#(if you don't see this i'll just send it in an ask like i was originally gonna)

[puck-luck]

plz feed us a little quinn blurb i need him so bad

mattias anon and i were talking about quinn's hand after seeing this pic of the injury the other day:

and i said "how is he meant to finger you in these conditions" and she replied "good thing he has a mouth!" so here is a munch!quinn thought :)

Quinn's eyes are dark as they stare up at you, cataloguing each contortion of your expression. His eyes seem to glint with pride each time his tongue draws a moan from you, alternating between your clit and your entrance.

He'll tease you one minute, then overwhelm you the next. He'll trace his tongue along the rim of your hole before dipping inside, licking into you as far as he can before pulling away. He'll circle his lips around your clit and suck harshly until you're writhing beneath him, latching onto the bundle of nerves the same way he does with your nipples.

Quinn has never been one to complain about having something in his mouth– not when that something is as pretty and as tasty and as vocal as you.

"Does it feel good, baby?" Quinn will ask knowingly, pulling away to give you a moment of reprieve before diving back in.

"Mhm," you hum, high in the back of your throat. You're so pent up from his tongue that yours feels too twisted to form words.

"So sweet," Quinn murmurs, licking a stripe up your cunt with the flat of his tongue. Then, he peppers kisses all over your inner thighs, finally returning to your core to toy with your clit. The tip of his tongue flicks over it rapidly, sending shockwaves through your system.

Quinn's gaze seems to dance with laughter when you arch off the bed and moan, hands flying to his hair and fisting the strands. His eyelids flutter when you pull at the mess of dark waves atop his head, the vibrations from his own moan traveling up your spine.

"Gonna come from just my mouth, baby?" Quinn asks. Sounding extra pitiful, he adds, "It's too bad I can't fuck you with my fingers. I know how you love being full." His face breaks into a smile, smug as he dives back in and prods at your hole. He nudges your clit with his nose, making sure to catch your reaction.

You don't bring up that his other hand works just fine, and he could use that instead, because you're caught up in the way your stomach coils. His tongue pushes past your entrance and pets your walls, and his nose bumps your clit again, and again, and again. Your hips are moving mindlessly, grinding against his face as you chase your orgasm, and Quinn simply looks up at you though his eyelashes. He never enjoys himself quite as much as he does when you use him to find your own climax.

ps! i have a few beaquinn ideas and quinn x reader ideas that i've been playing with in my mind, but i'm trying to finish stg10 at the moment. so those will come one day. i want to be better about posting more often!! i feel like i am not... but that's allowed. just keep letting me know what y'all want to read and i'll add it to the list :)

[14dayswithyou]

How cutiesai made 14 Days With You

I've received quite a few requests in the past asking how I made 14DWY, what resources I used, how I organised my lore, etc. — so I figured I'd make one big post and share it with everyone else as well! It features a buuunch of helpful stuff I wish I'd known when I first made 14DWY, so hopefully this will help others too!

⚠ This is all copied & pasted from a Discord post I made back in early 2024! I'll also be adding to it over time, so feel free to check back every so often! ^^

What engine do I use?

14DWY uses the Ren'Py engine!

There are two preinstalled games (called "Tutorial" and "The Question") that give you a basic rundown on how to use the program!!

Zeil Learning's video called "Ren'py Tutorial For Beginners" is also a good place to start for those who have no idea where to begin with Ren'Py!

I also really recommend these Ren'Py resources:

Lemma Soft Forums

Ren'Py Discord server

Ren'Py subreddit

Zeil Learnings, ElaineDoesCoding, Visual Novel Design, and Ess Ren'Py Tutorials on YouTube

Searching through the "Ren'Py" tag on itch.io for community-made assets and resources (make sure to give credit if you use someone's asset(s))!

Feniks and Wattson offer some really helpful stuff!!

Not Ren'Py related, but helpful for creating a VN:

Obsidian and Notion for planning and worldbuilding

Visual Studio Code and Atom (comes preinstalled with Ren'Py iirc?) for scripting/coding

Pixabay and Pexels for royalty-free images and stock photos

DOVA-SYNDROME for music

Clip Studio Paint (paid) and Krita (free) for drawing

Toyhou.se to store your littol guys (If you need an invite code, I have over 300 to give away lmao ^^ Send in an ask to @cutiesigh if you'd like one!)

An itch.io account to upload your game for free and share it with others

General tips to keep in mind:

Make games for fun, not for fame. Too often, I see new developers create VNs with "trending tropes" because they see how successful it is and want the same level of popularity. As harsh as it sounds, this only makes your game feel hollow and superficial, and players will notice.

When using Ren'Py, it's better to have multiple .rpy files rather than putting everything into one large file!! It makes organising and finding things easier, and if something gets corrupted... at least you won't lose everything!

Plan everything beforehand, but give yourself room to expand and implement new ideas.

Start small and slowly expand over time. Don't start off with an overly ambitious project, as it can be disheartening when you put all this effort into something just for it not to gain any traction. Also, be grateful for your earliest supporters, as they're the ones who will lift your project off the ground!!

This is a personal preference, but I recommend starting off with itch.io as your main distribution platform. Most storefronts take a cut from your donations and revenue, and sites like Steam require a $100 fee just to publish your game on their platform. Itch is free, and you can even toggle off revenue sharing in your profile settings! (I like to keep it at 10% though, because I'm grateful for everything the site provides ♡)

If you ever need help with Ren'Py, you're always welcome to join the 14DWY Discord server and ping me in the help channel!

[spiderfunkz]

HYUN-JU x READER WHO WEARS GLASSES

pairings. cho hyun-ju x f!reader

author's note: totally didn't write this just because i wear glasses lol.. anyways, my requests for hyun-ju are open, but check this out if you wanna request for other squid game characters. if you don't see the character you want to request for send me an ask!

▸ hyun-ju herself has a sharp eye, we've all seen it. how she manages to target each guard with very little struggle & how she spots and hits! every security cam in the room with ease.

▸ her sight is precise, like an eagle. different from you, yours is more like a... woodpecker.

▸ it makes for a subtle dynamic in your relationship. like how she's the one that reads directions from afar when you aren't wearing your glasses, or how she always carries lens wipes in her purse or pocket.

▸ if you were in the games with her, she would be more protective over your glasses than you are. "just leave it, i'll buy a new one. eventually." you shrug, "are you joking? you're just gonna continue blind?" — "hyun-ju, i can still see!"

▸ she wouldn't be the type to joke about it, but she would definitely tease from time to time. like after you just woke up, she'll laugh while holding her fingers up, "how many fingers do you see?" just to get a laugh out of you.

▸she thinks its cute that you have glasses, she 100% would be type to say "it's adorable how you have your gorgeous eyes framed." while pushing your glasses up so they don't slip.

▸ if you ever bring up the fact that you want to change to just wearing contacts or if you do switch to contacts, she would bring your glasses everywhere just in case.

▸ oh and, when i say her sight is sharp, i also mean it in a way where she also notices everything. and not only when it comes to your glasses too. if you need something, she'll know right away. if your body language feels off, she'll ask if everything is okay. if you feel cold or let out a tiny cough, she'll immediately lend whatever jacket or coat she has on.

▸ oh and if it's raining, she'll wipe the raindrops from your glasses, softly of course, so they don't blur your lenses.

▸ i think her acts of service-ness really plays a part in your relationship. to summarize it all up, she would be really caring and protective, her purse filled with your eyedrops, glasses case, and everything you would ever need.

[earlysunshines]

secret rhymes — 29. sweet dreams (half-written)

your roommate yujin is back home during winter break, so when you return to your shared dorm it's just you and silence. a soft sigh leaves your lips as you set your things down before heading to the bathroom to unwind and change into something comfier.

before you do so, you make sure to send a text to hanni, keeping a mental note to check your notifications after.

(as if you don't already wait eagerly for her texts.)

when you're done, you're met with a lovely notification from hanni that says 'i can call when you can :)' and smile at the screen.

almost without thinking, you quickly check how you look in the mirror. your hair is still a little damp, which stains the gray t-shirt you have on just a bit. you run a hand through your hair before sitting on your bed comfortably. you press the 'facetime' icon, though not without hesitating a bit.

the ringtone echoes through your room as you lean back against your bedframe, with your blanket covering you perfectly. you decide to grab the guitar sitting beside your bed while you wait, setting it beside you on the mattress. you did have some ideas for a song earlier.

you glance at the screen, waiting for hanni to pick up. the anticipation makes you all giddy.

when the call finally connects, the first thing you see is her forehead filling up half of the screen.

you chuckle. "...hello?"

"oh, hang on," she mutters, adjusting the camera until her whole face comes into view. she's in a t-shirt as well, her hair slightly tousled before, and she offers a sheepish grin. "hi."

"hey," you reply, smiling at the screen. "nice view of your forehead earlier, by the way."

she rolls her eyes but smiles anyway, settling into her bed. "i was getting comfortable, okay? not everyone can be ready for a close-up 24/7."

"you're an idol, though," you tease, setting your phone down and grabbing your guitar. "isn't that like, in the job description?"

"funny." she says flatly, though there's a hint of amusement in her tone.

she watches you strum lazily, only the neck of your guitar, your fingers, and your face in view as the sound fills the call. you pluck at the strings idly, creating random chords and humming softly to a tune that you made up earlier in the day.

the conversation drifts easily—catching up about your week, her recounting an interview she did earlier in the day, and how they recorded a 'jeans zine.'

"it's always a bit hectic," she admits, tucking her knees up to her chest. "but fun. i think this one's going to be really cute, it's a special for new years."

"i'll make sure to watch it. i watched your christmas one not too long ago, very cute." you say absentmindedly, still experimenting with a melody. "and your interview?"

"oh, the usual. promotions with 'ditto' and 'omg,' inspirations, what we've been up to. sometimes it's weird to me, like, talking about my life like it's newsworthy."

"it is," you tease lightly. "you're an idol, remember? and just you as a person, you're really interesting."

"right," she laughs softly. "anyway, how was your week?"

