#'like driving a boat' I know someone said once haha

[centeris2]

I have such mad respect for people who can grind Path of Terra farming in Star Stable. How do you do it??? It's so absolutely mind numbing. There is nothing enjoyable about it, it's just excessively tedious (and clunky) repetitious clicking

Anything requiring precision clicking in SSO is gonna be clunky, so a whole mechanic that is just that? For like 20-30 minutes harvesting and replanting an entire garden? Awful. Miserable. Wretched. I don't know how some of you guys have the patience and I am in awe of you.

[rose-edith]

Hi! I've been bingeing a lot of your Gibbs imagines and they are fab! He's my current crisis haha! If requests are open could you do one where the reader (his gf) is a teacher and she has to transfer to a new school? I'm in the process of doing that and it's breaking my heart! I taught my class for 2 years and I cried A LOT the last day of school! They're like my own kids! I could use some Gibbs love! Thanks in advance xoxo

As someone who works in a secondary school as a SEN TA (and who starts teacher training in September so I have to leave my current school!) I like to think I understand this well! I hope you like it!

Gibbs supporting you as you transfer to a new school as a teacher would include:

•your career is intensely important to you. It is everything! And Jethro loves that passion you have for it, he loves that you’re good at it.

•but he also knows that as you’re transferring to a new school, because you were offered more perks or better hours or maybe better money, that it’s going to be emotional for you. There’s no denying that you care deeply for the kids you teach- they’re your babies. You feel their every victory, console their every loss!

•and so when your last day at your current place rolled around, Jethro insisted on dropping you off to work and picking you up. The drop off in the morning wasn’t too bad- you kissed him goodbye sweetly with a smile and you took all the sweets you’d gotten for your students in to say goodbye.

•but when Jethro came to pick you up at night he could see that you weren’t smiling. Your eyes were red rimmed. And you were clutching all manner of good luck cards and a huge bouquet of beautiful flowers and a box of chocolates. Evidently the school and your students had worked together to give you a special send off.

•the sentiments were sweet certainly, but it was clearly making you more emotional.

•once you sat in the car and put the flowers on the floor, buckled your seatbelt and said a husky hello to Jethro you burst into tears again. Jethro felt his heart break, he knew it would be hard for you, he didn’t realise how hard it would be for him to see you like this.

•Jethro manoeuvred in the car, pulling you into a hug- he undid your belt so you could reach him better. You buried your face in his neck, sobbing gently, and he hushed you, trying to soothe you.

•you sniffled and accepted a tissue from Gibbs (he’d come prepared with tissues- knowing you were likely to be emotional) and settled back eventually. The drive home was quite quick, and Jethro kept his his hand on your inner thighs as he drove, squeezing it gently to give you some comfort. And he stole small glances at you, smiling when you caught his eye.

•when you walked in to your lovely shared home you saw that Jethro had spent the day cleaning up, decorating, preparing a delicious dinner. It made your heart warm.

•you spent the evening dining together, curled up on the sofa watching some TV, or working on his boat. Everytime you cried he kissed away the tears, he listened when you spoke but reminded you of the hope of this new opportunity. And of course, if you went too far in self pity he delivered a light smack to the back of your head, which never ceased to make you giggle. And of course, there was a whole lot of kisses and touches too…Gibbs always knows just what to do to make you feel better!

•he couldn’t resist stealing a tender kiss every now and again. There may be a few tears to come between now and you starting your new job in a few days/weeks, but Jethro would be there every day to kiss away your woe, to hug you back to hope.

•and on the first day of your new job, he did of course drive you to work. He couldn’t resist a lingering good luck kiss, nor could he resist slapping your ass, sending you off to your new job with a giggle and a huge smile!

•it would take time to get used to it, but with Jethro’s love and support, you knew you’d be fine!

[catgrump]

"Get on your knees" for.... uh.... Soudam? Maybe 👉👈 You are so good!!!

Oh yes I do anon. Yes I do.

I’ve been wanting an excuse to write this specific scenario so thank you for this gift.

This takes place in My Specific Theatre AU BUT this piece has nothing to do with theatre and can be looked at on its own. But for context: they attend university together and share a 2-bedroom apartment. This takes place around the start of “Maybe This Time”, my Theatre AU piece on AO3, if you need to know the timeline

🌹🌹🌹

Read it under the cut!  Warning for sexual content!

The movie was over. Netflix was asking if they were still watching.

The beer bottles and wine glasses weren’t going to clean themselves up

So why was Kazuichi still lazing about— with his head in Gundham’s lap, no less?

It’s not like Gundham seemed to mind, oddly enough. He took strands of his roommate’s damaged hair in his fingers, twirling it and bringing it up and down through the air

“I’m glad it had a happy ending,” Kazuichi said to anyone who would listen (and since he and Gundham were the only ones in their apartment, he sure was hoping Gundham would listen), “It was like... there’s someone out there for everyone, you know?”

Gundham could tell Kazuichi was tipsy. Hell, Gundham was tipsy, too. He had his fair share of wine to get through that ridiculous teen rom-com. They originally started watching it to make fun of it, but the more beer (and some of Gundham’s wine) Kazuichi put in his system, the more genuinely invested he became.

“Yes, I suppose that’s a fair takeaway from the... shoddy script,” Gundham replied, continuing to mindlessly toy with the flourescent hair in his lap

“If there’s someone out there for everyone,” Kazuichi said, his words seeming to spill out of his mouth, “Why don’t we have girlfriends, man? I mean, look at you; you’re hot as shit.”

Gundham scoffed as Kazuichi lifted his arms up in the air to emphasize his statement. “Well perhaps it’s because you still say things that imply you think everyone around you is heterosexual,” he retorted

Kazuichi slowly picked himself up and turned to face Gundham, his shoulders slouched over, “C’mon, man, you know I’m still trying to get used to that. I’ve only been out for like a year and a half,” he whined

“And I understand that eliminating the ‘Straight is the Default’ setting in your brain can be challenging, but you live with someone else who is bisexual,” Gundham elaborated, “We’ve lived together for years.”

Kazuichi chuckled, “Remember when I thought I was straight in freshman year?”

“I was amazed how in denial you were.”

And now it seemed like Kazuichi couldn’t stop laughing. The laughter was slow, almost sounding deliberately rhythmic. “Hey, Gundham... can I tell you a secret?”

“Sure.”

He had a stupid grin on his face. After living with Kazuichi for so long, Gundham knew he got... silly when he’s had a bit to drink. “You have to promise not to tell anyone,” Kazuichi added

“I won’t tell anyone.”

Kazuichi shot himself up, pointing a finger toward Gundham, “AND you have to promise not to get mad.”

After living with Gundham for so long, Kazuichi should know that Gundham is blunt when he’s had a bit to drink. “I won’t be angry with you,” he said. He meant it.

Kazuichi’s grin extended, practically reaching his ears. “Have you ever maybe uhhhhhh jacked off while thinking about your roommate? Cuz I have! Multiple times!”

Kazuichi was stifiling laughter, and almost missed Gundham’s rather immediate response. “Oh. Sure, I’ve done that a few times.”

“Haha, good; I’m glad I’m not the only one,” Kazuichi swayed back and forth, as if he were on a boat, smiling obliviously

If Gundham had wanted to— as Kazuichi so eloquently describes it— get shitfaced, he would’ve taken another swig of wine in disbelief during the silence they shared. Instead, he just shook his head.

Then, Kazuichi seemed to instantly sober up. “Wait.”

Kazuichi must’ve remembered that Gundham loses his filter when he has alcohol in him. But he didn’t ask Gundham to elaborate. Gundham didn’t need to go into detail about the times he’s had to control himself when Kazuichi walks around shirtless. He didn’t need to go into detail about the times he’s moaned Kazuichi’s name when he was home alone. He didn’t need to go into detail about the time he heard Kazuichi masturbating through the wall seperating their bedrooms, and got himself off on the sounds of his pleasure. He didn’t need to elaborate on any of that. He grabbed Kazuichi’s shirt collar in his fist and pulled him close. “You are such a fool.”

Regaining his balance, Kazuichi latched on to Gundham’s arms, feeling how toned they were for the first time. He looked up at Gundham in awe, seeing his hair down, framing his defined face.

As soon as Kazuichi looked him in the eye, he couldn’t hold back any longer. Gundham brought his hands to Kazuichi’s face and they kissed with more intensity than they had ever kissed anyone before.

Kazuichi’s hands gripped Gundham’s biceps, then frantically migrated across his chest and back, wanting to feel every muscle he didn’t know Gundham had.

Within seconds of their lips meeting, Gundham felt Kazuichi’s tongue asking to be invited inside, and Gundham instantly accepted, being sure to hold on to Kazuichi’s jaw and neck as they explored

Kazuichi tugged on the hem of Gundham’s shirt as he gently bit Gundham’s lower lip. Gundham grunted and grabbed Kazuichi’s wrists.

“You like that?” Kazuichi teased

“I do,” Gundham’s low voice reverberated through Kazuichi’s body as he whispered in his ear before he was suddenly pushed backward, his back landing on the seat of their couch

Kazuichi was not expecting to be, but he was instantly hard. Gundham throwing him down like that, followed by him taking off his shirt himself, shaking out his hair after he tossed it aside... Kazuichi felt like he needed air to prepare for whatever was in store.

Kazuichi had seen Gundham’s naked torso before. The moments were brief, but he— willingly or not—committed the images to memory. Suddenly, Kazuichi was feeling that body against his own as Gundham kissed him again. Kazuichi brought his hands to Gundham’s back to pull him closer, wanting no separation between their chests, stomachs...

Gundham pushed Kazuichi’s hair away as he created a path of kisses, trailing from his lips to his jaw to his neck. Kazuichi gasped when he felt Gundham steadily increase pressure on his neck. He was going to leave marks. Kazuichi craned his neck to give Gundham more of a canvas to work with.

Gundham was multi-tasking. As he sucked on Kazuichi’s neck, he was unbuttoning the shirt Kazuichi had on. It would only be fair.

Gundham pushed Kazuichi’s shirt aside, exposing the torso he’d always wanted to touch, never breaking contact with Kazuichi

One of Gundham’s calloused hands found its way to Kazuichi’s pecs, and his chest felt incredible in Gundham’s palm; against his fingertips

And Kazuichi bit his lip as he writhed in even the simple sensations of Gundham’s mouth on his neck and Gundham’s fingers grazing a nipple. God, how long HAS it been since someone ELSE touched Kazuichi like this?

Gundham had moved to Kazuichi’s collarbone and bit. Hard. “Fuck,” Kazuichi was so tempted to reach for Gundham’s belt

But if Gundham wanted to leave marks, Kazuichi thought Two can play at this game.

Kazuichi dragged his fingernails across Gundham’s back, slowly, and that got Gundham to lose his composure, practically collapsing on top of him. He gasped and shut his eyes tight, muffling moans into Kazuichi’s shoulder

There was no mistaking how turned on the other was. When Gundham brought himself down to be flush with Kazuichi, they both took notice of the other’s hard-on

And while Gundham gave in temporarily, he relished too much in making Kazuichi squirm to let him take over.

He resumed his assault on Kazuichi’s neck, taking hold of his hair in his fist, and pulled as he grinded his hips against Kazuichi’s.

The friction was driving Kazuichi insane. His curiosity was overwhelming him, too. He had to find out how big he was.

Kazuichi bucked into him, doing his best to tell Gundham he wanted to take things further without saying anything.

But that wasn’t enough for Gundham. “Tell me what you desire,” he whispered a demand in Kazuichi’s ear, nibbling on his earlobe after he spoke

Gundham ran his hands over Kazuichi’s pecs and shoulders, rolling the fabric of his shirt further down his arms. “Y-you,” Kazuichi nervously muttered

“What was that?” Gundham’s hands moved lower and lower, tracing Kazuichi’s waist and his remarkable hips. His fingers played with the waistline of Kazuichi’s pants, making Kazuichi bite his lip in desperation

“Gundham, please,” Kazuichi felt embarrassed being candid, especially with Gundham straddling him with a sexy smug smile, his hands pressed against Kazuichi’s chest

Gundham ran his hands across Kazuichi’s body again, and drifted his hands lower, rubbing them into Kazuichi’s inner thighs. Kazuichi needed them to get naked. Now.

“Use your words,” Gundham beckoned, inching closer and closer to Kazuichi’s dick

Kazuichi’s face was red. His whole body was hot and he felt way too restrained with his clothes still on. He shut his eyes so he didn’t have to look at Gundham when he blurted out “I want your cock”

Gundham huffed out a laugh as Kazuichi brought his hands up to his face to try to conceal his embarrassment.

Gundham brought himself up and Kazuichi peaked through his fingers when he heard the buckle of Gundham’s belt come undone.

In a bit of a frenzy, Kazuichi sat up and pulled his clothes off, casting them to the side in a chaotic pile

He couldn’t help but notice Gundham look down and smirk once Kazuichi’s dick was out

But Gundham’s pants were still on. His legs were spread across the seat of the couch, and his arms draped across the back. “Get on your knees,” he commanded

Kazuichi quirked his brow, but didn’t have any doubts in his next move once Gundham revealed what Kazuichi had been waiting for. He’s hung.

Kazuichi’s horny ass did as Gundham asked and got inbetween his legs, putting a hand on Gundham’s thigh, only slightly disappointed it wasn’t skin-to-skin contact.

His other hand took hold of Gundham’s dick, and brought it to his lips, relishing in Gundham’s sighs as Kazuichi wrapped his lips around the tip

Gundham grabbed Kazuichi’s hair again, biting his lip as he felt Kazuichi envelop his cock in his mouth. It was warm and every time Kazuichi sucked Gundham had to resist thrusting

And Kazuichi’s dick twinged every time he felt Gundham’s dick twinge inside him. Using the hand that was on Gundham’s thigh, he took hold of his own cock and started pumping, using his pre-cum to self lubricate

As he worked himself while sucking Gundham off, he couldn’t help but moan against Gundham’s dick. And that sent Gundham over the edge. He lost control of his hips and grabbed Kazuichi’s hair tighter

Feeling Gundham trying to fuck his mouth only made Kazuichi work harder. His head bobbed back and forth as quick as his hand went up and down his own dick. He was so close just from Gundham’s cock in his mouth.

“Kazuichi, wait,” Gundham moaned, and Kazuichi bucked into his own fist hearing Gundham moan his name, muttering a few curse words himself

Kazuichi released Gundham and looked up at him. He watched Gundham swallow as they made eye contact. “Yeah? You okay?” Kazuichi asked

“Allow me to do something for you,” Gundham requested

God dammit, he was so close and NOW Gundham’s offering? And Kazuichi was sure Gundham was about to finish, too.

Gundham stood up from the couch, and started walking out of the living room. “Are you going to join me?”

Kazuichi blinked and quickly left the floor to follow as Gundham walked through the hall and into his bedroom, and gawked as Gundham finally finished undressing, taking in the new sight of his toned thighs and firm ass.

His eyes grew wide when he saw Gundham reach into a drawer in his desk and retrieve what was so obviously a bottle of lube. He was officially in uncharted waters, and that excited him and wracked his nerves simultaneously

Kazuichi had kissed men before and gone down on men before... but he didn’t have any experience with what could come after.

Gundham climbed onto his mattress and propped himself up on his knees. He looked to Kazuichi and used his eyes to invite him to the bed

Kazuichi swallowed as he mirrored Gundham’s position, and pursed his lips as Gundham put a coat of the lubricant on his fingers.

Using his dry hand, Gundham grabbed Kazuichi’s ass and pulled him in close so their bodies were flush. Kazuichi yelped as he caught himself on Gundham, pressing his hands against Gundham’s chest.

Kazuichi’s heart was practically bursting out of his chest as he anticipated what was about to happen. Gundham had a devilish grin as he watched Kazuichi try to hide his nerves

His lubricated hand grasped on to Kazuichi’s ass as well, and he was sure to slide his fingers close— “Fuck!” Kazuichi gasped out

And Gundham paused. “Kazuichi... have you never done this before?”

Kazuichi was taken aback by Gundham’s surprise. His face turned red again as he said, “No...” and then Kazuichi had a sudden thought, “Have you?”

Gundham simply replied “Yes. A couple of times now.”

“What? When? With WHO?” Kazuichi pulled back, feeling sudden... jealousy?

“Do you want to know that, or do you want to cum?”

That sent shivers down Kazuichi’s spine. He was back on track, and he didn’t just want to cum: he needed it.

Kazuichi fervently nodded his head.

“Yes what?” Fuck, he’s doing it again.

Kazuichi felt every part of him except his boner shrink. He mumbled “makemecum”

“Don’t be shy, Kazuichi,” Gundham’s deep voice was so fucking sexy when it was breathy in his ear

“Gundham, please—“

Gundham’s dick twinged whenever he heard Kazuichi beg. He took a hand off Kazuichi’s ass and took hold of his cock, and Kazuichi instinctively shut his eyes and bucked his hips into Gundham’s hand. Kazuichi had been waiting for too long, but Gundham relished seeing him like this. “Tell me what you desire.”

“For the love of god: make me cum, please,” Kazuichi succumbed, burying his head in Gundham’s shoulder

“With pleasure,” Gundham cooed into Kazuichi’s ear. Kazuichi melted feeling Gundham’s voice against his body

And he trembled feeling Gundham’s slick fingers practically trace circles around his asshole. Kazuichi picked his head up and took a deep breath, attempting to relax

Gundham was stroking Kazuichi’s dick with his other hand, basking in Kazuichi’s body anticipating his next moves.

Kazuichi gasped and lurched forward, clinging to Gundham’s arms as he felt a finger be pushed inside

Gundham repeated Kazuichi’s taunt back at him as he continued pumping his cock and slowly thrusting his finger, “You like that?”

Kazuichi pressed his forehead into Gundham’s chest and moaned “So fucking much.”

Gundham took that as his cue to add another finger, and Kazuichi practically keeled over with a shout. He reached under Gundham’s arms to take hold of his back. This time his nails digging into Gundham’s skin was because they couldn’t get any closer

Kazuichi’s face was buried in Gundham’s shoulder again, muffling every sound Kazuichi made, and he wasn’t shutting up. It was difficult for Gundham to keep quiet, too. Hearing Kazuichi’s cries of pleasure made him wish he had a free hand to help his dick out. Kazuichi was too overcome to do anything but take it.

The instant Gundham curled his fingers, Kazuichi cried out his name and dug his fingernails into Gundham’s shoulder blades, making Gundham’s cock twitch against Kazuichi’s skin

“D-do that again,” Kazuichi whimpered against Gundham’s neck

Gundham didn’t need to toy with him anymore. He did as he asked and found Kazuichi’s prostate again, feeling Kazuichi’s hips follow his motions, taking pride in knowing this was Kazuichi’s first time experiencing this sensation as Kazuichi continued to moan and swear and call his name, digging deeper into his skin with his fingers

Gundham picked up the pace. Kazuichi was panting. Gundham heard his name muffled into his shoulder over and over and over again and knew Kazuichi was close.

Third time’s the charm. Gundham curled his fingers once again, slowing down the motion as one last tease, and Kazuichi cried out as he came. Gundham continued to use his fingers through Kazuichi’s orgasm but switched to rapidly pumping his own cock, not needing much to finish himself— the sounds Kazuichi made and remembering the feeling of Kazuichi’s mouth around him were plenty.

Their breathing eventually relaxed, and they pulled away to look at each other.

Their hair was destroyed. The hickies on Kazuichi were already turning purple. And they were covered in each other’s cum.

And all they both could think was What now?

Prompt from This List: feel free to send a request!

If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving me a tip on Ko-Fi if you can! 💛

[reincarnated70sbaby]

maritime madness

led zeppelin x reader

warnings: swearing, drug use

an: so I was sailing yesterday and I was thinking about this the entire time I might have nearly capsized the boat

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I can’t believe we’re actually doing this” I spoke, staring out at the large blue yacht that rested on the waters of Normandy. It all started the day before, when we were all throwing around tripped out ideas in our hotel room.

