religious aspect even though they could do more good for the people elsewhere.

Another very different way the magic is used is to help against the inconsistency of gravity. By carrying useless weight in their pocket dimensions, users feel less affected by weak gravity when they want to and they can loose dead weight when the gravitational pull is stronger.

That’s about all I’ll say about uses for now tho there are so many more that I forgot to mention or never even came up with yet. However now we get to a bit more of the mystery surrounding the gift of Saròs!

This starts with one very important place: the capital of Gòlhyík. See, in the capital, at the center is a gigantic, ancient tree. One that looks a little like this:

If you look at it you'll notice something at the bottom in the tree. This is a tear. A giant one. And it's a mystery.

One reason for that is that it is permanent. Normally tears closes when a child of Saròs stops using it. This one is not being held open by anyone. This has been investigated for a while until the assassination but it is hoped that there will be more investigation into it soon in the future. There have been experiments to keep portals open by hooking the edges and attaching it to poles. However if no magic user is using their energy to keep it open, it does not want to stay open. It seems like the force whith which it wants to close increases exponentially and in all the performed experiments the hooks either got bend or broken by it. The edges tear free no matter the material used for the hooks and closes. What makes it stranger is that the tear in the tree does not seem to be attached to it’s borders with hooks or any other way.

Yímálu, a well respected scholar and daughter of Saròs, has speculated that the tear is held open by in a way by “attaching the expended energy to the material” so that it does not want to be closed. She used the term ‘enchanting’ while talking about this. She had gone missing and presumed dead for a while before she returned. After this she had tried a while to get a patron for her research with little succes. Finally Mèrèk of Ìryítàr has decided to take up this role and her research was Able to continue. No break throughs have been made yet but it seems promising.

Another mystery surrounding has to do to where the other end goes to. See, the tear leads to Hedràr. The other world up above. This however is an incredibly long distance. Far longer than any distance even the most gifted child of Saròs could travel. The amount of magic energy that would be needed is massive, so much so that it’s commonly believed that it was Saròs itself that created it long ago. Some credible researchers (notably not including Yímálu) have theorised that it could have been than long ago in the time of the (even larger) Tèràl ancestors had access to stronger magic and were thus able to create it. Or that there is a way to combine the magic energy of multiple users together to pull it off. These are just theories so far though and have not been proved yet, nor do they have much strong evidence.

And I think that’s it for now!! Probably forgot some smaller points along the way but this is already long enough so I thinks it’s fine lol. Hope it was an interesting read though!! Let me know what you think! But for now goodbye again!

Havéja!

[cranberrytart451]

Opinion:

The fnaf movie actually upset me in a way that bayverse transformers couldn't: I was never once convinced of character motivation.

I see a lot of people liking this movie, and that's valid. You can like something that is objectively bad, but you can't disregard criticism either.

If you want the next fnaf movie to be better, you need to separate your feelings from objective facts. Not in a "facts don't care about your feelings" way, but in a healthy way. By both recognizing bias and confirming emotions.

I also hate posts saying things like "if you didn't like the movie, fuck you. If you thought this scene was bad, you are stupid and wrong."

Shocker. It seems like it's the first time you've met a person with a different opinion.

Objectively, as someone who is not a filmmaker but knows a lot about how films are made, this movie took a lot of effort to even reach the screen. People poured their souls and passion into it, and that should be admired and respected.

But high effort doesn't always equal effective product.

Spoiler below:

First off, the camera work in this film was sloppy. This was not shot like a horror film. It was shot almost like a comedy.

There were too many close-up shots (reaction) and not enough wide. We never get the real scale of the animatronics in the film as the angles of the camera were parallel with them.

The lighting is too bright. Darkness should have been this movie's best friend as it would have made the puppets look more realistic and creepy. I work at Chuck E Cheese, and it becomes a liminal space the moment the lights are off. They should have used that.

The score is bland except for opening and closing credits.(I think the only thing the movie hits on the head is the opening credits with the arcade pixel art showing Springtrap leading the kids away.)

There are shots that are either too long or too short, messing with the pacing.

Do not get me started on the writing. This movie thought it was really clever, but no dialogue stood out except for "I always come back." (Which they should have left for the end credits scene)

Vanessa. Do I even have to start? She should have been the main character.

Do you understand the horror of living with a serial killer? A CHILD SERIAL KILLER!? Her entire life would be on edge. What if she didn't know her dad was killing and only found out through the course of the movie? This could have been a mystery horror movie.

They wasted what they had. That's the problem with this movie. It didn't focus on the right things and put too much emphasis on nothing subplots.

(Getting a little emotional because-)

(Are we gonna talk about how the aunt was killed in Mike's house and is never brought up?!)

Mike also AGREED TO GIVE HIS SISTER AWAY FOR DREAMS OF HIS DEAD FAMILY. Let me repeat. DREAMS. NOT EVEN HIS DEAD BROTHER'S GHOST.JUST FUCKING DREAMS.

... you might say he changes his mind. But the fact that he so readily does it in the first place pisses me off.

The aunt might be a karen, but she is right. Get Mike away from that kid. He doesn't prove to me in this movie that he is a good fit to raise her ONCE. He clearly loves her, but not as much as his dead brother or his own selfish guilt.

Characters can have flaws, but he doesn't redeem himself in my eyes by the end of the film.

Kid actors were kids actors. Nothing special. Not too annoying though.

The tone is inconsistent. Not even in an intentional way. It's just a roller coaster. One second, they build a fort the next Vanessa threatens to shoot Mike.

3/10

I wanted to like this movie. I had such a low bar for it. I can not believe it reached the depths of the ocean.

Fuck this movie hurt. I can't even say I liked it subjectively, cause it was so boring.

[gyunmireu]

ITS ME AGAIN HIII IK ITS BEEN LIKE 😭😭😭a month…. but im here agaian….with a humble request of ur headcanons on dokgo jun in general cuz i wanna hear ur thoughts on our favorite student council president🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Dokgo Jun Headcanons

Fandom: Best Teacher Baek

Character & Pairing: Dokgo Jun, x reader

Word Count: 851

A/n: anon, Tumblr failed me and didn't notify me abt this ask 😭 I legit found out about it yesterday and was so shocked... I have never written headcanons before, even though it's so common on Tumblr, so this is my attempt. I hope it's enjoyable for you!

•♡•

General Headcanons

— He can be quite child-like when he's in a sleepy state. Like, he's more affectionate and touchy when he's sleepy and he gets easily pouty

— Has a slight sweet tooth and can't handle anything that tastes bitter, super sour or super spicy

— He used to be sleep in weird angles as a child but it was trained out of him so now he sleeps on his back– one step away from vampire-in-coffin style

— Journals everyday; he likes to write about the people he's getting close to and notes down minor information he learns about them, like their likes, dislikes, etc.

— He sees Soso like a weird, chaotic sister that he is responsible for when she gets out of hand; goes full big brother mode on her, lol

Relationship Headcanons

— He's such a serious person that I feel like his lover has to be a good combination of serious and relaxed: if you're not as serious about your life and duties, he wouldn't appreciate it as much... He would be attracted to you if you're someone who is a good, responsible student, or if you're on the opposite spectrum of being a delinquent maybe? In a opposites attract sort of way, I guess. But I think someone who takes their duties and ambitions seriously would be impressive to him!

— If you're equally as serious as him, that's just a recipe for disaster because someone needs to push him to take breaks and relax once in a while. You can totally lure him into taking a break by saying how you need one and his company would be appreciated (would definitely work if he has a soft spot for you)

— In a relationship though, I think he would be...

— Consent king !! Respect is such an important thing for Jun and he would be the most respectful lover when it comes to boundaries; if you want to take it slow, he most definitely would go at your pace

— Oblivious asf too. Doesn't realise when he looks really cool or sexy and so is unaware of the effect he has on you specifically... Like, he knows that others respect and admire him (since he's the president) at a surface level but he doesn't know how they actually feel, ykwim?

— SO awkward at first because he doesn't know how to act around you and it's his first relationship so he's a little afraid of messing it up by mistake (that's actually half the reason why he would go at your pace; it gives him a better idea of what to do)

— Once the relationship is serious, though... You're DONE for. You know how he overwhelms his opponents with his sword technique? That's gonna be him in a relationship;; prepare to be flustered all the time because he's a lover that goes above and beyond (made worse by the fact that he's oblivious to the consequences of his actions like, at least half the time)

— He's a walking green flag tbh; he wouldn't hesitate to apologise if he does something wrong or hurts your feelings

— Would be a little stiff at first because he's not used to talking about his feelings but if you patiently encourage him, y'all would be communication goals fr

— Notices and remembers the tiniest details about you; he's very perceptive, especially about things that have his interest, so if you just mentioned in passing that you like something or have a particular hobby or interest? he's noting it down and you're getting it the next time he buys you a gift

— His love language in giving is quality time and acts of service

— His love language is receiving (from you) is words of affirmation and quality time

→ Slightly Mature HCs/NSFW:

— Jun is so calm and dignified all the time that I can't help but think that in bed, where he trusts you enough to expose himself, he would be okay letting out his suppressed aggression

— Not in a mean way!! He would just manhandle you easily (he's so strong, oof) and he's just, the hungry type. makes you feel like you're going to be devoured or consumed (10/10 I would let him)

— Actually a virgin tho, so the first time would be crazy gentle and he's kinda internally freaking out about hurting you accidentally; it's very cute

— Overwhelms you with his "sword technique" after he learns what makes you feel good and where

— He would be a devoted lover; if you have any insecurities, he's not going to let them exist for longer. would be all gentle aggression as he showers his love especially on the parts that you dislike about yourself

— Secretly loves it when you praise him or when you are visibly admiring his body that he has carefully trained; he will get embarrassed if you catch on though, because it feels very vain (not that you would mind appreciating the finer features of his body and personality)

— Aftercare king !! also, he's the one demanding cuddles afterwards because there's something about holding you in his arms after such an intimate moment; it's the most peaceful and comforting place for him

°•❀•°

all likes, comments and reblogs are appreciated! ♡

[crystalelemental]

Pokemon Team Characterization - Morty

Morty is Johtonian, so I like him well enough.  But I admit to always feeling a slight frustration at the fact they didn’t give him Misdreavus.  I dunno, I really loved Misdreavus when I first found it as a kid, and it bugged me that it wasn’t like...a thing you could know about in advance, given where it shows up and how infrequently.  But I digress.  Morty and his many, many Gengar-line Pokemon raise the question...can you develop characterization based on having only a single evolutionary line?

Morty’s initial team is pretty identical between GSC and here.  The only major difference is Mimic on Haunters, and that Gengar has Dream Eater, which is...frankly way more dangerous.  But I think the core of it works the same.  And to that end, I’ll announce that honestly, I don’t think the discussion around lead and ace and others matters as much, because Morty has one element that’s very pervasive in this team: passive damage.

Three users of Curse, Night Shade, and Nightmare.  Morty is absolutely decked out with passive damage.  Hypnosis on two of his options, and paralysis on a third, also solidifies that Morty’s plan is to not take hits.  He’s going to attempt to deny your action, and chip away with that passive damage.  Only on his ace, Gengar, does he start to get direct in his damage, but not without Hypnosis as a fallback.

To me, this suggests a sense of uncertainty.  We know Morty’s primary goal is to meet Ho-oh.  That’s what he trains for, and what his whole life built up to.  And on his ace, we see he can get direct with its application.  But a lot of these Pokemon emphasize Curse.  Morty is willing to take risks for his ultimate aim.  He’ll give of himself and put himself out there when he needs to, but at the same time, he’s always backed by a sense of caution and self-preservation.  He has to have something to fall back on.

The inclusion of Dream Eater and Mean Look also suggests to me that Morty is someone with an awareness of what his dream means.  Ho-oh is one of a kind, at least within this game.  Mean Look, locking the opponent into their current matchup, is that refusal to let something get away.  He fixates and keeps his desire always in his sight.  Dream Eater suggests the sense that for him to get what he wants, it comes at the cost of what others may also seek.  He’s definitely not the only one after this, but if only one person can meet this Pokemon, he’ll make sure it’s him.

This leads into the rematch team, which can be faced after you acquire Ho-oh itself.  For the sake of analysis, we’re going to pretend like it is HeartGold we’re playing.

The Lead Drifblim is an interesting lead on two fronts.  On the first, Substitute.  Once again we see Morty’s more cautious nature in play; he’s aiming for safety and security first and foremost.  Shadow Ball and Thunderbolt are generally solid coverage options.  Destiny Bond, however, is new.  In the initial team, Morty’s means of passively getting around anything was Curse and disruption.  Here, it’s an outright trade.  Even if you take me out, I’m definitely taking you with me.