"ah, i just spent most of it with a friend from home. but it's been hectic too." you reply, "with yunjin's song out, me being on the credits, and her like—soft launching me? i've gotten a lot of attention and more support. it's really cool, but there's so much going on, especially on twitter, tiktok, and instagram."

"that's funny. i'm glad you're getting recognition, you deserve it."

"aw, thank you hanni."

there's a lull, but it's comfortable. hanni watches you as you hum a tune under your breath, occasionally pausing to scribble something in a notebook beside you.

"do you always multitask like this?" she asks, resting her cheek on her knee.

"too often," you admit, glancing at her through the screen. "am i boring you? maybe you should sleep, i don't want to keep you up like this."

"no, no. it's fine, i don't mind at all." she says quickly, almost too quickly, and you swear you catch the faintest blush creeping up her cheeks. it could also be the light, though. "it's... relaxing, actually. i really like this."

you don't respond, instead, you opt for a simple grin. you keep playing, trying to focus on the chords and not the way her gaze lingers on you.

"hey... y/n?" hanni says after a while, earning your attention.

"yeah?"

"we're still on for wednesday, right?"

"of course."

"right, just making sure." hanni mutters, shifting herself so she can lay down on the bed comfortably. there's a small, content grin resting on her lips.

conversation slows, her responses become softer, and you've found a little scrap of a song throughout the call. there's a stretch of silence when you run the song back, humming a melody and singing whatever lyrics come to your mind.

you glance back at your phone minutes later to see that hanni's out. her eyes are closed and her head rests against her arm.

"hanni?" you whisper, but there's no response. she's asleep, her soft breaths barely heard through the phone. you try again once more, whispering another, "hanni?" but she doesn't stir.

you smile to yourself. "goodnight hanni," you say softly, letting her sleep as you continue to strum quietly, filling the silence with your voice.

it's odd, you think. you've known hanni for a short amount of time, yet even after a few hours during the late hours at night and a few texts—something about your friendship seems right.

hanni being an addition to your life seems perfect.

—

masterlist ; previous - next

taglist ! @namojoon @ly-gushka @layonaiguess @sonotcopingatall @artrizzler19 @yerimbrit @sixflame438 @nwjnsloona @saysirhc @nimnia @somedaydream @trovao-penguins @modanisgf @c-yerim @starstruckgoateepuppy @tzuyusdoughnut @kaypanaq @peranoo @haerinkisser @electronicluminarycoffee @yoohtonyy @secretcessy @keiji-jin @awkwardtoafault @syronns @linnnsworld @inybits @ynwrites

[supper-ansuta-broth]

Hey guys!

As of the most recent Akatsuki event, fans of Ensemble Stars! across the globe have begun voicing their anger with the distasteful, ignorant, and outright bigoted nature of the franchise's story as a whole (most prominently (but not exclusively) its racist structure, undertones, plot points, and rhetoric). I have always been of the opinion that Happy Elements K.K. as a company is not worthy of respect, and wholly do not care about fans' and users' input, feelings, concerns, and criticisms. Time and time again, H.E. have not only put their own bottom line first, but have made it their only concern.

Needless to say, I am not only disappointed but infuriated with this company. While I am an optimist who hopes to see the best come from any situation, this is not one of the cases where this would be a realistic outlook. Because of this, posts on here will likely be infrequent, as I don't want anyone to believe that even for a moment I think their decisions are excusable.

That being said, while I encourage everyone to do their part in reminding H.E. over and over how much harm they've caused and the colossal damage they've done to their IP, I must also remind everyone that most of a gacha's game's profits come from the small percentage of its highest paying players (i.e. "whales"), and that H.E. has a long history of not listening to its playerbase's concerns and criticisms, even going as far as to silence them and block them for speaking up. They do not care what you think. They care about money, first foremost and only. Be active and speak up, don't support their shitty business practices, but don't run yourselves into the ground in the process of doing so, because at the end of the day they will continue trucking along-- they are too big to fail.

I encourage everyone to direct their focus towards fan creators, and send them as much of your kindness and love as possible. Support the people who create things due to passion and love, not just for money. Enstars has been lacking passionate stories for a long time anyway, with only a handful every now and again. Everyone who creates anything, no matter their skill level, deserves compassion and support. And if you're someone who wants to create something but fears mediocrity, create it anyway. Every great artist was consistently mediocre until they grew enough in their skill to start producing some things they like.

Additionally, this is in no way the fault of the seiyuu, the employees of H.E. who are not in charge of making decisions for the story, or anyone else who isn't directly involved with the meat of what makes Enstars, Enstars. These people are not to blame. Direct your ire towards the writers, the executives, and anyone else who allows these decisions to pass.

That's all I have to say for now. If you have any questions, feel free to send me an ask. I can't guarantee I'll get around to everything in a timely manner, but I assure you I will answer anything I can. Thank you for reading.

[d-oie]

well since she blocked me after begging me for a reply i'll write my reply here, im sure her defenders will send her a ss of what i said. first the comment :3

no one is hating on you nor is anyone saying youre not creative, ive said multiple times that i use to defend you myself and that i love your moodboards.. the original ones that is. i think you're a very talented person liia, but that doesn't take away from the fact you stole/copied/were heavily inspired. this whole thing was blown way out of proportion, you pretend you did these things like finding the images online and somehow it looks the same as someone elses saying that its just inspo but that is NOT what inspo is, ive seen you tag creators like n-americano when you're inspired by them, but what about these? and what about the images you take from others moodboards and have "images edited by me" in your moodboards knowing some arent, if you can credit yourself you can credit others. my post wasn't to turn the whole world against you nor was it to make you seem like a bad person, if thats how people interpreted it then so be it, i have an actual life and don't care if a bunch of people attack me online when i can just power off my device. my main objective was to wake you up. to make YOU realize you're in the wrong, sure it was also to bring light to the situation and let the creators you copied see what you were doing which I dont think is wrong. this whole thing couldve been avoided if you were apologetic, if you just said "hey, i see how these moodboards look very similar along with some of my others, i apologize and this will never happen again." instead you and many others dragged it. i was genuinely willing to hear you out and talk to you in dms but since you blocked me i can't.

my response to your dm

you never clarified you didn't steal from others, those past accusations never came with evidence so you could have easily brushed it off, you saying that you were just inspired and that these images don't belong to anyone isn't what your situation is, inspiration doesn't compare to what you're doing, what youre doing is plain plagiarism. you want to sit here and tell me "i didnt mean to copy" when i can clearly see y-unjins moodboard in yours. i tried to give you my respect since i'm also a "content creator" but you keep giving the same excuse when you know youre in the wrong, then you assume i want to start drama like i live on it, sweetie no, not everything is to attack you, if someone believes you've done wrong and you're not taking accountability for your actions you will be called out. why should i turn a blind eye when i know the hard work someone went through in order to make their moodboard just for you to take the images? im not saying its illegal for people to use one or two of the same images from another moodboard but youre on a whole new level, you're mad i'm posting about this but imagine the creator's you've stolen from. the thing im mostly confused about is why, why would u steal from others creators when one, youve been called out for this before, and two, you're moodboards and dividers are beautiful, so you have no reason to steal from others when YOU yourself dont want people to steal from you and you have your own form of creativity. and again its you talking about how "if taking inspo is copying then everyone would be copying" ... like do you not understand the situation youre in? you know youre in the wrong and this trash ass excuse aint getting you nowhere.

im not even gonna go in on this, if you cant reply to your ask truthfully why would you reply to my dm truthfully? if you were mature enough to admit your wrongs instead of going on a whole rant about why your friends hate you then this post would have never existed. how hard is it to admit your wrongs and start anew? i get it, everyone makes mistakes, but everyone can always own up to and fix their own mistakes.

i guess im evil for bringing the truth to light, if this were to happen to me ID OWN UP TO MY MISTAKES. yes taking inspo isnt bad but if it gets to the point i get called out for copying when i personally believe i was just being inspired by others id apologize and see what i can do differently, since ya know, im at that point in life where i can admit my wrongs, you on the other hand did not do so and tried to pretend it wasnt an exact replica. my post wasnt to bring hate or spit on your name, if anyone sent you aggressive comments then you have the action to report or block them, i cant control what people say, damn i can rarely control what i say, and i dont know where youre getting the idea that i hate you when i never once said that and i actually said this not only once, not twice, not thrice, but multiple times that i use to respect you, you were one of many creators that i would defend with my life, you use to inspire me, now i feel nothing, just disappointment which is what a lot of people feel, that doesn't give you the right to guilt-trip your mutuals, like what your "defender" said, moots are like real friends, once you lose their trust its hard to gain it back, if you really cared you wouldn't have allowed this to get blow way out of proportion and would have just admitted your wrongs, hell when you dmed your entire following list you should have explained the situation to them rather than trying to make them feel bad for how THEY feel about the situation. then you have the audacity to say "dare to tell me to my face rather than being a coward" as if youre not one? you escalated the situation, youre the one who's been sitting on your ass feining for my reply, crying to your moots how they're bad friends for believing this even though theres full blown evidence. im not a coward, i had the balls to post this knowing you'd see it, you're acting as if i was leaving you in the dark, like i didnt think you would ever see this post, like i was plotting on your downfall behind a secret account. "think before acting" how about you follow your own advice before trying to give advice to others. thanks.

i didnt want this to go this far, i believed that once i posted this you would admit your mistakes and change for the better, i didnt unfollow you because i wanted to see you continue to grow and continue to be the amazing creator you are without the copying, but i guess that was just a fairytale and i have to face the reality of randos on the internet not being able to take accountability.

Hi guys, it's come to my attention that someone in the moodboard community known as lil-liaa has been copying / taking heavy "inspo" from other creators like @y-unjins and @iluvrei view more for more info + evidence + my opinions on the whole situation

before i start, i'm not trying to run lil-liaa off the platform nor am i trying to stur up drama, this is just to bring light to the situation as not many people know and many people (including myself) defended her when this first happened, i also want liia to realize that what she's doing isn't right and that she shouldn't just brush off "accusations" like these when there is evidence.

proofs

you can see the similarities as lil-liaa used 3 of the exact same pics as iluvrei's including one edited by the original creator without adding credits to the post.

