#Applied Jewelry Professional

[leclercsredhelmet]

Enchanted ✧ Franco Colapinto

A/N: Hello! Back with another blurb for you all, this time it’s Franco themed because I’m just so happy that one of my f2 faves is on the f1 grid! (I’m still so sad about Logan) anyways here’s Enchanted with a Hispanic reader! I hope you all enjoy reading this one <3

“These are the words I held back as I was leaving too soon, I was enchanted to meet you”

Being back in Italy has you buzzing with happiness, it’s been quite a few years since you’ve been back in the country. Yesterday you’d spent the day sightseeing and doing light shopping in Milan. This is your first big job opportunity fresh out of university and you’re extremely excited for what lies ahead. Once your alarm rang you leapt out of bed and opened the curtains. Music plays from the phone that sits atop the dresser, as you pass by the window you smile at the crowd of Tifosi chanting and you notice Charles signing their things. Smiling, you walk towards your suitcase and take out the outfit you had laid out last night.

Heading to the bathroom you change into a pair of jeans, a white tee, and a white and blue embroidered vest paired with your usual gold jewelry and white sneakers. Applying the last touch-ups to your makeup you grab your brown Longchamp bag and check that all the contents are there before grabbing your passes and the room key from the dresser. Locking the door you head towards the elevator. Looking around the hotel lobby you notice the flurry of staff getting ready to head out. You spot some drivers heading out and want to ask for pictures but you’re nervous and want to remain professional.

Briefly, you catch a glance of Franco Colapinto as he passes by in front of you and he offers a small smile once you lock eyes. Shyly you smile and tuck a strand of hair behind your ear. Noticing your phone is starting to ring, you pick it up. Your mother’s face greets you on the other line with a proud smile. Smiling you lift the phone to an appropriate angle so she can see your face.

“Hola mi amor, ¿qué tal te va el primer día de trabajo?” she asks and you smile.

(Hi my love, how is your first day of work going?) “Hola ma, muy bien hasta ahora, estoy esperando a mis compañeros para tomar la guagua al circuito” you reply.

(Hi mom, very good so far, I’m waiting for my coworkers to take the car to the circuit)

“Bueno espero que todo te vaya muy bien y voy a estar al pendiente de las redes a ver si te veo entrevistando a alguien!” she beams and you giggle.

(I hope it goes very well and I’ll be tuning into social media to see if you interview someone!)

“Oye y no has visto al chico de Argentina que sustituye a Sargeant? (Oh, have you seen the young man from Argentina that’s substituting Sargeant?)

“Acabo de ver a Franco hace algunos segundos, no hablamos pero me sonrió ,” you reply. (I just saw Franco a few seconds ago, we didn’t talk but he smiled at me)

“Esperemos que te toque entrevistar a Franco, se ve como un chico adorable y se que es de tus favoritos,” she says. (Let’s hope that you get to interview him, he seems like a charming young man and I know he’s one of your favorites)

Smiling you reply, “Eso espero mamá bueno te voy a dejar porque ya vienen los compañeros de trabajo, hablamos luego. Te amo!” you say. (I hope so, mom. I’ll have to leave you because my coworkers are arriving, we’ll talk later. I love you!) “Yo tambien amor, exito hoy!” (I love you too, good luck today!)

Putting your phone away you stand up and introduce yourself to the rest of the crew that hasn’t met you yet. Smiling, they start chatting with you as you walk towards the van that’s already waiting for everyone. Climbing in you take a seat by the window and adjust the passes around your neck, you run your thumb over the black and purple media pass supplied by Formula One and look at your picture and credentials before smiling. “The first day on the job is a little overwhelming but you’ll be fine,” one of your coworkers says. You smile, “Yeah it’s starting to feel like it,” you say with a little chuckle. Everyone smiles, “Lucky for you, we’re not leaving you to your own devices on the first day so the nerves will ease,” someone else reassures.

“It’s more like anxiety but thank you. I just want to be great at the job and have fun. It’s a little hard to believe this is happening and it’s not a dream,” you add with a little chuckle. “It’s pretty surreal but you’re going to enjoy it,” the woman says. “I’m Christine by the way,” she says, outstretching her hand for you to shake. Smiling, you shake it, “Y/N it’s a pleasure to meet you, I’ve seen you race in Dakar,” you reply. Quickly you fall into conversation with everyone and get to know them. Fans line the sides with merch and excitedly wave to every car that passes, there’s a lot of Tifosi and you smile.