I think that angle, that certainty, is what’s new.  Morty’s effectively lost his dream, and from here on, isn’t satisfied with things that aren’t certain.  Destiny Bond is a certainty.  It’s still risk.  It’s still self-sacrificial.  But it’s certain.

The Aces Morty has two Gengar.  One is identical to his lead, which doubles down on the same.  So we’re going to talk instead about the other one.

Morty has Hypnosis again, though little to capitalize on aside from raw offense.  Confuse Ray adds in another chance to bypass your action.  I think what’s interesting is that this one is uncertain.  It’s playing a bit riskier.

I think the two Gengars are a good reflection of Morty’s own indecision.  On the one hand, I think the unique Gengar is more in his nature.  Slow and steady, step by step, but take the chances you have to take.  Morty is willing to put himself out there in anything he does, and hasn’t really lost that sense of just going for something.  But the second Gengar shows that he’s growing more reserved about it.  He’s lost one gamble, and it was something he really put himself out there for.  So now he’s seeking a more assured sense of safety, and may be a little bitter.  Destiny Bond is a full takedown, after all.  It implies there’s a sense of “If I can’t, neither can you.”

The Midpoint (Mismagius) Mismagius feels like a blend between the two.  While it still aims for certainty through Perish Song, this is a lot more volatile because the player can just...switch out.  Mean Look addresses this problem, but it’s a little more involved.  Confuse Ray and Astonish can disrupt turns, but they’re not exactly certain to take effect.  Mismagius tows that line between wanting certainty, but having to take risks.

I think this is the general state of Morty.  He values putting in effort, rather than doing things the easy way.  I think the attempts at disrupting turns for Perish Song is also a potential indicator that Morty’s stalling in his own life too.  When a goal you’ve had is finished, for better or worse, the next step isn’t always obvious.  It takes time, it takes security to build up that confidence again.  I think Morty’s someone who’s at least very introspective.  He knows what he’s about, and when to take time for himself.  While it hurts to not be chosen, he’s someone who is able to take that in stride with time and keep himself going, once he finds a new direction.

Haste (Sableye) Outside of these, I think the most interesting member of the team is Sableye.  Fake Out and Sucker Punch are interesting choices, packing significant priority.  I think it’s worth noting, Sucker Punch exists on half his original team as well, so this isn’t new; this was always an aspect of Morty.

Sucker Punch in particular is sort of...underhanded in a way.  I think it suggests a sense of...wanting an easy way through.  Just cutting straight to where he’s aiming to go.  Morty takes things slow, he believes in that kind of progressive methodology.  But in some capacity, he seems to want things to move quicker; to be able to go at a faster pace in his own life.  He’s been training his whole life without any real results.  That would drive anyone to feel a little impatient.  Brick Break, that sense of breaking things down, may be more about breaking down the walls in front of him; the barriers he sees to his own progress.  I think in some ways, Morty may be the kind of person to get stuck on things.  He’s slow and methodical, but sometimes that approach gets you spinning your wheels with indecision, and you don’t quite know what to do to keep going forward.  Sableye, that representative of his drive, is about just taking initiative and breaking past those barriers; that spark he needs to get himself moving again.

Summation Morty is someone who is marked by being caught between two mentalities.  On the one hand, he appreciates the value of hard work, and is generally measured and careful in his approach.  He likes certain outcomes, and generally needs to keep things within his realm of control for comfort’s sake.  But on the other, he can grow impatient with the slower methodology, and sometimes snaps to impulsivity to get himself moving.  He can be bold and take dramatic chances, perhaps over-extending himself in the process.  But he’s pretty aware of his own mental state, able to read when it’s really time to back off of something and regroup.  When met with a painful outcome, he can take the time he needs to recover, and find a way to push forward in spite of setbacks.

If you have an alternate read on his team, I’d love to hear it.  Morty’s team having a lot of the same evolutionary line, even in his rematch, wasn’t something I fully expected, but honestly I think it’s interesting to piece together what it all means.

[qlala]

I love your posts on religion and assigning faith to chargers, I think it's awesome and a great idea. Also, RE vegetarian Barry- how, if at all, does that effect his diet once he becomes the Flash? Asking anon because I'm worried the answer is simple and I just didn't use my brain enough

oh thank you! and listen i used my brain about one percent making that post so no need to worry about that. this is the first time i’m considering the powers thing tbh!

my first instinct is that being a strict vegetarian would definitely make it a lot harder for barry to hit all the nutritional needs his powers require once he becomes the flash, right? they brush past it pretty fast in s1, and mainly drop it in later seasons, but we know barry needs like 6x as much energy as before just to get through the day, as soon as he gets his powers

and i’m always interested in poking at the ways becoming the flash makes barry’s life harder, since the show doesn’t give barry a lot of chances to resent his powers as much as i think he realistically would (he clearly doesn’t feel like he can give them up, too many people are counting on him, but they’re the reason his parents and several other friends are dead, and eobard’s time travel that set s1 into motion made it so that barry was saddled with the powers earlier than he was ever supposed to be)

so, i’m intrigued by the vegetarian thing as one of those parts of his before-flash life that his powers would interfere with! following the show’s season 1, i think the first person who would really have an issue with it wouldn’t even be barry, it would be eobard-as-harrison-wells. since i pitched it as a response to nora’s death, eobard changed the timeline when he killed her, that means the older version of barry he knew in the future wouldn’t have been a vegetarian

and tbh he’d probably think “this version of barry has been a vegetarian for 12 years because i killed his mother” was actually really funny while barry was in the coma (he succeeded in making barry’s life a little more miserable in an extra unintended way!), and then i think it would stop being funny around the third time barry passed out mid-flash training from low blood sugar, and would become deeply, deeply annoying to eobard instead

(on top of slowing down his progress, eobard is definitely the kind of person who finds being a vegetarian inherently annoying—and, as i type that, i’m realizing leonard snart is definitely also one of those people, which is extremely funny to the part of my brain that is always looking for coldflash angles, but not the point here)

so anyway, i could definitely see eowells really leaning into s1 barry’s trust in both harrison wells and science to try to get barry to give it up, a very “time to grow up and put away childish things” type of approach. like, lecturing him with steadily increasing impatience about energy density and the food chain, and asking what happens if he passes out in public and someone pulls of his mask, or kills him, or kills barry was trying to save? do you think that’s what your mother would have wanted? for you to let others die just so you can keep punishing yourself for her death? right, cisco and caitlin?

except i think cisco and caitlin, especially in season 1, have very low tolerance for things that really upset barry, especially when they think wells is being unfairly harsh, so i think the two of them would definitely put their heads together and come up with a high-energy, plant-based protein bar behind wells’s back rather than watch him work barry up into angry tears for the third time that week. and eobard would have to give it up then, so i think that would be the issue basically settled!

[coast2countrykitchensau]

Tips for Kitchen Renovation Designs 

As the heart of the home, the kitchen is frequently the top choice for home improvements. A modern and effective kitchen renovation in Batemans Bay lets you enjoy nights of entertainment, family cooking time, and a simpler everyday life. Making your morning smoothie in a hurry is much easier when you don't have to search through clutter to find a workspace. Here are our top kitchen design recommendations to help you create a kitchen where even your most outlandish desires convert into a realistic solution. 

Top kitchen renovation design ideas 

Design   Choosing a layout is mostly about efficiency - don't become too engrossed in the details if it isn't practical. There is an ideal layout for the kitchen renovations in Batemans Bay because you can easily move between the stove, refrigerator, sink, and countertop workspace. When it comes to countertop workspace, make sure you have enough if you're a big cook! Whatever the size or shape of the room, creative use of it can go you a long way. 

Consider the following: 

Remove unnecessary processes and make it simple to move around 

Storage  Storage is one of the most important aspects of designing a kitchen that you'll like using for years to come. It's preferable to have the option of putting objects away wherever possible. Not just does it give you extra workspace, but it also has a great, clean, and simplistic appearance. 

Consider the following: 

Pay close attention to the swing direction and elevation of cabinet doors, especially in angles 

Keep appliances out of corner cabinets 

Functionality  Although it may not appear to be the most interesting aspect of your Kitchen Renovation, functionality is essential. Remember to consider the specifics of how the space will be utilized. It is easier to help set the table without colliding with the chef when wine glasses, plates, and cutlery are stored away from the main cooking area. If someone wants to hang out and talk to you in the kitchen while you are cooking, ask yourself, “do I want them to?” 

Consider the following: 

The kitchen is the centre area of the house. Will you wish to organize your kitchen with a chalkboard or a whiteboard? 

Colours  Even if you like a more traditional style, a splash of colour will assist in distinguishing your kitchen. There are various ways to add a burst of colour to the kitchen without turning excessively, whether you choose for an intriguing cabinet paint, a vibrant espresso machine, or an eye-catching splash back. Choose one accent hue to match the palette to keep the room looking cohesive. 

Consider the following: 

Dark colour choices make small places feel smaller; in small spaces, choose bright! 

Choose one focal point to be the kitchen's showpiece 

Finishes and materials  The kitchen is a room that must be built to last. Choose fabrics and coatings that are sturdy and won't show any marks and blemish for an efficient remedy. Some materials, while lovely, will make keeping the kitchen in good condition a nightmare. 

Consider the following: 

Choose timeless materials because fads fade quickly, and changes can be costly 

Budget  One of the most stressful aspects of creating Kitchen Renovations in Batemans Bay is determining and adhering to a budget. Fortunately, there are numerous simple and inexpensive solutions to give your kitchen a new look. 

Conclusion 

Considering these tips when planning your next kitchen renovation can make the process much easier! The most significant objective is to design a kitchen that you want to use every day. A kitchen renovation is never the same as another. Not only can spaces differ in appearance, but every home is unique, and each person has a distinctive taste.  

If you're still unsure where to begin, Coast To Country Kitchens & Bathrooms provides free design consultations in which we discuss your space and provide a solution based on your requirements.   

To learn more, please contact us immediately. 

[mazeinthemiroh]

hey !! can u write something like ‘hot things atz does in a relationship’ ?? hope you are doing well stay safe 💗

hot things ateez do in a relationship

genre: romance, suggestive

word count: 1.2k

warnings: suggestive, some are much more tamer than others. writing mingi's made me rethink my life decisions anyways <3

author's notes: ateez is a group of 8 hotties. that's all i wanted to say. hope you enjoy!

hongjoong

looks deep into your eyes. hongjoong is big on eye contact. it's so easy for people to figure out who he has fallen for because he always looks so involved and engaged in the things you say. it's attractive how much attention he gives you, and how he singles you out every time, like it's just you and him and no one else. his eyes stare deep into yours like he's trying to figure you out. like he's trying to read your thoughts, analyse your gaze, touch your heart. a mischievous sparkle glimmering within his eyes as he lets his mind wander into secret thoughts of his own. and his eyes are so hypnotising. you find your heart beats quicker when he stares into your soul, devouring you with just one look. it doesn't help when he teases you, perhaps maintaining eye contact whilst licking or biting his lip, giving you a little wink. it's almost embarrassing how much power he has on you; how much effect he has on you.

seonghwa

grabs your chin when he kisses you. seonghwa is the type of boyfriend to be sweet, soft, gentle. he touches you with feather-like touches, and his kisses are light and delicate. but not always. there are times when he wants more. when he becomes needy, desperate to feel you, there's not a lot that can hold him back. you can just tell by his attitude; the atmosphere feels cooler, heavier. he looks at you through lidded, lustful eyes. his gaze alone is enough to make you gulp. he will make a beeline to you and grasp your chin in his hand, with both assertion and elegance. a thumb is brought up to run over your bottom lip as he looks deep into your wide eyes. it never feels to catch you off guard how graceful and yet totally, utterly hot he can be. tilting your head up to look at him before placing his lips firmly on yours, closing the gap between you.

yunho

leans over to whisper to you. usually in formal/public events, or when you have people around. yunho can get bored depending on the environment around him. if you guys are guests at a wedding, for instance, and you have to sit through boring speeches, yunho wants to make his own fun. he loves making jokes in inappropriate situations because he knows you can barely hold your laugh in. or he starts gossiping when in a hushed voice to you and you alone. there's something about the way he leans over to whisper to you. you can't help but be a little flustered. from this angle you can smell his cologne, admire his features up close, feel his breath tickle your ear as he shuffles closer to you. he notices the way you blush when he does this, which gives him a bigger incentive to continue. you catch a glint of the mischievous sparkle in his eyes and his ever-growing grin as he watches you stifle a chuckle. how can someone be so hilarious and yet so hot?