2nd

here you can instantly tell that the moodboard was copied (lil-liaas on the right being an exact replica of y-unjins), only changing 2 pics excluding the idol change and

3rd / last

lastly, you can see how one lia used the exact same divider (+ didnt give creds), two she uses the same images not only in the moodboard but also in her gif (same pics from y-unjins moodboard including the png)

now, lil-liaa was sent multiple anonymous ask from last year and one recently accusing her of stealing moodboards, although a lot of people defended her last year including me due to the ask having no sorts of proof of moodboards being stolen and no one else speaking on it but now the recent ask she has received included proof and her response to it was very (in my opinion) rude and just sounded like she didn't care.

in my opinion, i don't believe this was just a draft she had premade and i don't believe she somehow got the same exact photos from y-unjins moodboard recommended, i believe since this isnt the first accusation and now there's proof of this i believe she has been copying moodboards since last year when she was accused. i don't believe lil-liaa cares about this, the fact she's stealing from other creators and when she gets called out for it she pushes it off with the same excuses

tags

@miujo @rkkuri @lvioung @ciestial @aeraras @sugarish @gyareii @i-kyujin @daddldee @i-mmaculatus @haerinism @chaeryeos @bloomqi @h-yeoni @p-oisn @bitchey @yeritos @yonkiibums @y-vna @y-urios @fairytopea @shuaver @yeoniis

[eletvdna]

Seduce And Destroy

Summary: elena and her little friend group have no idea that the new student in her class might be an another old ass vampire, but, news flash, she is.

You had been sitting in the principals office since morning, hearing him talk about how you should behave and act in school, the rules, the dresscode and whatnot.

You rolled your eyes for the ninth time already, straightening up and getting ready to leave as he hands you your schedule.

"Thanks sir, but next time, talk less to not be a bore," you gave him a tight lipped smile and walked out the door.

But, instead of scolding you or running after you for talking to him that way, he nodded and got back to his work.

You roamed the hallways, not really looking where you were going, since you were looking down at the schedule in your hands.

As you were about to turn a corner somebody pushed you, laughing as you fell to the floor.

"Yo, dumbo, look where you're going!" Chad laughed, you heard someone call his name in the crowd.

"Yeah, sorry, it's totally my fault," you chukled, looking up at him, extending your hand, "give me a hand?"

"What?" He looked around, as if checking if you were kidding him.

"I said, give me a hand."

"Yeah, sure, here," he extended his hand, helping you get up.

"Good, now you see that guy?" You pointed towards one of the buff guys in the hallway, before looking chad in the eyes, "start a fight with him and don't back down till you're unconscious."

He nodded before walking away.

"What are y'all looking at?" You said to students that were standing around you, murmuring about your and chad's interaction.

"Everyone, this is the new student, miss y/n y/l/n." You waved to the class in front of you, smiling brightly.

"Nice to meet you everyone, my name is y/n."

"Yeah, we already heard that!" Some guy in the back shouted, making half of the class laugh.

"Miss y/l/n, you can sit over there, next to miss gilbert," alaric your history teacher said, pointing towards the girl who raised her hand as a wave.

"Hi, I'm elena." She said as you plopped down in your seat, "don't mind people here, they tend to be...mean."

"It's nothing, " you smiled, turning towards the front of the class.

But, still, you felt two pairs of eyes burn a hole in the side of your head.

You were standing in front of your locker, putting your books in when you felt a slight tap on your shoulder.

"Hey, y/n, i was wondering if you wanted to hang out with me and my friends after school?" Elena smiled up at you.

"What for?" You looked at her confused.

"You know, to get to know each other," she said almost desperate as you nodded, making her smile, "I'll send you the location!"

You gave her a thumbs up, before she dissapeared behind the corner.

You pulled out your phone,

Katherine:

See, i told you, she looks exactly like me.

Me:

No, she doesn't, she's prettier.

You shut off your phone, sliding it into the pocket of your jeans.

You looked up at the mansion in front of you, "I think I'm here..?"

"Great, I'll open the door for you right now," elena hung up, and a few seconds after, door opened, revealing her, "come in!"

"This is your house? It's massive."

"No, my boyfriends and his brothers," she giggled, taking you into the living room, where five other people were present.

"I thought it would just be caroline and bonnie? If i remember their names correctly." At your voice all five of them turned towards you, but only two of those people caught your eyes, "salvatores."

"How do you know their last name?" The blond asked from her position on the couch, looking confused.

"What? What last name?" Bonnie and elena looked confused, but damon and stefan were staring at you warily, well atleast stefan was, while damon looked like he wanted to kill you right then and there.

"Y/n," stefan said out loud, sighing as he looked to the side to damon, "what are you doing here?"

"Wait, you two know each other?" Elena asked, but no one answered.

"Aren't you one of katherine's little dogs?" Damon smirked.

"Aren't you the brother she never loved?" You bit back, as you heard a few gasps around the room.

Damon sped to you, pining you against the wall with his hand on your neck.

"Okay, what is going on?!" Bonnie snapped, looking over to us warily.

Again, no one answered.

"My guy, you should know that I'm six hundred years older than you, which means im much stronger than you are," this time you smirked, getting a hold of Damon's arm before twisting it hearing a crack, and throwing him across the room into a shelf.

"Will anybody tell us what's going on?!" Caroline yelled, looking over to you and stefan since damon was still lying on the floor where you threw him.

"It's a long story," caroline glared at me, making me roll my eyes, "but, to sum it up, Katherine and i know each other, stefan and i know each other, and that thing that i just threw, also know each other, how? We used to be friends way back when these two idiots were enamored by katherine, and after that too, before they turned their humanities off, and decided to just eat every living thing on this planet, that's when i decided the smartest desicion was to just leave them be, they were weighing me down anyway."

"Bitch," damon groaned, getting up and sitting down on the couch.

"Are you saying that as 'you're a bitch' or a 'my body hurts like a bitch' choose the answer wisely, or it might have consequences."

"Fuck you."

"Bet you're fantasizing about it," you smiled, looking at elena, "oh, sorry, i have to go, I'm late for work."

"W-work?"

"Yeah, i wanted to say it at our hang out, but, i started working at the grill, and i believe, matt, you're gonna be late too," you looked at the boy next to caroline, who looked down at his watch, "wanna drive with me?"

"No, don't you dare go near him, let alone even hurt him," caroline sneered, standing in front of matt in a protective manner.

"Oh, don't worry, i won't, after all, i was warned by klaus himself, if i hurt you or anyone dear to you, he'll rip my heart out, and we don't want that now, do we?"

"You know klaus too?" She looked at me in disbelief.

"Caroline, love, you're not the only one that guys chase after now, are you?" You smirked walking out the door, and towards your car, the smirk widening when you saw matt jogging up to you.

A/n: first time ever writing, don't judge too hard, like comment, reblog, pls! Tell me if y'all want part two!

[girlcrushart]

You guys, @pigeonfoo has decided to be more active on tumblr again, which I love, but apparently a bunch of you are ruining it by being weirdos and asking obnoxious questions and it's getting her down. I'm hoping this poster doesn't upset her. Foo, if you see this and are all, no way, bitch! Don't use my pictures to make your stupid little posters! then please please tell me that and I'll get rid of it. My intent is to promote Foo's awesome content and float the idea that you could send her asks that don't have anything to do with sex toy shapes or which holes they go in (for the record, the tongue one is super hot and who wouldn't want to try it in all the holes?) but like, ya sometimes girls like being asked about their interests and just because a girl posts about sex a lot and also posts very sexy pics doesn't mean that's all she's interested in or wants to talk about. Like, I bet she'd like asks about Yokai, for example. It might make her day to get some asks about Yokai. Just a thought. Today's girlcrushart guardian is Pigeon Foo.

[fortytworedvines]

How about 24 for the drabble prompts?

Did I do this instead of work? Nooooooooo.... Did this get away from me? yes...

Drabble list - send me a number!

24 - "You're not supposed to be up and about” 

Audrey knew she needed to be getting up. There was breakfast to sort for a hungry household.

She just couldn't seem to move. Her arms and legs were heavy. Her head was fuzzy. The slightest movement made her dizzy. She made one more futile attempt to get up, then gave in. Closed her eyes. Let herself slip back into sleep.

Siegfried wandered into the kitchen. A frazzled Helen was at the stove, trying not to burn porridge. James and Tristan were making toast and tea.

"Where's Mrs Hall?" he asked.

"Haven't seen her," Helen said. "Don't you know?"

Siegfried frowned. She was always here. Always. Even in the depths of her despair over Edward, she had been up in the morning and making breakfast.

He turned on his heel and made for the stairs.

A rap at the door brought her out of a weird, twisting maze of a dream. "Mrs Hall? Mrs Hall, are you in there?"

She couldn't quite form the words to reply. A weird sort of groaning grunt came out instead.

There was a pause. Then his voice again, worried. "Mrs Hall, I'm going to come in."

She was dimly aware of the door opening. She forced her eyes open to see him crouching beside her. A careful hand touched her forehead. It was blissfully cool.

"You're burning up," he said, worried.

"I – don't feel good," she managed.

"I can see that." He stroked her hair. "I'm going to call the doctor."

Seeing her lying there, so still, so passive, scared him horribly. It was clear that she could barely keep her eyes open and her temperature was soaring.

"I'll be back in a minute," he promised.

He left her door open a crack, just in case she called out, then hurried downstairs. He called the doctor first, extracted a promise to come out as soon as he could, then headed for the kitchen.

The family was sat around the table and little Jimmy had porridge all over his face.

"Mrs Hall is ill," he said abruptly. "I've called the doctor. I'll take her up a cup of tea and sit with her until he arrives. James, can you handle everything?"

"I'll help," Tristan put in. "And send Mrs H our love."

James nodded. "We'll manage, Siegfried."

He poured a cup of tea, buttered a slice of toast and put it all on a tray to carry upstairs. He didn't think she'd manage food, but just in case.

He slipped back into her room and closed the door.

She was lying still, sweat beading on her forehead, eyes closed.

"Mrs Hall?" he said quietly. There was no response. "Audrey?"