“What are we gonna do tomorrow?” Jimmy asked. I sat by his side, my head resting on his bony shoulder. My dose of LSD had just kicked it, and as it was my first time it probably hit me quicker than the others. I tried to speak, but it felt like every time I moved my mouth, it felt like I would stretch my mouth out of shape, like putty.

“Let’s go explore that cathedral, the big massive one, y’know? The one with the hunchback. Maybe we could bump into him or something”

As soon as the words left Robert’s lips, our entire entourage burst out in giggles. I myself, was having hard time controlling my breathing. I had to rest my head in Jimmy’s lap, Jimmy being doubled down over me clutching his stomach.

“Percy, you dumb fucker, y-you know that’s not a real story” Jonesy informed, all his words all broken up by loud chuckles.

Roberts jaw immediately dropped open in shock, along with his eyes widening and brown trashing in confusion.

“Nah, yeah it was, the uh, the hunchman did the um, bells. Yeah, the bells”

“No he didn’t, because he never existed you nonce. It’s a fairytale from the 19th century” Jimmy piped in, adding his extensive knowledge of mythology and folklore into the conversation.

“But me ma said he existed, you’re gonna say my mum lied to me all those years?”

“Well obviously Perce, it’s just a bedtime story” Jonesy added, still chuckling to himself at Robert’s gullible nature.

“Fine then, someone else give an idea since all of mine always get ridiculed” Robert stated, crossing his arms and craning his head back against the footboard of the bed and staring at the ceiling in a huff.

“How about Père Lachaise?”

“What the actual fuck is pear la chair Pagey?” Bonzo asked, pronouncing the words all wrong in his thick Englishman accent.

“It’s Père Lachaise” Jimmy corrected in a perfect French accent, “and it’s a graveyard in Paris, loads of famous people are buried there - Oscar Wilde, Frederic Chopin, Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf”

“Jimmy you must be as mad as Morrison to think we would waste our day off in a fucking dead person museum. Jesus Christ how did we pick you up” Bonzo sighed, rolling his eyes.

“Okay, what about Mont Saint-Michel? It’s this cool island off of the coast. There’s a bridge but once the tide comes in you can’t get in or out. Wouldn’t that be good craic eh?” Jonesy suggested

“No” Bonzo, Jimmy and Robert all said at the same time.

“Ah! You’ve been outnumbered Mr Jones haha. Maybe you and I could go out another time Jonny boy, we could go exploring and see the spirits trapped on the island” I said with a chuckle, the psychedelic in my system making this whole situation very funny.

“Jesus Christ what the fuck did she even say. That her first time on acid?” Robert asked to Jimmy.

“Must’ve been, it hit her pretty quickly” Jimmy replied, staring into my largely dilated pupils. He swore he could’ve seen something dancing in my pupils, but maybe that was just the drug in him.

We all sat in silence for a couple minutes, all of us enjoying our high.

“Innnnnnnnnnnnnnn fourteen hundred ninety two, Columbus sailed the ocean blueeee” I sang, the lyrics being the only words of a song I could think of to fill the silence. A beat of silence passed and I wondered if everybody suddenly passed out, either into sleep or another dimension.

As I started the next line, everyone else joined in with me. We eventually finished the entire song, even an encore requested by the boys. I sung the encore in a horrendous, deep operatic voice while prancing round the hotel room. A round of applause sounded, and I took my theatrical bows in front of my supportive crowd.

“That’s It! I know what we can do tomorrow. God that is a good idea!” Bonzo declared, jumping up to his feet, not before nearly tumbling backwards.

“Go on then Bonz, don’t leave us guessing mate” Jonesy suggested, breaking the dramatic silence that had ensued.

“Rent a yacht! We can go out early in the morning and stay overnight since our flight back home is in the evening anyway! All we need to do is hire a skipper or something”

We all were stoked at idea of having a private boat to ourselves. Sure, none of the boys were experienced sailors, but that’s what a professional skipper was for, driving rich people around in yachts right?

“Do we really have to do this” I said, making our way through the marina to our yacht.

“The skipper will probably dive off the boat when we get started tonight” Jonesy commented, sharing my lack of enthusiasm for the maritime adventure. “We should have ditched them and gone to Mont Saint-Michel”. I only hummed in response, dragging my overnight suitcase over the gaps in the planks of wood on the dock.

“Um yeah, about that skipper. We couldn’t exactly book one on such short notice” Cole confessed.

“What the actual fuck Cole? Are we just supposed to sail ourselves and drown? I can’t tie a knot to save my bloody life” Robert shrieked. We all stopped in our tracks and turned to the tour manager, glaring at him through our sunglasses.

“Of course not Percy, why would we do that to our cash cows hm? And this is a motorboat, no ropes involved. It’s basically like driving a car. In water. In fact, all you need to drive it is a drivers license, which I’m positive you all have judging by your expansive car choices. Forgot to mention that myself and Peter have opted out” With that note, Cole dropped the yacht keys into Bonzo’s hand and scuttled away.

We all stood there, bags in hand, confusion over our faces as we watched Cole’s figure disappear behind the hundred of other boats.

“Well shit” Jonesy said, the sourness in his voice barely hidden.

“Let’s just go check it out, we don’t even have to leave the marina if we can drive it, we’ll just park out all night” Bonzo affirmed, being unusually optimistic.

We all found the boat and as the boys started embarking aboard, I thought out loud.

“I can’t believe we’re doing this”

“Cmon darling, let’s just see what it’s like. If you hate it we’ll do something else” Jimmy compromised, outstretching his hand to me.

The boat bobbed a bit on the water as I stepped on.

“It’s not hating it I’m worried about, I was practically raised on a boat Jim, I’m just not sure 4 rockstars and a boat is a great combination”

“It’s okay we won’t go too hard, at least one of us won’t, I guess. Anyway, you were raised on a boat? Like a houseboat or something?”

“No, my dad was a skipper. Whenever he was home from trips, he would teach my and my siblings to sail. Y’know the whole nine yards, all the different knots, pulling in the ropes, steering, navigating charts. It’s just been a while since I’ve been on one and I hope I can remember everything”

“Gosh you are fabulous, my dear, I learn something new about you everyday” Jimmy said, pulling me in for a kiss. There was a loud bang of the engine, which we both jumped apart at.

“What the fuck are they at now, Christ” Jimmy sighed.

“Here, go set down our stuff in the biggest room, I’ll go see what they’re messing with”

We both parted, Jimmy heading downstairs, myself climbing onto the helm.

“Oi, Bonz, Percy, step away from the wheel until I get us out of this parking lot” I commanded. Both Robert and Bonzo looked at me funny, before slowly raising their arms and stepping away.

“And you know better?” Bonzo asked, still not sure where my bossiness came from.

“I think I do, unless you have your skipper license on hand?”

“Wait, you have a sailing license?” Robert interjected.

“I actually don’t, but I know everything you need to not drown. My father was a sailor and he taught me how to run a boat. Thank god we have a motorboat, as we might’ve been a little trouble if we have a proper sailing yacht. If we were, it wouldn’t have been as relaxing as simply steering a wheel” I answered, switching the engine on.

We warmed up the engine for a couple minutes, then casted off and finally escaped the madness of the marina. Soon were out on the French coastline. We continued sailing perpendicular to the coast, not wanting to stray too far. All the boys took turns steering, with Jonesy being the best skipper in-training out of all of them. Only once had we had anchored the boat again was the real party going to start.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

if only sailing was this easy in reality 😒

anyway I’m gonna do a spicier part 2 riiight now😎

leave any comments/ideas down below!!!!

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[calientecoochie]

It Happened So Fast-

•1•

From a mundane, cushy home to Japan Y/N went. Yes, it was nerve wracking to not only believe and see it was happening right in front of their face but, that the agency had accepted you so easily with such a minimal resume. Sure, you knew your stuff but barely anyone would give you the time of day to show off your natural skills. If one thing was certain, F/L/N knew how portray even the worst of the worst in the best light. However, F/L/N’s Japanese was very poor and just borderline coherent. Time to brush up while on the way there...

~L A T E R~

Y/N doesn’t even know where to begin to look. Everything was moving so fast and just so, so crowded!

Gah! Did I make a mistake?! No! We belong here! They selected us. They must’ve seen something worthwhile in you. Suck it up and keep it moving. I already accepted the one way trip anyway...

“Now to find my bags. Who to ask? Who to ask?? Ah, an attendant! Hopefully, my Japanese isn’t too shabby”

They power walked towards the attendant and asked where the luggage claim area would be. Albeit, poorly, followed with hand mannerisms and a several stares but, one understanding host and a frazzled staff later, Y/N’s bags were secured. Thank god.

What were the directions again? Someone was supposed to pick me up, right? Mmmm, let me read the notes again. Y/N pulled up the notes on their phone. They were not the best but still understand...kind of. Once the plane ride was done, someone IS supposed to pick us up. Apparently, 15 minutes ago. So, either we keep missing them or, they’re late.

“I guess- I guess I’ll just head outside then.”

~30 minutes later~

The people have thinned out quite a bit. The sky was slowly but surely becoming a darker blue mixed with beautiful orange and pink hues. Gorgeous.

Sigh...Okay, this is becoming re-damn-diculous, “If this was prank why the HELL would you pay even go through with paying for a plane ticket? A last minute one at that.. I’m already here... might as well enjoy a free trip.”

Just as Y/N sets their feet on the ground, a loud motor could be heard approaching.

A very nice, very sleek matte black sports car with a little yellow stripe on the side sped past Y/N. It just barely missed hitting the curb. For a the few seconds it zoomed by, Y/N swore they heard a loud Chris Brown song bumping within the car.

“Does everyone drive like a bat out of hell around here?!”

As if that was the que, the car froze and flung into reverse (just as fast) just to stop again at Y/N’s feet. The window rolls down and we are greeted with two men. The driver, who had a god awful smolder, had yellow blonde hair with a black stripe (opposite scheme of his car) with fox-like eyes. He had on a plain black shirt and red basketball shorts. The passenger held a bright, friendly smile (his eyes told a different story as they glaring towards the driver). He had beautiful, medium black hair, pulled back into a bun near the nap of his neck. He wore a blank white shirt and black, slightly baggy jeans.

Are these two my ride...uhhh :/

“Hey, baby” Y/N internally cringes, not at his broken English but, at the unwarranted flirting, “Looking for a ride?” The blonde winked. “We were told to come pick you up butttt how about we hang out instead? I know ALL the good spots.” He waggles his eyebrows to emphasize his poorly masked innuendo.

Unamused and tired Y/N spoke monotone, “ No thank you. I’ll just walk back to where I came from.” They grab their bags and start walking.

The blonde slowly paced the car to remain along side Y/N. “H-hey, beautiful, you don’t want to do that! You’ll probably drown you know!” The black haired passenger breathes a heavy sigh, head in his hand and other hand on the wheel as he witnesses the driver attempt to bring the stranger into the car.

“That’s the plan.”

The car rode along in silence with a defeated blonde hanging out of the window. The black haired passenger decided to step in and salvage the situation, “Denki, stopped the car” Denki stops the car while the passenger pushes the blonde’s face out of the way of the car window, “Aye, Mami/Papi, come back, please! I apologize for my friend. You see, he’s a bit brain fried. You can keep walking if you want but, the ocean is one hell of a detour just to go back to (place you’re from). Kiri would be disappointed. He’s never met a Y/N before.”

Upon hearing their name and their place of origin, Y/N froze from their walk of anger. “Ho- Kir-!!” Y/N squints theirs eyes and starts to approach the sports car, “Who are you and how do you know my name?”

The raven haired man, smirked and tilted his head to the side, “ Sero but you may know Cellophane better-

“Never heard of him.”

Sero shrugged and just leaned back in his friend’s seat, “And I know you’re name because we were sent to pick you up. DENKI just needed to make ‘“a few’” stops before we picked you up. If I had know we were taking the whole damn store, I would just gotten you myself. So sorry.”

Silence hung in the air for a bit.

“So, do I just get in or...

Denki perked up at, “<Yeah! Yeah! Just climb on in!>” he began pumping his fist in excitement. He practically had stars in his eyes.

Y/N barely registered what Denki had said looking towards Sero for some kind of explanation.

“Oh! He said come on in! We will take to to your place first then bring you to Red Riot’s agency”

“<Bro, why are you calling him by his hero name?>”

“<I don’t know if they even know Ei’s actual name, man>”

Once, Sero and you get your bags packed, the three of you go off to your new home...

~An hour later~

“<HEY, HEY WE ARE HERE, GORGEOUS!>” Y/N’s waking mind barely registered Denki’s broken “get ups” and “this place is sicks” before their eyes set on the outrageously beautiful home in front of them. It was small but looked so luxurious. Bay windows and a tiny garden surrounded the home. Sero comes to Y/N’s ear with their bags, “Yup, it all you, man. Nice place to. Kinddd of jealous.” He continued walking to your house with your bags. He was joking of course.

Denki came by and slapped your back and spoke in his his best English, “Like it that much, huh! You’re literally stuck on the driveway!”

“You know, you don’t have to speak english all the time to me. I can speak some Japanese” Denki gave a shy smile at Y/N.

“<Haha, I can’t be that bad, right? I have to admit though it’s pretty cool you could speak Japanese. We’re you born here and just moved or did they teach you in school? Ooh, ooh, this is just so awesome!” Denki turned towards a confused Y/N.

Y/N just twiddles their thumbs and looks downward,”<C-Could you repeat that for me? I couldn’t catch anything after right, haha..>”

“Same boat,huh” Denki smirks

“<Same boat.” Y/N replies.

“Yo, are you two going to keep talking or are we going to look inside? We could also got to the agency. You’re call, la Monada.”

Y/N ponders for bit, “Let’s see the agency. This home is beautiful but I’ll get to see it plenty after my place of work.”

~At Red Riot’s Agency~

“...This place is huge...” Y/N stood practically in the middle of the sidewalk , mouth agape and looking upwards.

“Hey, Y/N, Sparky and I are going to head inside to see, the Big Boss, you coming?”

“Y-yeah in a bit! Thank you, Sero”

“Remember: elevators on the far right. Push the highest button!” Denki shouted, “If you go to the far left it will take you to a completely different building! See you up there, Y/N!”

With that, your new acquaintances left. You look at your surroundings which is pretty futile seeing as it just leads back to the RR Agency. “So big...”

“If you think that’s big you should see my manly pal, Bakubro’s. His is huge!! He was always a showoff though. I like to think of it as good competition” A hearty laugh filled your ears.

“AHH!!”

[oh-for-fic-sake]

I Just Move Things

Whilst looking through luthors drives the league find a new metahuman who is to powerfull for her own good.

Masterlist

Warnings: swearing

A/n:So this is a new series of imagines with Justice league/ teen reader obviously no smut but fluff angst and everything in between i know that the pic is starlight but that’s there more for the eyes.

(not my gif/pic)

I Just Move Things

"Seriously this girl, shes incredible, Lex didn’t have much on her he only just got the footage a day or so before the whole supes vs bat thing but we are soo lucky she wasn't involved, if she uses her head she could probably wipe all of us out, we need to get here to join" Barry was giddy as he started gushing over the new mysterious metahuman who was a prime candidate for the justice league. Arthur sighed crossing his arms

"Oh really? I'm sorry but I don't see how that tiny thing could do much damage wheres her weapon?" He said unconvinced Bruce and Clark agreed somewhat looking at the photo victor had pulled up on the screen a girl who looked around sixteen sitting at a table outside a Starbucks reading a book, she looked like a typical teenager, no muscle definition to her small form, so obviously had no combat training she looked like a regular man could snap her in two, easy to over power. Victor sighed at them.

"Looks can be deceiving every thing you see in that photo is her weapon, the ground, the air, the glass in the window behind her even the chair she's sitting on she could use all of these to impale you if she wanted to ,its quite incredible watch her here look at this video." The clip was grainy showing the inside of a corner shop, she was standing by the counter blowing bubbles in her gum paying for a small bag of groceries when a man came in holding a gun screaming at the girl at the register who quickly turned around to the cash register fumbling trying to open the cash draw as he shouted pointing the gun at her making her scream and struggle even more. The teen in question moved only to be ordered to put both her hands on the counter, she did so but as soon as she did looked over her shoulder to the door blowing yet another bubble letting it pop she was very calm for a young girl who had a gun in her face she huffed took a deep breath you could see her eyes light up a little and the metal frame above the door caved in enough to hold it closed trapping them inside, neither of the others noticed to preoccupied quickly she slid a tin can into her hand and looked at the gun tilted her head to the side eyes flickering once again and the barrel caved in on itself looking like someone had pinched the end closing the hole completely making it useless, no bullets would be firing from the weapon the man when to scream confused but was struck in the temple by the can of beans dropping to the floor in a crumpled heap she kicked the gun away in case he got up. The cashier looked around crying in relief as she saw the thief had been knocked unconscious and with a quick look the metal frame quickly snapped back to its original state. She exchanged a few words with the girl who was now on the phone to the police nodding towards the security camera  the surprised she looked up you could see her curse as she looked into the lenses a grim expression eyes flashing and the video cut off, she had broke it trying to cover herself. Silence washed over the group as they came to terms with what they saw. Clark was the first to break it

"That was, different she helped tho that is a good thing she wants to do good. To protect people" Bruce spoke up next

"She didn't take chances, but that ability, what she can do its not something to take lightly, we don't know the extent of it can she do other things?" The question was directed at victor who had been scouring the cities surveillance for her.

"I've caught her a few times on cctv doing things, she practices at night around Gotham docks. And its amazing to watch, so far from what I can tell its molecular based, solids liquids and gases. I've seen her change the shape of containers, fix broken glass, she can't fly but seems she has just started to make invisible platforms to stand on and climb and when she fell she managed to make the ground sort of turn sand like to make her fall softer and she doesn't even seem to do it consciously it just sort of happens once she got up it settled like water becoming regular concrete again. Where ever she got the gift it hasn't been long, she is still trying to control them, small things are easier, like the gun and the door, but the first time she made the invisible stairs she got a nosebleed and passed out I lost her for a few weeks but when I found her again she did it again, must have practiced somewhere else as she only got a little nose bleed and didn't pass out just got dizzy" Diana sat there contemplating

"So basically this incredible power is wrapped up in a hormonal teenager  who doesn't know how to use it yet, she is still trying to figure out what she can and cant do? And no doubt soon will start testing her limits? Bruce we need to pull her in now we can't waste any time she could hurt herself or someone else" Barry nodded they all shared a look agreeing. Time to bring her in.

"Where is she?"

"She will be at the docks again tonight around nine o'clock, she has a pattern its like clock work, docks ,chemical factory and just recently started down under the main bridge towards Metropolis playing around with water". They nodded she seemed shy Clark showing up could scare her same with Diana, Barry wouldn't be a good idea he tended to fumble his words and Arthur was well Arthur. In the end it was decided Bruce would go do the talking, after all Gotham was his turf.

Well shit gonna be hard to explain this one.... you looked down sighing it was very typical tho well for you any way. You see you had a problem, or should you say gift, you could move things not just the whole abracadabra Matilda floating thing, you could move things on a molecular level..... like clay everything is clay. After practicing you now know that you can break down solids into teeny tiny grains like sand using it as sinking sand or putting it back together in a new shape and recently discovered you could pull all the teeny tiny molecules in the air together really tight it becomes an invisible force field type thingy like an instant piece of bullet proof glass, or like a platform to stand on . It was cool but difficult to control some things more then others, for instance solids where the molecules are pack tighter are easier to manipulate then water where they are all moving then air that was tricky they were fast and hard to control. And there was limitations you couldn't change anything living or growing, no plants, no animals and consequently no people. You cant heal people which you learned the hard way after cutting yourself for the sole purpose of sewing it back up nope didn't work and you wished you'd don't a shallower cut knowing it was going to leave a scar. Which sucks, but you can control the air in their lungs technically it wasn't apart of them. Loopholes, there is always a loophole. But you can fix things, like a crack phone screens burst pipes you just had to stretch things a bit or zip them up. Which brings us to this little mishap. How the fuck can you explain this, you had been trying to feel the air. You felt with your powers you liked to think of it as ripples you know like when you wave one hand under water you can feel the ripples hit the other? It was like that except you felt what the ripple hit. Kind of strange but that was the best you could come up with. So hear you was scratching your head looking at a half sunk boat, now you may be thinking boats sink all the time whats the problem?.... well normally boats sink in water not solid concrete, you had been trying to feel your ripples and pull the air below a small boat making it 'levitate' but lost your cool dropped the fucking thing panicked tried catching it and wham bam thank you ma'am boat is now half sticking out of the dock floor with a broken window. You looked up into the sky.