yeosang

leaves you voice messages. this usually happens when he is away, perhaps on tour, or any time he is apart from you. this comes as a surprise to you. he isn't usually one to voice messages; he can get shy and flustered when talking, even when in a relationship with you. because of this, he usually prefers texting. but that's why it's so surprising and attractive when he decides to send voice notes to you. in the mornings and in the evenings, he will consistently greet you with voice messages. his morning voice is croaky, deeper than usual, making his voice sound incredibly attractive. he might mumble a 'good morning jagi, think of me today~' or something along those lines. and in the evenings? he will practically whisper how much he's been thinking about you, how he can't wait to have you in his arms again, his words practically sending shivers down your spine. your feel so close to him despite being so far away.

san

uses his words. his big on words of affirmation. he's very in touch with his feelings and is able to articulate them into sentences that make you swoon. it's amazing how he manages to find something to compliment you on every single time. when he feels particularly passionate, he won't hold back. "you look so ravishing in that outfit", "you have no idea how you make me feel when you look at me like that", "if you keep up looking this gorgeous, we might not make it to dinner at all." he's not exactly subtle. he will start telling you the wild thoughts running through his head, even in public. he knows what to say to catch you off guard. make you blush and squirm in your seat. then he will smile at you innocently as if he hasn't just got you all riled up.

mingi

chuckles when he kisses you. gosh. mingi is so passionate when he kisses you. depending on how he wants to kiss you, sometimes he will look at you with eyes full of such adoration before glancing down at your lips, his own pulling upwards into a little grin. he wants you. and as he sinks his lips onto yours, moulding them perfect with his movements, he can't help but smirk, maybe even chuckle into the kiss. he does this when he realises he's so down bad. that he has fallen for you. would do anything for you. of course, a messy make-out session is the only way to go from here. you just drive him crazy he almost doesn't know what to do with himself. so he may let out a breathy laugh in between open-mouthed kisses. and it sends lightning bolts through your body because, you know this is the lead-up to something heated. something raw. something fiery.

wooyoung

always touches you. he's not a clingy person. he doesn't have this overwhelming, suffocating feeling to be with you and near you at all times because he is content with himself either way. but when he is with you, he can't help himself. he just has to be touching you in some way. a hand on your thigh, or an arm wrapped around your shoulder, or a finger lacing through your own. it's something he doesn't know he's doing. it's an unconscious habit. if you were to call him out on it, he would say "no i don't touch you all the time" before realising that he does indeed. but it's hot, you love it. it feels like a reassurance; a protection. feeling his presence always there and giving the visual to others that you are his. your heart swooned at the thought.

jongho

looks out for you. jongho is quite a low-key, chill guy, but there is a part of him that is naturally protective. he finds himself wondering how you are, if you got home safe, if you need him. expect a message from him asking if you got home safe. and don't be surprised if you are walking with him and he guides you gently to the safer side of the path, away from the road. when you comment on his gallant behaviour he will shrug it off and say it's nothing. if you're at a party and you're getting an uncomfortable amount of attention from a guy, he will wrap an arm around you and make it painfully obvious that you are, in fact, his. his assertiveness and protectiveness makes you fall for him all over again.

[shreya11111]

Mike CANONICALLY said his life started the day they found El in the woods. This is canon. He really said that. He really loved her at first sight. “but but when he was 12 he wanted to send her away.” Yeah but his love confession makes clear his TRUE feelings at the time. 12 years talk shit and say things they dont mean but you can see it in his eyes how much he has always loved her. You attack the monologue from all angles with your delusions but canon is CANON, and canon is TRUTH. Mike said he loved El 9 times, dammit. Period. And the monologue made grown men cry on YouTube and everywhere in the real world because it shows what real, mature love looks like. Y’all are just jelly he didn’t monologue to a boy. This is misogyny, plain and simple. Y’all want El to be unloved so much, it makes me seethe

you seem to want to emphasize on what's canon a lot, so...

let's talk about canon

throughout the show, here are the things we see to be 100% canon:

1. mike showed no indication of "love at first sight" when it came to el in season 1

gentle reminder that this is a tv show and not real life – yes, 12 year olds can say & do stupid shit that don't reflect how they actually feel, but since this is a tv show, the writers have to give at least SOME indication of the character's true feelings at the time to clue the audience in. they can't just not build that up and then randomly spring it on the audience later on. it doesn't work like that.

2. mike says to will, in the same episode as the monologue, that meeting el was "not fate, (it's) not destiny, it was simple dumb luck".

first of all, destiny/fate & love at first sight go hand in hand. it is destiny, by chance that you meet someone and instantly fall in love with them. mike saying that it wasn't this, and it wasn't destiny/fate just show that it WASN'T actually love at first sight for him.

3. mike made the conscious choice to ask if he could be will's friend the day they first met

this contrasts the midleven meeting which mike describes as "simple dumb luck". it's not something he had control over. whereas, with his and will's relationship, it was something he had control over.

4. mike could only say "i love you to el" after being peer-pressured by will

this is fact. this is canon. you literally can't say otherwise.

5. mike hyperfixates only on el's powers during the monologue, and does not say a single other quality about her.

even throughout the show, the only traits he compliments about her are superficial things that don't show that he knows anything fundamental about her. apart from her powers, he compliments her on her looks.

6. midleven never once has a successful heart-to-heart, while byler has had several

this is interesting because all the likely endgame couples have had heart-to-hearts before. so interesting indeed that midleven has had none.

7. the vines tighten around el's neck until she looks at max

mike's monologue wasn't even effective lmao- all he did was waste the time el could have used to save max. it was seeing max nearly die that gave el the strength she needed. NOT mike's bs monologue.

8. there were zero memories/flashbacks that played during the monologue except for when they first met

this was also a factually accurate thing mike said, and warranted a flashback (most likely to jog the audience's memories of s1). after that, however, there is nothing. they could have included some cute midleven scenes in the monologue but NOPE.

9. there were flashbacks/memories that played for el of her time with max.

funny how there were no memories or flashbacks of midleven during the monologue scene but there were tons of flashbacks for her and max.

also, there is the fact that several of the memories of elmax that played was extremely anti midleven like "not hopper, not mike...you" and "there's more to life than stupid boys". midleven is bones.

10. mike said he loved el "9 times" but not one seemed genuine

the first "i love you" in itself seemed forced, and came right after will yelled "you're the heart!" at him. it shouldn't be THIS hard for him to say ily to el if she is about to die and if the ily could potentially save her. it shouldn't take will pushing him for him to finally say it.

11. mike has been able to give a monologue before that was 10x more genuine than the milkvan monologue

season 2, will is possessed and we have mike give the iconic "do you remember the first day that we met?" monologue. he actually shows some ounce of emotion unlike the midleven monologue.

12. el is not unloved. she is loved by hopper, joyce, jonathan, will, max, lucas, dustin.

el doesn't require romantic love to feel loved and valued, quite frankly because romantic love isn't the only kind of love, and certainly isn't the only kind of love that deserves to be valued and cherished.

you guys throw the word "misogynistic" around so much that it's starting to lose meaning. what misogyny really is is wanting el to rely and depend on a man for her strength and value. misogyny is wanting el, someone who has spent majority of her life in a lab outcasted from society, to rush into a relationship with a) zero concept of what a romantic relationship actually entails and b) not knowing much of anything about HERSELF.

in order to know what she wants and requires from a relationship, she needs to know who she is and what she wants for herself first.

y'all want stranger things to be superficial so bad, it makes me seethe.

[parvulous-writings]

Eventually Together // Vander x Reader

Request:    Ooooo, Benzo tells Vander "If you don't make a move on Reader, I will." Vander can't tell if he is bluffing or not lol. + I love the idea of the kids picking on Vander cuz he has a crush on reader. Maybe even does the "Why are you acting weird?" While reader is at the bar. "Oooooooo Vander likes her." Ugh so cute.

Requested by: ​Anon, and Anon

Summary: One slowburn fic, mostly detailing the actions of Vander’s family upon discovering he has fallen for you. 

Warnings: None, I don’t think

Words: 10.4K

Notes:  This is the longest thing I have ever written. It’s somewhat a slowburn. Enjoy. My requests are currently open! My pinned post (found here) contains both a list of characters I write for, and a masterlist! Original character list - please request for these too!

Not my gif 

Like most days during the week, business at The Last Drop had been somewhat slow – steady but slow. It had been enough to bring in profit to pay the bills and clear the ledgers, but it hadn’t been enough to keep Vander’s mind occupied. His mind kept wandering away from the tasks had been provided with by his patrons, and to you. A mysterious new face that had started appearing more and more frequently amongst the faces of more regular patrons, not that he would complain about that. You were a nice sight – especially when he was having a rough evening. In some ways, you calmed him – your mere sight alone just made him… Relax. He wasn’t entirely sure how to explain the effect, or the warmth that spread through his chest when you came up to order drinks, the smile that started to occupy his face more and more as your number of interactions increased. You had been coming for something near three weeks now, almost every other day. Vander knew that your primary reason for visiting the establishment was for drinks, business or both, like everybody else, but part of him wanted to believe that it was for him, too, for his brief amount of company. Though the rational side of him tried to dismiss this – there was little point in trying to give hope to someone like him, when there was none. There was no need to disturb the status quo, or to change things from the way they were. Though, Vander supposed, in some senses, he was lonely. Of course he had his four children, and they could indeed keep him company through long and restless nights, by distracting one another by talk of imaginary chases or dreams – but as much as Vander adored spending time with his children, there were other areas of his life that had sat long neglected, almost forgotten. Parts that, he vaguely hoped, you would be able to help him tend to – if he were able to strike up any kind of conversation with you.

So, tonight he had decided. He’d pluck up the courage to try and strike up a conversation with you that consisted of more than “What would ya like to drink?” He thought he had been hiding his nerves rather expertly – he had always been one to wear a stern and stoic face, even in the worst of times. This time, however, he apparently hadn’t been doing so well. The young Powder had noticed – rather quickly, in fact. “Why are you acting weird?” She asked, standing on tiptoes to see Vander over the bar, her eyes and the tips of her fingers just barely visible to the taller man from the angles they were looking at each other. Vander turned to look at her, quirking one bushy brow at her. “Huh? I’m not acting weird.” He told her, though he was starting to realise that this was not true. “Yeah you are,” Powder argued, hoisting herself up onto one of the free barstools. “You’re acting all… Jumpy.” She told him, placing her tattered rabbit companion up on the counter in front of her, as Vander moved to get her some juice. He didn’t much mind that Powder was out front with him, even with all the unsavoury people that were patrons in his bar; for the sole reason that no matter what crimes against Piltover they had committed, they would not lay a finger on the blue haired girl. If anything, they’d try and keep her safe, should something happen to her, and Vander rendered unable to act. “I am not.” Vander chuckled, a hint of nervousness starting to creep in to his throat as he pushed the cup towards his youngest child. She briefly glanced at the beverage, before quietly clearing her throat. On cue, Vander turned to reach behind him, grabbed a straw from a shelf behind the bar, before placing it into her drink. “There we go…. Happy?” He asked her, and Powder replied with a swift nod, and a wide smile, before starting to enjoy her drink. Vander chuckled, ruffling her already messy hair, then turned a large portion of his attention to the tending of the bar – wiping it down, making sure it was as spotless as he was able to manage, trying to pass the time and push down the rising nerves.