A murmur.

He crouched next to her and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I've brought you some tea. Can you sit up?"

Audrey blinked. He looked so worried. "Need – help," she said, through dry lips.

He slipped his arm around her and helped her upright, propping her pillows behind her. Then he let go to get her tea and she felt like she was going to fall over.

"Mr Farnon," she whispered. Immediately he was next to her again, his arm around her.

"I've got you. Here, have some tea."

Her arms felt like useless dead weight, but he lifted the cup to her lips, tipped it carefully so she could sip.

She managed two sips then lay back against his arms, exhausted with the effort of being upright.

"Do you want to lie down again?" he asked.

"Please," she murmured.

Carefully he lowered her, tucked her sheets back around her.

His hand pressed against her forehead again. "'s nice."

A smile flickered over his worried face and his hand remained in place. "Hush now. Go back to sleep. The doctor is on his way."

Her eyes fluttered closed. "Thank you."

He left his hand on her forehead as her eyes closed, as she slept. He hated seeing her like this, his indomitable housekeeper, completely floored.

Crouching next to the bed became uncomfortable. Tentatively, he sat on the bed next to her.

There was a knock at the door and a head poked round.

"Siegfried, I've brought you some breakfast," Helen said. She put a cup of tea and a plate of fresh toast next to him and stared at Mrs Hall worriedly. "How is she?"

He swallowed. "She's not well, Helen. Not well at all. Any sign of the doctor yet?"

She shook her head. "I'll send him straight up when he appears. Are you staying here?"

He gave an abrupt nod of his head and she smiled. "She's in good hands then." With another smile she left.

Siegfried looked down at the sleeping woman beside him. He stroked his thumb across her forehead, easing the little frown lines that were there. "Audrey," he murmured.

The doctor arrived within the hour, but time had slowed to a crawl for Siegfried. The head under in his hand was still burning hot. She hadn't woken again, but the occasional whimper suggested that her dreams were not pleasant.

When the doctor arrived, he took her temperature and listened to her heart. Siegfried hovered anxiously.

Finally, the doctor straightened. "Flu," he proclaimed. "Encourage her to drink when she wakes, take food if she can. She should stay in bed for a week, at least."

"Flu?" Siegfried sagged. After Evelyn... he hadn't realised quite how scared he'd been.

"She needs looking after, but she should recover. She's strong and healthy."

"Thank you," Siegfried said. He held out his hand and the doctor shook it, surprised.

"Take good care of her. Call me if she gets worse." The door closed behind him.

Groggily, Audrey emerged from sleep. There was somebody sitting next to her, a cool hand still on her head. "Mr Farnon?" she croaked.

"There you are," he said, and his tone was fond. "The doctor has been and gone. He says you have the flu."

She sighed.

"Do you think you can manage a bit more to drink?" he coaxed.

She nodded and regretted it as her head swam. A strong arm around her shoulders again and he helped her upright. This time, she wasn’t propped against her pillows bug against his chest. “There, I have you.” She felt safe, cradled against him as she was. Like he wouldn’t let her fall. “Tea. It’s cold, I’m afraid, but maybe that will help with your temperature.” He held the cup against her lips and she managed a few sips. “Good girl,” he said.

She leant back into him, let her head tuck under his. Even with the haze in her head, she thought she felt him brush a kiss to her forehead.

Sitting on his housekeeper’s bed and holding her protectively as she leant into him, despite how ill she was, Siegfried felt at peace.

He’d held himself at a distance from her for so long but she was ill, and she needed him. He wrapped his arm around her tighter. “How are you feeling?” he murmured.

She nestled into him. “Better,” she whispered. “Thank you.”

He brushed a hand over her forehead. Still burning up.

“Can I get you anything?”

His only answer was a sigh. He peered down at her. She’d gone back to sleep.

Helen appeared again a little later. If she was surprised to find Mrs Hall asleep in his arms, she said nothing. “Can I bring you anything?” she asked.

“Maybe a book? How are the boys getting on?”

“Everything’s under control. How’s Aud?”

“No better. But no worse.”

For Audrey, time was meaningless. Occasionally she woke, and Mr Farnon helped her to take sips of tea. Then she drifted off again. At some point, he’d laid her back down in bed, but he stayed beside her. Sometimes as she drifted on the edge of sleep, she could hear his voice reading to her quietly.

She felt protected.

She felt loved.

For Siegfried, the day was long. He looked after Mrs Hall as best he could, rubbed her back and murmured soothingly when she tossed in a fevered nightmare. Persuaded her to take sips of tea when she awoke. Read the book that Helen had delivered, hoping that she might find some comfort in it.

Helen delivered dinner and he ate it from the bedside table, taking care not to spill food in the bed, unwilling to leave Mrs Hall’s side even to eat.

“I can sit with her a while,” Helen offered when she retrieved his plate.

He shook his head. “I want to stay.”

As the evening wore on, he conceded to her offer. She sat with Mrs Hall while he found the camp bed and set it up in Mrs Hall’s room, washed himself and changed into his pyjamas.

Helen left with a sympathetic pat on his shoulder. “I’m sure she’ll be better in the morning, Siegfried.”

“Mmm,” he muttered, unwilling to hope.

He looked down at Mrs Hall. He’d felt better for a wash – maybe she would too. He fetched a flannel, ran it gently over her face. She didn’t stir. He drew her hands out of the covers and sponged them too. She gave a little murmur. He hoped it wasn’t a sound of protest.

Then he settled down into bed. Despite the fact that he’d been confined to the room for most of the day, he was dog-tired. He slipped into sleep easily.

He woke up some hours later with a start. Mrs Hall was restless, letting out little whimpers of fear. A nightmare. He climbed out of his bed and perched on hers. Rubbed her back.

“It’s just a nightmare, Mrs Hall. It’s all right.” Her forehead was still burning.

Her eyes opened. “Siegfried?” she asked. She didn’t sound awake. A clammy hand found his. “Stay with me,” she whispered.

“Audrey – I can’t,” he said, allowing the use of her given name under the cover of the night.

“Please?” A hopeful sigh.

He couldn’t say no. He picked up her bed covers and wriggled down the bed. She rolled over to make space for him then immediately curled into him.

“Go to sleep, Audrey.” He stroked her damp hair. “I’ve got you.”

Audrey woke in the morning feeling completely disorientated, though less fuzzy than she had been the day before. She opened her eyes and blinked. There was someone next to her.

The someone rolled over and met her gaze. He blinked, and blushed. “Good morning, Mrs Hall,” Mr Farnon said. “How are you feeling?”

Audrey moved tentatively. She ached, but not as badly as she had before. Half a flash of memory appeared in her mind. “I asked you to stay,” she said, her voice still dry and croaky.

He nodded. “Do you mind?” His eyes were worried.

She smiled at him and the worry subsided. “No. And I do feel better.”

“Whole sentences are certainly an improvement,” he said drily.

She nestled into her pillow. “You were worried?”

He held her gaze. “Terribly.”

“I’m sorry.”

He shook his head. Placed a hand on her forehead. “You feel cooler today.” There was relief in his voice. “Do you think you could manage some breakfast?”

“Maybe some tea?” she asked hopefully.

“Coming right up.” He swung himself out of bed and stood in his pyjamas, looking down at her.

“Mr Farnon?” she said quietly. “Thank you.”

His voice was soft when he replied. “Anything for you, my dear.”

Siegfried threw on his dressing gown and went downstairs, on a mission for tea. The relief in his heart was overwhelming. She’d spoken coherent sentences. She hadn’t minded him being there, next to her in the bed. She was going to get better.

He waited impatiently for the kettle to boil, brewed the tea to the precise strength that she liked and carried it upstairs.

When he reached her room, she was asleep again. One hand was flung into the space that he’d vacated.

“Audrey,” he whispered to himself, tasting the word, savouring it. The first names they had exchanged last night were precious, even if she had uttered Siegfried only because she was feverish. Maybe that meant he was always Siegfried, in her head.

He sat down on the camp bed and watched her sleep, ready with the tea when she woke up and wanted it.

By the afternoon, Audrey was able to sit up in bed when she was awake. She wasn’t up to leaving it, yet, but some of the aches had gone.

Despite her protestations, Mr Farnon insisted on keeping her company and it touched her, that he was putting her above the practice.

“The boys have it all under control,” he said, waving off her concerns. “I would rather stay with you.”

In between her naps, he read to her. She let the sound of his voice wash over her.

At dinner time, she managed a small bowl of soup. “Maybe I’ll be able to get up tomorrow,” she mused hopefully.

“Absolutely not,” Mr Farnon said firmly. “A week in bed, the doctor said.”

“Oh,” she murmured.

At bedtime, Siegfried hovered uncertainly, not knowing whether he should return to his own room. Perhaps he’d outstayed his welcome.

Mrs Hall looked up at him from where she was burrowed into her bedsheets. “Stay?” she asked quietly.

He smiled at her and climbed into the camp bed.

“I’m hungry,” Audrey said to herself with wonder when she awoke in the morning. She sat up slowly in bed, testing her strength. She glanced at the camp bed – empty – and then at the clock. It was breakfast time. Mr Farnon was probably downstairs.

She swung her legs out of bed, tested the carpet under her bare feet. Could she manage it? Holding onto the edge of the bed and her bedside table, she stood. Her legs felt like jelly. She took half a step. The door felt a very long way.

It opened suddenly and Mr Farnon stood there, a steaming bowl in his hand. "You're not supposed to be up and about,” he said sternly.

“I’m hardly about,” she said. Her legs quivered, and he moved quickly, stowing the bowl on the bedside table and catching her around the waist. “Back to bed, Mrs Hall,” he said gently. “I just wanted to – try,” she said sheepishly. Siegfried helped her back into the bed. It had given him a shock, coming into the room to see her out of bed and still so fragile. He sat her up against her pillows and tucked her sheets around her.

Then he sat next to her, tentatively. “You’ve looked after me for so many years, Audrey,” he said, heart beating quicker as he used her given name. “Won’t you let me look after you, now?”

He found her hand and held it, stroking his thumb gently over hers.