"Really? As if my life wasn't already a joke you gotta throw bad luck in the mix to?" You quickly closed your eyes willing the glass to reform feeling each the large pieces lift joining them selves back together slowly setting them back into the frame concentrating in 'zipping up' the seams at such a microscopic level no one would know any better. Once finished you opened your eyes, boat was still in the ground but the window was back in place. 'Yay go me' You smiled, you may not have achieved your goal of safely moving the boat but you did fix the window you broke. You sighed trying to pull the thing up again but stopped when you heard a large ominous crunching sound coming from the hull. You jumped growling pulling at you hair near your scalp.

"No no no no no this is not meant to happen just fucking move! Move up damn it!"

"Need some help?" You screamed jumping  turning around as the ground flicked up around your feet creating a small knee high spikes pointing between you and Batman?. You took a step back quickly stomping the small barrier away

"Err no no I err just out for a nice stroll haha." He hummed unconvinced looking at the boat sticking out of the ground you followed his gaze chuckling nervously scratching at your chin

".....that was like that when I got here....... I mean you see some weird shit in Gotham huh?" He looked back at you.

"I already know about your gift, you can't control it yet?" You gasped taking another step back

"Gift? What gift nope no sir-y no gifts round here."

"So I didn't just watch you drop a boat into concrete and fix the window on it?" You blinked slowly at him then heaved a heavy sigh stuffing your hand in your pockets.

"Y-you saw that? Shit I didn't mean to, I promise its just hard and i just want to stop doing things on accident....then other accidents happen a vicious cycle really" You said waving over the little accident. He nodded

"I believe you, but you were panicking, concentrate try making it sand again then harden from the bottom push up like layers like your filling in a hole go from the bottom up" you looked at him a little shocked but nodded looking at the boat feeling around beneath it with your 'ripples' making the concrete go lax hearing the hiss of it as it became loose grains before pushing up hardening thin layers from the bottom finally bringing it to the surface. You smiled happy at fixing your problem. He smirked seeing you giddy from your achievement.

"Wow thank you that helped a lot I would have been here all night before figuring that out." He nodded

"Your welcome, I'm glad I found you, we have been watching you for a while, we would like to talk to you"

"We?" You asked not really understanding

"The Justice league, you have a strong ability that we think would be useful and we wanted to see if we can help you control it we can give you training in combat weapons and hand to hand which ever you prefer." You looked at him jaw hanging open

"Your joking? You've gotta be, I just move things not really worthy of being up there with you guys,but I don't want to be used then thrown away but thanks for the help" you said turning to walk away he frowned

"We wont please you can trust us" he said reaching out quickly holding an arm dragging you back a little making you gasp and jump he then winced hissing as a thin spike quickly pierced the side of his hand that held you, you panicked.

"OH MY GOD! I'm sorry I didn't mean to! it just happens when I get scared or startled!" You quickly pushed the spike down grabbing his hand and twisting it with trembling hands hope he didn't beat the shit out of you, you'd basically just attacked him.

"Erm please stay still there are a few bits in there" you said before pulling at the little pieces of debris from the small puncture hole, when you react on instinct it doesn't end up as put together as when you actively control things hence little bits falling off and such.

"Your powers are strong I don't think your fully aware of what your capable of crushing a gun with a look is just the start, just give us a chance trust us"You let go of him hugging yourself taking a step back you felt bad you didn't mean you stood looking down waiting to see if he was angry, he seemed more sympathetic.

"Its not that I don't trust you, fuck how can I not I'm just....scared, you don't know the things I've done.....I could accidentally kill one of you then what? Be hunted down by you guys? I'm not indestructible I'm human and I haven't got control of it.... I don't even know what it is.....but its probably about time I found out I suppose I just simplify it so I don't you know....loose my nerve, bad things happen when that happens , its always frightened me... if-if I did come with you what do you guys get out of helping me? There’s always a price" he regarded you carefully he could see the fear the uncertainty in your voice it made you seem younger ,smaller lost he could tell you wanted to find somewhere to go, to find a home base and people who understood a bit like Barry in that sense he sighed smiling softly before speaking.

"Hopefully a team mate, one day someone will come and pick another fight and when they do we need to be ready, to have people we can call on to help, your strong a lot stronger then you realize this gift it-its probably made you one of the strongest metahumans on the planet,even superman was a little concerned of  encountering you that's why I'm here he chickened out." You giggled a little and he smiled relaxing, you were a good kid he could tell just scared and lost the league would be good for you give you direction.

"Really? I'm pretty sure I've got more reason to be wary of him" he smiled a little "The point is your strong and will only get stronger ,your still just learning about it we want help you, give you a safe place to learn how to control it, test your limits. Your a good kid I can see you want to help and we will give you the opportunities to do that." You nodded it did sound good, the chance to practice using this gift away from people, in a safe and controlled environment the only people around would be able to dodge and escape if things did go wrong you looked at your hands for a moment.

"...You'd really help me?"he nodded

"Not just you but we will also help protect those closest to you" you looked away

"Don’t have anyone." He stopped at that

"What? Your alone?" You shrugged nodding throwing your bag on your shoulder

"You mean family right? Don’t have one I told you bad things happen when I loose my control, I just have foster homes well had I left,better off on my own" you held his gaze you were testing him, letting him know exactly what you'd done with out saying the words guard up and waiting to see if he'd try to over power you or change his mind. He didn't know what to say to that, he could hear the others through the comms warning him to back off asking if he wanted back up, he ignored them you had killed them accidentally that much was clear. You had no one he couldn't imagine just what you had been through, but he also knew this was a test he had done it himself when he was younger, you were waiting to see if he would judge you or leave you here alone, the others wont understand that’s why they were panicking telling him to leave if he did  you'd never trust them again something none of them could risk, but it was also your way of trying to push them away. He shook his head coming closer slowing when your eyes began to glow and the floor rippled beneath his feet he raised his hands slowly the others were shouting down the line at him but you was getting defensive not readying for an attack.

"That’s why we want to help you, so nothing like that happens again I cant imagine what you've been through or what it was like but you don't have to be alone anymore or be scared" you believed him, something told you he understood pulling back from the concrete, he had plenty of time to attack you but didn't.

"And you wont be mad if I break something?" He shook his head releasing a breath he wasn't aware he was holding

"If you break something you can keep practicing until you fix it" you contemplated for a second.

"Okay then but just to see if I can fit in, don't let them make me jump.....I don't wanna shank them....you got off lightly it was aiming to go straight threw to your face... I sort of caught it a little" Bruce tensed but quickly controlled himself, the last thing you needed was to see he was slightly afraid of your gift it could feed your own fear.

"They already know, they've been watching in case they needed to help if things went bad its up to you" you gulped and nodded a little as he began walking away you hesitated looking the opposite way you could run, forget this whole meeting and leave, you sighed watching his back you had no doubt he was giving you the chance to leave you took a deep breath they could help and if it does become a con you would find a way to leave and disappear nodding you quickly jogged up behind him following him to the bat mobile he opened the back revealing two seats.

"This thing has extra seats?" He smirked down at you

"Well this one does some of the others don't." You tilted your head

"How many of them do you have?" He chuckled as you slid into the seat

"Quite a few buckle up and hold on" he said nodding the the strategically placed grab rails the shut the door a few seconds later you were moving. You shivered a little nervous you didn't think it was a bad thing to go and train somewhere more secure but one mistake and you could easily become an enemy and contrary to what they may believe you couldn't take any of them on you was still a human you still bled. You sighed leaning back a little resting your head on the seat behind you as he drove you god knows where.

[second-chance-stray]

RP Log: Riylli is worried about Cravs.

Riylli Aliapoh knocks on the door to Cravs room, having grabbed some emergency drinks beforehand just in case. "...Cravs? You in there?" She called out, shuffling her feet awkwardly. "I was thinkin' we could talk a little? About the whole... plan, thingy..."

Cravendy Hound is right about to tuck into a pastry roll when Riylli knocks on the door. Panicking, she grabs the plate and hides it unceremoniously on the ground behind the bar. She then clears her throat and shouts to welcome the miqo'te in. "AH YEAH. I'm 'ere! To talk."

Riylli Aliapoh enters the room, drinks in hand, and gives it a look over. "...Huh. This place is a lot... Cozier than I expected." She muses, stepping further inside. "I was kinda expectin' it to just be a hammock. That's how you folks sleep in Limsa, right?" She asked, moving to take a seat by Cravs' minibar, realizing her grabbing drinks from upstairs may have been a little pointless

Cravendy Hound rolls her eyes. "Did ye expect my room to be an empty space with a hammock in the middle, then? Haha, yer right about 'em being common in Limsa, but mostly cause they're cheap and fit on boats." Behind her is an assortment of bottles, most half empty. She sets out two glasses and pours Riylli a bit of rum.

Cravendy Hound: "So, mind pourin' me a bit of what ye brought?" She eyes the drinks that Riylli has with her.

Riylli Aliapoh watches Cravs pour her a drink, then looks towards her own. "O-Oh, uh, this is just some stuff I grabbed upstairs... Sorry, I only remembered last minute you're supposed to bring gifts to peoples homes..." Riylli mumbled, rubbing the back of her neck. Still, she picked up one of the bottles and pours Cravs out a shot. "It's just some mead. I didn't know what you liked but you brought that bottle yesterday so..."

Cravendy Hound chuckles, but accepts the mead anyway. "Word of advice. If yer regiftin' someone somethin' ye got for free, it's best to not let 'em know. I don't care, but a fancier fella like Mivo would."

Riylli Aliapoh 's cheeks coloured a bit at the gentle scolding. "...Sorry. I don't exactly care what that pompous shitehead thinks, but I'll make sure to bring you a proper housewarmin' gift next time!" She declares with a nod, taking the first sip of her drink. A strained expression on her face makes it obvious she is clearly struggling with it, but she manages to get it all down thankfully. "It's... good." She fibs

Cravendy Hound: "Yesterday I learned the guy ain't a thoroughbred, though 'e might talk like one. But anyway, enough about 'im. Look, Riylli, I literally don't expect anythin' of the sort. I'm not the type to get wound up over 'ousewarmin' gifts or proper etiquette." She gestures over to the pile of dirty dishes stacked on top of a barrel behind her to drive home the point.

Cravendy Hound picks up on Riylli's struggle and grins. "......well, if ye like it so much, 'ow about a refill?"

Riylli Aliapoh hesitates, but nods. "S...Sure." She says, trying her hardest to be a good houseguest. "And, I still wanna get you somethin'! I don't suppose you'd accept an animal pelt or something along those lines? That's usually what we Miqo'te gift when visiting other clans. Can use it as a rug!"

Cravendy Hound: "Could use a rug. Yeah, why don't ye bring me one?" Cravs grabs the bottle of rum and empties what little remains into Riylli's glass. She thinks for a second. "...would 'ave to be pretty big to be used as a rug. Ye 'untin' bears out there?"

Riylli Aliapoh: "Usually antelope and boars, but those won't do as a gift. I could totally get you a bear if that's what you want!" She says with a grin, picking up her glass and holding it for a moment. "Though... Might take a bit. I doubt Ava will let me use one I don't catch myself." She pauses to take a deep breath before once again downing her drink, trying to swallow it before she can taste it and making another face when that plan failed. "...Speaking of. I talked to her like I said, and she seems to agree that goin' about things the legal way is probably the best path... But... I sorta... I don't know." She shuffled in place awkwardly, before closing her eyes and taking another deep breath. "I... Don't think it's a good idea to go through those... 'friends' of yours..."

Cravendy Hound: "Well, be careful? Bears are no joke, and 'onestly...ye'll 'ave the Elementals to worry about too. Stupid forest ghosts sent a buncha bees after me, even though it was just a misunderstandin' on my part." Cravs twitches and looks around herself. "They can't 'ear me in 'ere, can they? Shit. I mean, the blessed, all-mighty Elementals."

Cravendy Hound leans back and focuses on the bits of dust caught on the edge of her glass, the topic change putting her a bit on edge. She sighs. "Well, what do ye suggest then? Go diggin' for a different crime to catch Mindred with?"

Riylli Aliapoh shrunk a bit, feeling the change in the atmosphere. Though Cravs could not see from behind the bar, her tail had ended up in her lap and she was nervously fiddling with it. "I... Don't know. I don't think I have any suggestions really... I just... Don't like the idea of you getting close to them again." She mumbles, deciding the nearby plant had become rather interesting and keeping her eyes on it instead of Cravs. "But... I'm sure we can think of something, right?"

Cravendy Hound raised a brow. Was Riylli...worried? Or jealous? Both, neither, something else altogether? Either way, Cravs was having trouble reading Riylli's reaction. "Eh? Oh, uh, they're really not that bad. I'm sure if ye met 'em ye'd change yer mind. And it's not like I'm plannin' on goin' back to piratin' full time anyhow, I've got responsibilities 'ere now."

Riylli Aliapoh raised an eyebrow, not in disbelief but in curiosity. "They... Aint? But I thought..." She hesitates, not really sure how to put her words together. "Um... Tell me about them then? If they really aint bad, then we can go through them. Just... I don't want you going back to... Y'know..." She mumbled, hoping the implication was enough for her to avoid mentioning anything specific.

Cravendy Hound: "A bandit's a bandit until ye get to know 'em. Not sayin' they ain't crass, violent, or dumb as 'ell sometimes, but at the end of the day, they're just people who value....freedom," Cravs tries, as she attempts to present them in the best light possible. "Don't go lookin' for 'em yerself though. Seriously."

Cravendy Hound tilts her head as she tries to complete Riylli's thought. "...don't know if I can make any promises. I'm naturally....well, I'm not particularly good at bein' good."

Riylli Aliapoh makes a face. "Violent is what I'm worried about... There are plenty of Miqo'te clans and tribes that aren't afraid to kill if someone trespasses or goes against their laws, but... They don't go lookin' for trouble like bandit groups do." She says, before Cravs speaks again. Her frown returns, "That aint true! I know you're a good person! That's why you helped build Dirtpatch back up, and that's why you're helpin' keep Baldur safe to begin with!" She insisted, something about the Roegadyns words seeming to strike a nerve. "Your past don't matter to me, but... I can't let you go back to being bad. So... Please, if working with those people might push you back on that path, can't we just find another way..?" The anger in her voice wavered near the end as she made her plea, a hint of fear in her eyes

Cravendy Hound is silent for a moment. She downs her mead and holds her glass upside down in her hand as she looks away. This isn't the first time she's heard something like this, and every time her gut reaction is disbelief. She can't shake the feeling that she's fooling everyone. Pretending. It'd be easier if no one put their trust in her, let her flail about without pressure.

Cravendy Hound: "I am...already...that's." She shakes her head. "Okay. If we can find another way. But if we can't, well. Then I wouldn't be opposed to bringin' ye along, if yer up for meetin' some unsavory saltfolk."

Riylli Aliapoh's eyes light up. "...Really?" She hops to her feet suddenly, leaning against the bar counter excitedly and absolutely not standing on her toes to do so. "Yeah! We'll come up with a great plan! And, if not, then I'll be there with you when we meet 'em to keep you safe!" She declares, grinning wide enough to show off her fangs. "Rising can help us come up with somethin' clever I bet, I always hear those folk up in Idyllshire are supposed to be smart after all, so maybe some of that rubbed off on her!"

Cravendy Hound lets out a well-meaning laugh at the thought of Riylli and Rising keeping her safe. "Wha? Pf, if I bring ye two to meet 'em, I'll be the one on babysittin' duty! I'm worried one of ye'll rub one of 'em the wrong way!"

Cravendy Hound: "Does it work that way? Don't think I ever get any smarter from talkin' with Lin..."

Riylli Aliapoh: "Course it does! You've learned stuff about earth magic from hangin' around me, haven't you?" She asked, a question that clearly only had one safe answer. "If anythin' bad happens with them, Rising and I can handle ourselves! I aint scared of wannabe bandits, no way they can live up to what we got in the shroud! But... Anyroad. As long as they don't try to pull you back into their mess, I won't start nothing. Even if I really want to."

Cravendy Hound shakes her head with a grin. "Ayyye, I'm really startin' to regret agreein' to this...it's like take yer kid to work day. Ye'll, uhh. Ah," She pauses and a slight blush crosses over her face. "I've got a reputation to uphold in that group, okay? Ye guys see a real soft side to me, but they don't, so don't say anythin' embarassin' and leave most of the talkin' to me when it 'appens!"

Cravendy Hound: "Oi, I've done a lot of watchin', but not a lot of learnin'. And tossin' a rock with my 'ands doesn't count as earth magic!"

Riylli Aliapoh 's cheek colour. "I-I aint a kid! It'll be fine dammit!" She huffed, Cravs striking a nerve. "Though, I aint gonna let them try to say bad things about you, reputation be damned. That's why I'm goin' really, to make sure you remember that you aint that person anymore. Er... But we won't go! We'll come up with a better plan, remember? Solve it the 'lawful' way!" She said with another nod. "Or... At least a way not involvin' them."

Cravendy Hound: "Haha, yeah, that's right. Let's 'ope for the best then," Cravs answers. She doesn't want to get her hopes up, but Riylli makes that hard. "....Wait. Are ye actually a kid? I don't remember if I ever asked yer age."

Cravendy Hound: "Always thought ye were 22 or 24. But maybe...Gods, don't tell me yer actually...older than me..." Cravs trails off, pale as a sheet.

Riylli Aliapoh crosses her arms, giving Cravs a glare. "I said I aint! I'm an adult dammit, this is my twentieth summer." She mutters, daring Cravs to try and say something further about it. "Just because I'm shorter than you doesn't make me a kid. Everyones shorter than you!"

Cravendy Hound lets out a sigh of relief. Then: "Risin' ain't shorter than me."

Riylli Aliapoh: "She aint?" Riylli has to pause to think about it for a moment, it was rather hard to tell from her perspective. "Well, everyone not a Roegadyn then. My point still stands! Don't treat me like a kid just because I'm a Miqo'te, it's not my fault I wasn't born a giant like you!"

Cravendy Hound: "I think she's a little taller than me. Or maybe I'm gettin' mixed up with 'er lance. Eh." She shrugs. "I ain't treatin' ye like a kid! It'd just feel weird if ye were older than me is all!"

Riylli Aliapoh keeps her arms crossed, eyeing Cravs suspiciously for a few moments more before finally nodding. "...Good. We Miqo'te get looked down on all the time, but even if you're my friend I aint gonna let you do it too! It's gettin' late for you though, yeah? Should we make plans to meet up with Rising later to brainstorm? Can get drinks at the same time!" She said, flashing Cravs another bright grin

Cravendy Hound: "'ow else can I look at ye? Yer all the way down there!" Cravs teases, shooting Riylli a smug wink. "Hah, sounds like a plan. Best ideas come while drunk!"

Riylli Aliapoh glares back at Cravs. "Very funny. We'll meet up later then." She says, turning to leave. She opens the door only to pause for a moment, then turning to flash Cravs one final grin. "Enjoy your pastry!" She says, sending Cravs a smug wink of her own as she taps her nose and quickly disappears out the door.