It was whilst his eyes had been trained on the grained and scratched wood of the old bar that you had arrived, pushing the door to the establishment open with your forearm. The normal hustle and bustle didn’t cease for a moment, but the young Powder – ever the curious child – turned to look. She didn’t know who you were, or that you were the root cause of Vander’s strange behaviour, but she would soon find out. She turned back to her drink and rabbit without a word, no longer concerned or as curious as she was before; for now, in her eyes, you were little more than a patron. Vander moved again, glancing briefly to the floor of his bar, checking that everything was in order. At first he didn’t register than you were there, but his step stuttered slightly as his brain caught up with his eyes, realising that you were there, and making your way towards the bar. The stumble was unnoticeable from a distance, but up close – from the bar, for example – it was, especially if you were looking, and knew Vander well enough. Immediately Powder straightened up where she sat, pointing an accusatory finger at him. “There! I knew it! You’re acting weird!” She exclaimed, and Vander rested a hefty hand on the bar to steady himself. “I am not acting weird, Powder. It’s fine.” He assured her, trying not to sound too harsh, and lowering his voice as you drew closer; “Now, behave yourself, alright?” He told her, before moving into a spare spot in the bar, where you’d be able to happily and comfortable order for yourself. You approached the bar with a sense of familiarity now, already starting to smile at the sight of Vander. “Evenin’” He greeted, leaning on the bar with one arm, “What can I get for ya?” “Just the usual, please, Vander…. Nothing fancy,” You told him, already placing the coin on the table for him to take – you trusted him well enough to not swindle you, and to know what you meant. You trusted him a lot more than most vendors and businessmen, in fact; you weren’t entirely sure why, but there seemed to be something innate about the man, that just screamed safe. You rarely argued with your gut, and this was certainly not a time to argue with it. Powder was paying close attention to the two of you, and once her eyes had flitted between you about three or so times, her jaw dropped and her face split into a smile. It was taking all of her energy to not screech out in pure joy, and so she just began bouncing in her seat. Whilst Vander was pouring you his drink, he noticed this behaviour. “You alright, Pow?” He asked her, glancing between the child and the rising froth of the drink. She gave an excited squeak, grabbing her stuffed rabbit. “You’re in love!” She exclaimed, tapping her feet rapidly on the bar of the barstool. Vander waited to pass you your drink before turning to her, looking more confused than anything, though he knew where she had gotten the idea. “What?” He asked, trying to give her a look to go to her room and join the other children, but she didn’t catch the hint. “You’re in looooove!” She repeated, clutching the stuffed rabbit close to her chest, before hopping off the stool and dashing off to the shared room – most likely to share her revelation with her siblings. Vander gave a rather heavy sigh, and looked to you with an almost apologetic glint in his eye. “Sorry about that…” He said softly, “She gets excited easily…” Normally Vander wouldn’t get so tender with one of his patrons, however, with you he felt like it was different – he somehow felt closer to you; though he was fully aware that you most likely didn’t feel the same way. You had just stood there stunned for a moment, before shaking your head and pulling the tankard towards you. “Don’t worry about it,” You assured him, flashing him a brief smile. You hadn’t realised Vander’s behaviour around you – though that may have been because you were looking through something akin to rose-tinted glasses yourself, the same as him. You needed to think about it now, needed some time to yourself; you weren’t sure what to make of the information now that you had been made aware of it. “Thanks for the drink, Van…” You nodded at him, before moving away to occupy a back table, not sitting at the bar as you had started to recently. Vander’s heart warmed briefly when you had given him a nickname, but then sank ever so slightly as you moved away. Part of him desperately clinging to the idea you had liked him enough to give him a nickname, not wanting to let that sense of misery slither up and overwhelm him.   Vander kept himself as busy as he was able to for the rest of the night, glancing at your table every so often to make sure that you were safe and out of harm’s way. Each time he looked at you, he was met with the same image; you, staring into the murky liquid of your drink, brows slightly furrowed, engaged in a rapt contemplation, an internal discussion that would be better left uninterrupted. So he left you be. After a few hours, he noticed your absence, tankard left for collection on the table; he assumed that you had slipped out when he serving another patron. His heart sank a little more – though you may have been only a patron, a customer of his services, in his eyes you were special. There was something about you that added to the bond between the two of you, something he couldn’t entirely place, but was anxious to act upon regardless. If your reaction to Powder blurting out the truth was anything to go by, he’d have to be careful with how he approached the situation.

As the night wore on and customers dwindled and calmed more and more, the children Vander cared for started to show their faces. Vi was the first to appear beside the bar, quietly leaning up against the side of it, out of the way of any patrons that were straggling to get their drink orders. She leant against the counter, arms crossed over her chest, and a somewhat amused expression – a mischievous look in her eye. Vander glanced at her for a moment, addressing her only after he had finished pouring the tankard he was focusing on. “What do you want?” He questioned, “I know that look… What are you up to?” Vi scoffed quietly, rolling her eyes in a playful manner. “Why would I be up to anything?” She chuckled, moving more into Vander’s direct line of sight. “I was just talking to Powder,” She told him. “She has some rather… Interesting gossip…” “Oh? And what might that be?” Vander mused back at his eldest, making himself look busy. “Mhm…” Vi’s grin started to grow larger, reflecting that mischievous look in her eye. “She told me… And correct me if I’m wrong, that you like one of the new regulars.” Vander’s eyes turned to her for a moment. He had known it was coming, but there was something about the look in her eye, something that was playfully sinister. Vander gave a heavy sigh, and shook his head at the girl. “Whatever Powder told you, it doesn’t matter, I can’t-“ “Why can’t you?” Vi interrupted, leaning forward as she spoke. “What’s stopping you? The fact that whoever’s caught your eye is a customer?” She asked, using a hand to gesticulate her point. “That doesn’t matter! When was the last time you had someone a little more like you to help support you, Vander?” She asked. She knew that Vander had very few close friends, besides that of Benzo. Of course Vi tried her best to support her father figure, but she was more than aware that what she could provide in support was not what Vander often needed. The silence she was met with gave her the answer which she already knew. “Exactly. And I don’t remember a time you actually liked someone besides us or Benzo… ‘Specially not to the point where they made you nervous,” She chuckled, playfully punching the leather covering over the man’s forearm. “What’s the harm in asking?” She posed, and Vander supposed that Vi was right. There wasn’t many times Vander could say that, but he’d give it to her here. “Fine, fine…” He mumbled, and Vi seemed momentarily surprised that for once the man was conceding to the fact that she was making a good point and case. She didn’t outwardly revel in the victory – not yet – but she would in time. “I’ll… Say something next time.” He told her, trying to move away and further down the bar, but Vi followed him. She knew that if Vander had chickened out this time, then he’d likely do the same in future too. “How about this?” Vi started, leaning on the bar across from Vander; “You close up early. I look after the others, and then… You go talk to Benzo. See what he thinks of it, ask him for help… Or it could just take your mind off of the situation… What do you think?” She asked him, and Vander considered it for a moment. With another sigh, he gave in – Vi could be stubborn when she wanted to be, just like him. Closing up The Last Drop before his regular closing time would result in the loss of some revenue, but he could reason that it wasn’t all that much in the long run. When Vander turned back to Vi, he caught sight of her signalling something – no doubt to Mylo and Claggor. She gave him an innocent smile, and the man sighed quietly. “Fine. I won’t take any more orders at the bar… Let these ones finish their drinks, then I’ll go see Benzo…” He told Vi in a hushed voice, not wanting the patrons to hear; no doubt a few of them would be unhappy to hear of this development. “But promise me this,” He spoke to Vi, catching the pink haired girl’s attention again. “You’ll look after the others. And you won’t get into any trouble.” He was tapping the bar with one large finger as he spoke, and Vi nodded hastily. “Yeah, yeah, I know… We’ll be fine,” She told him. Though he knew Vi’s history with those fateful words, he chose to give her the benefit of the doubt – besides, it wasn’t like the children would actually want to spend time with him when going over such personal matters with Benzo. Powder potentially would – but despite the nosiness that came along with youth, Vander knew she’d much rather spend time with her sister and brothers.

Vander had closed up The Last Drop early that night – managing to close not that long after his conversation with Vi. It was the beginning of the week, so it wasn’t entirely like he was going to be losing too much revenue, and Vi had been insisting that it was high time Vander went and had some time to himself – he knew she would be able to look after the others. No doubt she was going to take the other three youths on some sort of hijinks in his absence, despite their little discussion beforehand, but he would chase that up later. Once he was out the door – practically shoved by Mylo and Claggor – he supposed there was little else to do besides do that which his eldest daughter had suggested. The chill hit him immediately, even through his admittedly thick coat which covered his shoulders and most of his upper and forearm. He tried to hurry through the fog-filled streets of the Lanes, with little besides his jacket to warm his arms. It didn’t normally bother him, however the wind seemed to have an almost sinister chill to it tonight. He made the journey as short but dually as safe as he could. In the end it wasn’t the shortest route had had taken to Benzo’s, but it wasn’t the safest either. Either way, it had gotten him to where he had wanted to be. As soon as he had opened the door, Benzo made a comment, looking to him from where he had been talking with Ekko. “No haul today?” He asked, rather jokingly, and Vander shook his head as the door clinked shut behind him. Benzo dismissed the boy in his charge quickly, assuming that Vander wouldn’t want him to stick around for whatever conversation the two were about to have. “Drink?” Benzo offered, as Vander practically braced himself against the counter his closest friend always stood at. “Yes,” the barkeep replied, using one hand to wipe over his face, trying to give his muscles some sort of relaxation, though not to any avail. “A big one.” “What happened? Vi get into trouble again?” Benzo asked, bringing over two old glasses, which were much cleaner than they looked. “Or was it one of the others?” Benzo poured Vander’s drink first, giving the taller man a moment to have a few sips, before refilling the glass for him. “Not exactly.” Vander replied, his voice heavy with exasperation. He was unsure how to actually start the conversation he had come here to have, and that posed a small problem. Benzo lent forward, examining Vander’s expression with furrowed brows. Thankfully for Vander, he may not need to try and explain it all by himself. “One of ‘em say somethin’?” He asked, and Vander gave a subtle nod. “I see…” Benzo said slowly, trying to think of what could be said to put his friend in this way. “Something personal?” “Mhm… Powder mentioned I was acting funny…” He mumbled, his hand stifling the sound of his words. “Well, were you?” Benzo asked, genuinely. “You can act a little off, sometimes – when you’re not feelin’ right… Remember that time you caught that bug off Huck?” He nudged his friends arm as he spoke. “You weren’t right in the head for at least two weeks after, were you?” “True… But I don’t feel ill, I-“ “You didn’t then, neither.” Benzo interrupted, quickly finishing off his drink. “So, what’s the problem? You might be a little sick, big deal – what’re you fussin’ about?” “I like someone and all four of my kids know.” Vander blurted, no longer wanting to sit through the talk of potentially being ill – he knew that that wasn’t the source of his strange behaviour. “Like someone?” Benzo echoed, quirking a brow, “You mean…?” “Yes. I mean I like them.” At this confirmation, Benzo started to grin. Now this he hadn’t expected; this was news he had put far out of his mind, not expecting to ever hear something like that from Vander again. That’s not to say that he was unhappy about it, quite the opposite in fact. “Oh, really?” He started to laugh quietly, much like a young schoolboy finding out his best friend had a crush on someone. In a sense, that’s what he was – neither of them had really grown up that much. Sure, Vander had a hell of a lot more responsibility now, and Benzo had his shop, but at heart, they were still the same as they once were. Vander gave a soft huff at the almost constant chuckling of his closest friend, Benzo. “Keep laughin’. See where it gets you.” He huffed, running the palm of one large hand over his face again. “This is why I don’t confide all my personal stuff with you.”

“Who is it?” Benzo asked, trying to calm himself down a little bit more – it was a slow but sure process. “The new regular,” Vander replied, taking the decanter from Benzo and pouring himself another, more generous drink. “Oh, yeah – I think I know who you mean…. (Y/N), their name is.” Benzo nodded slowly, as he tried to recall you specifically, rather than just what information had been mentioned previously in passing conversation. “Good looker, I won’t lie.” He started, looking to Vander as he poured himself another drink of his own. “Be a nice catch… If you got ‘em.” Vander’s brows furrowed at this particular comment. “And what’s t’say I won’t?” He asked, leaning forward again. “You never know. Someone else might just… Swoop in, steal ‘em away…” Benzo shrugged. Vander’s jaw would have dropped at the implication Benzo was making, had it not already been clenched in anxiety. Benzo continued; “I’m just sayin’, it’s not every day you find someone like that round here, is it?” “What are you saying, Benzo?” Vander asked, his voice colder than he meant it to be, but Benzo was not deterred – he knew that the emotional reaction Vander was exhibiting was little more than pent up tension that was long overdue to be released. This was Vander’s chance, and Benzo was making it seem like he was a threat to that chance. “What I’m sayin’, Vander, is that if you don’t make your move on them, and soon, I might just have to do it myself.” Vander’s chest tightened. He knew what Benzo had meant to say initially, but to hear him say it outright was something different entirely. It was almost like his words had a bite that cut deep within him; almost like he had been betrayed. The act hadn’t happened yet – nor was Vander sure that it would ever happen – but the words had echoed in his mind, his lip curling up slightly in a minor snarl. He could hardly believe that Benzo would sat such a thing, and with such conviction too. Betrayal gave way to a burning and unbridled passion that he couldn’t quite place. It wasn’t quite anger, but it wasn’t far off of that either. Benzo just stared at Vander, gauging his reaction. He wouldn’t actually act on his threat – it was more of a gentle shove in the right direction. An emotional shove to be sure, but a shove nonetheless. Benzo was fully aware that without it, Vander would probably keep letting his nerves get the better of him, and he just didn’t want to see his best friend go through that – not over and over and over again, like it was sure to. This way, Vander would act quicker, with more surety. He always seemed to work best when under pressure, or when he could intellectualise it all, take his emotions out of the equation. The latter option was off the table this time around; so pressure was the only true route. You could say that Benzo might’ve been better off trying to gently encourage Vander to pursue you; but the vendor knew that all the encouragement in the world would not be able to get Vander to act on his feelings; the man didn’t work that way. Benzo was brought out of his thoughts by a movement – Vander straightening himself up. This was a good sign, it meant Vander meant business, and for Benzo it meant his plan was working just as he intended it to. “You ain’t takin’ them away from me, Benzo.” “What makes you so sure?” Benzo replied, not even missing a beat, and keeping the façade of someone cool, calculated, and in control of the situation. Vander’s mouth opened for a moment, then shut soon after – he wasn’t sure what he wanted to say to the man, wasn’t sure how to retaliate. He sighed deeply, his hand coming to rub the bridge of his nose out of habit, trying to calm himself for a moment. Despite what had been said that evening, Benzo was still his friend, he didn’t want to say anything that he would regret. “I’ll… See you tomorrow.” He grumbled, turning on his heel, and making his way out of the shop. He needed to think this over, before making any sort of move.