He dared to meet her gaze. She was staring at him. He let the silence sit, waiting. Hoping.

“Siegfried,” she said eventually. She looked at their joined hands. “I liked it when you held me, yesterday,” her voice was barely more than a whisper. “I felt… loved.”

She looked back up at him. There was a lump in his throat. “You are so very, very loved.” He leaned forward, kissed her forehead, cupped her cheek, brushed a stray tear from her cheek. “For now, Audrey, dearest… let me look after you.”

She smiled at him tremulously. “I will.”

“Good,” he murmured. “Now, my dear.” He picked up the bowl that he’d abandoned on the side. “Have some porridge.”

[worldly-fluster]

The LADS boys when you 'like' someone else.

*This will be based off of what's going on with me and my irl love life rn.*

**The guy that you 'like', I'll call him...Kane. You guys are old friends from your job before you actually became a hunter.**

Sylus, Xavier, Zayne, Rafayel

***There will be a part two!!!!***

Sylus-

He...kinda expected this.

He knew that you could possibly already like someone that wasn't him, but he expected one of the three other men vying for your attention on the daily.

Not that one guy, Kane, that you used to work with.

You told him that there was a guy you liked, and that you were planning on telling him that you like him soon, you didn't say a name at first so he felt his heart flutter, thinking that maybe you liked him too.

But then when he encouraged you to just go for it, tell the guy now, instead of waiting, he saw you pick up your phone and send a text.

He waited for a second for his own phone to ring with a notification, until you showed him your screen.

There was the text, 'I like you 😃'. Right under the contact named Kane...

You smiled at him, not knowing his blood ran cold and his heart dropped.

He really shouldn't have let his hopes up...

Xavier-

This boi.

This boi already knew you liked someone else.

He just thought he could somehow get you to see that he liked you more than what that guy did.

He could treat you better.

When you asked him for advice on how to tell this...Kade Guy, whatever his name is, that you like him, he just said 'Don't. He probably doesn't like you.'

He said it in jealousy, not realizing that he hurt your feelings at first until you frowned.

You said that you were just gonna send him a text, rip off the bandaid then.

Xavier froze as he watched you pull out that damned device, clicked onto that guys contact and typed out the dreaded question that wrung out his heart.

He could only watch as you left his apartment to your own as you waited for the answer.

Zayne-

He was just giving you a check up, a normal thing for the both of you at this point.

Every time he got close to you, he could feel his fingers tingle in a warmth he loves.

But that small joy of his was short lived when he heard your phone notification go off.

It must be this Kane guy you talk about often.

He stiffened a bit when you looked down at it and smiled before sending a reply then turned to him with a question after a bit of thought.

How do you tell someone you like them?

Zayne sat straight, clearing his throat of the lump that appeared there before answering.

I would tell them, no sugar coating it. Be blunt.

You smiled at him, making his heart ache, as you typed to Kane.

He wanted to stop you, tell you that you were looking in the wrong direction, that he's right here. Waiting.

But he couldn't.

He just wants you to be happy...

Rafayel-

You...you keep on hurting him without realizing it, huh.

He's waited 800 years, walked though deserts, climbed mountains, swam seas, traveled the world. All to find you.

Only for you to love someone else?

This, this urchin doesn't deserve you. No one but him does.

He told you that telling this guy, Kent or whatever, wouldn't be a good idea.

But you insisted.

He can't ever stay mad you, but he will be here if anything happens.

If this guy even breathes your way funnily, thinks of hurting you...

Raf watched as you sent the awful text, the dagger in his heart.

He felt his hands shake as he tried to distract himself with his painting, but every brush stroke he made seemed wrong, painful.

He really, really hopes he doesn't reciprocate...

****wrote this on my lunch break, I'm also going to soon confess to the irl guy I like, I'll let you guys know how it goes!!!****

[mysticeclipses]

Call Of Duty Modern Warfare Catverse

So, I've been sitting on this thought for a while. There's something about hardened military people with cats that just tickles me, and imagining the COD men and women having jobs that center around taking care of cats in one way or another has taken over my mind completely. And as such, why not have them own and work in cat cafes, rescues, pet hotels, the whole shebang? And yes, you'll notice that Kate, Valeria, Farah, and Alex are missing because I haven't narrowed down exactly what I think they'd be doing in this universe, so if you have any ideas don't be afraid to let me know! Same goes for names for their businesses, as I haven't been able to think of anything that fits. I'll probably expand more on this at a later date, but in the mean time, if you have questions, ask them! I'd love to ramble about this little idea of mine.

Jonathan Price: Owner of the first of the big three cat cafes in London, John’s cafe has become his second home, a place where he takes care of any cats that are found injured or are older than most. John provides the less fortunate felines a place to relax and become acclimated to humans, heavy war-torn hands developing a gentle touch for the felines. He retired from his position as Captain years ago, the stress of his military career and countless near-death experiences feeding into unhealthy coping habits that were heavily affecting him physically and mentally. Now, he feels at peace with himself and is happy with where he is at life, no longer wondering if he’d live to see tomorrow. His cafe has adoptable and non-adoptable cats, so they will often host special promotions for their adoptable cats, though he had to ban Nikolai from coming to those events. They already have 10 cats at home, they don’t need any more, but John always finds it funny seeing his husband disguise himself to sneak in to the events. Nikolai stands out like a sore thumb every time, and John always unmasks him, planting a kiss on his lips before sending his husband on his way.

Nikolai: Husband to Price and rescuer, Nikolai stops by at least once a week with new rescues to be integrated into the cafe, sometimes stopping by just to see his husband and his team. Often wandering the streets of London and even traveling to other cities when needed, Nikolai seems to draw the attention of cats wherever he goes, which thankfully makes his job of rescuing much easier. With John’s help, he turned the basement into a recovery space for cats that couldn’t immediately be taken to the cafe, having learned some basic veterinary work for cats with basic injuries and ailments, though he’s still a frequent visitor to the local veterinarian office. He was the one that managed to convince John to retire in the first place, as he couldn’t stand seeing his boyfriend at the time kill himself slowly, and actually proposed the idea of starting the cat cafe after they had gotten married. He is also the reason behind why they now have 10 cats, and whenever he finds out John is having another adoption event, he tries to sneak in. It always fails, but it brings a smile to John’s face every time.

Kyle “Gaz” Garrick: The solo barista and self-appointed DJ, Kyle was the first to join John’s cafe only a month after it had opened, falling into his role the quickest out of all the employees. Charismatic, sassy, charming, and stubborn as a mule at times, he picked up on the recipes and techniques for making coffees and teas like it was second nature. Kyle gets people in and out of line at a record pace, and has the best recommendations for drink and pastry combinations for newcomers. Kyle was medically discharged from his role as Sergeant after an accident in a church during an operation, where a helicopter shot the floor apart from under his feet, sending him tumbling several feet too many to the ground before a chunk of what remained fell on top of him. Three of his lumbar vertebrae were fractured, his left sciatic nerve was damaged, and his right femur was broken. It took months of physical therapy before Kyle was able to walk without assistance, and even now, he still deals with intermittent back and leg pain. There’s a chair behind the coffee bar for him to sit on and John keeps his spare back brace in his office, along with plenty of pain meds and heat pads. Kyle’s found comfort and brotherhood with his boss and fellow employees, and when he’s not busy making drinks, he can be found chatting with Soap or cuddling many of the cats.

Simon “Ghost” Riley: Quiet and reserved, Simon is the lead baker and pastry chef for the cafe, having joined the team around two months after Kyle did. Often clad in all black clothing and sporting a black mask that covers his face from nose to chin, Simon prefers to stay in the cafe kitchen, working quietly on new pastries and making sure the display case is always fully stocked until the end of the day. Cakes, cookies, croissants, donuts, tarts, macarons, eclairs, cinnamon rolls; you name it, Simon can bake it, and he finds it very therapeutic too. Simon was also medically discharged from his role as Lieutenant after an incident involving a man named Manuel Roba, having been tortured physically and mentally before he was tossed into a coffin and buried alive, and while he managed to get revenge on Manuel, it left him more broken than he wanted to admit. After many tough sessions with a therapist, Simon knew he needed to start trying to do something other than rot in his apartment alone, so he took up baking as a hobby. Baking taught Simon that he was capable of more than destruction, that he could make beautiful things despite the dirt and blood that stained his hands. And when he landed his job under John’s watchful eye, Simon was able to put the pieces of himself back together with the help of his newfound brothers and some loving felines.

Johnny “Soap” MacTavish: Loud, boisterous, confident, chatterbox, all words used to describe one of the later additions to the cafe Johnny, who joined the team seven months after the cafe opened, is in charge of taking care of the cats directly. Whether it be organizing a feeding schedule, clipping their nails, giving them baths, brushing their teeth, or grooming their fur, Johnny is always busy. He’s also the only employee that’s allowed to use John’s credit card, seeing as he often has to go out shopping for food and treats and toys and whatnot. On top of all that, Johnny has also taken over as the cafe’s handyman, quickly fixing any problems that may arise; whether it be behind the coffee bar, in the kitchen, in John’s office, he can fix almost anything on his own or with an extra pair of hands. Johnny chose to leave his Sergeant role after taking a near-fatal shot to the side of his left temple, though some profound hearing loss from all the explosions he created certainly didn’t do him any better during his recovery process. It took Johnny a while to get used to his new hearing aids, and for a while, he detested wearing them because they reminded him of what he lost. Only after getting hired at the cat cafe did Johnny start to become more comfortable with his hearing aids, letting his newfound brethren decorate them to better fit his outgoing personality, and fitting himself effortlessly into their dynamic without disrupting it too much.