“Are you hoping to meet any specific driver?” Roldán asks you. “Honestly mostly everyone but especially Charles, Lewis, and Franco,” you answer. “You should ask them for a signature or picture once you can, they’ll be happy to do it,” he says and you smile. Once the car parks you gather your things and leave the car. Adjusting your passes you walk with them and greet the workers in Italian.

Deciding to film such an important moment for you, you put an Airpod on and open Tiktok. Filming your feet heading towards the paddock, you pan up, show the entrance, and film the moment you scan your pass and walk in before capturing your reaction. Quickly you save the video and press play on one of your playlists. There’s press so of course some pictures of you are taken and you smile at the cameras. The nerves have eased significantly and now you’re just happy to be here. Picking up your pace you join Christine and Melissa and resume the previous conversation.

The paddock is quite busy but it’s all team staff, drivers, media, and other personnel. Given the news that broke earlier this week about Franco replacing Logan in Williams, everyone wants a shot at interviewing the young driver from Argentina. Making it into the media room you sit next to your coworkers and immediately begin to work. Sipping some water from your bottle you review your notes and wait for the assignments to be handed out. “And this next one is for Y/N, you have Franco in the media pen,” Melissa says. Feeling your cheeks flush, you smile and nod, “My very first interview with and it’s with one of my favorites this is crazy,” you comment and everyone chuckles.

Quickly you start to prepare by jotting down a few questions and getting into the work mode headspace. When it’s time to start heading to the paddock everyone filters out towards the media pen. At the media pen, you get settled with the in-ear monitors and microphone. Christine decides to film the moment which makes you chuckle and wave at the camera. “You got this, you look great” she encourages and you thank her. The drivers start to come out and you ask questions to a few such as Max Verstappen, Alex Albon, and George Russell. You spot Franco approaching you and you discreetly adjust your shirt.

“¡Hola, ¿qué tal Franco?” ”Soy Y/N y estoy con DAZN!” you say in your native language and he smiles. (Hi Franco, how are you? I’m Y/N and I'm with DAZN) “Hola, muy bien ¿y vos?” he replies smiling. (Hi, I’m very good and you?) You smile back, “Todo bien,” you reply. “Es un gusto conocerte, tenés un acento bonito, ¿de donde sos?” he asks. (It’s a pleasure to meet you, you have a pretty accent, where are you from?)

The question makes you blush a little and you chuckle, Franco smiles. “¡Puerto Rico!” you reply. “Ah! Muero por visitar, es un país muy bonito,” he replies. (I'm dying to visit, its' a pretty country)

“Lo es, bueno primero que nada ¿cómo te sientes al debutar en la fórmula uno?” you ask. (It is, first of all, how do you feel about your formula one debut?) “Gracias por la pregunta, estoy en una nube todavía, es una gran oportunidad y estoy muy feliz y emocionado” you smile at him and continue to ask questions. (Thank you for the question, I’m still on a cloud, it’s a great opportunity and I’m very happy and excited)

He’s been a little flirty but you chalk it up to be the Argentinian charm and once the interview ends you thank him again and he chats with you off-camera before going off. Being busy with work makes the day roll by and when it’s time to get some lunch you decide to go off on your own and join everyone else later. Heading out of the media room you walk around and pass the Ferrari motorhome, smiling you decide to take a picture of it and marvel at how amazing and fulfilling it feels to finally see all your hard work pay off.

The years away from home, while you studied to chase your dream, are finally paying off. It happens to be your lucky day because you spot Charles and Lewis walking. Politely you go over to them and ask for pictures and signatures, “You must be new, I haven’t seen you before,” Lewis comments. Smiling you nod, “Actually, I’m fresh out of university!” You beam and they smile kindly. “In that case welcome to the paddock Y/N,” Charles says. “Hopefully we see more of you in the media pen,” Lewis adds and you smile and nod. “Thank you both for the pictures, I can’t wait to see you both in red next year,” you say. Grinning, they bid goodbye to you and you head in search of food.