The next few days blended together; Vander was predominantly occupied with his thoughts, running around in his brain – a flurry of scenarios, both good and bad, flashing before him. You hadn’t been to see him or get any drinks during this time, and he had started to fear that the interaction between you, him and Powder had scared you away for good. He had no idea how he would be able to admit to you or ask you anything now; though he wanted to see you again, he didn’t want to pry and seem like he was trying to invade your personal life. On the fifth day of Vander being in this strange sort of haze, Powder came and sat on the bar, watching her father figure carefully. She, and the others, had really noticed the quasi-absence of their father figure over the last few days – though that wasn’t for lack of him trying to be present; it was that sometimes, his thoughts consumed him, and he could hardly keep himself afloat in them. Vi had managed to cover the areas Vander couldn’t when it came to care, but she was starting to miss the loving and attentive side of the man that his children knew so well. Whilst Powder sat at the bar in a vague attempt to keep her father company, Mylo peered round a wooden support beam, eyeing the pair. “He’s been acting so weird lately…” He muttered, and Vi gave a sigh from beside him. “Ever since he went to see-“ “Benzo. We know. You keep saying.” The pink haired girl cut him off, pulling him away from the corner by his shoulder. “I told you – Vander was going to see him about someone he liked, and clearly something happened. But leave it alone for the minute, Mylo. I think Vander may be trying to work all this out on his own. He just needs some time.” “But it’s getting ridiculous, Vi!” The younger boy exclaimed, “It’s like he’s hardly here! Something’s gotta be done!” “Like what, Mylo? What do you want to suggest here? We go out and hunt this person down?” It was meant as a rhetorical question – but clearly Mylo didn’t see it like that. “Well… Yeah.” He shrugged. “What else can we do? I’m tired of just sitting here, and waiting for something to go his way. It’s stupid.” “Well…” The quiet Claggor started to speak up, “I mean, I s’pose we can go find whoever it is he’s… Pining after, and then ask if they’ll come back… But we can’t let Vander in on the idea, like at all.” He stated, and Mylo nodded rather enthusiastically. “That’s exactly what I said!” He exclaimed, and Vi shared a look with Claggor; they both knew it wasn’t, but they thought it would be best for everyone if they remained quiet on the matter. “Fine.” Vi sighed, giving in to the two boys. “Me and you will go ask Benzo if he knows how to find them, Mylo. Claggor, you stay here with Pow and make sure that nothing goes wrong.” Claggor nodded dutifully at this; Vi knew she’d be able to count on the soft-hearted boy – she always had been able to. “Right, come on Mylo. The sooner we get going, the sooner we find them.” Mylo gave a hiss of excitement, and hurriedly moved with Vi, slipping out the back door, whilst Claggor went to join Vander and Powder at the bar – he wanted to keep an eye on the pair of them, and keep the situation in a safe spot. Several hours went by like this, and Vander said very little to the pair – which was most unusual. Though Powder was unaware of the plan to try and find the person Vander had fallen for, Claggor’s mind kept wandering back to it, hoping that his siblings would be able to find something, anything that would be able to help all of you.

Thankfully, they had found something. Though Benzo had been shocked and even somewhat annoyed that the pair had turned up out of the blue, and without Vander, after having the situation explained to him, he was more than willing to give the two children any information that he could provide that they may need. You weren’t all that far away – not in the grand scheme of things. Only a few minutes from The Last Drop – and only a few minutes more from Benzo’s shop. A shared look between Mylo and Vi was all it took for them to come to the agreement that they’d have to pay you a quick home visit. Nothing to intimidate you, just to explain the situation to you, see if you would do anything further to chase Vander’s affections, or if you were to just do nothing, and abandon all such endeavours. It didn’t take them long to find your home – beaten up and dilapidated like the vast majority of The Lanes; not that they expected anything else. Vi was the first to approach your abode, signalling for Mylo to hang back for the moment. She knew all too well that he’d probably blurt something out that you didn’t need to hear just yet. Begrudgingly he did so, crossing his arms over his chest rather grumpily. It took you a moment to answer the door after Vi had knocked, and you eyed the girl curiously; you vaguely recognised her from your visits to the Last Drop, but you couldn’t entirely place her. “Can I help you…?” You asked, somewhat unsurely – what on earth was she doing out here at this hour? “Hi…” She greeted, seeming a little unsure herself. “Uh…” Vi wasn’t sure how to start, how was she going to phrase this? “I’m… Vander’s kid… The bartender from-“ “The Last Drop.” You finished. “I know who Vander is… What I want to know is why are you here? He send you?” You ask, starting to get somewhat defensive; why did Vander send his kid to you? How did he even know where you lived? Was he creeping on you? Did he follow you home, and you weren’t aware of it? “No!” The teenager quickly exclaimed, before taking a moment to calm herself down. “No… I came here to help Vander, he-“ “Is he in trouble?” You asked, mind immediately jumping to the worst. Even Vi looked somewhat shocked at the speed you suddenly came to this conclusion. “No, no-“ Vi held her hands up to try and calm you. “He’s fine… Well, not really, you see he’s… Well… He wants to see you again, and-“ “He wants to see me?” You echo, not letting the young girl finish her sentence. “Why does he want to see me?” “Well…” Vi trailed off, trying to think of a reasonable excuse for this, without giving it away. “Is it about what his other kid said?” You suggested, goose bumps starting to raise on your skin, as Vi went somewhat sheepish. “Uh… Kinda…” She shrugged lightly, “Listen… It’s not what Powder made it out to be, honest. She’s just… Excitable, and seeing Vander act like that is a little new to her.” Vi explained, “She meant no harm by it, honest. Just… Come see Vander for a little while… No pressure – I’ll make sure Powder doesn’t get between you again… And you can get a few minutes alone with him.” She offered, and you had to think it over for a moment, you weren’t entirely sure why. “Alright… I’ll be there tomorrow…” You told her quietly, and though she didn’t react much outwardly, you could see her eyes light up – something similar to hope glinted in those young eyes of hers. “Thank- Alright...” She quickly caught herself, not wanting to seem too desperate, for her or her father figure. “I’ll, uh… I’ll get going now…” she started to back away, struggling to contain her excitement as she left the property, re-joining her brother, who you could just about hear ask how it went as the two vacated the area, rushing back to The Last Drop through damp and darkened streets as fast as their legs could carry them, using what little will they had left to not burst out laughing with pure and utter glee.

However, the sight they returned to made their chests tighten and stomachs drop. Vander had closed up early, and was waiting, looking rather unimpressed, leaning up against the bar, arms crossed and brows furrowed. Mylo skidded to a stop, and Vi tried to close the door as quietly as she could, not wanting to disturb the bartender. “And where have you two been?” Vander’s voice was low and gruff, but not malicious. All he wanted to know was the truth; he was concerned for the safety of his children, who had snuck out without his knowledge, and potentially put themselves in danger for all he knew. Vi looked up, ready to feign innocence, but her eyes caught a rather guilty looking Claggor hanging around the side of the bar. “We weren’t causing any trouble, Vander, we promise.” Vi told him, speaking calmly and trying to keep her father figure the same. “That’s not what I asked.” Vi fell silent for a moment, not entirely sure what to tell him. “Where have you been? Were you followed back? Are you okay?” Vander was clearly not angry, though perhaps partially annoyed that Vi hadn’t trusted him enough to inform him of her and Mylo’s whereabouts. “We were… Helping.” Vi said slowly, watching Vander’s expression carefully. “Helping who?” Vander pressed, wanting and needing to know more. Mylo tried to sneak away, but Vander grabbed his collar before he could get too far away. “You’re not going anywhere before I get answers to my questions.” He spoke quietly. “You’re both going to sit down, and tell me why you left without telling me, and left Claggor to ‘distract’ me, and look after Powder. You got that?” He gently pushed Mylo towards one of the barstools, gesturing for him to sit down, and for Vi to do the same. With a nod, Vander sent Claggor away and the other two could only assume that Powder had already been sent to bed. About an hour later, Vi and Mylo were released from their interrogation, and allowed to go to bed, the same as the others. “I hope tonight was worth it…” Mylo grumbled quietly as he clambered into bed, “Cause there’s no way I want to take another questioning like that anytime soon…” “It will be,” Vi assured him. “Just you wait. They’ll come around…” But there was no reply to this, Mylo had already fallen asleep; Vi followed about twenty minutes later.