Gary “Roach” Sanderson: The youngest and newest addition to the cafe, Gary is the resident nightguard and secondary handyman to Johnny, having joined about a year after the cafe had opened. Gary is the quietest of all the employees, often only communicating through BSL or writing on a notepad that he keeps in his back pocket, but he’s the most expressive of all the employees despite that. He wears a tan face gaiter that covers him from nose to chin, and can sometimes be seen with two homemade antennae secured to his hair with small clips, which the cats love to play with. More often than not, Gary is only seen at night when he comes in to watch the cafe, but if Johnny ever needs a spare set of hands, he’ll come in to help when Nikolai isn’t available, albeit rather sleepily. Gary also chose to leave his Sergeant role after being betrayed by his general, getting shot in the chest and nearly burning alive before someone in his squad managed to save him. He was left with many burn scars and damage to his vocal chords after so much smoke inhalation, making his voice gravelly and painful to use for long periods of time, so hearing him speak is considered a privilege, along with a sign of trust among his fellow brothers in arms. After so long of feeling undervalued, underappreciated, and unconfident, Gary has found a place that sees his importance and makes sure he knows it.

Alejandro Vargas: Co-owner of the second of the three big cat cafes in London, Alejandro’s cafe takes in cats that are rescued from abusive or neglectful homes, spending countless hours of his time gaining their trust in order to get them comfortable around other cats and humans. He also took the time to put higher perches and hiding spots into his cafe for the cats during their adjustment periods, so he always lets patrons know that some cats are more skittish than others and to let those cats come down on their own accord. Alejandro is not afraid to confront patrons who disregard the rules that are set in place and has banned several people from coming back, though it isn’t something he particularly enjoys doing. Alejandro is still Colonel of Los Vaqueros, and now that they’ve finally started cracking down on the Las Almas Cartel and getting closer to putting El Sin Nombre behind bars, he’s allowed himself to take a step back and explore what else he wanted to do with his life. Still, every few months, Alejandro will fly out to Mexico to be back on the field with his team and even offers them jobs at his cafe for when they finally clean up the streets of Las Almas. When he’s not busy with the cafe or working in Mexico, Alejandro often visits the other cafes with his boyfriend, Rodolfo, who gives Alejandro a reason to stay safe while he’s away.

Rodolfo Parra: Co-owner of the cafe alongside Alejandro, Rodolfo, or Rudy as he’s better known as, is an everywhere all at once presence in the cafe, often floating between areas to help wherever it’s needed. Whether it be behind the coffee bar, in the kitchen, at the register, with the cats, or in the office with Alejandro, you’ll rarely not see him working. He also seems to be a cat whisperer, at least that’s what the patrons believe, as he’s the only person certain cats feel comfortable enough with to come down from their perches. Rudy’s clothes are also constantly covered in cat fur since there’s always a cat following him around, and they even enjoy climbing onto his shoulders like he’s their own personal chauffeur. Like Alejandro, Rudy is still Sergeant Major of Los Vaqueros, he’s just on a more extended leave per Alejandro’s request, or rather demand. After a building fire nearly took his life while they were searching for Hassan, Alejandro basically made Rudy take a break from work and join him as his cafe, and Rudy honestly found it both adorable and annoying how much Alejandro fussed over him. He’s finally being allowed to join Alejandro and Los Vaqueros in their pursuit of El Sin Nombre, and as annoyed as he gets with being under Alejandro’s watchful eyes, he wouldn’t change a thing. Reminds Rudy that he has someone who cares right next to him.

Phillip Graves: Owner of the last of the big three cat cafes in London, Graves and his cafe takes in exclusively black cats, giving the most misunderstood felines a second chance to find a home. A cat person at heart, he started his business in remembrance of his childhood pet, Speck. Speck was a grey ocicat that had garnered the nickname ‘Shadow’ thanks to how it would follow Graves around like his shadow. Graves created his business a few months after leaving the MARSOC Raiders, unable to stomach seeing so many men lose their lives while the Generals and Commandants sat pretty in their offices. He hires fellow ex-military men and women, and after a week of working for him, they become one of his ‘Shadows’. He cares very deeply for his employees, pays them handsomely, makes himself a part of their support system, and often hosts parties or celebrations at his home for holidays and birthdays. Graves will and has dropped whatever he’s doing in order to be there for his employees when they need it. When Graves isn’t busy working, he can often be found at the other cat cafes, simply acting as an annoyance in the corner booths he likes to inhabit. He’s a bit of a pain in the ass, but with his suave charm and southern accent, it’s impossible to stay mad at him for very long. Especially not when he breaks out his cat eyes or magically pulls the cutest cat from his cafe out from his jacket as a bribery tool.

Vladimir Makarov: Located near the heart of London is an upscale yet affordable pet hotel, owned by the passionate Makarov, that takes in a high amount of cats compared to any other pet, so much so that it’s now considered a cat hotel instead of a pet hotel. Makarov wants to give any pet that comes in through the doors a relaxing and lavish experience while staying, so he makes sure the rooms are furnished to a tee, the food is of the highest quality, everything is clean, and there’s always someone around to play with the cats so they don’t get too antsy. He also has a bit of a love-hate relationship with John and Nikolai, as while they’re some of his best and well-paying customers, their 10 cats can be such a headache at times. Sure, they can be the sweetest angels when they want to, but there’s something about being at Makarov’s hotel that turns them into the biggest menaces he’s ever seen. And they can act so spoiled, so Makarov has required the two men to bring food and toys from home so their cats will behave more often. Makarov’s business was initially met with some hesitancy, as he could come off as cold and unattached from an outside glance, and he had no issues with taking cats or other pets from owners that were clearly neglectful despite their protests. He has a close relationship with the other cat cafes because of this, and while he wouldn’t consider them friends just yet, Makarov finds himself appreciating his collection of acquaintances and how closely their businesses support each other.

[paladin--strait]

soulmates part 5.2

luke hughes x reader

tw!!: some language, use of y/n, reader can be depicted as any body shape/size, female reader. this story moves kinda fast, since I want it to only be a couple of parts long. this is a complete work of fiction. I am in no way saying or implying that these people act the way they do in the story. I am open to any sort of constructive criticism! thank you!

series masterlist here!

-

his hands rest on my hips, "i know he's my brother and i shouldn't take you from him, but he's the one who set us up and i'm not gonna let you go." he looks down at me, eyes full of sincerity as he speaks. "i know we just met, but i don't think i can imagine my life without you now that i've gotten to know you."

i look up at him with wide eyes, my jaw dropped slightly. "luke..."

"don't." he shakes his head, pausing his words for a moment. "can i kiss you?"

his words shock me, but i'm also not surprised that he's asked me. i stand silently for a second, making eye contact with his wide eyes, they're pleading with mine, almost. i nod slowly, placing my hands on his chest gently.

he takes a shaky breath, slowly leaning down and moving one of his hands from my hip to my cheek, his lips finally making contact with mine, sending shockwaves throughout my body and causing my brain to fog as our lips move in sync with each other.

we kiss for a few seconds that feel like hours, before luke pulls away and places his forehead against mine, our eyes still closed. we both smile as i move my hands from his chest to cup both his cheeks, pulling him in for another gentle kiss. he slowly moves us back until my back hits the cold wall, kissing me with such a loving intensity that everything around me seems to stop.

once we finally pull away, luke pulls me in for warm hug, his arms wrapped around my waist and his face tucked into my hair, slowly rocking us back and forth. "luke...?" i whisper, "what are we gonna do now? about quinn?"

he pulls away from the hug, hands still on my waist. "i don't really know...i'll talk to him about it tomorrow. but don't worry about it right now." he says, running his fingers through his curls.

i'm about to speak again when a knock at the door makes me jump, i step away from the door and open it, looking out the door at jamie and trevor, who are standing there with shocked looks on their faces. "oh, sorry are we interrupting something?"

luke and i shake our heads, "just talking about some things. what's up?" i answer, smiling softly at them.

"jimmy and i were just looking for y/n," trevor responds, "we wanted to see if you wanted to watch a movie with us in our room? if you're not busy?"

i answer them, "sure! what are we watching?"

"mighty ducks 1 and 2!" trevor responds excitedly, "luke, you can join us if you want?"

luke shakes his head, "you guys have fun, i'll see you all in the morning." he smiles at us, before leaning in to peck my lips, "see you tomorrow, sweetheart."

"see you tomorrow..." i smile at him, walking out of his bedroom and shutting the door behind me. "did you guys get snacks?"

i look over at them as we walk, both of them standing there behind me, jaw dropped at what they just saw. as we walk down the hallway to our room, trevor rushes up beside me. "did he kiss you? does this mean you two are official?" he ask excitedly.

i smile and laugh softly, "i don't think it's official just yet, but yes he did kiss me." i respond as jamie moves to walk beside me on the other side.

"i was hoping you'd pick luke!" jamie says with a smile, "i love quinn and i think he's a great guy, but i think you and luke are perfect for each other! and he calls you sweetheart? now that's cute." he laughs, opening the door to our shared room.

trevor runs in and jumps on the bed, leaving me last to go in. i look out in the hallway and catch sight of quinn, who had been walking behind us the whole time with a glass of water in his hand. he must've went to the kitchen and came back up around the same time as us. my heart drops when i see his face.

he looks like he's just been stabbed in the back, his eyes watering, a sight i've never seen before. i open my mouth to say something, but he rushes into his room and shuts the door behind him. i sigh, remembering that luke said he would talk to him tomorrow, so i step into the bedroom and shut the door, watching as trevor gets the movie set up.

i can't help but wonder how quinn will react to luke talking to him tomorrow about us, my heart racing and my mind clouded with anxiousness as i think about the day to come.

[oqwomyo]

3rd Anniversary. Boschi's card translation.

Part 1.

The day after talking to the butlers of the 2nd floor. After sending carrier pigeons... We decided to rest in Tobilis for a while.

- Tobilis Square -

- One day -

Would you like to go for a walk with me? That's how Boschi invited me... Boschi and I walked along the streets of Tobilis together.

Boschi: If you look at it that way... The atmosphere of the city is very different from the one during the wine festival.

Boschi: There was a huge party going on in the city at that time... But in reality, it's quite a decent town.

You: That's calming.

Boschi: Yes. ...Hm?

You: What's wrong?

Boschi: Nothing... I didn't notice that we had come to a place of nostalgia.

Boschi: Look, here. This is the place where we danced last time we came to Tobilis.

You: Oh, right.

Boschi: ...At that time... Hanamaru was dancing with the children to the point that it was becoming troublesome for him.