Cravendy Hound 's eyes go wide and her mouth opens to shout something back, but Riylli is gone before she can get anything out. Damnit, how long did she know?! Cravs groans.

[possiamo-andare]

So Sweet: JJ Maybank

Chapter Two: Best Behaviour

word count: 4k

mini series

chapter one

masterlist

~

you were born to be a troublemaker

JJ Maybank - 

If I could wake up to one sound for the rest of my life, it'd be the sound of waves crashing to shore. If I listen closely in the morning, before anyone else has woken up, I can almost hear each droplet hit the sand. Of course, in reality, it's probably just my groggy state but I'd like to think that time in the morning is reserved solely for me to listen to the waves.

With that being said, this morning, I was not given the pleasure to wake up to the sound of waves. Instead, I was awoken by Pope screeching in my ear about how late we were.

"JJ! Get your ass out of bed!" He tugged on my hair, making me yelp out in pain before opening my eyes.

"Jeez! What's your deal Heyward?" I ask, rubbing my head where it hurt from Pope's tugging. I sit up on John B.'s couch, looking around for him. He usually wakes me up before Pope comes storming in and I wanna ask why he decided against doing that today.

I instantly make eye contact with JB, who is chewing on a piece of bread in the kitchen. He smiles at me with a mouthful of bread before looking to Pope. "I tried to wake him up twenty minutes ago but he wouldn't budge."

I roll my eyes. "Bull." I get up from the couch, pushing past Pope who is still calling me. "Can I have some of that?"

JB nods, handing me the second slice he had in his other hand. "It has some mold in the corner."

I shrugged, not disgusted by this at all. "Whatever, mold is like an organism."

I can hear Pope scoff from behind me. "Are you insane? Eat around the mold or you'll get sick."

I turn back to Pope, who is impatiently tapping his foot against the floor. "I wish. Then maybe your dad will give me some time off."

Pope smirks. "Yeah, sure. While we're talking about shit that's never gonna happen, you're gonna be on time for once."

I chuckle, enjoying how impatient Pope looks. Pope needs to chill sometimes and just enjoy life. I've never met someone as uptight as him. "It's your dad's fault for making us go on the ferry this early in the morning. No normal teenager wakes up at 7am anyways."

Pope crosses his arms over his chest. "We have to pick up some of the Kooks groceries. We won't be on time if we stay here any longer. Let's go."

Pope is out the door before I have time to make fun of him any longer. Begrudgingly, I slip on some sneakers and plop, like, five mint flavored gum in my mouth before following after him. Surprisingly, Pope's dad is waiting in his car for us. Usually, Pope and I have to walk all the way to the pier and board the ferry without Mr. Heyward. I guess today he was feeling generous. When we entered the car, Pope and I both sitting in the back, Mr. Heyward can't help but crack a joke at my tardiness.

"Rough night JJ?"

I press my lips together, letting him make fun of me. "Yessir. You know me."

Mr. Heyward laughs. "That I do." He pulls out of JB's driveway before speaking again. "These are for the Cameron household. Just some extra groceries for the gala they're hosting in a couple of days."

Pope nods, his eyes dancing with amusement. I look to him and he meets my gaze, both of us smirking. I wonder who is gonna speak first and when I know he won't, I do. "Yeah, we heard about the gala. JB is escorting Sarah."

Mr. Heyward nods, glancing at the rearview mirror before looking back at the road. "Hm. Well, you boys are invited too."

Pope and I both frown. "Hm?" Pope and I look at each other we both mumble at the same time.

Mr. Heyward nods again, turning a corner and getting closer to the pier. "Pope'll be helping me out while you, JJ, will be one of our charming servers."

I scoff, crossing my arms over my chest. "With all due respect, I ain't serving no Kook. Especially if it's Rafe Cameron."

Pope nudges me with his elbow. "He'll do it dad."

I roll my eyes. "I will -" I'm cut off by Pope shoving me into the door, knocking the wind out of me. It takes me a couple seconds to regain my posture before I can speak. "I would be glad to help you out Mr. Heyward."

Mr. Heyward smirks, looking to Pope. "Don't worry, Jay, I'll be paying you."

I chuckle, reaching my hand over the passenger seat to high five Mr. Heyward. "Music to my ears."

Only when the car is parked does Mr. Heyward high five me. He then unbuckled his seat and shifts his body to turn to us, his face unreadable. "Make sure Jeff has everything this time."

Pope nods, pulling out a list from his pocket. "Got it."

Mr. Heyward looks at me. "And behave yourself JJ."

I wink at him, finally opening my door. "Of course sir. I'm always on my best behaviour." I can hear Pope scoff from behind but I close the door before I can look at him.

Once Pope exits the car on the other side, Mr. Heyward does not waste another moment before driving off, leaving his son and his son’s friend alone. Although I would never admit it, I actually enjoy going on these trips with Pope. I’ve always connected with Pope in a different way than everyone else but I seriously don't realize how much Pope and I get along until we’re alone. I would never tell Pope this, knowing my friend did not need any more ammunition against me to make fun of me. Besides, if the roles were reversed, I would not let Pope hear the end of it.

“Do you think my dad knows what happened last time?” Pope asks, closing the distance between us.

Once he is close enough, I speak. “Nah. Although, he probably has an idea.”

Last time we were at this pier, Topper and Kelce had also been here. They had come to pick a package up but when they saw us, all of their past responsibilities went down the drain. They tried to confront us but we ran before they could reach us. One of the things I did so that Pope and I could get away was throw a bunch of large bins on the floor to create a distraction. The owner of those bins called me by name and Pope has been scared ever since that someone is going to tell his dad about the mischief we caused last time. Personally, I think Mr. Heyward has no idea. Sometimes, even when I have yet to do anything wrong, he warns me and tells me to be on my best behaviour.

I take the first step towards the ferry first, knowing Pope is beside me overthinking everything we have done. Before you board the ferry, there is a bridge where you wait in line and pay your toll. Mr. Heyward makes us go this early because he knows the lines will be shorter, but I secretly suspect it is because he enjoys watching me get up early for a change. He’s always complaining whenever he sees me that I wake up too late and that’s why I have no discipline. The real reason I have no discipline is actually because I hate being told what to do.

“What kinda idea do you think he has?” Pope asks nervously as we both wait in line on the bridge connecting the pier to the ferry.

I shrug, fishes the coins Mr. Heyward had given me only days ago. “He knows I’m a troublemaker and he knows you follow whatever I do so, it’s not that hard to guess.”

Pope scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest. “I do not follow everything you do.”

I give him a look, telling him right away that I didn’t mean to be mean. “Don’t take it the wrong way, bud, but you follow along with everything I do.”

Pope rolls his eyes, his arms still crossed. “I’m always the one telling you how stupid whatever you’re doing is.”

I nod. “True, but you follow along to make sure I don’t get in trouble. Which ends up getting us in trouble.”

Pope shakes his head, clearly agitated at my statement. “I can think for myself. I’m not just some brain dead -”

“I never said that.” I interrupt, already knowing the road this conversation is going to go down. “I’m just saying you like the adventure as much as I do. The only difference is that I admit I like getting in trouble.”

Pope presses his lips together and I can tell he is trying to suppress a smile. “I do not like getting in trouble.”

I chuckle. “My point exactly.”

“I do not!” Pope raises his voice, trying to look angry but I know he’s not. He would never admit it aloud but the adventures that we go on actually bring him a lot of joy.

“Tickets please.” One of the toll booth workers says to me, watching me closely as I reach my hand up and through the small opening of the window before setting it down in front of him.

“Two tickets.” I say, gesturing towards Pope. The toll booth worker quietly prints out two tickets before handing them back to me. “Thanks.” I mumble before giving one of the tickets to Pope.

As we walk up the bridge and finally cross over onto the ferry, I start to smell the stronger scent of sea salt. I love this smell almost as much as I love the sound of the waves crashing to shore. It’s calming. I know to some people it is a smell that can cause them to get sick but to me, a Pogue who has grown up here, it is a beautiful scent.

Pope and I finally sit on a bench, with a beautiful view of the water. We don’t speak for a while; not until we both hear the familiar rumble of the boat starting. When I feel this rumble beneath me, I let out a small sigh.

“What?” Pope asks, staring at how my chest is rapidly rising and falling.

I shrug staring at the sea instead of my friend. “I don’t know. I feel weird.”

I can feel Pope’s gaze hardened on me, knowing he’s worried already. “Weird how?”

I shrug again, trying to calm my racing heart. It feels as though my body is trying to tell me something. I think I know what it is. “I feel like something is about to happen to me.”

Pope chuckles, his face relaxing. “Haha. Yeah. You’re about to get paid dude.”

I chuckle with him but it’s dry and I can’t even bother to look at him as I do. It’s not that but I try to tell myself it’s nothing. I’m just tired. Then, a thought crosses my mind. It’s unprovoked and out of left field but I know it’s right.

Your life is about to change forever.

~

Amelia Hepburn - 

“Breaking News coming from New York City today, where the heiress to the Hepburn fortune has gone missing. Officials in New York report that Amelia Hepburn, granddaughter to Audrey Hepburn, vanished from her estate last night. A man hunt has been organized to recover Amelia safe and sound. Amelia’s parents…”

I turn down the volume of the radio, not bothering to listen to anymore news. I figured they’d be looking for me; just not this soon. At least I’m out of New York now. I have an eight hour head start and I’m gonna make every second count.

“Hey!” The man beside me shouts in my ear. He must have been listening to the radio too because he leans forward and turns it back up. “Was listening to that.”

I mumble a sorry before putting the right earbud back in my ear to continue listening to music. As I continue to listen to music, I focus on the rumble of the ferry underneath me. It’s a subtle shake and anyone who has rode a ferry more than once would get used to it. But I haven’t and it’s the only thing I can focus on. I’m doing so many things I have never done before and it’s so exciting. Ferries were always so crowded and it would’ve been impossible for someone like me to ride them but now, I was just a regular girl to these people. It was liberating to just be seen as a teenager and not the future heiress of anything.

Suddenly, the rumbling stops and so does the ferry. The stop causes me to lean forward but I hold onto the armchair and balance myself so I don’t fall. I can hear the intercom come on over my music and I decide to take my earbuds out. I’m going to need someone’s help locating a hotel or AirBnB and I can’t do that while I listen to music. As I put my earbuds away in my backpack, a bunch of passengers start collecting their belongings and leaving. I look out the window, a smile instantly creeping onto my face. I’m here. I’m in Outer Banks.

There’s a small bridge that connects the ferry to the pier where dozens and dozens of people are walking about and waiting in line to board the ferry to go back to the mainland. It’s very early in the morning but the sun is already half way up and looking as beautiful as ever. The sky is different than it is in New York and I can’t help but sit in awe as I watch the sky turn from a light purple to orange right before my eyes. Then, there’s the smell of sea salt and I know I could wake up to this for the rest of my life.

“Excuse me?” A voice comes from behind me and my stomach instantly drops. For a moment, I think someone recognizes me and I think of returning home. In terror, I turn around to see a girl my age with a small smile on her face. “Are you staying?”

I shake my head, letting out a small sigh of relief. She doesn’t know me. “No. Sorry. Just a lot to take in.”

This girl is very beautiful. She has brown, curly hair and dark skin to match. Her eyes are twinkling with excitement and I can tell she is a local just by how she dresses. She is wearing a see through shirt and black shorts but I can see an orange swimsuit underneath her shirt. Her smile is so gentle but strong. I realize, as she smiles at me, that I think I just made my first friend.

She smiles at me, slowly nodding. “It’s very beautiful. Have you ever been to OBX?”

I shake my head, watching as she leaned against one of the chairs. “Never. I’ve actually never been anywhere without my parents.”

She raises her brows. “Really?”

I nod. “Yeah. This is kinda like my first vacation ever.”

She chuckles, placing a hand over her heart. “Well, now I need to make sure you have the best time ever. I can make sure a local shows you around if you’d like?”

I nod enthusiastically. I’m so surprised at her offer, I almost wonder if she’s able to read my mind. “Yes, thank you.”

I stand up from my seat and once I do, she starts walking towards the exit. I follow behind her, holding onto my phone for dear life. I turned off the location hours ago so I’m not worried they will be able to track me. Once we get to the exit of the ferry, she outstretches her hand for me to hold. I take it and carefully step over the space between the bridge and the ferry. Once I’m safely on the pier, she lets go of my hand and turns to me fully.

“Wanna meet my friends?” She asks, fiddling with a bracelet on her wrist. I only nod, too nervous to speak. “Just gotta find those rascals…”

She mumbles the last part and I’m a little apprehensive of who she is going to choose since she just called them rascals. I try to follow her gaze as she scans the pier but I can’t seem to see who she is looking for. Instead, I scan the crowd and watch as different people interact with one another. There’s some construction workers working on the pier while others are tourists reading a map. Everyone at this pier is coming from different walks of life and I think it’s absolutely beautiful that all these people who never would have known each other before, have come together on this pier.

“Ah!” She yelps, pointing to two teen boys carrying bags of groceries in their hands. “There they are. JJ! Pope!”

Both the boys stop and slowly turn to face where the sound has come from. I’m not sure who is who but by the smiles, I think I can tell. The blonde boy has a small smirk playing on his lips and he just seems like a JJ while the other boy has a sheepish grin on his lips, his shy demeanor matching his sweet name. As we approach them, I can’t take my eyes off the blonde boy and I can see him watching me too. He’s so freaking handsome I think I just might faint right here. I’ve talked to boys my age but they’re all the sons of diplomats who have to be kind to me so I wonder how boys will treat me when they don’t know who I truly am.

“Hey Kie.” Pope smiles still, glancing to his feet. I can tell he likes her and I wonder if she likes him too.

She leans forward to hug both of her friends. “Hey Pope.” She hugs the first boy as she says this and I knew my assumption was right. Then she hugs the blonde boy and says. “Hey JJ.”

JJ smiles but keeps his eyes trained on me. I look to Pope instead, slightly embarrassed he is looking at me so much. I wonder if he recognizes me or if he thinks I’m beautiful. I hope it’s the latter.

“And who is this?” He finally says, all eyes on me now.

I realize that I have to make up a name. I know that it will be too much of a coincidence that a girl that is named Amelia is missing and my name is Amelia so I fumble around for a moment. I don’t know what name to use and I watch as they all become increasingly aware that I am too nervous to speak. I am very embarrassed but before I can make myself look like an idiot any more than I already am, Kie speaks up for me.

“I met her on the ferry coming back from the mainland. She’s never been to OBX. Thought we’d show her around.” Kie looks between Pope and JJ, both of their eyes now trained on her. With eyes away from me, I now have time to think of a name before someone asks me again.

JJ looks at me again. “What did you say your name was?”

“I never did.” I clear my throat, finally speaking to him for the first time. “My name is Audrey.” I want to slap myself. I could only think of my grandmother’s name and I wish I was a better liar.

They all nod, a smile only on JJ’s lips. “Nice. Well, I’m JJ,” He says, pointing to himself. Without thinking, I extend my hand for him to shake and his eyes widen. “I’ve never shaken hands with anyone.” I watch as he chuckles, shaking my hand before letting go.

I am instantly embarrassed again. “Sorry.” I’ve been raised by adults who never allowed me to spend too much time with other people my age and I am confused on the proper edicate when interacting with teenagers. I look to Kie for support and she just smiles. I feel a little better knowing that at least she doesn’t think I’m odd.

JJ shrugs, his eyes full of laughter. I wonder what my eyes show other people. I hope they’re as vibrant as JJ’s. “Nah, it’s okay. I love weird.”

There’s a moment of silence for a moment and I realize that JJ might be flirting with me. The only other time this has ever happened is when an English diplomat’s son tried to grope me at a charity gala for impoverished children. I still remember wanting to hit him but remembering there were cameras around. I had to restrain myself even though he deserved it. My whole life is an exercise of restraint and I never want it to be like that again. I want to be able to slap a rude boy if I ever have to again. Although this is true, I know I won’t ever have to slap JJ. I like him too much to ever push away his advances. Besides, he is so charming it’s hard to not be flattered.

“It’s nice to meet you Audrey.” Pope finally says, a polite small across his lips. Instead, I nod and decide against shaking his hand to save myself from embarrassment.

Although I know it is silly, I can’t help but look at JJ again. Something is drawing me to him and I am more than happy to see him still looking at me. Before I can speak again, Kie decides to. “How long are you gonna stay in OBX for, Audrey?”

I shrug, my eyes on Kie now. “I don’t know.” My mind is running at the speed of light to figure out a good and believable lie. “My parents are at a conference for a couple days in the mainland so they told me to explore the Outer Banks for a while. I’m supposed to get a room and wait until they call me to leave.” I fumble on some of my words but at the same time, I am so proud of thinking of this lie on the spot.

Everyone nods, all their eyes on me. I wonder if the lie has worked for a moment before Pope speaks up. “Well, while they’re at the mainland, we can definitely show you around. Even get you a place to stay.”

I smile at Pope, nodding my head. “Thank you so much. It’s greatly appreciated.”

Kie wraps an arm around my shoulders. I almost jump at the touch, not used to physical affection. I have to remind myself that normal teens are used to being so touchy with people they trust, “There’s even gonna be a party at the Boneyard tonight where you can meet the rest of our friends.”

I frown. “The Boneyard?”

I hear JJ chuckle from beside me. “You weren’t kidding, she is a touron.” I look at him, a smile on his lips now instead of his signature smirk. “Hunting Island. It’s where Pogues and Kooks have parties.”

I only frown deeper when I hear these new terms. “Pogues? Kooks?”

Kie laughs from beside me, finding my confusion hilarious. She squeezes me a little tighter. “We got a lot to teach you before tonight sister.”

I smile at her, finally wrapping my arm around her this time. “I’m intrigued.”

And for the first time, I feel as though my life is mine. I am finally myself. As we walk off the pier and towards Kie’s car, I think of how disappointed my mom would be of me. She would think I’m stupid fro getting in the car with a bunch of teens I don’t know. And maybe she’s right. But I think of my grandma and I’d like to think she’d be proud of me and everything that I’ve accomplished so far. I’m making my life my own. I’m living for me.

and you will do it until you die

~

taglist: @teamnick​ @trinnwazheree​ @jjmayybank​ @fangirling-allday​ @pink-meringues​

[beecherdrysdale]

Hello my bbs, hope everyone’s ok!.

The amounts of screenshots I took for this....

To start: haha I guess brigid and Dylan are in the same car together, but who’s at the front? Like Dylan better keep his hands to himself of Jamie’s gonna get jealoussssss. And it’s gonna be chaotic and quinton is gonna jump out of the car lol. Unless you put quinton upfront with you? Haha yes you ignore them and just talking to quinton hehe.

Brigid I do that as well, so get ready to lose when the light turns green! Kesh also likes to drive fast so it’ll be chaoticcccc.I am banishing Ryan to the back because I would definitely lose concentration. Quinner or Braden are the only ones that can sit upfront. Preferably Quinner so that I can hold his hand🥺 but I love you too braden. There is so much to see while driving in Canada, so frequent stops will be made. Plus the boys love Canada #nostalgic.

Lmao being in the car together would be so fun!!. Haha Dylan and Jamie braiding your hair would be hilarious, like they get into the biggest knot, why do I feel like Ryan would take a picture of it and post it on his insta story and would write “nice”😂 I do wanna see it tho. but like kesh said they would be giving you puppy eyes because they don’t want you to be mad at them, I’m not sure how you would react tho?. Hehe me pulling over, and quinton and devon just redoing your hair, and then I’d make them do my hair as well:). Ok so driving with the windows down and blasting music is good with everyone, I think we would playing all music lol , country for Brigid and Kirby? I think you like country? I’m playing 2000’s music- like a g6 would be so fun to blast in the car. Everyone is just dancing in the car. Some rap will be played for the boys. Kesh what music do you like? Does anyone else have any music suggestions? Haha cozzy, Devon and Braden just being passed out for the drive and literally not waking up to the music. Late night drives are adorable, esp with the make outs hehe.