The next morning was filled with an almost tangible silence amongst the family. The only sounds were those made by shuffles against the old wooden floors, or the ruffle of various fabrics from bedsheets or clothes. Even as Vander opened the bar for business, there was an unsettling silence amongst them all. Claggor and Mylo didn’t want to disrupt Vander, who was still in contemplation as he was going through the motions of opening up. Powder remained quiet because she didn’t entirely know what was going on, and she didn’t want to push things further, same as her brothers. Vi had kept trying to talk, but never got far enough to substantially cut through the sheet of silence. All she could hope for at this point was you turning up today, and setting right what had been wrong for much of the recent days. Business started slow, with patrons trickling in and taking their usual seats, occasionally coming up to the bar to ask for a drink from Vander. For the first couple of hours, none of the children had been able to spot you. “Oh, yeah, last night is totally paying off, isn’t it?” Mylo muttered sarcastically to Vi, “The ‘getting in trouble with Vander’ was so worth it.” “Give them a chance… We’ve only just opened up.” Vi defended, shaking her head lightly and trying to take on a façade of confidence despite her own nerves skyrocketing, almost making her feel ill. “Maybe they’re working?” She suggested, and Mylo scoffed quietly. “Yeah, maybe. Whatever. But if they don’t turn up before closing time, you owe me.” Mylo pointed a somewhat accusatory finger at Vi, who gave the younger boy a look of distaste. “For what? You didn’t even do anything! I did all the talking! To Benzo, and to them!” She exclaimed, giving her brother a shove on the shoulder as she spoke. Mylo stumbled, but managed to catch himself before he fell over. “Yeah, but I went with you!” He retorted, getting ready to push back, before Vi held up a hand to his face whilst looking in another direction. “Hey! You can’t do that, stop-“ “Shut up,” She hissed, grabbing him and moving him in front of her by the shoulders so he faced the same way that she had done just a moment prior. “Look.” She angled his face towards the entrance of the establishment, and he just managed to catch your figure blending into a small crowd near the pool table. “I don’t owe you anything now.” She gave him a gentle shove away from herself, having proved her point. “Now we just wait, and see what happens…” Meanwhile, you had been slowly making your way towards the bar, intentionally taking a slightly more crowded route to hide yourself from the bartender, the man who you had in fact come to see, with a gentle shove from Vi the night before. Vander had been preoccupied with another patron, and it wasn’t until they had left that his eyes met yours. You offered a tiny smile as he approached, leaning on the bar in front of you. “What’ll it be?” He asked, not expecting your conversation to be any more than this for the moment – he had planned to speak to you privately before closing, whenever you eventually decided to turn up. “Well I was hoping to get a moment or two alone with you… To talk?” You said, leaning a bit closer to him. Vander’s face went blank for a moment, before he glanced to the other patrons. Everyone seemed to have the drinks they so desired, or were too buried in their games and discussions to care that they were lacking a beverage. He could spare a few minutes for you, and even if he couldn’t, he wanted to. So he would. Throwing the rag he usually used to clean the bar with over his shoulder, he gave a nod to you. “O’course…” He moved out of the bar, gesturing to an empty table booth which the pair of you could occupy for the time being. “So… I know I haven’t been around for a few days…” You started slowly, trying to gauge his reaction. “Mhm… Was starting to worry something had happened to you.” Vander admitted – which wasn’t wrong. “Glad to see that ain’t the case though…” He gave a small smile as he spoke, the words coming from his heart. He had no clue what he would do if he was unable to see your face for the rest of his life. As stupid as it sounded when he considered it, he wanted to see your face every day – morning and night – for the rest of his life. “Yeah…” You said slowly. “To be honest… I was a little bit nervous on coming back here, after the kid…” Vander sighed quietly at your words. “I’m… I’m really sorry about her… She just gets so excited about things, and doesn’t always know not to mention things…” He said, his palm coming to meet half of his face, as if rubbing it would rid him of his problems and embarrassment. “No, no, it’s alright… I was kinda more shocked and nervous about the fact that, well… She’s right, isn’t she?” You gave a small pause. “About you liking me?” A silence hung over the pair of you for a moment, as Vander tried to find the right words to respond with. This wasn’t like a debate over payment, he had to be careful over his words – he wanted to be careful. He wanted to do this right. Or as right as he could give how the situation had already been affected. “Yeah… Yeah, she was…” Vander said quietly, clearing his throat. A nervous nausea passed through him, but he was determined to push through it. “I just… It’s a kind of new thing for me… Well, not really, but… It’s been a long time. I didn’t want to say anythin’ initially, cause… Well I hate to say it, and I’m not meanin’ to be rude, but… You’re a new face…” He paused for a moment, trying to see what your thoughts were. “And I didn’t want you thinkin’ I was just… Some guy who falls for someone just on sight, as nice as it might sound in stories…” He trailed off again, feeling like he was starting to dig himself into a hole he wouldn’t be able to get himself out of again. “I, uh… I don’t want things to be awkward between us. Truth is, I like havin’ you around. You’re a nice person to be around. It’s nice speakin’ to you – as short as our conversations normally are…” He chuckled awkwardly, wanting you to say something, anything. You had been too quiet for him to keep talking – not even a hum or chuckle had passed your lips. You could reject him for all he cared right now, but his stomach was doing flip after flip, tying itself in a vast array of knots, waiting on edge for you to speak. “I like speaking with you too.” You said simply, and immediately Vander started to feel a weight life off his shoulders. “You know… You’re not like a lot of the others down here in the Lanes…” “Well, I wouldn’t go that far-“ “But it’s true, Vander. You don’t solely look out for yourself, do you? You look out for others, and for your family…” You pointed out, and he couldn’t exactly deny that. His family and his people came before him in every situation that he could imagine. “There aren’t many people down here who think that way… I like it.” Vander perked up at this – you could see it in those grey eyes of his. He couldn’t believe it. Not only had you noticed that he thought and acted with others in mind before himself, but you liked it. You admired it. It soothed him in a way he could not put into words. “You do?” Was all he could reply with, dumbstruck and utterly head over heels for you. You hummed and nodded, and Vander noticed the smile on your lips. “Why wouldn’t I?” You chuckled in response to him, and Vander’s head dipped down for a moment, a soft smile spreading across his face, mirroring your own. He couldn’t help it. There was something so innately contagious about your smile, to him at least. He shrugged lightly in a final response to your question, his gaze moving to meet your eyes again. “I… Dunno…” He replied slowly, before shifting in his seat. “But… Since you think that way, I do have somethin’ to ask you…” This was it. This was the big one – what he had been waiting for what felt like an eternity to do, the thing that Benzo had been pushing him to ask. You quirked your brow at this, trying to quietly prompt him to continue. Vander noticed, and tried to quietly clear his throat, simultaneously attempting to push down some of his nerves, not that it worked very well. “I was wonderin’… If you maybe wanted to… Come round here more often – out of hours, I mean. Or maybe… Go find somewhere decent to have a meal together.” He stumbled a little bit over his words, but he largely thought that he did relatively well, considering the nerves that had been piling and building up for so long. The silence that followed his words seemed like one whole torturous eternity, something that he couldn’t get out of, would never escape. He dared think that this suspense rivalled the day which he and the rest of the Lanes tried to cross the bridge. That unnerving, unparalleled and undeniable feeling of dread deep down in his gut, which only ever seemed to fade, rather than leave completely. “Sure,” Was the simple but goodhearted reply that came from you – turns out it hadn’t been an eternity, but rather only a few seconds. Vander couldn’t quite believe that you’d so soon and so readily accepted his offer, but that wasn’t to say he was upset about it – no, quite the opposite in fact. He was overjoyed. “Really?” He asked, before shaking his head – why was he asking that? Of course you really meant it; you had never struck him as the type to deceive, and the look in your eyes was nothing short of a joyous glinting glow. “I mean… Good, great… Glad to hear it…” He smiled, the Hound made nervous by your presence, and by the prospect of your now budding relationship. “How about… Wednesday?” “Wednesday?” You echoed, thinking briefly, before starting to nod. “Sure, Wednesday is good… You got any place in mind?” You ask, just in case he had already started to formulate something in his mind – you never knew with Vander. He may be ‘getting on in years’ as you had heard him often joke about, but his mind was just as sharp as you had heard it to be so many years ago. He began to nod, his eyes flitting briefly to his large hands as they fidgeted on the table, trying to alleviate the remaining nerves in Vander’s mind. “Yeah… You could come here for the evenin’… I can cook us somethin’ – if you’d like, of course.” He flashed you a small smile. He knew his cooking could at times leave a lot to be desired, but regardless, he wanted to offer this hospitality to you. He wanted to prove further that he wasn’t like most others in the Underground – just like you had pointed out to him. He would not brag about this elsewhere, but if it were something about him that you liked, then what was the harm in highlighting that further to you? In the city of Zaun, there was very rarely a time where abundance or focus on a good thing became too much. You nodded happily, and opened your mouth to say something excitedly in reply, before being abruptly cut off by a yell from a patron – vying for Vander’s attention, and unfortunately winning it from you. Vander glanced to you, his eyes full of nothing short of a sincere apology, but he had no time to say anything more as he got to his feet and returned to the bar. So, there you sat for a short while longer, almost dumbfounded. A date with the famed Hound of the Underground, seemingly arranged in part by his young daughter, much to your surprise. She had prompted that night’s encounter and subsequent plans for a date on Wednesday at the very least, it seemed. You didn’t spend much longer in that booth – wanting to return home and quietly imagine what Wednesday night would be like. What would Vander try and cook for the pair of you? Surely it would be better than any of the street food that you often had to purchase from a back alley, late at night with no other means of sustenance. It wasn’t the most glamourous of lifestyles, you knew that. You didn’t have to be from Piltover to know that life in Zaun was no picnic, that there was so much missing, and there was little to make do with. Vander had noticed your absence as soon as there was a lack of patrons to occupy his attention; a mere few minutes after you had left. He sighed quietly, regretting not giving you the proper goodbye which you had deserved, but quickly geared his mind towards Wednesday, the same as you had, giving himself some sort of hope in the forever looming fog of the Underground.

Wednesday had come far quicker than either of you had expected. Ordinarily, days crawled along, as if intentionally trying to draw themselves out for longer, to further torment the inhabitants of the Underground, to force them to endure hardship for just that bit longer – working in the mines, scarpering along streets in search of food or safety, it didn’t matter what they were doing. Time wore on, a merciless master to those who had no choice but to yield to it. Despite this, it seemed that whatever power oversaw your lives took pity on you and Vander, a blossoming love in an unforgiving world. In the momentary respite it gave the pair of you, you both managed to actually enjoy some of the day whilst you both tried to get ready for that evening. Vander had closed up early, and the kids had helped him in various ways; Mylo and Powder had made it a competition between themselves to see who could tidy and decorate more, with Vi as their overseer, whilst Claggor had helped him in the kitchen, assisting more with the cleaning and defending the food from Mylo, than with the actual cooking. With their combined help, and his own efforts, Vander believed that the evening was setting up to be at least somewhat successful. As Vander left to briefly groom himself, and make sure he looked his best for you, Vi turned to her three siblings, placing her hands on her hips. “No funny business tonight,” She said seriously, “Vander’s stressed and worried enough as it is… The least we can do is give him some peace of mind by staying out of the way, just for tonight.” Her gaze moved pointedly to Mylo, who although she knew he had been on relatively good behaviour when they had gone to see you, she was aware that good streak could quickly come to an end. Powder and Claggor nodded dutifully – neither of them had any complaints about this evening. “What?” Mylo exclaimed, feeling rather singled out. “I haven’t done anything!” “That’s exactly why I’m giving you this look,” Vi gestured to her face with one finger. “If you step even a toe out of line tonight, you don’t even want to know what I’ll do. Vander’s done a hell of a lot for us – the least we can do to pay him back for it is letting him have some semblance of a normal love-life. We’ve done all we can on the actively involved side. Now it’s time to stay out of the way.” “That’s enough, Vi, I think they all get the idea…” Vander called to her, scratching his beard as he rounded the corner into view. “Just… All of you get to bed, okay? I’ll have a think about some kind o’reward for you all… If tonight goes well.” He joked with a quiet chuckled, though the noise betrayed the nerves that wracked every part of his body. He cleared his throat to try and cover the noise, before speaking again; “Now, off with you.” With that, the children scarpered at various speeds, Vi hanging round just long enough to flash Vander a comforting smile.

It wasn’t too long after that that Vander had welcomed you once again into The Last Drop – though on a much more personal level, this time. He was rather relieved to see that neither of you had dressed particularly fancy – Vander had worn his usual white and blue shirt, minus the brown jacket that ordinarily covered his broad shoulders. You had worn an outfit that he hadn’t seen before, but looked no more glamorous than his own, even by the low standards of Zaun. It was a simple outfit, but one that he felt suited you. A simple black top – made out of a fuzzy looking material – and very similar jeans to his own, brown and a rough material that could weather almost any situation. “Now, I’m hopin’ that the food is to your taste…” Vander spoke to you, balancing one plate on each hand as he approached the table you had seated yourself at. “It ain’t much, but… It should be fillin’ at the very least…” He joked, not having overwhelming faith in his cooking skills; he had certainly not tried to cook to impress before. Indeed, the meal was simple; comprised of the Underground’s fish substitute and some assorted edible foliage meant to imitate the rather elaborate salads topsiders consumed – but it still brought a warm smile to your face. “It looks and smells wonderful...” You told him, and just like the night when you had accepted his offer of a date, his eyes lit up. “Thank you…” He said softly, as he took the seat across from you. The meal he had prepared for you both was just as nice as you had imagined, if not nicer – you hadn’t had a meal like this for a very long time, such opportunities just didn’t come around that often in the Underground. The conversation that you and Vander shared over the course of dinner, too, was a nice break from the norm. For him, it was a break from the stress of managing a bar night after night, keeping a close and watchful eye over each and every patron and their business, and of course his four children, who could cause a large amount of trouble for Vander in their own various ways. For you, it was a wonderful break from the monotony that so often plagued your nights; spent alone in a home that barely had four walls and a roof, doing nothing more than trying to get by. You talked about anything that came into your minds – Topsiders and their audacity, Vander’s children and the Last Drop, the past and the things you so desired to gain in the future, no matter how far away or impossible they may seem. Vander had told you he hoped for nothing for himself, but rather for a better life for his people, and your heart ached for him. Again you saw the Vander that put his own needs and desires aside for the good of others, and you began to wonder how long exactly he had been acting in this way – from the sounds of it, it was far too long. “Have you ever thought of, y’know… Doing something for yourself for once? A day off? Some time with your kids? Something like that?” You asked him, leaning on the table, plates now empty and pushed aside. Vander shrugged, as he leant back in his chair with a rather heavy sigh. “Yeah, I’ve thought about it… But I wouldn’t want to get into the habit,” He replied, honestly. “Besides… Tonight’s kind of a ‘for me’ thing… I get to spend time with you.” You ignored the heat that undeniably spread throughout your cheeks at such an offhand comment from him – something that so easily and so comfortably passed his lips. You couldn’t deny, either, the feeling of longing that accompanied this; you wanted to get used to that kind of comment. Not just from anyone, but from Vander. The Hound of the Underground, who always seemed so tough, always on guard. You could happily get used to this softer side of him. “So… Are you saying you’d want to do this again, sometime?” You asked, gently probing the subject of perhaps the pair of you becoming a more official item. Vander caught onto your game quickly. “Yeah… Yeah, I s’pose I am…” He nodded, leaning forward and covering one of your hands with his much larger one. “I mean… If you wanted that… An’ if you don’t mind the kids…” He told you, eyeing your expression carefully. This was him sussing out if you minded about the kids – and ergo if you were truly worth pursuing or keeping around. You chuckled and averted your gaze for a moment, just as he was privy to your line of questioning, you were privy to his. “’Course I don’t mind them…” You told him, and you didn’t – besides that initial meeting with the young Powder which had rather surprised you with the girl’s lack of filter. But you had also seen a more caring side of the wards Vander clearly cared so much for, when they had sought you out without any command from Vander himself. “They’re good kids…” Vander nodded in agreement with this – he thought exactly the same, even when they were causing almost ungodly amounts of mischief, both in Zaun and Piltover. “Clearly they learnt from a decent role model…” You joked, nodded briefly to him, and Vander slowly shook his head. “No, no… I wouldn’t call myself that…” Vander brushed away the credit you were trying to give him. “I’ve guided them in the past, sure, but for the most part… They’ve made their own decisions, and learnt from their own mistakes…” You didn’t doubt this to be true, at least in part, but you found it odd that Vander was eschewing any responsibility in that sense; though you didn’t dwell on it for too long, sensing that perhaps it would be somewhat of a sensitive subject for him.