Spotting a stand making pasta you stand in line and once it’s your turn you order and pay. With your food in one hand and phone in the other you reply to some messages from friends. As you reply to the messages you lose sense of direction and collide against someone’s chest. Your phone, bag, and sadly your food all fall to the ground, and embarrassment floods over you since a few passersby witness the incident.

“Disculpame, no me di cuenta,” a familiar voice says. (Sorry, I wasn't aware) You lock eyes with Franco, “No, discúlpame tú, fue culpa mía. Estaba en el celular y no estaba al pendiente” you apologetically say. (No, I’m sorry, it was my fault. I was using my cellphone and wasn’t aware)

The young driver chuckles and bends down to help you pick up your things. His fingers brush yours as he hands you back your phone, “Escuchás a Taylor Swift?” he asks. (Do you listen to Taylor Swift?)

Smiling you nod, “Si, soy swiftie,” you say. (Yes, I’m a swiftie!)“¡Yo también! ¿Pudiste ir a algún recital?” he asks you. (Me too! Did you manage to go to a concert?)

“¡Si, fui a la última noche de Londres!” you reply. (Yes, I went to the last London show!) ¿Cómo te sentiste sin tener el anuncio de Reputation?” he asks with a laugh. (How did you feel about not getting the Reputation announcement?) Giggling, you adjust your bag, “Me sentí como toda una payasa,” you reply and he laughs. (I felt like a total clown)

Fran walks with you to a nearby bin and you toss the pasta and napkins. “Me siento re mal que perdiste toda tu comida por mi culpa, dejame comprarte otra,” he offers. (I feel so bad that you lost all your food because of me. Let me buy you another one.) “No, está bien no te preocupes,” you reply. (No it’s fine don’t worry)

“Por favor déjame hacerlo, me siento mal que ya en mi primer día acá accidentalmente le he tirado la comida a alguien al suelo,” he says. (Please let me do it, I feel bad that on my first day, I already dropped someone’s food by accident) You giggle, “Ay no te sientas mal, son los nervios del primer día,” you say. (Oh no, don’t feel bad, it’s the first-day jitters)

Franco chuckles in agreement, “Es tu primer día también?” he asks. (Is it your first day too?)“Ajá, me gradué hace unos meses,” you reply. (Mhm, I graduated a few months ago) “Felicitaciones, con más razón tengo que pagarte la comida,” he says and you laugh. (Congratulations, with all the more reason I should pay for your food)

Franco looks over at you and smiles, you smile back and tuck a rogue curl behind your ear. As you stand in line you chat and your stomach flutters every time you catch him looking at you. Both of you order food and he pays for your meals, walking back you’re careful to not drop it or bump into each other again. “Gracias por la comida pero probablemente debo ir a sala de medios,” you say as you start to walk away. (Thanks for the food, but I should probably head towards the media room)

Franco reaches for your hand and stops you, “Quizás esto es muy atrevido pero podés conmigo acá en el motorhome de Williams,” he pauses and looks at you. (Maybe this is a little too bold but you can eat with me at the Williams motorhome)

“Solo si quieres, si no pues esta bien,” he quickly adds. (But only if you want to) You smile at his sweet demeanor and he nods, “Okay, acepto la invitacion Colapinto,” you say and he laughs. (Okay, I accept the invitation Colapinto) “Franco por favor,” he sweetly says. (Franco, please) “Acepto la invitación, Franco,” you add and he laughs. (I accept the invitation, Franco)

Franco leads the way and you go up to the floor in the motorhome reserved for the staff and into his driver's room. “Bueno, almuerzo de primerizos entonces,” he says and you laugh. (Well then this is the lunch of first-timers) “Primerizos que se tropezaron en el paddock,” you joke and he laughs. (First-timers that stumbled upon each other in the paddock) You eat in comfortable silence and after you finish you talk and joke around. He’s made you laugh so much you started to cry and your stomach hurts.