Ok so we have decided that kesh is the most responsible on the trip which I totally agree with, somebody’s gotta keep us in check. Cozzy is apparently still sleeping, boy must be tired from all those nhl games hehe. Lmao sending Kirby with us, and you yeeling at Dylan not to buy a tv😂. We would so chaotic in the grocery store, like riding in the shopping cart, but also everybody’s racing to get their food, which would be majority of junk food hehe. Honestly we would buy so much food we are literally on a vacay with hockey players who eat a lot haha. The cash register would be shocked. Awww kesh, you being like “kirbs I didn’t even give you that many directions” but him being totally clueless and just trying to kiss you. him being “hmmmm but we didn’t get a tv, and we got some carrots and veggies” lmao I love that kesh please keep writing those.

Haha you got it right, I would be so confused, like how did we get so much food ?! Brigid, you did go overboard but I love it and we will eat our candy :) Dylan bring a ps5 is the funniest shit ever. Food discussion: yes to all of those candies, all dressed ruffles are delish so imma throw in a few bags. Dark chocolate is a must, hehe we should buy fruit and veggies. I don’t think I last that long with junk food hehe. Oo yess we are go a get an Nanaimo bars and poutine :) ooo and BEAVER TAILS . Those are sooo good. I can buy for everybody, esp quinner so that we can recreated that gif of him eating one.

Haha yes, Ryan and I will be there with the non stop chirps. We love them, but still you and Dylan getting 🥵 is 🤌. Hehe yes I mean Dylan h is gorg as well so quinner better work quick lol. Ooo brigid is feeling up some muscles, we love that. But also yes to the straddling and being soft w Jamie. Kesh they are a blushing mess, because they wanna be with Brigid all the time. We are absolutely recreating those wakeboarding lake pics, we have to witness that again- esp you brigid w Dylannnnn. We love some sunscreen and aloe vera.

Thank you, boats are fun! Yess Brigid is sharing the tube with Dylan and Jamie or just making the boys jealous 😏 and me or Ryan would probably make you intentionally fall off the tube lol. Maybe I can get quinner to go with me. Ryan is just waiting for that moment for Quinner to leave to push me in but I would be to quick and grab him as well 😂. Haha brigid needs a break and is just watching us lol. Haha Braden and Ryan pulling pranks on dyl and Jamie we love that. Aww kesh Quinner is being protective and wants to be with me.oh yes, Jamie and dyl staring at Brigid cuz she’s gorgeous in her bikini. We all look hot tho. Kesh is just chilling w kirbs. Lmao “I feel like we should stop Dylan and Jamie before they hurt themselves” and then kirbs being like “Devon is with them, there goes Dylan and Jamie” I love these.

Awww Quinner following me around 🥺 we’d be cute drunks. Ooo yes, Dylan and Jamie getting jealous, but they wanna be constantly around you, so I understand. Clubbing is a success, we are all pumped up w alcohol hehe. Lmao Devon and cozzy trying to get a girl but Ryan and Braden keep foiling their plans 😂 hehe kesh just chilling and wanting to help dev and cozzy but Kirby is to busy watching quinner, also question who is he doing the body shot on?

Yess the locked room would be not a Lexi and Ryan chaos, aw yes I get to know Dylan better:)) I wanna be friends! He he yes he would start getting jealous but then maybe I’d help him get your attention, but we still gotta let you have your Jamie moments🥺

Awww we do love a body positive Queen, y’all are gorgeous !! Haha yes we need a girls day! Some good shopping will be happening, we gotta get Brigid some summery clothes. The guys would be in awe, esp Jamie Dylan and kirbyyyy !!. I do wanna steal their clothes tho. We got so handsy boys over here!. Aww kesh you would looks so cute in kirbs big shirt but also in a bikini.

Yesss Dylan and Jamie are in awe, like she’s gorgeous. Same with Kirby m.

Aww kesh you’re to nice😭 you made me cry. Me abs Quinner!

Ok imma add more gtg to practice

Xo Lexi

okkkk so i’m finally home from school and practice now so i’m ready to respond. i’m taking notes from kesh and adding a keep reading bc this is gonna be longgggg so be warned to anyone reading this

haha yes i’m keeping quinton up front with me bc i don’t want him to jump out of the car lmao. i’m not going to subject him to the possible sexual tension that would be going on in the car if dyl or jamie were in the front. like if one of them were in the front they would just start touching my thigh or something knowing the other one could see it but couldn’t do anything about it. and then i would get distracted from driving and we wouldn’t win lol. so i’m making jamie and dyl sit in the back so they mostly dyl can just yell at me to drive faster so that we win. and then i’ll just chill and talk to quinton bc i want to annoy the other two lol

haha don’t worry, me and dyl (and jamie and quinton) will dominate once again. like you guys might drive fast, but i can guarantee i drive faster. especially if dyl is yelling at me to go faster lol. haha but yes you’ll definitely have a better chance if you banish ryan to the back so he can’t distract you. so you let quinner sit in the front with you and hold your hand 🥺 but as soon as he tries to put it anywhere else you banish him to the back so you don’t get distracted lol. but we would definitely have to make a bunch of stops for the boys bc they’re back in canada

haha yes dyl and jamie try, they really do, but they can not seem to get the whole braiding thing down. and then it ends up in a huge knot and ofc ryan just laughs at my misfortune and takes pics of my hair to post on his story. haha and i’d pretend to be soooo mad at them, and i can be scary when i’m mad so they’d be freaking out and just giving me puppy eyes and being like i’m sorry i’ll make it up to you. but then eventually i can’t keep up the act anymore and just start dying of laughter and then they would be annoyed bc they were freaking out lol. but then we have to stop so that our hair can be fixed.

yesss i love driving with the windows down absolutely blasting music and then whenever you drive past someone they just turn and look at you lol. i’m really into rap and i feel like a lot of the guys are too, so we have to have a lot of rap lol. and then country for kirby and i like country too, so i’m down with that. and then for lexi we have early 2000s music, which i also like and i feel like the guys would be down with that judging by the fact that they played it in the locker room at wjc lol. kesh any other music suggestions? and somehow even tho the music blasting cozzy, devon, and braden are just out, like nothing is waking them up. omg yes late night drives are so cute 🥰 esp with a make out sesh lol

haha yes, kesh is definitely the most responsible one, bc most of the rest of us just have sm crackhead energy it’s unbelievable. somehow cozzy is still sleeping, like how? idk, but then he’s not coming with and neither is kesh so she sends kirby as the responsible one, and let’s just say that doesn’t end too well. haha us getting a million things, and then i, for once being somewhat responsible, say no we’re not buying a tv or a ps5, that’s so expensive. and they’re just like, but babe we have our nhl salaries, we can pay for it, so then i give in lmao. and everyone in the store would just be judging us bc we would be so chaotic and be running all over the store lol. and riding in the cart too lmao. and then we also have a shit ton of food and the cashier is just like wtf, but yk it’s fine. like we would have sm candy and chips, and then we would also get poutine and nanaimo bars and beaver tails. omg i want to try beaver tails soooo bad they sound so good. and then we can recreate the quinner gif lmao. but then we also have to have at least a little healthy food so we feel better about ourselves since we’re all athletes who are supposed to be following diets lmao

haha yes you and ryan would be chirping everyone for literally everything. but mostly me with dylan and jamie lmao. like literally anytime i even touch one of them you guys are all over us, and i’m just like whatever, but the guys are blushing sooo hard lol. but then since i don’t care i keep doing whatever, so like putting sunscreen/aloe vera on them and i’m straddling them, and ik we’re gonna get chirped, but i just don’t care

haha yes boats are so fun, but us on a boat = chaos. hehe all of us on our tubes, but then we’re all trying to flip each other over. and then when we’re finally being slightly calm on the boat and just sitting on the railing, ryan has to come and push lexi in, and then she pulls him in with her and it’s just chaos again. and then i’d be sitting there laughing my ass off, and then someone else decides to push me in lmao. and we’re all looking hot in our bikinis obviously so our boys are all trying to get our attention the whole time. lmao and then kesh is just chilling with kirby and trying to be the voice of reason to get jamie and dyl to stop trying to show off and then kirby’s like no they’ll be fine. they are not fine

hehe yes lexi and quinner being the cutest drunks, just being super soft with each other and clingy 🥺 but then also kind of wild bc apparently quinner is doing body shots off of you. which also i really want to do. like i don’t care if it’s jamie or dyl, but please can one of them do body shots off me? and then let’s say dyl does it first, then jamie sees him doing it and ofc he’s jealous so then jamie has to do one too. and then kesh is chilling with kirby and she’s like hey you should go be a wingman for devon and cozzy, make ryan and braden leave them alone. but kirby’s too busy watching the rest of us do body shots lmao

yes lexi finally gets to actually have an extended convo with dylan, when they’re not trying to annoy everyone who’s actually trying ofc. but then you notice him getting jealous of me with jamie, so you chirp him at first but then he’s getting really annoyed. so then you have to be like calm down, let them have their moment, you’ve have plenty lol. she likes both of you, you know

haha yes we def need a girls day where we’re not being chaotic for once lol. and then we get a lot of cute clothes and stuff. and then when we get back the guys make us model all of it for them lol. and all of them are in awe. like kirby and quinner are just like 😍😍 about you guys bc they think you’re so cute. but then also they love our clubbing clothes and are getting super handsy when we go lol. but then after clubbing we just steal their clothes and live in them for most of the rest of the vacation and they pretend to be annoyed, but they secretly don’t mind bc they think it’s hot when we wear their clothes, esp if it has their name

overall, yes i love all of this and both of you 💖 sorry it took so long lol

[x0401x]

Q&A with the Archery Men

Translated compilation of the eleven-part Q&A from the official Twitter. Feel free to message me about any mistakes. Please consider supporting the creator by purchasing the novels here and here. (Raws || Index)

Question 1. What is your family structure?

I live with just my father. My mother passed away in a car accident when I was in sixth grade.

I live with my father and mother. My older brother lives by himself. Of course, Kuma is a precious family member too.

Grandma, Dad, Mom and Nee-chan! Eeeveryone is nice! I’m a grandma’s boy.

Dad, Mom and little sis! If I do say so myself, I think we’re a family of good-looking men and women. ★

Dad, Mom, two big sisters and our cat, Lucy. The height of my shoulders is close to my Dad’s.

Dad, Mom, Aniki. Dad and Aniki travel outside of the prefecture for work-related matters. I also currently live by myself in an apartment complex close to the shrine.

Father, mother, younger sister. There’s a bit of a gap between mine and my sister’s ages, so we have never played together that much...

Question 2. What’s a food (or drink) that you like?

Egg rolls. Not with sugar but salt! It’s gotta be salt!

Stir-fried water spinach. I’ve never come across a stir-fried water spinach that wasn’t delicious.

Cream stew! I kinda feel happy whenever I eat it.

Soy latte. ❤ Soy is good for health and soy latte is fashionable, huh?

Salted plum. It has a bactericidal effect for recovery from fatigue and is also all-purpose! I have it pickled at home.

Coffee. The ones you can drip yourself are good, but I also like canned coffee. Getting to enjoy the scent is kinda adult-like, isn’t it?

kyoani did you really have to romanize his name like that oh my god

Japanese-style food in general. Spending time with my grandfather might have had a big influence on this. I like takoyaki.

Question 3. Any foods (or drinks) that you hate?

Japanese ginger. That smell is just... I wonder if I’ll grow to like it when I become an adult...

Ratatouille. Lots of things I don’t like are mixed in it... What I don’t like is a secret.

Sukiyaki... Everyone likes it, but I once ate too much and ended up feeling sick...

Bitter gourd. I’m a bit bad at dealing with bitterness. Ah, but if it’s a bitter gourd chanpuru made by you, I’ll eat it. ❤

Chocolate. Can’t really eat sweet stuff...

Eggplant. The texture doesn’t go well no matter what...

I make sure not to hate anything.

Question 4. What are your hobbies?

Pottering. I also go play in the river with Seiya a lot during summer. Of course, Kuma comes too!

Watching soccer games. I like collecting data and coming up with tactics. Eh, why don’t I play it myself, you ask? Haha, because I’m more on the analytical side of it!

Bouldering and traditional drums! I like moving my body, and traditional drums have been on display at a festival in my hometown too!

I like gaming and mangas! But what I’m into right now is gathering frog merch. ❤ The girls give me lots of goods.

Gaming and reading. There’s a game I’m into now, and coming up with tactics is really fun. As for reading, anything goes, I guess... What d’you mean by “that’s unexpected”?

Visiting cafés and enjoying the shop’s coffee! I enjoy reading too. I also go hitch-hiking and there was a time I went on a journey.

I don’t have what could be called a hobby, so... let’s go with “meditating”.

Question 5. Any special abilities?

None in particular. Saying, “This is my talent!” is kinda embarrassing...

Creating smartphone apps. I also register my hit counts in my own self-made app. It’s pretty simple to make one, y’know?

Kendou! I was in the kendou club in middle school. But I don’t like hurting my opponents...

Hip-hop dancing! Cool, ain’t it? I’m also in the middle of studying many languages, not just English! Maybe because I sound good, I get compliments on my pronounciation.

Archery! Nothing other than that! Period!

Car driving. Parallel parking is a breeze too! But the roads and parking lots are large here, so I don’t do parallel parking that often...

None in particular. Aah, archery? I don’t want to attribute it to a category as narrow as “special abilities”.

Question 6. Are you a dog person or cat person?

Kuma! He’s the dog kept at Seiya’s place, and he’s cute and a good boy! I wanna cuddle with him!

Dog, I guess. My Kuma is more attached to Minato than to me, though... I can’t get in-between the two of them.

Dog! People tell me I’m like a golden retriever, so my affinity with them just goes up on its own!

I’m a kitty person. ❤ Of course, I’m talking about you!

Cat. Our Lucy is obviously the cutest thing in the world.

Can’t I be an owl person? In the past, after I took care of an owl that got injured, I became an owl person!

Dog. Japanese breeds are cool, aren’t they?

Question 7. Sea person? Mountains person?

Mountains. I used to often go insect hunting when I was a kid, and climbing trees is my specialty! Be it in spring, summer, fall or winter, there’s a lot to enjoy.

Mountains. When I was a child, I often went to play in them with Minato. I also quite like playing in the river.

Both! I can’t choose between either sea or mountains~. Except, the fact that there are bugs in the mountains and jellyfish in the sea is a bit...

Sea, I guess! I wanna walk on sandy dunes with you. ❤

Sea. Hey, don’t go making that “thought so~” face. I’m into hover boating.

Sea. Why, you ask? Because pretty women in swimsuits are there!

Mountains. My parents have a villa, you see. I’d often play there when I was little.

Question 8. If you could move through space and time, would you want to travel to the past or the future?

Future. I’m sometimes like, “I should’ve done this or that”, but rather than thinking about these things, I wanna move forward.

Past. The reason is a secret.

Future! I wanna try riding on flying cars! Also, maybe going to outer space!

To a happy future with you, I guess. ❤

Past. I’d become a warlord in the Warring States era! The warlord I admire is Date Masamune!

I live cherishing the present. That’s the most important.

Either. If I were to say it, I guess it’d be the future. I’m interested in space travel.

Question 9. What if you could use magic?

I could easily buy the stuff I want in limited-time sales. Last time, a 90%-off black wagyu fillet sold out before my eyes...

Controlling people’s minds. Haha, why’re you looking away?

I wanna try flying in the sky! If I do that, maybe I’d get to be friends with birds!

I don’t need magic. Like, it’s meaningless if you don’t make it happen with your own hands.

Not interested. It kinda feels like there’d be a catch, so I can’t trust it. For example, losing something important every time you use magic...

I’d be able to perfectly clean up the shrine’s grounds in an instant! We’re short-handed, so the cleaning takes up time... I wonder if someone couldn’t help out.

I wouldn’t rely on magic. It feels like I’d soon lose anything I get my hands on without effort.

Question 10. What’s something that made you happy lately?

I got to buy a good pork meat in a limited-time sale. But even though I made ginger pork with it, Dad said he was coming back late from work so he didn’t need it...

That I was able to safely enroll into high school. Eh, sounds like a lie, you say? It’s true.

I found a four-leaf clover! I gave it to Onee-chan!

That I met you. ❤ Hey, are you happy that you met me?

I went to the live show of a band I like. The lyrics that the vocalist writes pierce into your heart...

I got “winner” at the vending machine. I have strong luck, if I do say so myself! Guess I’ll try my hand at buying a lottery ticket or something if it goes on like that...

My sister drew a portrait of me. Of course, I keep it soundly in a safe place.

Question 11. What’s something that made you cry recently?

Tears came out when I was cutting the onions for the ginger pork. I was spacing out...

I don’t cry. If I have time to be crying, I make some effort to get strong instead.

I cried after watching a movie about animals! The child-raising struggles of that cheetah mom were so touching... *cries upon remembering it*

Out of happiness for meeting you. ❤ Speaking of which, why have you been giving me this cold look since earlier!?

I don’t cry.

You used to cry like a pipe in the past!

Shaddap! It’s in the past!

I haven’t ever since I became an adult. My tears have dried up... Just kidding!

I didn’t cry even when I was a child. I don’t even know what’s the kind of time that one should shed tears.

[malecacidd]

#1 benji perhaps sea monster ben and pirate jill?? haha jkjk i mean whaaaat lol

I ended up going a little overboard with this one. Haha.

Actually thought it's three thousand words I'm so sorry

"Don't tell me what to do! It's my curse."

Ao3

--

Whenever his siblings had decided that they wanted to be pirates, sail the world and never look back to their childhoods, Ben couldn't really say no.

It was six against one, so he had no other choice but to go with them on a seemingly never ending adventure. He had known it was a bad idea, leaving everything they knew behind, but he definitely didn't anticipate the fact that they were going to get cursed by a magical siren that had basically been waiting for years for a ship to pass by her just so she could curse the people on it.

Unknowingly, Ben, on his turn steering the boat, had just brushed by the rock that had been the sirens home. Apparently, that was just enough to wake her and make her angry enough to curse them all.

Ben had known it was a bad idea. He wasn't sure he would ever be able to let his siblings live it down. If they lived through it.

The siren had made an angry face, waved her hand around, and suddenly their ship had a massive hole in it and was quickly sinking.

Like the idiots they were, they didn't plan well enough to have lifeboats, and they all ended up drowning.

They drowned, but they didn't die. As they were being consumed by the deep dark waters of the ocean, the siren had sighed, waved her hand again, and they were breathing once again. Only this time, they were underwater.

Each of their bodies started to change slowly and painfully. Allison grew webs between her fingers and toes, Luther's eyes moved to the sides of his head, Diego's teeth grew sharp, Vanya had fins pop out of the top of her head and back, Klaus grew gills on his neck, Five's legs molded together, and Ben…

Ben grew tentacles that remained permanently on his stomach. Fantastic.

The siren has said something about prophecies, and mermaids, and monsters to all of them, but Ben didn't really listen until she moved towards him, an evil smile on her face as she swirled her hand around dramatically in the water.

"You will have to steal the heart of someone who was just like you." She said, her smile growing into a harsh grin filled with sharp teeth. "Once your prophecy is complete, you will become a mermaid and no longer be such a hideous beast. You will never go back to the life you once had."

Ben stayed there staring straight forward as she moved on to Klaus, saying something about his prophecy that Ben didn't care enough to pay attention to. He was too horrified by his own that the siren had given to him.

He didn't want to steal someone's heart. He didn't want to hurt anyone.

When later heard what his siblings' prophecies were, he felt pretty cheated.

"All you have to do is find a comb thing?" Ben asked Allison incredulously. "I have to literally rip a pirate's heart out. What did I do to piss off that siren."

"Well," Klaus started, moving to be next to Ben. "You were the one driving the boat."

"Your task is easy too!" He said, deflecting. "Find some rare sea frog. Why do I have to hurt someone?"