Boschi: It was attracting unnecessary attention... I can't believe I was dragged into this too.

You: But it was fun.

Boschi: ...Yeah. That's for sure.

Boschi: Well, sometimes... These things aren't that bad.

At that time... Some familiar children ran up to us.

*Step step step*

Children: Boschi-san and master! Good afternoon!

You: Hello.

Children: Hey, hey, where's Hanamaru~? We want to play!

Boschi: Tch... We're getting dragged into something again.

Boschi: I told you the other day that Hanamaru wasn't coming.

Children: Eh~, are you sure he's not coming? How boring!

Children: Well then, Boschi-san, come play with us instead!

Boschi: ...Hah. I won't do that.

Boschi: As you can see, I'm on a date with the master right now.

You: A date...

Boschi: What is it, Master? Do you have something to say?

You: N-No, forget it...

Boschi: Heh, is that so? Then you don't mind that we're on a date.

Boschi: ...Hey, kids. If you get what I'm saying, then play by yourselves.

Boschi: Time with my master is my priority right now.

Children: Wha~, that's too bad! Well, we didn't expect Boschi-san to agree to play.

Boschi: Then you shouldn't have asked me.

Children: We were just checking! Next time you come, bring Hanamaru!

Boschi: Okay, okay.

Children: Okay, then... Today we're playing tag!

Children: Ahaha! Tag! You're it!

Children: Ah! That's not fair! Stop!

*Step step step*

Boschi: These guys are noisy...

You: They're great.

Boschi: This Hanamaru... He can go and play with the kids.

Boschi: I can't believe they're just running around making so much noise... No amount of physical strength would be enough.

You: Yeah, that looks tough.

Boschi: Well, even so... I don't mind kids having fun.

Boschi: Looking at these guys... It makes me remember when I was a kid.

You: Boschi's childhood?

Boschi: Even when I was a kid... I wasn't that loud, but...

Boschi: When I was a kid... I had fun thanks to my grandmother.

Boschi: Thinking back... I feel relieved somehow.

You: I see.

Boschi: Yeah, childhood memories... They mean a lot to me.

Boschi: Memories of joy and kindness... I'll never forget them.

Boschi: No matter how much time passes... They'll always be there.

You: ...But now you sent the kids away.

Boschi: Heh... Didn't I say that time with Master is my top priority?

Boschi: While I'm hanging out with Master... How can I babysit children?

You: Y-Yeah...

Boschi: Besides... I'm not the kind of adult who can leave them good memories.

Boschi: Let their families and the adults in the city they live in do that.

Boschi: And someday... They'll look back with a smile on the memories those adults left behind...

Boschi: And this city... It will become a home for them, a place they'd want to return to.

You: Their hometown, huh?

Boschi: Yes. The place where they spent their childhood...

Boschi: That's the only reason they're so attached to it.

Boschi: ...Actually, I too...

Boschi: The Western Land, where I spent my childhood... I'm thinking of going back there.

You: The Western Land...

Boschi: I told you the other day, right?

Boschi: A future where we don't have to fight angels...

Boschi: I'll go back to the Western Land and live in nature. I'll live for myself and for what's dear to me.

You: You said that.

Boschi: When I was a child in the Western Land... I was very happy.

Boschi: When I lived with my grandmother... It's not like we had the financial means...

Boschi: I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a struggle.

Boschi: But... Back then, I lived only for myself and my grandmother...

Boschi: It... It was nice.

You: I see...

Boschi: So that grandma could live comfortably... I made a lousy chair...

Boschi: We went to the forest together... She also told me about medicinal herbs and wild plants.

Boschi: ...It's been 300 years already... I still remember it clearly.

You: It's a wonderful memory.

Boschi: Yes... That's right. ...I'll never forget it.

When Boschi remembers his childhood... He smiles happily. When you look at Boschi's happy face... One may think he had a happy childhood. I felt happy too.

Part 2.

The children from Tobilis... They were gone before I realized it. There was no longer the cheerful laughter or running footsteps in the square.

Boschi: When I grew up... Grandma died...

Boschi: As a demon butler, fighting angels... I live by helping others, just like grandma taught me.

Boschi: But for me... Her teaching was the only thing I protected.

Boschi: Fighting angels... I helped those I don't even know.

Boschi: Even from now on... This life will continue for a while.

You: ...That's right.

Boschi: ....

Boschi: But... Once all the angels are defeated, this life will end.

Boschi: When that time comes... I will stop being a devil butler and return to a normal life.

Boschi: Without any connections to the aristocrats... I will live as a man.

Boschi: Just like I once lived with my grandmother...

Boschi: I with my significant other... I'll live... Only for my dear master.

You: Thank you, Boschi.

Boschi: "Thank you"... These are my words.

Boschi: Thank you for coming to this world, master.

Boschi: I never thought about what would happen after I defeated the angels...

Boschi: After meeting you... I began to imagine the future.

Boschi: Before I met master...

....... Of course, I didn't plan to die so easily...

Boschi: I thought that one day, an angel would kill me.

The angel will kill Boschi... I remembered the battle between Boschi and Throne. And... The emotions I felt back then... A chilling fear ran down my spine.

You: ...If Boschi is killed...

Bosch: ...Gosh. What kind of face is that, Master?

Boschi: That expression doesn't suit you. Smile as always.

Boschi: ...Didn't I tell you? I will live for myself and Master.

Boschi: Until that happens... I will not die.

You: ...Uh-huh.

When Boschi saw me nod... He laughed again. And... He gently stroked my head.

Boschi: Sorry for such dark stories.

Boschi: ...I will not leave you. So don't worry.

You: ...I believe you.

Boschi: Yeah... That's good.

Boschi: Someday, I will... When I return to the Western Lands, I will live with Master.

Boschi: Without disturbing anyone... We will live together as we wish.

Boschi: For this... I will do anything.

Boschi: Never again... I will not let go of what is important to me.

Boschi: Having spent my entire life... I will protect Master.

You: ...I will protect Boschi too.

Boschi: Heh... I see.

You: I will grant Boschi's wish.

Boschi: Thank you, Master.

Boschi: ..But......"My wish".

You: Is something wrong?

Boschi: When you say, "My wish"... I might think that I am the only one who wants this.

Boschi: Lately, I have always... I have been saying that I want to live with Master in the Western Lands...

Boschi: Never before have I heard Master say... "I want to go to the Western Lands with you".

You: This...

Boschi: Master. Is this really just my wish?

Boschi: If Master wants the same thing as me... I want to hear it.

Boschi, having said this... He stopped stroking my head and took off the glove from his left hand. And he gently extended his hand to me.

Boschi: Will you come with me? Master.

Boschi: You will not regret it if you choose to live with me.

Boschi: Until the last moment... I will make you happy.

Boschi: Therefore... Choose me.

And I... Without thinking, I took Boschi's hand.

You: I want to go with you.

When I take Boschi's hand... He laughs happily and squeezes it tightly.

Boschi: You are brave, as expected of my master.

Me too, not wanting to lose to Boschi... I squeezed his hand.

You: You will make me happy, won't you?

Boschi: Heh... Of course.

Boschi: Do you think I don't look like a man who can make the people he cares about happy?

You: I have to try, I don't know.

Boschi: Of course you don't.

Boschi: Then... Spend a lot of time with me and find out.

You: Uh-huh...

Boschi will make me happy. With confidence in that... I looked at him.

You: Let's live together, Boschi.

Boschi: Yes... I promise.

Boschi: For that... We need to defeat the angels quickly.

Boschi: One more thing… I suddenly look forward to the future..

Boschi: Living together with Master in the Western Land…

You: How is it to live in the West?

Boschi: That’s right…. Just like before when Master went…

Boschi: The Western Land is rich in nature… A quiet, peaceful place.

Boschi: That’s why… We will live modestly close to nature.

You: Is that so.

Boschi: Hmm… But…

Boschi: For Master… It may be different from the familiar Central Land, so there may be difficulties.

Boschi: In order for Master to feel at ease… I have to think of something.

When I heard Boschi's words… I felt the warmth of our intertwined hands. I felt a strange relief when Boschi was with me. With Boschi by my side… I’m sure I can live anywhere. I thought about it calmly.

You: …Please, always be by my side.

Boschi: Hm?

You: That’s enough for me.

Boschi: …Being close to me is enough, you say.

Boschi: I can’t believe you want something so obvious… Master is selfless.

You: Eh?

Boschi: I… Just being close to you isn’t enough for me.

Boschi: That’s why… I want to always touch Master.

Boschi: Without Master’s warmth, I would feel uneasy… Together forever.

You: ………

Boschi: What is it? Master.

You: Of course, that’s fine with me too.

Boschi: Heh, is that so.

I didn’t want to break our intertwined hands. I wanted to always feel the warmth of Boschi's body. Before I realized it, my head was filled with such thoughts.

Boschi: …It’s not bad to be with a selfless Master who says that being close to me is enough for them, but…

Boschi: A Master who is greedy for me… That’s not bad either.

We held each other’s hands. A future where there are no angels... We will live happily together. While I was thinking about this... I mentally went to the Western Lands.

[zzalina]

One day more or Sale el sol? Los Mis 2010

Okay so yesterday I made a post about Los Miserables 2010 and discovered there's more people who love it??? Someone asked me about the spanish translation of les mis and it was the straw that broke the camel's back for me to finally make a post. You have NO IDEA how long I've wanted to talk about this. Anyway, today I'll be talking about the 2010 spanish translation BUT I already have in my drafts a post comparing the spanish 1992, spanish 2010 and the original english versions. Without furhter ado, here are my thoughts about Sale el sol:

First things first: the title. "Sale el sol" means "The sun rises". I didn't use to like the translation because they could have gone with "Un día más" (as they did in 1992). It means exactly "one day more" and fits the music almost perfectly (you just have to pronounce it a little bit weird but nothing that isn't a common thing to do in songs). But then I saw this tweet:

"The phrase the sun rises instead of one day more to speak about resilience in a country in which the sun was used by fascists makes one feel mental peace, feel justice, feel art and revolution, it feels like recovering the light and coming out of the shadows"

A little bit of context: Spain was in a fascist dictatorship until 1975. There is a famous song from that time called "Cara al sol" ("Facing the sun"). It was the anthem of the Falange, a political party, but it's still used today by fascist groups. In this context, claiming the sun for a message like the one this song sends is really poetic justice and I just love it.