“Me di cuenta de que tenés buen italiano, ¿viviste en Italia?” he asks. (I noticed that you have great Italian, did you live in Italy?) “Solo unos meses, hice un internado en Italia y regresé a España,” you say. (Just for a few months, I did an internship in Italy and returned to Spain) “También lo estudié un poco en secundaria y seguí practicando por mi propia cuenta,” you answer. (I also studied it in high school and kept practicing it)

“¿Cómo es que ambos somos tan parecidos ya?” he comments and you nod in agreement. (How is it that we already have so many similarities?) “Lastima que España es tan grande, si te hubiera conociera antes, habríamos salido o algo,” he adds and you blush. (It’s a shame that it’s so big, if we had met before we would’ve gone out or something) “Quizás hubiese sido una probabilidad,” you say with a little laugh. (Perhaps it could’ve been a probability)

You continue talking and decide to exchange numbers, Franco insists on walking you to the media room. Once you reach it he stops and turns to you, “Fue un placer Y/N, espero no volver a tirarte la comida,” he comments and you laugh. (It was a pleasure Y/N, I hope to not be the cause of you losing your food again)

“Bueno, pero si no pasaba entonces no hubiésemos tenido el almuerzo de primerizos juntos,” you reply attempting your best to flirt back. (But if it hadn’t happened we wouldn’t have eaten lunch together) He smiles, “Tenés razón, esperemos que no sea la última,” he says. (You’re right, let’s hope that it’s not our last time) “Hagamos algo, yo pago el almuerzo en la próxima semana de carrera,” you propose while stretching out your hand. (Let’s do something, I’ll pay for our lunch on the next race week)

Franco shakes it and little jolts run up your body, “Trato hecho, nos vemos pronto Y/N” he says. (It’s a deal, we’ll see each other soon Y/N) Hearing him say your name delicately makes you smile and blush, “Buena suerte mañana, se que vas a demostrar lo bueno que eres en pista,” you say. Franco blushes and gives you a friendly wink and hug before walking away. (Good luck tomorrow, I know you’re gonna prove just how good you are on track)

Blushing, you head inside and greet your coworkers, they notice your blush but don’t ask anything until Melissa points it out. You tell them a little about the encounter and continue to work until it’s time to go.

Once in the hotel room, you call your mom to debrief before showering and after you come out you find a text from Franco and decide to reply. This leads to you two talking for a few hours until you have to call it a night and get some much-needed rest for the hectic weekend that awaits you both.

You were absolutely enchanted to have met him after a slight mishap but it proved to be quite a turnaround.

(all photo credits go to the respective owners)

[fleshbride]

PRESENTING . . . AIN’T NUN BUT A HOOCHIE MAMA!

⭒ ݁ . ໒꒱ TOJI FUSHIGURO X F!BLK!HOOCHIE READER

⭒ ݁ . ໒꒱ CW: black fem reader; reader is 26, toji is 34; reader is on the thicker side; usage of the word nigga a few times; smut; breeding kink, hair pulling, dumbification, overstimulation, pussy slapping, impact play, messy pussy eatin’, size kink, hints of sado-masochism, a bit of brat taming, manhandling, praise & degradation, multiple orgasms, cervix fucking, choking, squirting; fwb-ish to lovers (?); pet names are used, such as mama, baby, pretty girl, dollface, princess & sweetheart; reader has a kid of her own; reader is a hoochie, meaning she’s seen as ‘ghetto’ but in a very pro-black & attractive way; reader has a mature body, pudge, cellulite, stretch marks; reader accidentally flashes toji; reader & toji share a blunt; toji is actually a good dad in this!

⭒ ݁ . ໒꒱ wc: 7.5k

⭒ ݁ . ໒꒱ this is actually pure filth. this was my first time writing for toji EVER and actually my longest work. guys when i tell you i put some shit into this thing, idk what i did but i SNAPPED. HARD. i hope you guys enjoy this nasty thing that came from my imagination. not proof read or anything so pls excuse my typos!

sometimes, your job could be a godsend. who knew that a simple job at the local hair store would catapult you into meeting one of the sexiest men you’d ever seen?

to be completely honest, it wasn’t solely your job that sparked such an interaction. it was moreso you; you possessed an irresistible, unmistakable charm that was impossible to ignore. your voice, soft as a lullaby, held a dulcet quality that drew people in like a magnet. anytime you opened your mouth to speak, you commanded attention effortlessly, as if your words held some mystical power that captivated any listener.

everyone was always drawn to you, and it wasn't hard to see why. who in their right mind wouldn’t be smitten? you were a vision of beauty, with your radiant brown skin that seemed to glow as if illuminated from within. your smile, perfect and white, could light up even the darkest room, making hearts skip a beat. your eyes were another story altogether. they seemed to sparkle, glimmering with an intensity that was all yours.