“So,” Your voice pierced through the momentary silence that found the pair of you. “Do you think this will become… A regular thing? Like… Do you want it to become a regular thing?” You asked him, voicing a question that had been cropping up in both of your minds. Vander leant forward in his seat, nodding subtly. “I… I do. I think we will become somethin’… I want us to, at least...” He mumbled, his eyes flicking to yours, seeking some comfort. They found it there, the warmth of compassion embedded deep within your irises which enchanted him now, in the low flicker of the candlelight, more so than they had ever managed to before. “An’ I think… I think you should start comin’ around here more often… Get to know a few other regulars, like…” He suggested, “You might get to meet a few of my ol’ friends… And even if you don’t want to do that, you’ll have a chance to spend some time with me…” He offered you a smile as he finished speaking. You nodded, rather enthusiastically, and Vander began to get to his feet as you took your turn to talk. “I’d like that, actually… That way I can get all the good stories, can’t I?” You joked, picking up your plate before Vander could reach over to collect it. “Already heard a good few from Benzo, I think.... You overhear, things, sometimes…” You chuckled, having noticed the somewhat shocked look that began to manifest itself on his features; Benzo knew a great many things about him, some that he would perhaps not like you to know about, for the time being. The both of you continued to banter in a comfortable, and natural back and forth, until the dishes had been cleaned and dried, with a form of teamwork that mirrored the way you spoke with one another – somehow totally and utterly in sync. Then came the question of sleeping – you had told Vander you’d easily be able to make it home, however Vander had vetoed your plan of returning home, not at so late an hour. “Listen, I won’t make you sleep in the same bed as me or anythin’, I can sleep on the couch, but please, don’t risk goin’ out there so late. We both know there are people out there best left alone at this time of night…” He warned, his voice lowering to an almost dangerous tone. “You can borrow an old shirt, if you need something to sleep in…” He told you, and you couldn’t bring yourself to decline that; so, with a smile and quick but tired mumble of thanks as fatigue overtook your limbs, you draped Vander’s shirt over your body, and promptly passed out in his bed, sprawled across the sheets. Vander had come to check on you not long after – having just made sure the kids were safe, sound and asleep, which thankfully they were, and had to stifle the chuckle that rose in his throat. He slowly moved round the bed, stepping carefully as to avoid the floorboards he knew creaked under any sort of weight, to try and get you to lay more comfortably. He was careful when moving you – his large hands being so dainty and delicate, so as not to wake you. He pulled the covers up to around your waist, unsure of how you usually liked them, before trading the same path he had taken from doorway to bed. He turned to look at you over his shoulder, a warm smile gracing his worn features. He could get used to seeing you so peaceful in his home – it made you seem like part of the family, a thought he much enjoyed. “Night, love.” He knew you’d not hear these words as he pulled the door closed, but he didn’t care. It felt right to say them, and so he did. He’d sacrifice his back sleeping on the couch that night, but he had no regrets about it; he’d do it a thousand times over to get even a glimmer of the same result he got that night. Knowing you were safe, warm and fed were all he could ask for, and worth the back-ache – coming into the knowledge that you may regularly be staying with him, was the best added bonus the man could ever wish for. For the first time in a very long time, Vander realised he was not ‘halfway happy’, as he so often was. He was content, at peace. Finally, he had found someone who loved him for him, and it was someone whom he had kindled the same feelings for – a true blessing in a cruel world, that gave little.

[angry-geese]

Can I request nsfw+fluff gojo x fem!reader? (established relationships) Just gojo being horny and needy after weeks not seeing reader due to work. (Uuuu and may I add breeding kink too <3 ) Lmaooo what's wrong with me✋🏻😔 I love your works btw and just take your time💕💕 here *slides a cookie 🍪 *

YESSSS gojo + breeding kink is top tier. i got a little carried away with this one lol

When We Meet Again

Gojo Satoru x Reader

Warnings: shameless smut. oral (fem receiving), creampies, mating press, unprotected sex, fingering, fluff and smut. slight somnophilia (kinda??) fem!reader

Word Count: 3.7k

jjk masterlist

It's well past midnight by the time he gets home.

Save for a single light in the kitchen, the apartment is dark. Leftover pastries sit out on the counter, covered with a bowl to keep bugs from getting to them, alongside your keys, and an empty mug of tea. A grocery list has been stuck to the fridge. A rack of dishes sits beside the sink, drying.

You're not in your usual spot on the couch. He's not surprised. It's late. And though you don't have work in the morning, you were never one to stay up so long. You must have gone to bed already. You might have stayed up had he bothered to tell you he was coming home. But he didn't. His plans changed at the last moment, and not even he knew he'd be back so soon.

He hates being gone this long. He misses sleeping in his own bed. Sometimes he forgets just how cold a bed can be without someone else in it.

The door to your shared room is open. Though it's dark. There's a faint green glow from the alarm clock on the side table. The moon is full enough tonight to provide a bit of light; a pale silver glow fills the room. And there you are, curled up on his side of the bed. In one of his shirts. A black button up that’s a bit too big for you, with sleeves that hang well past your fingertips.

It's not like he can refuse. If he’s getting called out to help, then there's probably not someone who can go in his place. The strongest doesn't really have time to take a vacation. He’s on call 24/7. Between his teaching job at Jujutsu Tech, and the major clans of Jujutsu society constantly demanding his attention, he’s rather short on free time.

It was a tedious job. Not worth his time. Not particularly tough, albeit time consuming. But the previous two sorcerers came back with nothing. And so he was sent out. Cleaning up someone else's mess.

The first week he called every day. The job wasn’t supposed to take any longer than that. Or so you both assumed. As the second rolled through, your calls grew shorter, and less frequent. He found himself frustrated with the lack of contact. It wasn't either of your faults. Your work called for you to be out during the little free time he had. Overtime. When you did have time to call each other, you were often exhausted, and short with him. The distance was putting a strain on your relationship.

The worst part of it all; he couldn't fuck you. And for a man that could go multiple rounds in a day, that was miserable. His love language is touch. Not being able to hold you was… well, miserable.

You don't really know the extent of the effect you have on him.

He's too tired to change, and he showered before he left, so he strips to his boxers and pulls his side of the blankets aside. Tomorrow is laundry day anyway. You always choose Sundays for laundry day, because that's the day before you have to go back to work. There's just enough room between you and the edge of the bed for him to slip in.

When something makes him stop dead in his tracks.

It's your voice. You’re calling out his name. You aren't awake, and though you do sometimes talk in your sleep, tonight is different. When it does happen, it's usually nonsense. Soft, endearing babble that he can't help but listen to. He says your name, softly, but you don't respond. Enough moonlight streams in through the window to see your face. Your brows are knit in concentration—possibly frustration—and sweat beads in your hairline.

Are you having a nightmare?

The bed dips under his weight as he sits, resting a hand on your thigh. Your skin is rather warm, he notes. You roll over onto your side, burying your face in his pillow. He pulls the blankets up, tucking them around your shoulders, as you’ve kicked them down by your feet in your sleep.

There it is again. You say his name, but there's a level of desperation behind it.

There's no denying the wetness between your thighs. You squeeze your thighs together in an unconscious attempt to get some relief. Your breathing is labored.

It's only a moment later that the realization kicks in.

The grin that splits his face can only be described as malicious in nature.

His hand creeps higher on your thigh, nudging the hem of your—his—shirt up. You’re not wearing anything underneath. The sight of your slick cunt is nearly enough to make his cock stand to attention.

His gaze falls to the curve of your hips, just barely illuminated by the moonlight. He likes the light of you in his shirt a little more than he likes to admit. Though he’s never been quiet about how much he appreciates your body.

Your body freezes the moment his thumb grazes across your slit. So does he. You’re so wet. Must be a real nice dream. You roll onto your back, your legs parted slightly. The soft gasps and moans that leave you are like music to his ears. Gojo takes this as an invitation to continue, his hand moving further up your thigh, lazily tracing circles into it.

You must've missed him more than he expected.

Your body registers that someone is touching you before it registers just who is doing such. In your sleepy, dream-ridden state you don't recognize the figure in front of you. In the dim light of the room, you can make out a mess of white hair, and the reflection of dark, round glasses shoved up into his hairline. Gojo’s eyes practically reflect in the dark.

You jolt awake, sitting up. “Jesus christ-”

“‘S just me, Mochi,” he says, though it does little to settle your nerves.

If you weren't awake before, you certainly are now.

“What? You watch people in their sleep now?!” You scold. “‘Toru- you scared the hell out of me!”

You flop back on the bed. The blankets pool around your hips. You reach to pull them back up, finding your bed colder than usual.

"You were calling out my name." He says.

"Oh," you say, and though there's little light in the room, he watches your face flush, "must have been dreaming about you."

“Wanna recreate what you were dreaming?” He asks. Rather smugly, might you add.

You roll your eyes. “Go to sleep.”

"Scoot over then. I'm gonna fall off the bed."

This prompts an evil sounding giggle from you, followed by a: "fall then."

"Alright," he says, rolling over to lay on you, throwing his arm around your waist. You’re effectively pinned under him, as the awkward angle won't allow you any leverage to throw him off. He attacks the exposed part of your neck with kisses, sucking hickeys into the flesh of your neck and shoulders. His hair tickles your skin.

“‘Toru- stop!” You squeal. “Let me go-”

“Not until you apologize,” he says, planting a wet kiss on your jaw.

“Never!”

“Then I guess I won't let you go.”

His arms wrap around you from behind, pulling you flush to his chest. One of his hands finds your own, his fingers lacing with yours. His legs tangle with yours in a way that holds them in place. Worming out of his grip in this position would be a near impossible task.

You suppose there’s worse fates than this.

It would be easier to stay awake if he wasn't so warm. Or if he didn't smell so nice. Or if he wasn't softly rocking your body with each breath he takes. His thumb traces soft circles around your knuckles. Gojo’s breath is warm against your neck, making goosebumps rise along the soft flesh. The steady sound of it is almost enough to lull you to sleep.

"I missed you." You say. Your voice is almost too soft to hear.

“I know.” He says. His arms give your midsection a reaffirming squeeze. “I missed you too.”

“How was work?”

“A shitshow,” he says, leaning to nip at your earlobe, “but I get to come home to you, so it’s not all bad. How’s everything been around here?”

“Quiet.” You say. “Kinda boring without you. I wish you told me you’d be home tonight. I would have done something special.”

“It was a spur of the moment decision.” He says. “I didn't expect to be home so soon either.”

“We should do something tomorrow, then,” you say, “a new ramen place opened up down the street. You know where the old bakery used to be? They leased the place out.”

Gojo hums in response. Ramen sounds nice. Especially now. But he’s too tired and too horny to worry about food. Why have ramen when he has a meal right in front of him? Or a snack, as he often likes to call you. To which you roll your eyes, but there's no denying how he makes you blush.

You take back what you said about finding it easy to sleep. He’s moving around a bit too much for that. Gojo isn't subtle about it either. Nothing about the man is. He foregos subtly in favor of announcing nearly everything he does. Loudly. Who would dare stop him?

But you guess it's part of his charm. His dorky, sappy charm. You’ve kind of signed up for it, so you’re not complaining.

You scoot away from the edge of the bed a bit, thinking he needs more room. Gojo pulls you back to his chest, thinking you’re trying to run away from him.

“Quit squirming.” You hiss.

“Sorry Mochi,” he says, “just tryna get comfortable.”

And he really does mean it. But he’s been gone from you for so long that he's forgotten how nice your body feels against his. A little too nice, he’ll admit. Phone sex is nice, but it's not the same as the real thing. It gets old after a while. His hand doesn't quite compare to yours. Or the real thing. Something hard presses against your thigh from behind.

That's when it clicks. You just smell so nice. Your body is so warm against his. You look so nice in his shirt. Can you really blame him for getting hard?

You aren't sure he knows that you know. You shift a bit. It appears you’re only trying to get comfortable. His grip around your waist loosens, allowing you to settle a bit closer to him. You can't help it if your shirt rides up a bit, exposing the perfect curve of your ass. He prefers you in nothing at all, though the sight of you wearing his clothes is certainly a nice one. Any sight of you is. Gojo is shameless in the way he adores your body.