"I think you're taking this a bit too literally bro." Diego cut in, swimming up to them with the knife that ended his curse in his hand.

Ben rolled his eyes. "What do you know. Your curse ended the day it started."

"Yeah," He responded, flipping the knife in the water. "That's because it was easy."

Ben groaned. "Why. Why did I agree to do that stupid pirate journey-"

"Oh come on." Vanya cut him off, swimming into view. "You know it was fun, and look," She swam around in a circle. "If you fulfill your prophecy, you get to be a mermaid. I still really don't think things ended up being too shity."

"You had to kill a fish." Ben said, voice flat. "I have to rip a heart out of a person's chest. We are not the same."

"Well, if you'd stop complaining and actually go to the surface to find a pirate-"

"Don't tell me what to do!" Ben quickly cut Klaus off, and he rolled his eyes. "It's my curse. Get rid of your own first."

"Well I'm tired of looking like a monster. I want to be a hot mermaid like these two over here," Klaus said, gesturing between Diego and Vanya who shared looks of disgust. "I'm going to the surface tomorrow to look for the sea frog thing. And you, mi hermano," He continued, wrapping an arm around Ben's shoulders. "Are coming with me."

After thinking about it for a moment, Ben relented. "Fine. But don't expect anything to happen. I'm nowhere near the point of being willing to kill someone. It hasn't even been three days yet."

Klaus rolled his eyes again. "I think you might be surprised by how easy your curse will be to break."

Ben hummed disbelievingly, but didn't say anything else.

He figured that he should save his voice to use it to complain all day tomorrow instead.

--

When Klaus eventually was able to get Ben up and moving, Ben found that he actually didn't really want to complain.

He wanted to end the curse. He didn't want to be an ugly monster anymore, and the tentacles that stuck out from his stomach were always annoyingly getting in the way of everything.

That didn't mean he was ready to do what he thought was needed to be done, though. He didn't want to steal someone's heart. He didn't want to reach into their chest and pull it out and make their blood spill, didn't want to kill them.

It didn't take too long for them to get to the surface, and Klaus pulled Ben to sit up on the first available rock. It was the first time that they had been out of the ocean since they had been cursed, and Ben couldn't say that he liked it.

"So," Klaus started after only a minute of sitting on the rock, jumping back into the water, "I'm gonna go look for this frog thing. I think that siren bitch said it was green, or maybe orange. No! It was purple! Yeah, purple. Anyways I'll be back in, like, an hour, if I find the frog-" He shook his head with a smile. "Well, if I find the frog you'll be able to tell. Bye Benny, have fun stealing hearts."

Before Ben could say anything in response to that, Klaus dove under the water, and he sighed, turning his head to look up to the sky. It was dark, but filled with thousands of stars. Ben couldn't remember the last time he had seen stars.

What had only felt like a split second must have been an hour, because suddenly Klaus popped up from under the water, splashing Ben in the face with his new tail. Ben tried not to look too disappointed at the sight.

"What color was it then?" Ben asked, a small smile on his face.

Klaus moved to sit on the rock next to him, elbowing his side. "Yellow, actually."

He laughed quietly before going completely silent, looking back up to the stars.

"You know," Klaus started, and Ben sighed, looking down at the water, already knowing what he was going to say. "It might be a while until anyone passes by-"

"You can go back." He said, cutting him off. "If you want, considering you already got rid of your curse."

Klaus leaned back suddenly, almost as if he was surprised by what he said, and Ben tilted his head in confusion. "That's… not what I was going to say." He said, and Ben let out a quiet "oh."

"I was just going to ask how long you wanted to stay for? Because we can always come back." Klaus asked, and Ben shrugged.

They ended up agreeing on coming once a week for a few hours at a time, but, of course, that plan fell apart as time went on.

Eventually, Klaus stopped coming with him and stayed with their siblings and his new mermaid boyfriend instead.

All of Ben's siblings had fulfilled their prophecies and gotten rid of their curses within a month of getting them, and yet, here Ben still was, going up to the surface for hours at a time, and still had not even seen a pirate that he might be able to try and steal the heart of.

Every once in a while, a ship would pass by a few miles away from the rock Ben always stayed on, but he never had the courage to swim out towards it. None of the ships ever came close enough to notice the tentacle monster, glued to his rock.

Within a year, Ben had stopped swimming back down to be with his siblings. He stayed on the rock constantly, waiting and watching.

Every once in a while, his siblings would come to visit him, bringing their partners and new friends, and Ben still sat. Waiting.

He loved Claire, Allison's daughter, and he adored Diego's girlfriends, Eudora and Lila, but not even they could convince him to come back down into the depths of the ocean.

Another year had passed, and there had only been one instance when a ship passed close by enough for the people on it to see him, and he had blown his first chance to actually break his curse.

The ship had turned his way while he sat on the rock, but before anyone could see him, he jumped off of it and hid behind the larger side.

As the ship came closer, he heard someone say something about seeing a person in the water, and he immediately started swimming downwards, watching the ship move away from a mile below before glumly swimming back up to his rock.

Even if he had stayed, what would he have said? Was he supposed to just grab one of them and kill them before ripping their heart out of their chest? What if the others on the ship killed him in return?

Either way, he still didn't think that he would be able to do that. What was he supposed to do after he took the heart anyways? Was he supposed to keep it? If he got rid of it would his curse come back?

He really didn't want to do this.

He really, <i>really</i> didn't want to sit on this rock for the rest of his monstrous life.

He didn't know what to do.

--

Not too long after the first incident, another much smaller and much less populated ship started to come by.

It wasn't even a ship, really. It was more of a lifeboat with only one person on it, sitting in the center and floating around aimlessly.

Just as Ben had the first time, when he saw the ship turn towards him, he jumped off of the highest point of the rock and moved to hide himself behind it, only sticking his head up enough to watch as the person got closer.

The person on the ship was beautiful. She had dark skin and big bright eyes full of life, despite the circumstance she was in. She had on blue clothes and a large captains hat, her glasses sitting high on her nose.

He must've been too distracted with his staring to notice the way her ship only drifted closer, and by the time he actually did notice, it was far too late for him to swim away.

The second she saw him, her face lit up with a grin, and he couldn't help but smile back and pull himself up further on the rock, still shielding the lower half of his body with it.

"Hey!" She called out, using her hands to propel herself closer. And he tried to ignore the way his stomach dropped when she pulled her boat close enough to the rock to hop out of it, making it secure enough to come sit close to him. He pressed himself harder into the rock, hoping that none of his tentacles were showing.

"H-hey," He managed to get out, and she tilted her head, a small smile on her face.

"So," She started, looking around the expanse of nothingness. "I'm assuming you're stranded too?" He nodded. "Yeah, why else would you be out on a rock in the middle of the ocean."

"Yeah, yeah. There's no other reason. I'm definitely stranded."

She laughed a little bit before sticking her hand out. "I'm Jill."

He reached out with a shaky hand and shook hers before quickly pulling it back. She looked at him oddly, but didn't say anything. She was kind, he could tell.

"Yeah, me and my crew got shipwrecked, hit a bunch of rocks. This was the only boat left," She put a hand on the small wooden boat, "And by the time the ship had gone down, all of the guys were gone. They probably think I'm dead or something."

She tilted her head down, and Ben couldn't help but notice the way her eyes watered slightly. He didn't know what to say, so he moved his hand from where he was holding himself up on the rock to pat her knee in what he hoped was a reassuring way. She looked back up at him and smiled.

"So, what happened to you?" She asked, discreetly wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

Ben froze. "What."

"How did you get here, I mean." She said, moving to lay on her back and look up at the sky. The sun was already starting to set, and her eyes shined in the light.

"I uh," He started, shifting slightly in the water, unsure of what he could say. "I went sailing with my siblings."

"Oh?" She said, turning on her side to face him. "Are they okay?"

"Yeah. They're okay, I think." He said, and she gave him a slightly sympathetic look.

"Do they know you're here?" She questioned, and he paused, unsure of what to say.

"Yes? Probably. No." He answered before wincing at his stupidity. He couldn't tell her about the curse, she would run away even if he wasn't planning on taking her heart. He would've run away too.

She gave a small laugh. "What?"

"Well," He started, trying to think of something to save himself with. "I think they know I'm alive, but not that I'm like, in this certain place." He was pretty sure that he saved it, and it wasn't even really a lie.

"That makes sense." She said, turning back on her back, and he sighed quietly in relief. "My crew knows I'm in the ocean, just doesn't know whether I'm still above or under the water."

He hummed, and moved his legs back and forth in the water as a fairly comfortable silence fell between them. Ben didn't know any silence could be comfortable, let alone a silence with someone he'd just met.

He didn't really know where to go from there. He didn't want to rip anyone's heart out, especially not Jill's. He had only known her for a few minutes, but he knew he couldn't do it. He could barely handle just the thought of it.

The silence between them only lasted a moment more before Jill spoke up. "What are we gonna do?"

"I don't know."

--

They talked on the rock for what must've been hours, slowly getting to know each other. Ben could've sworn that at each smile Jill gave him one of his tentacles disappeared, but it was probably just him focusing on her rather the uncomfortable-ness of them.

When enough time for the sun to start to rise again had passed, Jill yawned from across from him before giving him a small and sad smile.

"I think… I think I have to go." She said, and Ben felt his heart drop. "I can't stay on this rock forever, but…" She trailed off, looking at him hopefully. "Would it be too crazy if I asked you to come with me?"

He couldn't hold back his grin, despite the fact that he already knew his answer would be something that would disappoint her. The fact that she asked at all made his heart flutter in his chest. "I… I can't." He said, shaking his head.

She looked sad, but nodded. "Okay."

He closed his eyes, but instead of seeing her climbing back into her boat like he had expected when he opened them again, she was right in front of his face and moving forward, kissing him on his cheek quickly and lightly.

She pulled back, and Ben stared at her in surprise, the tips of his ears flushing slightly.

In the face of his silent reaction, she shifted awkwardly. "I hope that was okay, because I figured that's where this was going-?'

"Yeah! No, yeah, it was fine. It was great." Ben said, effectively cutting her off and embarrassing himself.

She laughed a little before actually climbing into her boat, pushing it off of the rock, and giving him a small wave while she started to drift off.

He waved back, trying not to feel too sad as he watched her disappear into the horizon.

When she had completely left his vision, he sighed, head tilting down.

Ben had, once again, screwed up another chance to get rid of his curse. If this was what would happen any time a pirate passed by, how could he ever even start to hope to look less monstrous?

He sighed again, jumping up completely onto the rock now that she was gone and looking up to the sky. It shined almost as bright as Jill's eyes had.

When he went to look back down to his lap to sulk some more, he fully expected to see several tentacles poking out of his stomach.

What he didn't expect to see, but what he did see, was a flat stomach, clear of any ugly sticky tentacles, and a blue mermaid tail where his legs once were.

Which was… weird. He didn't know what had changed, but he definitely did know that he hadn't ripped anyone's heart out.

Oh well. He would take what he could get.

--

And when Jill eventually found her crew again and they went back out on the seas, she couldn't help but try and search for a boy with dark hair hiding his body behind a rock.

[datingintampafails]

Chapter 22: Jaden*

“Better Together” Jack Johnson

I matched with Jaden*, and based on his main picture, a professionally taken headshot, I got the feeling this guy was out of my league for sure. I matched with him one time, my opening message being about his eye color, with some adjective I cannot remember, but the 24 hour window expired before he responded. A couple days later I saw him profile again, matching for a second time, my opener this attempt was simply “hello again.” He answered with “Let’s hang out.” I ask him about his intentions and he says no clue, asking me about mine. After explaining myself, he says he is “in the EXACT same boat.”

After that, I tried to get him to fill out the dating application. He refused, despite me telling him essentially I’d be asking the same questions anyway. He said he would rather learn about each other in person, which is fair. Since this is more or less the same time as Allen*, I tell him the same thing regarding waiting to get tested before I go out and meet anyone. He says “that’s nice of you.” I suggest instead a virtual drink and he just replies that he hates these times. I agree but acknowledge that at least I’m trying and once I’m negative we can get drinks in person. He asks when I took the test and I admit that I haven’t taken it yet and am getting it the following day. “At least you’re honest” he tells me. I tell him I don’t see the point of lying, which he says is a “good trait.” I make a joke about him being a realtor and that his job is not lying but putting positive spins on things and he finds that really funny for some reason.

I request that since he wouldn’t take my dating application, if I can at least ask him the most important question. He says “Yes” then “I do not like anal.” I sent him a full line of “haha”s. “Oh wait that wasn't the question sorry haha” was what he said next. Funny. “That’s a very important answer too… I’m glad” I tell him. Then I asked the actual important question, regarding children, and at first he said “I want kids, couple, not for at least 5 years or so.” I give him a “womp womp” essentially saying, wrong answer. I explain myself and then he says “Lol that'll probably be my path. [Kids are] too pricy and I want to travel and build my career.” The question with this 180 remains, is that how he really feels or is he trying to appease me? Either way it seems one of the answers was a lie or at least less truth.

After this, I send him five messages, two related to what he said, one saying I like his vibes and want to go out once my test is back, a follow up after he doesn’t reply a day later saying “if you’d like to of course,” and then “officially no rona” two days after the previous message when I got no responses. I figured this dude was bored, but he hadn’t unmatched me yet so I figured I’d still sort of try. He finally responds to that last message with a “yesssssssssss.” He tries to make plans for that afternoon but I tell him I’m working. I ask him about Saturday night, he says he has no plans so far and I say “You do now” with a wink emoji. We plan the night, settling on me cooking dinner and having some drinks at my place. I thank him for motivation/a reason to clean my house. The reason that I chose night, is I actually have a date scheduled as well with another guy for lunch.

He asks me about weed, if I smoke, getting Peter* flashbacks here. In my blurb about my feelings on weed, I specifically tell him “I prefer not on one on one time that someone be high.” He simply says “I dont act like a little stoner but I get it” I ask follow up questions which lead me to finding out he habitually, daily, smokes marijuana. I ask him about how that works during the COVID pandemic, he says that the price has gone up but otherwise it’s the same. I then inquire about what he’s up to that night. No response.

Then it’s past midnight and officially Saturday, the day we are supposed to meet up. I ask “Sooooo gameplan?” No response. I don’t want to keep messaging and messaging, so I just see if he will come back out of the woodwork. The guy that I was supposed to have lunch with messages me around that time saying unfortunately he cannot make lunch anymore, so that’s cancelled. I don’t see the point in telling Jaden* that my afternoon has freed up or anything like that.

When the day comes, my friend invites me to the beach and I say I’ll come since my daydate was cancelled and “I’m pretty sure that I’m being stood up for my nighttime date as well so I don’t care.” As we drive up to the beach, I see that lady and her two kids from when Ethan* and I was at the beach. I’m sure it's them. I’m weak in my vulnerability so I actually break down and text him, telling him that I spotted them. I do not expect a response. My friend and I had a good time at the beach, but got rained out so our four hour trip turned into only two. It was really hot outside though so we were okay with it being cut short. Still no word at all from Jaden*.

Now when it is 6:30pm, I feel that officially I have been stood up. By this point, I'd already cooked dinner and had finished it, so even if he did magically appear I would tell him too bad. I message him to redeem myself, “Well if you actually wanna meet up let me know. I’m pretty busy so my time is valuable” I also add a stone faced emoji, because I’m sick of this shit, frankly. An hour after that, he messages me “hey!!” I for some reason don’t get the notification, and when I check my phone about 40 minutes later, I just reply “lol hi.” An hour and a half after my response, he gives me his number and asks me to text him. Here’s some screenshots.

My phone rings and it’s him. “Are you in an SUV?” I am and I jump as a figure appears to my left, it is him. The lightning storm going on has transgressed into a full on rain. We quickly hug hello as he escorts me to the door and the safety of no rain.

Once inside, I am greeted by his lab, a really nice pupper that I give lots of pats to. I’m then introduced to his friend. Jaden* offers me a drink, I let him make me a drink with some local rum. It is made way too strong, and I add some of my sparkling juice to the mixture to try and soften it up. It marginally works, but I just slowly sip on it.

Both Jaden* and his friend are outgoing and friendly, we talk about random stuff, shoot the shit. Honestly, thus far I am getting along better with the friend, not in a romantic way, but just a regular way. Jaden* is a little too talkative, occasionally interrupting, and loud. I cannot tell if he is drunk, high, or whatever, but he just seems a little off. Since I have no baseline of what he is like sober, it’s hard to tell. Jaden* brags about me, essentially saying that I was so nice and awesome and was going to make him dinner, which I make a point of adding “oh don’t worry I still made it, I just ate it myself” to be cheeky. He continues talking about miscellaneous other stuff, mostly things I cannot connect to at all, as it relates to other mutual friends the other two have.

He stops at one point and says “oh! You said I have some explaining to do so here you are” and he goes on to say that he went to watch the Barcelona soccer game with friends, and upon them winning, continued the celebration with drinking all day, he repeats a few times, “it’s not a good excuse, but it’s an honest one.” I shrug and say “I mean that’s okay.” He goes on to tell another similar story about when he was in college and skipped hockey practice, again like “it’s not a good excuse but it’s an honest one.”

Then another friend comes by, it’s a female. She is nice and seems to be long time friends with them both. They (meaning the two friends of Jaden*) are discussing plans to go to another bar or something in a little, but they end up sticking around for another hour and a half. Jaden* mentions he’s hungry (munchies??) and upon looking in his fridge, there’s nothing to eat except literally lunch meat. He eats the lunch meat, offers me some, which I decline, and actually goes back a second time to eat the rest of it after 5 minutes. He complains he’s still hungry so I say I’ll look up food options for him. He orders food (McDonald’s) and offers me to get whatever I want, I’m barely hungry so I opt for some small fries and a small frozen coke.

Jaden* has prepared some weed and puts it in a vaporizer, him and the male friend partake, both myself and the other woman decline. He now brings out a guitar and tries to play the beginning of a song, making us all guess what it is. He plays so sloppily and in combination with the guitar being out of tune, I have no clue. He repeats the set of notes like five times before revealing it’s the beginning of “that one Jack Johnson song.” Upon later googling, it was “Better Together.” He asks everyone if anyone knows anything on guitar, I sheepishly go “oh I used to play as a kid, I know like one song.” I take the guitar and play the one song I know by heart on guitar in fast succession, Beethoven’s Fur Elise. They’re all just staring at me blankly, confused that this quiet chill chick just whipped out legitimate guitar skills out of nowhere. I also continue to just strum on the guitar while everyone talks, just to have something to do. Jaden* takes the guitar back to try and tune it with some app on his phone. He complains about how the app doesn’t really work to tune it and that it is still out of tune. The guitar gets put away.

Jaden* now is complaining about how he “ordered his food an hour ago and it’s still not here;” it has been fifteen minutes. His friend believes him; “it has not been an hour” I say so as to not sympathize with him. He is again bragging about me, and talking about how nice I am and that he liked that when we were talking on Bumble. The flattery is something I’m immune to but I thank him. Next he goes into a long winded story about when he partied with Justin Bieber back when he was dating Selena Gomez, “he could have had any girl he wanted at that party” he attested, “but he didn’t and he even went upstairs to talk to her on the phone. Biebs is loyal.” Also don’t really care about Biebs so I was not impressed by this anecdote. We did randomly bond over liking old Adam Sandler movies, specifically my favorite, Little Nicky, and agreed we’d watch that tonight. Randomly his dog jumped up on the couch next to me and I noticed that the dog had a boner, which was awkward and I pushed him away so I wouldn’t get humped.

The friends finally left a little before 1 am, I told Jaden* that I wanted to get going by 2 since I had stuff to do the next day and needed to get back to my dog. He says that’s fine and then gets mad about his food still not being there after at this point long enough to bitch. Now that he’s a little closer to me, I can smell his breath and it is horrid. It smells just like butt. I assume from a mix of the smoke and alcohol he had been drinking all day.