your hair was always done, you always made sure that you had a fresh set of lashes. to add, you never forgot to apply your clear lip gloss. now, this wasn't just any gloss, it was your signature, lip gloss added a radiant shine and highlighted the natural beauty of your plump and full lips. your lips, always so perfectly glossed, assumed an irresistible charm that made them look especially appetizing.

to add onto it, your personality was in tip top shape, matching your looks. while sometimes your mouth could get a little reckless, you had an air of kindness, professionalism and just genuine good vibes. it was hard to dislike you, no matter the case. you were a woman of wonders.

you loved your job at the hair store too; maybe that was why your attitude was always good while you were there. it paid well, the hours were flexible and it was something you enjoyed. you loved how your manager let you pick out the wigs and the outfits that would be displayed, and sometimes she let you take home left over makeup and jewelry — which was how you got your favorite set of hoop earrings.

working at the hair store also granted you all types of experiences. sometimes you met upcoming make-up artists and beauticians, hair dressers, nail techs, lash techs — you always made sure to be extra helpful and friendly to everyone you met, just in case they could ever help you.

or… on the rare occasion, you met men. often, they were coming in for their wives, daughters, sisters, nieces, friends — and each time, they were clueless. of course, you helped, breezing past them with the smell of bubblegum and perfume, preferably daisy by marc jacobs.

today was no different.

you were the only one working in the store this saturday, and it was roughly around 12 in the afternoon. the sound of needed me by rihanna echoed through the store, giving it a nice ambiance. you clocked in at 9, and were scheduled to get off at 4 — you had a bit of a long day ahead. however, the store had been a bit slow today. not many customers entered; maybe three every hour, compared to a usual 7-15 people per hour. you were both grateful and a bit sad for the lack of people, as it left you with extra time on your hands.

instead, you found yourself thinking of your six year old daughter at home. alaina, your sweet girl, who was at her grandmother’s for the day. you fondly rubbed the bead bracelet she made for you, that spelled out mommy. your daughter was the most loving child you knew, and you adored her with every part of you.

as you gazed at your bracelet, you let out a soft hum. you’d have to get her another one from here, even though she already had a plethora. whatever you got from the hair store, you usually shared with alaina.

the entrance bell dinging had you snapping out of your thoughts of your daughter, turning your head to greet whoever entered. your boxbraids slid down your back as you looked. it was a little girl who entered, no more than nine. she was in a cute blue dress, with dark brown hair pulled into a ponytail. her cheeks were rosy, which had you cooing at her mentally.

“hi baby,” you called out to her, looking behind her for a parent, “where’s ya mama, hm? a lil’ one like you shouldn’t be walking around all alone.” the girl hadn’t noticed you, and jumped when you called to her. she put her hands up, waving them enthusiastically. “o-oh no, miss, i’m with my dad! he’s just getting his wallet. do you know where the nails are? and the makeup?”

you smiled at the little girl, stepping from behind the counter. you were in a beige sun dress, with some matching wedged sandals. the sundress was long, coming down to your ankles, but there was a slit on the side. it hugged your curves nicely, even though your little bit of pudge was much noticeable; you didn’t care. to be honest, the dress covered way more than your usual outfits, especially in the summer like this. you had never been scared to show your body, even after you had alaina and people insisted on you covering up; because you were a mother now. however, you didn’t give a fuck. if you wanted to wear your shortest shorts, you would.

“c’mere baby girl, it’s this way.” you offered the young girl your hand, which she took happily as you led her. “i’m assuming you’re looking for the press ons, right? not the ones you glue?”

the girl gave you an enthusiastic nod. “yes, ma’am!” she was polite, you noted, with a curl of your lips. her father must be raising her right. “my dad says i’m not big enough to ruin my nails with glue..”

you let out a laugh as you squeezed the girl’s hand. “your daddy’s right,” you mused, “stick to the ones you can press til you become a teenager.” you brought her to the kiddie nails, and stood with her while she made her pick.

the young girl seemed stuck between a pair of pink ones leopard print ones, and blue zebra print ones. “what do you think, miss? i can’t choose.”