They also use the idea of the sun rising in "La canción del pueblo/Do you hear the people sing?" (I'll make a post about that one too) so it really links the two songs together in a very beautiful way. I could speak about the title for hours, but let's go to the lyrics:

On the left you have the original english lyrics, then the 2010 spanish ones and then the translation to english so you can see the differences. Pretty similar tbh

Marius being so dramatic in every langauge

Éponine's verses are always so sad but there is something about her feeling like she doesn't even exist for Marius that breaks my heart even more 💔

There's a lot I could say about Enjolras' part related to the 1992 translation but that will be a different post. Now take a moment to appreciate how Daniel Diges sings this lines pls look it up I love him

As you can see, in the translation we sadly lose the repetition of "one day more" 😔 Also Javert saying that the revolution will be born dead conveys to me the certainty that he had that it was not going to work. The army won't have to do much because the revolution will die by itself (and he was right, the people didn't join 😔)

Honestly I don't fully understand the Thenardier's part in english so I can't properly compare it, but they're so caothic in both languages, this part is so funny.

My favourite part of the song 😭 In english "Do you hear the people sing?" is the title of another song but since that one is called "La canción del pueblo" ("The people's song") they couldn't keep the verse exactly the same. But it's the first verse of The people's song

Just Javert's part bcs it's different, the others are kept the same than previously if I'm not wrong. Once again, there's no repetition in spanish 😔

I find it funny that since the original one talks about dawn at the end they translated it to "un día mas", doing the opposite of what they did with the title. It made me wonder for years why didn't they use it for the whole song since it fits the music. But now I know and you know too.

If you made it this far thank you for reading the post. If you liked it, there'll be more and if you didn't like it I'm sorry but there'll be more because I have a lot to say ✨

[soulfullives]

Prompt if you want to do:

Sirius first tattoo, who will accompany him? Will go to a wiz artist or muggle?

Up to you dear

"Hey, mate." The bloke who was standing in front of him had bleached blonde hair and tanned skin. He wore ripped jeans, a loose shirt and a tie loosely hung around his neck. "Sit."

Sirius obliged, stretching his neck as he did. "Do I know you?"

The man looked at him for a few moments, then realisation seemed to dawn upon him. "Hell, yeah. Benjy Fenwick. You're that Black kid, aren't you? You were friends with that little rascal, Potter, weren't you?"

Sirius snorted. "Still am. You used to be in Ravenclaw."

"And the bloody Team Captain, while we're on it. Can't believe what a good player that kid was. Still on the team, then?" He asked, indicating Sirius to strip. Sirius pulled his shirt over his head. "What're we doing?"

"He's the Captain now," Sirius replied, rolling his shoulders and humming at the pleasant feeling. "I was thinking antlers, right under my neck."

"You know, usually, you come and check in for a design and, you know, usually, you don't get tattooed in a dingy shop on Knockturn Alley."

"I'd rather not have snuck out of my house in the middle of the night and taken the tube to here just for you to send me back home, thanks."

"It's better when you don't know what's coming, trust me. Speaking from experience. So, how old are you now?" He asked, working his way across Sirius' back.

"Turned sixteen about a month ago."

"How time has passed," Benjy said, clicking his tongue. "How's Hogwarts now that my mates and Thave graduated?"

"Essentially the same."

"You're so chatty," He tsked. He searched through his pocket, then gently grabbed a hold of Sirius hair. "If you want me to tattoo on your back, I'll have to put your hair up."

With a nod, Benjy rolled his hair into a loose knot, fingers brushing against Sirius’s neck as he secured it. He shivered slightly, but not from the chill in the shop—more from the unfamiliar sensation of someone else handling him so gently.

“Right, antlers, you said?” Benjy murmured, reaching for a thin stick of charcoal to sketch out the design first.

“Yeah, like…you know, a stag.”

“Is this some sort of inside joke?” He asked, (“Pretty much.”) as worked quickly, his fingers steady as he sketched the outline just below the nape of Sirius’s neck. The charcoal smudged slightly as he worked, tracing bold, branching antlers. Sirius shifted, wanting to take a glance, but Benjy steadied him.

“Hold still.”

“You’re quite pretentious for someone who works down Knockturn.”

Benjy snorted. “You’d be surprised how much easier it is to mess this up when someone’s moving. Besides, you’re lucky I’m even doing this tonight. This is not exactly where you want to get permanent ink, you know.”

“Well, not a lot of places are opened at this time of day, right?”

“What can I say, three in the morning’s not very popular.”

The sound of the needle starting up was louder, sharper, making his skin prickle.

“You sure about this?” Benjy asked one last time, the needle hovering just above his skin.

“Yeah. Do it.”

The needle piercing his skin brought, as a first reaction, a sucked in breath. He could feel Benjy’s hand pressing lightly against his back, steadying him as he worked, the hum of the needle filling the space that would have, otherwise, been quiet.

“You’re doing well. Breathe through it.”

Sirius closed his eyes, focusing on the grounding pressure of Benjy’s hand against him, the lines taking shape on his skin, although he could not see them just yet—something raw and real and entirely his. Something he’d chosen.

When Benjy finally shut off the needle and leaned back, looking pleased with himself. Sirius exhaled, rolling his shoulders. His skin felt raw, but there was a sense of satisfaction beneath it.

Benjy wiped down the tattoo. “Go on, take a look,” He said, his voice soft.

Sirius turned to the mirror. The antlers spread from the base of his neck, the black ink contrasting against his pale skin—slightly red and swollen, but perfect. The lines were sharp, the branching of the antlers carefully crafted, almost wild in the way they curved outward.

This was his. Chosen. A symbol of loyalty, of brotherhood. Of defiance.

“D’you like it?”

“Yeah,” Sirius answered, his voice a hum. “I do.”

“No regrets?”

“Not one. Thank you.”

“‘S what I do. Leave me a good review to your friends,” Benjy winked. “Right, so, aftercare. No soaking it in water for a few days. Keep it clean, no scratching, although it might itch. Might scab a bit—means it’s healing. And don’t let your mates hex you until it’s sorted, yeah?”

“I’m not the one getting hexed,” Sirius chuckled, shrugging on his shirt, the sensation of the fabric rubbing against the raw skin unusual. “Thanks, mate.”

“Nothing to thank me for.”

As he met Benjy’s eyes in the mirror one last time, Sirius had the feeling that, in a sense, this moment had marked more than just his skin.

[pushspacetocontinue]

"Great! And as I said before, you're always welcome to go the one I go to whenever, even if getting there isn't as cool."

Travis could understand why Russell hadn't wanted to touch him with a barge pole. The guy gave off 'creep' vibes from a mile off, and from what he had heard, had been putting his hands all over his little brother just to skeeve him out more while he was captured.

"Yeah, I, when, when I first saw it all after the, the first attack happened, I, I was horrified," Russell said, "I can only imagine how, how much it, it hurt Lucien. But when he's ready, I'll be, I'll be helping put it, put it back into shape and just, just like Lucien, it'll come, come bouncing right, right back."

"That's the spirit, Custard," Travis said, "It'll be a double kick in the teeth to those pests."

Russell nodded. He still didn't want to leave Erica out as he had headed up towards the living part. Perhaps he would be able to find some fruit tea while making coffee for everyone else.

"Still, this whole situation is a shitstorm, and I think that's putting it mildly," Travis said, "I'm also glad Russell trusted me enough to ask me to come and lend some muscle."

Travis then reached down and started to get whatever was hiding under the clothes.

"Good call, Erica. There is something," Travis said, as he started to pull it away, "This is the part where it bites my hand off or something, isn't it?"

Travis then smirked. He could certainly tell the story while Ratchet was helpless, and so he began.

"Well, as you've heard, I have the nickname Pervert Mangler. See, there was this politician, well, his son, back in Boston. I just got out of prison, was going to turn my life around, and was just washing his office windows… he'd gone to get a drink or something, I don't remember, then I saw his laptop… "

Travis had to take a deep breath. Even now, that memory threatened to make his anger boil out of control.

"I knew I was going to prison again for what I was going to do, but I decided it was worth it for what he had on it. Made sure to send a picture to my sister-in-law, because I knew she would spread the word, reveal the truth. But then I broke that window, waited in his office for him to come back, and then went absolutely insane on him. I didn't even care if I ended up killing him. I didn't get to of course, but he probably wishes I had. Guy still has to piss through a tube even now."

And of course, he had been utterly disgraced by the public. Not even his father's money or reputation could save him.

"So while you're worth us, I better not be hearing anything about any disgusting comments or worse, trying to touch someone up," Travis warned.

Russell had been coming back down with a tray of cups. There was a cup of peach tea for Erica, and cup of coffee for everyone else.

"You didn't, you didn't tell him about the guy whose nuts you, you smashed with, with a can of beans?" Russell asked.

"I'm sure there'll be another time for that," Travis said, "If this story doesn't get the point across."

"Yay! I'll show you my gym!"

Despite the circumstances, Erica was always happy to make new friends, even more when they had the chance to bond over a common interest.

If anything, having to witness that while Travis searched him, added insult to the injuries Ratchet had sustained while Lucien wiped the sidewalk with him. He flinched when Erica reached over to poke the bruise that was forming on his face.

"No pressure! I can always go get my own drink." the elf replied, "And Lucien will feel better in a bit. He really cares about this place, these guys really hurt him when they destroyed it, even if he doesn’t want to show it."

That would have granted Ratchet a far more special treatment on its own, but she understood it wouldn't be very convenient to search him while taped to the ceiling.

"I’m okay." Erica replied with a shrug, "Like I said, a few bullets can't stop me and I'm coming up with new tricks— I think he's hiding something under his shirt."

Ratchet narrowed his eyes when Erica pointed. Dang it, he was counting on that.

She pushed the bucket closer. "So, what's the story you wanted to tell him?"