He calls McDonald's and gets in an argument with the lady. It’s really weird and off putting. On the phone he is saying how he’s worked at restaurants and know how the system works with delivery services, and the fact that they’re “still working on it” means such and such. They claim it’s already been picked up despite the app saying it hasn’t. He says he is just going to order from somewhere else. I’m arguing with him that nowhere he orders food from is going to get there quicker at this point and to just wait. Finally the UberEats updates and it will be there in 10 minutes which calms him down. He remembers he has a cookie and goes to eat it. I do find it pro status that he microwaves the cookie for a little bit. He asks me if I want some, I say sure, but then he tries to spoon feed a piece to me. I go with it; the cookie is actually pretty good. He offers me another piece, again spoon feeding it to me. A little weirdly intimate.

We go back to the couch to finally start Little Nicky. I’ve seen this movie countless times at this point so it’s not super important that I pay attention. He briefly rubs my shoulder and it feels good, I try to convince him to give me a full shoulder rub, and offer one to him as well. He gets his, I successfully break out a knot in his shoulder. When it's presumably now my turn, I get that same shoulder rubbed for maybe one minute, then he stops. Disappointing. He attempts to kiss me quite a few times, and I unenthusiastically peck/kiss back, but again, his breath is rancid so I’m not trying to get too close to that.

The food finally arrives. There’s no straws so I tried to open the top of my coke and it accidentally splattered on the (brown) couch. I run to the kitchen to get paper towels and come back to clean it. I apologize and he says it’s ok.

He’s eating his food, and is of course to my dismay chewing with his mouth open/smacking his lips, so if it wasn’t already a no go, it now officially was. I stay with my promise to just hang a little longer though. He snarfs down his food, I eat some fries and eat my frozen coke with a spoon. He’s done eating and we go back to spooning to watch the movie. He keeps lighting kind of humping me, which is just super weird, and I ignore that it’s happening. He seems to be completely flaccid which makes it even stranger.

After maybe 15 minutes, I notice that he’s no longer really laughing at the movie or doing anything, I peer back and realize this dude is sleeping. Great. I just lay there and continue to watch the movie. Honestly, I almost drift off to sleep a few times too; it’s late and I’m bored/tired. I check my watch and it’s now 1:58am. I start to get up and say “ok it’s almost 2, I gotta get going.” He awakens and grumbles at me.

He becomes legitimately angry at me for actually following through with what I said I was gonna do. “What the hell I thought we were gonna hang?” I tell him that like I came over but told him we weren’t hooking up so that shouldn’t have been an expectation. “I see, leaving at exactly 2, wow.” I’m just gathering my things and not saying a word. He mumbles at me and I cannot make out half the words he says, but says something like “I don’t think I’m the guy you’re looking for.” I respond, “I can’t really understand you right now, but yeah that’s okay.” It is clear to me this guy is not compatible with me whatsoever.

I’m still trying to be more or less not a total bitch, so I give him a peck on the forehead goodbye. I was holding my open frozen coke, so unfortunately in leaning over I again still had a little of the drink on the sofa. Whereas last time he was calm about it, now he is pissed. “AND YOU JUST KEEP SPILLING SHIT ON MY COUCH! GET IT TOGETHER!” He is being a jerk and I am no longer standing by and being friendly, “I’m gonna fucking clean it up again chill out, damn. You don’t have to be such a fucking asshole” He repeats yelling at me about his couch, that is the same color as the beverage so besides it looking wet, it will not stain. “Whatever” I say. I double check I have all my things, as the last thing I would want to do is have to come back here to get a belonging of mine. He is staring at me as I do this like “hurry up and leave. ”As I have my things and I’m about to head out the door, he randomly becomes nice again, “alright catch you later” “probably not,” I respond as I close the door behind me.

I shake my head to myself as I leave and at least the rain has stopped. I actually even feel tears sort of welling in my eyes. I am tired of having such terrible experiences, getting slack from guys I barely even know, having to put on a smile, some make-up, and put myself out there, just to be treated like shit. I drive home without incident, I think about blocking his number, but I figure that can wait until tomorrow. I get home a little before 2:30am, greet my dog, let her sniff me since I smell like another dog at this point, before changing into my pajamas again.

Later that morning, I get a text from Jaden*:

I have no reason to continue the conversation after that. I figured I would be honest because, why not. If I can at least try and teach him a lesson for the next woman, then my suffering will not be for nothing. Another night I won’t forget, similar to Peter*, but at least he did have a clean apartment before I came along.

[darkestwolfx]

High Strung - Re-Review #36

I almost forgot it was Monday... Today is my only day off, and I’m still playing a little bit of time zone catch up (haha, by that I totally mean a lot), and so this might be a little short.

I love how we get to see a delivery to Thunderbird Five for once, with a double cheeseburger with extra pickles, of course.

“Pilot of high altitude balloon, you need to pull up! Are you reading me?”

Clearly not... That bear is kinda cute, but also a little tacky for a logo - and why is that the logo of someone thrill chasing? You know I was expecting like a shark or something... something less cuddly, let’s put it that way.

“I don’t like the look of that thing.”

See, I was already with you on that Scott!

Also, blue and white stripes? Who are they trying to make it look like they are?

“I can think of only one person who would spend that much on a big balloon just for fun.”

“Francios Lemaire.”

Oh... him again? He was only last in episode 8! Give our headaches a rest please!

“If we had a frequent rescue program, he’d be gold status by now.”

Hmm... the New Zealand Southern Alps. Never actually been there, yet. Based on this episode, I might avoid it, they look cold and dangerous. Anyone who wants to correct my view, feel free. I do need to go to Australia at some point, so I could just extend the whole trip (you know, whenever the world ends up turning again)... although maybe I’ll do it by boat? Terrible idea considering I get sea sick, but more environmentally friendly. Oh well, I have time to toss that up.

We, the fans, have answered you Virgil. We’ve already done it for you.

“Won’t take long for Thunderbird One to reach him.”

“I’m on my way.”

“FAB.

“FAB.”

“R.A.D.”

“R.A.D?”

“That’s my catchphrase, remember?”

Yes, Brains, sorry, but no one remembers that you said it in Series 1. Sorry.

And here’s a lovely picture of Thunderbird One in flight for you all - because we don’t get all that many which I can clearly copy, so here it is!

“Er, Scott, you do see the big mountain you’re heading right towards, don’t you?”

Yeah, little tricky to miss that.

“I need to land Thunderbird One!”

I think that was probably the most untidy landing we have seen from Scott so far... and I thought Alan had some untidy landings in TOS ‘Atlantic Inferno’.

“Don’t do anything stupid down there, Scott.”

“Define stupid!”

Yep, definitely where Alan gets it from.

Oh look everyone! Halloween has come early! This is Scott pretending to be a bat (or maybe a Sugar Bat as they glide better).

Definitely a stupid move in my books though, sorry Scott.

“Someone needs to give this guy some flying lessons.”

Are you offering there, Scott?

Looky at more Behind the Scenes footage! This one has always intrigued me... Don’t really know why either.

“Hey, you can’t leave that there!”

“What are you going to do? Give me a ticket?”

If only we could all get away with parking that easily, Kayo.

I love how she comes rolling in only to find Lemaire looking like a mummy

“That’s the last time he’ll try rollerblading on the deck of his yacht. In a force ten storm...”

Oh my god, that man is an idiot. Who ever thought that was a good ide- oh, sorry, my mistake, his name’s Francois Lemaire. You know, I think I liked him more in TOS as the overly paranoid (and a little unintelligent) fashion designer.

“What have you got, Scott? Pirates? Balloon rustlers?”

“It’s way worse than that, John. It’s a teenager.”

Oh, you can count on Scott. A teenager? Cause of the end of the world right there! I like to imagine that Scott thinks that the worst option because he’s thinking back to himself as a teenager... I bet he was just as desperate to fly.

“Didn’t you do anything crazy like this when you were my age?”

“What? Me? Uh... maybe.”

“Knew it. Peas in a pod, dude.”

Yeah, I knew my assumption was going to prove correct.

“And then I thought ‘hey Brandon’.“

This is going to get tedious fast, is what I thought...

“What’s the worst that could happen?”

“You could hit a mountain?”

“Oh yeah, other than that.”

“We’re right on the edge here!”

“Yeah, we’re on the edge!”

“No, I mean we’re on the edge of the... Never mind.”

“Hey, Brandon here. This is so cool. Me and Scotty are like exactly the same! Thrill junkies man!”

“Yeah, I think the kid’s right, bro. You’re like two peas in a pod!”

“Yeah well this pea wants out of this pod and off of this mountain.”

The brotherly banter is so worth it, let’s all admit. And this is one of my absolute favourite lines. I think it might be the delivery more than the line itself as well.

“Virgil, wait, wait!”

“Huh? What is it, Brains?”

“RAD, Virgil, RAD!”

“Brains, please tell me you didn’t interrupt my launch to say your catchphrase?”

Honestly, the first time I saw this episode, I thought that was exactly what he was doing.

“What? No! That’s R.A.D. I’m talking about this. (MAX, hurry up!) My new prototype; RAD. Rapid All-terrain Descender. This is the perfect opportunity to test it out.”

“That’s great, Brains, but let’s speed it up shall we?”

Yeah, Scott’s waiting to get off that mountain after all!

“Brains gave me something that might help you get down the mountain.”

And then more cross-talk on RAD and R.A.D. which was actually really well written.

“You up for a little mountain climbing, Brandon?”

“Y...Y...Y...”

“Just nod.”

I bet they’re kinda wishing it had been Lemaire now...

“It’s voice activated. All you need to say is ‘deploy’.”

“Deploy.”

“Oh, and remember to step back quickly before it opens up.”

Yeah, that needed to be warned beforehand I think...

“Oh, oh! Scotty, can you do a commentary for my ‘BeExtreme’ followers? And make it cool!”

“Uh, this is Scott Tracy, International Rescue, piloting the RAD. And it’s uh... pretty RAD actually.”

Yep, I think I have definitely heard RAD enough times for one episode now!

Good to see Virgil retrieved Thunderbird One. Scott will be thankful for that at least.

Although he had to go and do something stupid again, didn’t he? You know, I really think Scott wanted to be a bat based on this episode. Really I do.

“You’re promoted to Chief test pilot!”

“What?”

Scott’s face and the fact he walked off said it all, like he totally knew they’d end up seeing Brandon again. Which is of course correct.

“Scott? Scotty! I don’t think he heard me. I’ll just go talk to him!”

“This is nice. We should invite that kid over.”

“That would drive Scott up the wall.”

“Exactly. Hey Brandon, how would you like to ride with me?”

“In Thunderbird Two? Epic!”

I still would love to read more works based on that! It must have been a nightmare for Scott. Virgil really can be a cruel manipulator when he wants to be - definitely the only one who can rival Gordon.

Right, so I know this scene was like four and half minutes in or something like that, but I left discussing it until the end, because there was plenty to comment on and it interrupted the flow of my rescue commentary.

So, there are 3000 channels,

“And nothing to watch”

We all know that feeling Brains

and Kayo and Brains can’t find Lemaire on a single one (for reasons we now know). In the meantime however, they do scroll over a load of reusable footage! Yay!

So the first thing to make it onto channel #whatevernumberKayo’son is;

A scene from TOS episode ‘City of Fire’ which was reused and recoloured in ‘The Imposters’

The opening setting scene (Japan) from TAG episode ‘Runaway’

Potential alien/deep sea footage that Gordon and Alan have both been seen watching in ‘Deep Search’ and ‘Colony’.

The Mars Ship passing through from the TOS episode ‘Day of Disaster’

Ned Cook - a reporter from TOS; the scene is from ‘Terror in New York City’

The launch of the Sun Probe from the TOS episode ‘Sun Probe’

And possibly most importantly, the last (featured below);

A shot of Colonel Tim Casey and Tin-Tin from TOS episode ‘Edge of Impact’

Then they briefly flash back to footage from ‘City of Fire’ (I could rant about the misogyny of that episode, but like I said, I’m tired, so I’ll save it for another time).

You know what, I’m surprised I was awake enough to notice all of that! Yeah, so I am going to catch up on a little bit more sleep, and then tonight I will upload the promised irrelief work. I planned to do it yesterday, but I ended up sleeping... so uh, sorry? Hopefully tonight I will be able to string sentences without having to constantly re-edit my spelling mistakes! If anyone finds any that I’ve missed, just let me know, but for now.

P.S. I know this is scheduled for 6:45, so by the time you all read this, I will be waking up ready to give you said work of fanfiction, but I actually wrote this at 6 in the morning when my internal clock was still, clearly, very out of whack, so hopefully that explains the state of my notes! See you all in a little bit!

[youarejesting]

BTS365 Prompts

[Masterlist] 

Please tag me in your work if you use my prompts. I want to see your work. Ever your Jester.

Tell me your birthday and I will tag you on your special day!

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         April 23rd - 29th

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Kim Seokjin: DNA

You were visiting your friend. She had given you her address as you both had plans next week but you wanted to surprise her so you arrived early driving into the gated community. It was a whole town fenced off. Weird. You passed through security by dropping the name of your friend you were visiting and headed through. 

You pulled up in a guest parking lot and walked to her house knocking. She grabbed you pulling you inside, “who knows you are here, did anyone see you?” “No but why is this place so cult-y I mean that rose business is everywhere the flags the buildings it’s even on that damn necklace you are wearing, if this is a cult I have to get you out. Don’t drink the kool aid”

She tried to rush you out the door telling you to get in your car and you both could leave, “look you have to go quickly out the way you came, if they find you I don’t know what will happen”

You were scared because she wasn’t joking there was no ‘haha just kidding’ no ‘April fools’ this was serious. She was serious. You went to race back to your car when you heard a chorus of howls. You were soon surrounded. By wolves? Pausing as they growled around you. A man coming out and leading you across town. 

After the regular interrogation who are you, why are you here? You made it to a large building; it looked like a large frat house. You were led inside and to a door, standing there you smelt something pleasant, a soft jasmine, and cedar with a sharp fresh aqua. The moment you stepped inside you felt his presence, lowering your head like everyone else you felt weak. His back was to you and you didn’t know what was happening but the scent was all over the room and instead of being overpowering like axe body spray. This made your head fog up in the most pleasing ways. 

“I heard you trespassed on our land sweetheart?” The word wasn’t spoken with endearment, as he pulled your chin up, your eyes caught his seeing a golden spark fill his dark eyes. He had stilled for a moment, your eyes scanned him over he was devilishly handsome and had broad shoulders, strong arms, his waist was thin and his legs firm. Your eyes met his once more realizing how you were blatantly ogling him.  “Mine”

Min Yoongi: Pretzel

“Welcome everyone to the weekly CBM meeting, I see a lot of new faces so let's begin with introductions and why you are here?”

”Hello I am Kim Seokjin, I’m a werewolf, I have been coming here for three months because I accidentally shifted one night and my bonds broke, and they found me lying in the park and deemed it inappropriate. So now I spend every Wednesday for the next six months coming to Creature Behavior management”

“Hi I am Jung Hoseok I um saved a girl from drowning and swam her up to the beach but when I pulled her out of the water and shifted back I had no pants and her father beat me and I am here to prove I am good and I mean I get to meet new friends so it can’t be too bad right?” “I am Min Yoongi, a Zombie, strictly vegetarian, I just wanted a pretzel and apparently it’s considered inappropriate to threaten to eat someone if they try to push in line”

You couldn’t help but laugh at that and the zombie looked at you across the room swinging your legs back and forth on the chair. “I would let you eat me” You giggled watching his pale undead cheeks stain a dark grey. “My name is Y/N and apparently refusing to let a guy get you a drink at a house party makes me a tease and when you refuse their advances, they try to take you to the bedroom anyway, Yet when you refuse again publicly they accuse you of using your succubus powers on them. Then when you actually use your powers on them and force them to make out with one another, they don’t seem to like that”

“Ahh... my undead heart, you are my soulmate.” Yoongi laughed along with everyone in the circle muttering under his breath quietly but you still were able to catch it. “Marry me” “Okay bring the documents baby we can get married” You smiled and he lent forward licking his lips eyeing you up and down.

“How's next Wednesday for you?” “I will wear my best dress” You winked at him and he snapped his teeth back at you.

Jung Hoseok: Scale

Your father was a fisherman, and you spent your childhood years on the water. Sitting on the bowsprit legs dangling as you sang songs dreaming of pirates and mermaids and sea monsters. You would sing songs you made up and sometimes when you looked really hard you could see figures moving under the water. It was all the brilliance of a childhood imagination. But here you were years later a young lady home from the city, your father readied the boat some of the fishermen were new and some of their eyes lingered a little too long for your liking. 

You sat on the bowsprit singing the old songs from when you were a kid, it was nostalgia and you remembered every word. Arriving at the usual fishing spot you swear you saw something move under the water. You grinned as your childish wonder had obviously come back to greet you. 

You continued singing and playing on the ship sticking to the bow you loved looking over. The waves picked up but they did it so often you barely shifted. Your sea legs had long since been of use. “You might want to go in girl if it’s too scary for you”

You rolled your eyes standing and walking down the bowsprit like it was a tightrope grabbing the thick metal cord standing on the very edge. You were happily spinning around the cord when you definitely saw what looked like a torso. You saw it again. “Man overboard” You called across the boat. Everyone scrambled and you jumped in after him. 

Just as you reached the area you had seen him he was gone, you turned to face a giant wave taking a deep breath. 

You were pushed down hitting the side of the boat you tried to swim but the force of the wave was so strong. Arms wrapped around you and your eyes flew open seeing him the man in the water he looked oddly familiar. He swam quickly to the surface and held you there to breath. 

“I never thought I would see you again,” he grinned and you felt the heat in your cheeks. “You used to sing all the time here, oh there is another wave hold your breath or whatever human thing you do” he tucked you against him and swam quickly under the wave. 

You felt him rolling his hips against you and you tried to push him away, you had just met what the hell does he think he is doing. Looking down your eyes widened and looked away quickly. He wasn’t trying anything with you, the roll of his hips was how he swam. He was an actual real life mermaid. “Hang in there darling, I will bring you to the surface” he swam you to the boat. 

Kim Namjoon: Pin

Watching the streets, the humans were getting smarter, locking themselves away at night, but what was this? A little girl walking the streets no more than four or five calling out for her mummy. Taehyung held his hand up telling his men to wait now wasn’t the time to strike; they had to be patient. “Mummy” she called crying, she tripped the scent of blood filled the air as she had scraped her knee. She cried hysterically and the door opened. 

“Darling are you hurt?” The girl nodded, tears pouring down her face, her little heart beating hard from the hysteria. “Come to me okay” she whispered and the little girl got up and walked over. Taehyung signaled to his people and they dropped down from the roof into the shadows. 

“They are coming Abigail bring the girl inside” “Where is my mummy?” She cried “please my mummy?” Men came out guns pointed at the red eyes glowing from the shadows, “is she human?” “She is bleeding, vampires don’t bleed” “Come inside sweetheart” the woman said and the vampires started to attack each human was captured and tied, each dragged back to the castle.  “We brought dinner sir?”

“Shut that child up” Namjoon waved his hand and Taehyung did just that and the room fell silent as her body fell limp on the floor.  “Okay not only did you steal my prey you snapped my neck?” The little girl shouted and with a loud crack her neck sat normally on her shoulders. She stood up, form changing from a child to an adult. “I spent years perfecting my skills of shape shifting to lure people out and you want to steal my kill.”

Namjoon’s eyes widened, “Restrain her” and she was taken to the cells except being a shapeshifter it didn’t last long even if it was bars of silver. Namjoon was in an important meeting when a cat jumped onto his desk and transformed into that woman again. He leaned back in his chair pissed, she talked too much. His hand gripped around her throat tightly and she smiled unaffected despite the little uptick in her artificially beating heart. 

“You can’t kill me” she scoffed “I can damn well try” 

Park Jimin: Zipper

Running through the forest on your early morning jog, you let your mind wander. The music in your ears takes you away to another world as you put one foot in front of the other. Before long you realized something was wrong you weren’t on the path. 