you only gave the girl a shrug. “i say get both. let ya daddy worry, not you.” however, because you liked this little girl, you’d only charge her for one anyways. the girl nodded in agreement, giving you a giggle, which you quickly reciprocated.

all of a sudden, you heard the gruff call of, “tsumiki! where have you ran off to?” the girl perked up immediately, and ran to the end of the aisle. “dad! i’m over here!” she called, waiting patiently for him to come over.

you raised your eyebrow as you made your way over. you were a bit curious to see the man who had raised such a sweet and polite girl. as you reached the end, your eyes widened as they set on the man.

he was tall, unbelievably so. his towering stature, reaching at least 6’2, must’ve made him stand out in any crowd. his body was muscular, brawny and well-built, and t he black compression shirt he wore clung to his chiseled frame, accentuating the broadness of his shoulders. his hair, a deep black, was just a bit shaggy — the perfect length to frame his strikingly sharp face.

his eyes were a vivid green, so piercing that they could make anyone feel as if they were the only person in the world. they locked onto you and tsumiki. his attractiveness was lethal, and it was impossible not to notice the way he looked over you. his gaze was slow, lingering, and purposeful, almost as if he wanted to make sure you noticed his attention.

you would’ve been phased if you were a different woman; but you weren’t. instead, you gave him your trademark smile, looking up at him with a warm aura.

a scar sat on the corner of his lip. it twitched slightly as his lips curled into a smirk, making him look even more attractive to you then he already did.

“you work here?” came his deep, rough voice. it provoked goosebumps down your skin, but you didn’t allow yourself to show it.

“yup,” you answered, “sorry i wasn’t at the counter, i was helpin’ miss thing here pick out some new nails.” you watched toji’s mouth open, and held up a finger, “and yea, before you ask — it’s the press ons. no glue needed.” the man let out a hum and gave a nod of approval.

“good. tsumiki, go put those on the counter and if you want anything else, ya better pick before i get back up there.” he told her; his voice was rough, yet still somehow sounded caring. when tsumiki scampered away with an, “okayyy!”, he turned his vision back to you.

the once over he gave you earlier didn’t seem to be enough. he gave you another; from your champagne blond knotless boxbraids which were long and down your back, curving over the swell of your ass, down to your painted white toes in your sandals. shit. you were fucking hot.

“how old are you?” he asked boldly, not wasting a second.

you raised an eyebrow, “you ain’t ever heard it ain’t good to ask a lady her age?”

“so old enough,” he countered back with a smug smirk. “have you been able to drink legally for at least two years?” still asking your age without pointedly asking like before.

“i’ve been old enough to drink legally for five years,” you relented, “so like i said, old enough. why you askin’?”

“i like to know the ages of my women before i hit on ‘em.”

you grinned. you already knew you were going to like this man, and his attitude towards you solidified that. “and i like to know the age of my men before i let them,” you combatted.

“thirty-four,” he answered immediately, and the corner of your lips pulled up in satisfaction. twenty-six and thirty-four. not a bad age gap, only eight years. you could manage.

“you allowed to hit on me now,” you said playfully as you slid past him, “don’t make the shit corny, ‘cause i’ll laugh at yo ass.” maybe that’s his plan, you thought, him tryna laugh me out my panties.

the man let out a bark of a laugh, following after you. you could almost feel his eyes locked on you as your hips swayed while you walked. he only chuckled out, “oh, don’t worry about that.”

you went back behind the counter, ready to pay for their things. tsumiki had thrown a stack of bracelets on the counter, and a new tube of sparkly pink lip gloss to which you scanned and then only scanned a pack of the nails. her father raised an eyebrow at you, but you pretended not to notice. “that’ll be 18.75,” you informed. her father pulled out thirty dollars and slid it to you. as you prepared to give him the change, he shook his head.

“don’t need the change. consider it a tip or somethin’.” you furrowed your brows at him, but didn’t question the customer. instead, you handed them their things with a sweet smile. “bye, lil’ missy,” you told tsumiki, before looking up at the man, “come back soon.” your voice was low, and quite flirtatious. he gave you a smirk.