Once settled, his arms return to your waist. His head falls into the crook of your neck. He’s doing little to hide the tent he sports in his boxers. Maybe he thinks you don't notice. Or maybe he’s trying to ignore it.

“Stop that,” he says.

“I'm not doing anything,” you say, with the same evil giggle as before.

“Why do I not believe you?”

His lips find your neck, sucking a dark mark into your pulsepoint. The sudden sensation of lips on your neck makes you squeal. In your ear he coos every sappy nickname in the book that makes you blush.

You hardly notice as his hand trails lower. Your legs part just enough for him to slip his hand between them. He does nothing but seek out your warmth. Yet.

A familiar tension returns to your stomach. It's not unpleasant.

So that's what he was doing. Not that you’re complaining.

“Missed you, Mochi,” he says, gasping at the wet feeling of your cunt, “missed you so much. You have any clue what it's like being around all those weird old men all day? For days on end, no end in sight?”

It always surprises you just how bad the man can be with words, yet how good he is with his mouth.

His fingers find your clit, drawing lazy circles around the bundle of nerves. Your breath catches in your throat. You can't deny how nice his long fingers feel inside of you.

“Seems like you’ve missed me too.” He says, his breath warm against your ear.

“Whatever you want to think, old man,” you say. Though you have missed him. You always do. But there's some fun to be had by teasing him.

“Old man?!” He sounds genuinely hurt. “Don't be like that. I know you like having me around.”

“Oh really? What makes you think that?”

His fingers move to press into the tight entrance of your cunt, his thumb brushing across your clit. The soft gasp that leaves you is practically music to his ears. To give him credit, he is good with his hands.

“Did you think about me while I was gone,” he coos, “did you touch yourself while you did it? I did. Couldn't keep my mind off this sweet cunt of yours. I think I want a taste.”

Your only response is a soft moan. Heat pools low in your stomach, growing in intensity with each skilled movement of his hand. He moves so you can lay on your back. Your hands find the sheets, holding them in a death grip. Gojo nudges your legs further apart with one of his knees.

The kiss he pulls you into is uncharacteristically soft, and needy. He moans nearly as loud as you when you nibble on his bottom lip, hips lips parting, allowing the strong muscle of your tongue to explore his mouth.

Your hands work to undo the top few buttons of your shirt, exposing your breasts. His free hand comes up to grope appreciatively at your tits. Gojo has never been shy about how much he adores them. Or shy ever, to his credit. You’re his, and he would show you off to the world if you’d let him.

But sometimes he prefers to steal you into his domain, and hold you there. Close. Where you’ll always be at his side. The one place in this universe he can truly promise you’ll be safe.

You hardly notice as his kisses trail down your neck. Down the valley between your breasts. Working the last few buttons of your shirt open with his long fingers. What you do notice is the sudden absence of his hand.

Your legs part to give him room to settle between them. His head rests on your stomach. His warm breath tickles your skin.

"You gonna let me have a taste?" He asks, nipping at your thigh.

You swallow hard, eyes locked on him. Slowly, you nod.

You gasp at the feeling of his warm tongue, licking a stripe from your bellybutton to your mound. He's not touching you where you need him most. And that frustrates you. You buck your hips up towards his mouth, eliciting a soft laugh from him. He can't tease you too long. His cock is painfully hard, leaking against his thigh in his boxers. He can only hold himself back for so long.

You freeze at the feeling of a hot tongue against your clit.

Gojo eats pussy like a starving man, presented with his favorite meal. He does nothing short of savoring you. How you smell, how you taste, how you sound. He's shameless in how he adores this. Gojo moans nearly as loud as you at the taste of your cunt. Sweeter than his favorite dish. Meant to be savored.

You can't deny that he's good with his mouth. His tongue works circles around your clit, drawing gasps and moans from you.

Heat builds in your stomach, drawing you closer to your impending orgasm. One that comes upon you far sooner than expected.

Maybe you’re more pent up than you thought.

Your thighs clench around his head as you cum hard. He lets you ride out your orgasm on his tongue, working you through it with his skilled mouth. He’d stay with his head between your legs forever if you’d let him. Which you don't, as overstimulation soon registers in your lust addled mind, and you shove his head away.

The lower half of his face glistens in the dim light, wet with saliva, and your own slick. He’s far from subtle in the way he licks his lips, or groans at your taste. He may have gotten a bit too excited. It's not unlike him to get carried away. How can he resist a fertile cunt like yours?

“I think you should taste yourself,” he says. His hands move to cup your face as he pulls you into a kiss. You taste yourself on his lips. His hardened cock grinds against his thigh.

“‘Toru-” you whine.

“What's the matter baby?” He coos. “Use your words.”

“Fuck me.” You say. “I need you, ‘Toru. I need your cock in me.”

“Why didn't you say so?” He says, though the desperation in his voice is palpable.

He wastes no time in shoving his boxers down his hips, freeing his cock.

He’s not the most intimidating in size, but his cock is nice, and fairly thick, with a slight upward curve. The patch of hairs towards the base are soft, and white. Generally you don't need a whole lot of prep to take him. Which is helpful when he can't keep his hands to himself, and insists on fucking you in the bathroom during dinner. As much as he likes to take his time with you, he’ll take you anywhere you’ll let him. At work, or over every flat surface of your apartment. Not a single room of your home was spared. Not that either of you mind.

“Gotta work you open first,” he says, “don't want you to be too tight, do we?”

Between his saliva, and your own slick, you put up little resistance. He’s able to slide one finger in. Then a second, with no issue. His fingers curve, stroking your g-spot. His thumb works soft circles around your sensitive clit as he works you open with his fingers. Really, this is unnecessary. Your cunt is practically dripping with your own arousal.

He makes a show of licking his fingers, groaning at the taste of you. Gojo really has no shame.

The moan he lets out as he sheathes himself is truly sinful.

It's another moment before he starts thrusting.

Gojo needs a moment to collect himself. He’s been working himself up for hours if not days. All the nights he spent, thinking of what he’d do to you once he got home. He’s gone over this day in his head about a hundred times.

The sound of his hips slapping against yours fills the room. His taunts turn into senseless babble. Strands of praise mixed with Gojo’s overall dorky remarks. Pleas of your name, calling you mochi, baby, honey, and every other sappy nickname he can think of. His head falls into the crook of your neck, nipping and sucking at the soft skin. He’s not going to let you leave this bed until you’re thoroughly marked up.

Tension grows in your stomach like a rubber band being stretched tight. Your previous orgasm has left you overly sensitive, and leaves another orgasm creeping up on you sooner than expected. His hand falls to your stomach, working lower until his thumb finds your clit, rubbing the sensitive nub.

He presses your legs further back, shoving them almost to your chest. The stretch leaves a pleasant burn in your hips. Your body isn't really meant to bend this way, though it’s not completely uncomfortable. It's not long before he has you into a full mating press, rutting against you desperately, fucking you into the mattress. The bed frame groans in protest with each of his thrusts. Deep, and unrelenting. Gojo’s cock curves in such a way that hits your sweet spots just right, leaving you writing under him.

“Gonna put a baby in you, Mochi,” he says, “gonna breed this pretty cunt of yours.”

You nod along desperately. You want nothing more than for him to cum inside, filling you completely.

He silences your moan with a kiss, his teeth clashing against yours. His tongue presses past your lips, exploring the wet cavern of your mouth. You can still taste yourself on him.

A line of saliva connects your lips as he pulls away.

“Not gonna ask you to take all of it,” he says, “but take everything I got.”

And with that, he can't hold back any longer, painting your womb white. Gojo’s cum is normally thick, and there's normally a lot of it. Today even moreso. Two weeks away hasn't helped with that. Cum runs down your thighs in streams, ruining your sheets.

The elders aren't going to be happy that he’s so reckless with his precious seed, but Gojo couldn't give a damn. The elders can talk all they want. That's all they're good for. He gets to cum in a warm place, and that's more than any of the others can say.

He practically collapses on top of you.

Gojo shifts so less of his body weight is on top of you. And though the room is rather warm, you find yourself nuzzling into his body, seeking out his warmth. His arms have always given you a sense of security, especially when wrapped up in them. They find your waist, pulling your back flush to his chest.

For a moment the two of you lay there, basking in each other's warmth.

You’ll have to get up in a bit anyway. To clean yourself up, and change the sheets. And get a new shirt. Probably another one of Gojo’s. He’s never been against seeing you wear his clothes. They never stay on you for long, though.

You pry his arms off, swinging your legs over the side of the bed, but he notices, and tightens his grip.

“Where do you think you’re going?” He asks, sounding rather offended.

“To get a drink,” you say, “I'm thirsty. Why? Do you want one too?”

“You think I’d let you go after just one round?” He asks. “You’re not leaving this bed until I’ve fucked you full of my cum.”

You're in for a long night.

[ben-talks-art]

Why I like Lake

"If it means I get to be free... Then I'll do it!"

I was kinda debating over whether I should pick Lake or Amelia as my favorite "Infinity Train" character, but I ended up going with the former since Amelia doesn't really have that much screen time and scenes, and most of her personality is kinda left open for speculation.

And honestly, when it's all said and done, I feel the themes and topics around Lake's character just pack a bigger punch even though her character is a lot simpler to discuss.

(Spoilers for infinity Train)

For those who never saw Infinity Train (first of all, what the hell is wrong with you, go watch it right now!!), all you need to know for now is that each season of the show follows a different protagonist with their own journey to make and lessons to learn, and season 2's main lead, that being Lake, is a mirror reflection of season 1's main lead.

Her entire thing is that she wants to defy fate. She starts the show trapped in a mirror and wants to scape the mirror, then she's trapped in a car and wants to escape that car, then she realizes she's trapped in a train and wants to get out of the train. Basically, anytime she feels like she's free for good some sort of new wall appears in front of her to remind her that true freedom is still a long way to go.

From that alone, you can already take away 10 or 20 different messages depending on how you look at it.

Maybe the idea is to say that true freedom may never happen, or that true freedom will only come after you truly work hard to earn it, or maybe true freedom is when you stop fighting the walls that appear in front of you, or that these walls are something that you yourself make to continuously feel trapped so that your thrill for fighting for freedom may never go out...

It could also draw parallels to any sort of real-life situation revolving around feeling trapped. The feeling of always feeling trapped by your job, or your family, your dreams, your school, your relationship, your body, your sexual preferences, anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or unhappy with your current state.

Or maybe it's meant to show the effects it has on you, how this feeling of entrapment makes you more aggressive, more hostile, how it makes you put walls between you and others when in reality you probably need them more than ever.

Or just the simple theme of trying to get away from the image you have of yourself!

Lake is a character that you could basically write a whole book about. There are so many ways you could look at her and interpret what she means depending from what angle you try to do it.

For my personal angle, like I said Lake feels like someone trying to defy fate. All she wants is to not feel trapped anymore but the more she tries to fight this feeling, the more the world around her tries to convince her to stop. Be it the train, the cops, the passengers, the conductor, everyone just keeps trying to get in her way and convince her that she needs to give up her dream, and yet she never does!

Lake is awesome because she refuses to take a "no" for an answer in her quest to find happiness. She isn't afraid of changing, or afraid of fighting for that change, all she wants is to do what feels right for her, even if it doesn't feel right for anyone else, and I love how her story ends with her coming up with a completely new solution for her problem that nobody ever considered before, as if to say "You only have to stop when you yourself feel like you can stop" and she never does!

Lake never doubts that she's allowed to be happy just as much as everyone.

And make no mistake, this show tries very hard to convince her of that. You really feel like everyone is desperately trying to break her spirit and make her give up and you also see how that's slowly starting to hurt her on the inside.

She doesn't just have to fight fate, she has to fight her desire to stop trying to fight fate. She just looks so tired by the time we get to the season finale from all the struggles she keeps facing in order to not abandon her dream.

I think the most powerful scene for me is when she finally snaps and starts going over every label everyone tried to put on her, showing that even though she acts strong on the outside she has actually been holding it in how much she hates that everyone looks at her and see what they want to see instead of who she really is, and the worst part is she can't even correct them because even her doesn't know who she is or what she wants for the most part.

Lake is so simple and yet so complex, someone running away from what she doesn't want but with no clue as to where she's going. All she wants is to be at peace but she doesn't know how to get said peace, but she's so determined to get there that she keeps pushing forward anyway.

I just get so curious thinking about her and also thinking about what different people take away from watching her. The more you analyze this girl the more interesting she gets and ugh!! She's just such a good character!

Freaking love Lake. She's just awesome!

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