The tree’s were dense, the air cold and your music cut out your phone battery dying, something was seriously wrong. Walking along scared this is when someone either dies or the early morning jogger finds a dead body, it’s always the joggers. What did they ever do?

The sky darkened and it started to rain, an hour lost became two, three, four until the small glow behind the rain clouds disappeared and it rained on through the night. You were cold but you kept stumbling around looking for the path looking for something. 

There was a light in the distance and you strode over without hesitation, behind you it sounded as if someone was singing it was beautiful too beautiful for a creepy night in the forest. You continued toward the fire but the singing got louder. 

The voice was angelic and it almost pulled you away but the thought of warm fire kept luring you in. It was a camp, there was a fire and a big pot over it, there were people walking around. On closer inspection the people looked unnaturally long and thin and all you could smell was a bitter rotten scent. You almost stepped into the camp when you noticed hoof prints in the mud. All too soon you realized the singing had stopped when a hand covered your mouth you couldn’t move your body frozen. 

“Shh, don’t make a sound or they will kill you” the angelic voice whispered gently singing and walking you backwards. You were entranced by the words flooding your mind and making your head spin. The figure behind you tripped and you fell with an audible groan. 

“Run” he grabbed your hand taking off through the trees, those things roared and you heard loud hooves and grunts that seemed so close to you. 

The man in front of you was wearing a cloak and had such an agile form he moved like a serpent or cat so smooth and graceful. His body Zipping in and out of the trees, unlike you, who stumbled and tripped hitting every branch along the way. The screech behind you sent chills up your spine and you started to turn to look behind you. 

“Don’t look at them! just keep moving we are almost there” Wherever there was you were unsure. There was a weird feeling like you had just dived into warm water and you felt safe and he slowed down. 

“We are safe here, come inside you are all wet I will get you some clean dry clothes” he returned and you saw just how beautiful he was. “Please don’t look at me, I know I am nothing like the men you are use to, tall, strong, bearded protectors like that with broad shoulders and big muscles, it’s just Fae are smaller with weird features so I am just”

“Beautiful” you whispered your words shocking him. 

Kim Taehyung: Honesty

Kim Taehyung had lived in the elven city all his life and was a little odd for an Elf. His features were a little different for any normal elf as well, his ears stuck out a little more and his features weren’t as pointed as the other elves. He had a strange view of the world and didn’t think the same way as everyone else. For one he was too playful for any young adult elf, he was expected to be more mature for his age and two he had a wolf companion. Mind you it was a tiny thing, a runt of its litter and super fluffy with dark fur that shone in the sun. All this wasn’t passable for a common elf but to make matters worse. He was Prince Taehyung, the middle child he had one older brother and one younger sister.

Walking into the city you were confused, Your parents wanted to unite the kingdom’s and have you marry someone of the royal family. You hated it, of course you had been disciplined every day to act like an elf but you didn’t want to live your life stifled by propriety and poise. You reluctantly waved out the window and stepped out in your frankly too big dress, your father greeted the other elven King and you saw the first Prince step forward and kiss your hand like a gentleman but you hated it he was textbook royalty and just as you hid your disdain behind your lace fan another prince ran in his hair a mess of twigs and from his knees down was just mud and grass stains and following his muddy footprints was a tiny fluffy wolf trailing his own paw prints across the marble floor.

“Please forgive my son” the queen turned to her son and gestured for him to leave and he bit his lip looking upset. “How about we adjourn to the dining room for some refreshments?”

“I would like to bide in my room, if you could kindly escort me whilst on your way to your Quarters? I need some time to collect my bearings after such a long journey?” You used your fake princess act and the younger prince nodded looking slightly alarmed at his family, his mother nodding earnestly and he swallowed, gesturing down the hall.

“I deeply apologize for my current disheveled appearance, I was in the garden” “Your hands seem clean?” You said curiously “I was wearing gloves” he grinned “Ah gloves” Once out of sight you bent down “And who is your tiny companion?” The wolf jumped up placing his dirty paws on your dress.

“Princess!” He looked ashamed “Your gown” “Oh well, it is dirty now, what's a little more?” “Princess I must implore” His voice came out more like a deep childish whine and you couldn’t help the elated feeling it brought you. “Implore all you wish, but I will not yield”

“Stubbornness is unbecoming of a Princess” “Do you know much about being a Princess?” “Sadly my knowledge in that area is limited, but, I believe it shan't be different from the wonders of being a prince.” “You too recite somber balladry and compressing yourself into derisory bodices”

“I don’t know what you just said but it sounded fancy” He smiled sheepishly. “Can we drop the act, I feel you hate being royalty as much as I do” “If I am honest there are not enough fanciful words that can express my loathing for being born royal, I am a laughing stock of the village Prince Taehyung thank the stars he is the second brother he is as odd as he is odd looking”

“I think you are handsome, more so than your brother, I would love to bask in your very presence and gaze upon the pleasantness that is your beauty. Perhaps we should switch places and you can be Princess y/n” “Your room Prince Taehyung?” He grinned

“I see Shall I escort you, to your room Princess y/n?” “How kind of you but I am simply at the end of the hall, do not trouble yourself?” “When we have composed ourselves and our outfits, Can I have the pleasure of escorting you around the uh courtyard perhaps?”

“Perhaps the library instead, if I am caught outside once more the queen will have my head” He took your hand and flushed a little as he pressed his lips to your hand softly. “I will be eagerly awaiting?”

Jeon Jungkook: Batman vs Ironman @yungisseesaw

It had been years since Jungkook’s people and the Human’s world became one, it was strange like two alternate timelines crossed over joining into one. The humans were not so welcoming for the first few years and so growing up Jungkook had people stare and judge him for his differences.

Jungkook was now a Young adult and a big time nerd, he spent his time watching superhero movies and playing video games, going to the arcade and funnily enough playing DND with his friends, all of which were human. Jimin and Hoseok were roommates and they had a really cute neighbor who Jungkook had seen only a handful of times over the fence a few times which meant she didn’t know he was a centaur. So while the others went to get pizza and movies Jungkook was home alone. Him and cars didn’t really mix well, not only didn’t he fit, they made him nauseous. You had chosen that moment to invite yourself over, except in a towel. “Hello, Hoseok, Jimin, are you home, I know you said to use the key for emergencies, but my hot water ran out”

“They aren’t here?” Jungkook said hiding behind the couch she turned and squealed “They went to get pizza and movies” “Oh well is it okay if I borrow the shower, I am freezing”

“Of course go ahead?” You went upstairs and he frowned curling up on the couch trying to curl his feet up and cover himself in blankets and pillows to hide his legs from her. “We are home?” Hoseok shouted and they laid out pizza boxes and drinks. “Why do you look so pale?”

“Y/N, is in the shower right now, her hot water ran out and she asked to borrow your shower” “Dude, you finally talked to her face to face, how did she take it?” “Well I was kind of hiding behind the couch?” They looked down at the fort he had made around himself and they smiled sadly.

“Wow that feels better” “Hey, Y/N, what do you think of centaurs?” Jimin grinned dodging Jungkook’s hand as it was swinging with vengeance “Hmm uh I have nothing against them, they are people too” “Would you ever date a centaur?” Yoongi added that any girl for their best friend had to get through them first.

“I mean yeah, I don’t know how the business would work but if I like someone it’s for who they are and not what they look like, any of you could come out right now and tell me you were one of the Cenpeople and I would still love you all just the same.

Yoongi seemed to approve and ripped the blankets off of Jungkook revealing his horse lower half and his weird four legged lounge pants. “Hyung!” Jungkook tried to grab at pillows and the blanket to cover himself back up but resorted to burying his face in a throw cushion sniffling in shame and embarrassment. His ears were bright red.

You looked over at him and sat on the couch across from him, “Do you know what I have a problem with Kookie, that you think that Iron man is the best rich orphan powerless superhero when clearly it is Bruce Wayne”

“You two are still arguing about that?” Namjoon scoffed “They have been going on about it for three weeks now” Jimin grinned “It’s like their odd way of flirting I think it’s cute”

[lucasseliott]

thanks for tagging me lejla! ( @britt-wie ) 💞💞

1. what is the color of your hairbrush?

pink

2. a food you never eat?

lamb

3. are you typically too warm or too cold?

too warm

4. what were you doing 45 minutes ago?

watching harry potter and the chamber of secrets with my parents

5. what is your favorite candy bar?

kit kat chunky salted caramel fudge

6. have you ever been to a professional sports event?

ive been to a premier league football game once, and also a a couple of athletic events at the london stadium

7. what is the last thing you said out loud?

‘night’

8. what is your favorite ice cream?

pralines & cream

9. what was the last thing you had to drink?

pepsi max cherry

10. do you like your wallet?

i love it but its a bit old now

11. what was the last thing you ate?

chocolate chip cookies ( that i made myself)

12. did you buy any new clothes last weekend?

the last thing i purchased was the bastille distraction tatics tshirt, but i cant remember if that was last week lol

13. the last sporting event you watched?

i cant remember, probably a bit of football or rugby or whatever my dad was watching at the time haha

14. what is your favorite flavor of popcorn?

sweet/salt mixed, from the cinema i work at cause we pop it ourselves and we are good at it!

15. who is the last person you sent a text message to?

@mickey-milkovich hey babeee

16. ever go camping?

once

17. do you take vitamins?

lol no

18. do you go to church every sunday?

nope

19. do you have a tan?

im either pale or sunburnt i have no inbetween

20. do you prefer chinese food or pizza?

chinese

21. do you drink your soda with a straw?

nope

22. what color socks do you usually wear?

black

23. ever drive above the speed limit?

no (i dont know how to drive)

24. what terrifies you?

change

25. look to your left, what do you see?

my water bottle on my bedside table, and my currently unread book...

26. what chore do you hate?

washing up

27. what do you think of when you hear an australian accent?

the hemsworths

28. what’s your favorite soda?

pepsi max cherry

29. do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive-thru?

normally use uber eats hahaha

30. who’s the last person you talked to?

my dad

31. favorite cut of beef?

whatever tastes nice in a burger lol

32. last song you listened to?

the skye boat song - bear mccreary (outlander theme tune, cause im currently watching an episode as i type)

33. last book you read?

imagine me - tahareh mafi, currently reading: chain of gold - cassandra clare

34. favorite day of the week?

thursday

35. can you say the alphabet backwards?

not really no

36. do you like your coffee?

nopee

37. favorite pair of shoes?

my nasa vans

38. at what time do you normally go to bed?

atm go to bed: like 10.30/11, go to sleep: like 2am

39. at what time do you normally get up?

atm about 10.30

40. what do you prefer, sunrise or sunsets?

sunsets

41. how many blankets are on your bed?

just my duvet

42. describe your kitchen plates.

theyre a big mix of different ones, got one with avocados on, one thats made by heinz, a few plain white ones

43. do you have a favorite alcoholic beverage?

i dont drink ( it all tastes gross anyway)

44. do you play cards?

rarely

45. what color is your car?

i dont have one

46. can you change a tire?

er i dont think so

47. what is your favorite province?

erm the uk doesnt have provinces, imma just say london

48. favorite job you’ve ever had?

ive only had one job and im still at it (when we reopen) so i guess working at a cinema

49. how did you get your biggest scar?

its on my palm, and i hurt myself on a till drawer at work

50. what did you do today that made someone else happy?

made cookies with my mum

imma tag: @kikimachwitz and @lepetitepeach

[lllluka]

A LUXY Conversation with a Debatable Amount of Eye Contact

Been doing assignments and exams all week, so I’m doing all my LUXY week content late. Here’s my day one (on day 5 lol). ‘Eye Contact’. @luxyweek .

This is the same Universe as: 

1. ‘THIS IS WHY XY ISN’T ALLOWED TO WEAR SHIRTS WITH TEXT ON THEM’ - A comedy oneshot about a shirt selection gone awry. 

2. ‘ ONESHOT ’ - In which Bob Roth and Anarka Couffaine are now ‘drinking buddies’ and XY stays over on the houseboat. Luka hates him. Luka hates him SO much. 

3. ‘THIS IS WHY LUKA SHOULDN’T LOSE HIS MIND AND COOK DINNER’

 - A chaotic comedy/unique horror crack-scenario from the POV of a 26 y/o Marinette.

From start to finish this experience had been living Hell for Luka, and as more and more time passed by, Luka began to mirror his feelings about this whole ordeal with his body language; leaning on doorways, brooding, with his arms folded- sitting near Bob and his mother as they attempted to play poker on the deck, with his guitar, but ONLY electing to ‘tune’. At some points it seemed as though Bob was about ready to say something in reaction to his purposeful intermissions, but Anarka somehow managed to grasp the old man’s attention back whenever his moustache-endowed lips begged to open.

The worst part about Bob and Anarka hanging out so much recently, wasn’t even the presence of the producer in his home space. For the most part, Bob just minded his business and didn’t really acknowledge Anarka’s adult live-in son. It was Bob’s OWN live-in son that was actually the problem, and this was specifically because the SOB (Son of a Bob) had not only brazenly stolen his band’s music, pissed off his former love, AND gotten him Akumatized on multiple occasions, but was now rubbing his decorated fingers all over Luka’s equipment. He figured, save from physical violence, the best he could do was try to drive the company away at the source, hence the live tuning entertainment, but… there was apparently no budging.

One particular night, after playing the same four-note riff about a quarter of a thousand times, Luka begrudgingly picked up his guitar and headed downstairs to call it a night. Now, as much has he’d been worried about XY snooping about and digging through his equipment, it hadn’t occurred to him until now just what an inattentive, easily distractible person could do to his bedroom. The air was suddenly deathly quiet, as his footsteps creaked the pastel floorboards, body allowing for an involuntary shudder as he approached the poorly-designed door handle to his bedroom. After hefting the majority of his bodyweight into it, he opened the door.

Luka just about had a heart attack when he realised XY was not there. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. He worked out how to turn the doorhandles? He’d just figured Xavier was too stupid to consider turning it with both hands. So much for that, it’s not like that guy could not be trusted on such a delicate vehicle-slash-home. God forbid the asshole got into the controls or sunk the boat.

It was definite. He had to be found, and that was not an action Luka had voluntarily elected for in the past. Though there was an extreme sense of urgency, Luka, of course, did not forget to stop and gently tuck his guitar under the sheets of his bed—leaning over once the instrument looked cosy, to kiss it good night. The strings rung out in tangy appreciation, and that’s how he knew he did a good job. God, he’d make a great father- but that was a thought for later. NOW, at least, he should probably redirect his attention to finding the hidden celebrity.

Just as he rammed back through the door, he saw the guy. Xavier was just standing there, staring blankly, with a half-eaten cup of noodles in one hand, and chopsticks in the other.

“What are you looking for?” He inquired, twisting more noodles onto his chopsticks. Luka stared egregiously at the man, first thinking ‘he’s eating my food’, and then ‘he can use chopsticks??’. He would have figured, with the guy being XY and all, he would have just mistaken them for, like, rectal thermometres or something. …You know, after consideration, he should probably start hiding everything that a second-grader wouldn’t recognise. Especially eating utensils.

“You.” Luka replied cautiously, a hand lingering on the doorframe. To be honest, he was still completely spun from the situation, and watched at half-attention as XY continued slurping up the ‘dles.

“That’s sweet. Want an autograph?” After blowing out the steam of his last bite, XY pecked an air kiss in Luka’s general direction, although his eyes were still fully focal on the food. It irritated Luka a lot, that the guy didn’t even have the decency to look him in the eye when he mock-kissed at him. Like, really. Where is the etiquette? Didn’t XY learn this in bully school? Luka bit the inside of his cheek for a moment.

“No thanks, I’m fine.” The words were civil, the tone was tense. It at least earned a double-brow raise from the disk jockey, but still no eye-contact.

“You know,” Xavier began, “you’re really mean to me.” Luka was more than taken aback. He had never been called mean in his LIFE. Not by anybody, and not at any point. He felt his flesh freeze under his skin, stomach wobbling with tense anxiety. The worst part about it was that he couldn’t even say that it was untrue. He’d been nothing but a jerk to XY since he’d gotten there, and even before. …Maybe they had some old beef, and he didn’t care for Xavier’s taste, but… he had to admit, out of the two of them, the guy had been pretty civil this whole time.

‘Oh God’, Luka realised. ‘The asshole might have been me all along’. It was physically nauseating to him, and he struggled to find anything to say. All he could do was stare intensely at the guy.

At the silence, Xavier finally lifted his gaze, double-taking-in Luka’s stunned face with pleasure.

“See! You totally know it too! I knew I wasn’t wrong!” He seemed delighted to have struck a chord (haha). Luka swallowed, shaking his head through throbbing confusion.

“I’m not mean.” It was the only thing he could think to say, though it was tense, almost like a question. XY nodded, getting through another mouthful of noodles.

“No, I know. I didn’t say you were mean, I said you were mean to me.” He elaborated, moving to rest his shoulder on the doorframe, next to Luka’s hand. “And because I know that you’re, like, this SUPER goody-goody guy to everybody else, it’s kinda, like… twice as mean that you’re only being like this to me.”

The shock didn’t fade in Luka, but the already-seated distaste for XY caused him to swallow the guilt for a singular moment. “I’m just being myself. It’s pretty hard to get me to dislike somebody, but, yeah, someone being amoral is one of the things I can’t stand.” …He couldn’t forget. XY was worse, and in action. He was a thief, and a liar, and a senseless egotist who didn’t care about music, or other people. “You’re the one who’s… mean.”

Xavier didn’t flinch. His voice fluttered away, casual as can be.

“Yeah, I’m mean, but I’m not mean to you.”

The polar opposite of Luka, apparently. …And yeah, maybe there was a point there. He’d been suspiciously tame around Luka, despite being incredibly judgemental of everybody else. No where near what Luka had anticipated when he’d found out he’d be in the presence of XY again.

He wondered why that was.

“…Yeah, but why?” Well, that was an easy way to coax an answer. Maybe he was just too lazy to fight with him, or… maybe XY was, like, in love with him or something, like that lady that kept ordering pizzas at his last job.

He scrunched his face at the thought.

XY shrugged, draining the cup of its broth and then moving to place it on a barrel within arms-reach.

“That’s not an answer.” Well, not really. At least not one that satiated Luka’s curiosity. With a pained sigh, Xavier waved his hands back and forth like he was using his hands for invisible pinball. He seemed to be considering his reasoning.

“…I don’t know, dude. I just don’t feel like that toward you. …I mean, it’s not you, it’s me. I just need a little time to focus on myself-“

“You don’t feel... mean toward me? Wh---Are you using breakup lines?” Luka stared incredulously. A light in XY’s mind popped, and bright realisation appeared on his face.

“Oh, shaa! I guess I was just copying my old convos.”

It took all of Luka’s willpower to not slug XY right in the face. His fists balled, but he let out a long breath. One of these days, he really should to get back into meditation, lest he be in jail for hot-blooded murder due to some rage fit.

“…XY-“

“It’s because I respect you.”

Luka paused, opening his eyes to meet a strong blue gaze from the other artist.

“What?” Wire-pitched numbness took over the fuzz in the guitarist’s head.

“Your music, and stuff. …Like, it was good enough for someone like me to draw inspiration from.” XY shrugged once again. ‘Inspiration’, yeah, right. He tried that line years ago as well, if he recalled correctly. …Still, there was something weirdly flattering about it.

“Oh.” Thanks. Say thanks, Luka. “………What the fuck.”

That wasn’t it. …But still, the unexpected reaction made XY laugh out loud, chuckling hysterically in waves that he evidently couldn’t contain. Luka watched blankly at his reaction, his neck feeling itchy all of a sudden, and his face very red- a reaction surprisingly hard to evoke within him.

When he watched XY straighten his posture and finally wipe the tears from his eyes, a smile of his own peeked out, but soon faded to neutral in stubbornness; a natural response, whenever Xavier made eye-contact.