“oh, i will.”

and he did.

it was three days later when he finally came back. you were leaned over the counter, examining your new nails. it was hot, too hot to even be working. the doors were open, and the AC’s were blasting, trying to cool off the store. you wore a jean miniskirt, with a fat gucci belt on your hips. you paired it with a cropped pink tank top that had a deep v-neck, showing off a bit of your cleavage. your golden nameplate sat perfectly on the apex of your breasts. today on your feet instead of sandals were your pair of pink and white dunks. you had taken out your box braids, and gotten your hair done the same day you got your nails done.

now, you had gotten a lace front installed — and you looked good as fuck. it was a deep shade of vibrant purple, down your back. you had added your own spin, doing one of those heart shaped parts and gelling it down the side of your forehead, and doing edges on the side.

as someone entered, you turned your head to the side to greet them. “good afternoon,” you said cheerfully, looking at the woman who entered. she was dark skinned, with a bumped bob. her makeup was done sharply. you watched as she side eyed you, and muttered out a terse, “hello.”

immediately your eyebrows furrowed. “bitches got an attitude, okay,” you grumbled under your breath as she disappeared into the aisles. it was a few minutes later when she came to the register with a flat iron. off the rip, you told her, “oh mama, you don’t want this one. a few people who purchased this one have said that it heat up too quick and smoke a lot, then breaks. so go ‘head and get another one.”

the woman glared at you, looking you up and down. “excuse me, i didn’t ask for your opinion on what i’m buying. and if it’s so faulty, why haven’t you taken it off the shelves?”

her attitude immediately had you tilting your head, trying your best to bite your tongue. “ma’am, that ain’t my job, i don’t do merchandise, i work at the register.”

she rolled her eyes at you, before snapping out, “then don’t say anything about said merchandise.”

your next words came out before you could even think about it, “ho, i’m tryna help you not burn this crispy fuck ass bob off but okay.” upon realizing what you said, you didn’t apologize nor change. instead you cocked your head, tilting it, while staring at her blankly.

“excuse me?” the woman asked, “honestly, i don’t think i’m taking hair advice from a woman who don’t wear hers natural, and has her skirt digging up her ass. how old are you? you have to have a child at home, dress with more fucking class before you talk about me,” the woman’s face was twisted as she snapped at you.

“i know damn fuckin’ well,” you said slowly — and just like that, you knew you were about to cuss her ass out. “i know DAMN fucking well that you’re not talking to me like that. bitch, are you mad that your ass built like a fuckin’ square? bitch be mad then cause that’s why yo ass slope like y=mx+b. bitch, don’t you EVER question my fashion choices when you’re wearing leather in 87 degree weather. you fuckin’ cereal box built ass bitch, you know what, i got a trick for you—“ you quickly took the flat iron from her and pointed a nail at the door. “now get the fuck out, bitch you’re banned.” the woman opened her mouth to retort, but you were faster, talking over her, “bitch, i don’t give a FUCK. get the fuck out.”

the woman mumbled a, “ghetto bitch.” before storming out the store while you massaged your temples. it was nothing you hadn’t heard though. “fuck be wrong with bitches. man, i need a fucking BLUNT.”

“personally, i would’ve hopped over the counter.”

you looked up at the familiar voice, seeing the man you met the other day. immediately, a grin spread across your face. “look who came back.”

“told ‘ya that i would.” he mused, walking up to the counter, “you should’ve thrown the flat iron at her face. i would’ve paid money to see that.” he wore a white wifebeater and black basketball shorts. did he just come from the gym or something? the lack of clothing allowed you to see just about all of his muscles, and god, were you pleased.

you snorted, giving him a playful eyeroll. “shit, i was fuckin’ thinking about it. you saw the whole thing?” the mystery man, who you decided to dub mr. man, gave you a nod. “positively. you cleaned her so beautifully, and i have to add, you look so, so appealing when you’re angry.”

“shut up, nigga,” you laughed as you put your elbows on the counter, cupping your face with both hands. “what’re you here for?” you looked up at him, and he mimicked your action, fitting his fat ass arms on the counter.

“i need some hair gel for my son. he’s in this spiky phase, shit, i don’t know,” mr. man rolled his eyes a little bit, before adding, “and i don’t know which to pick. as you can clearly see, i don’t use gel.”

you let out another laugh, coming from behind the counter. “yeah, c’mon mr. man, i’ll show you which to use.” off the rip, you noticed how his eyes locked on your body.

yeah, i got it like that, nigga, your inner thoughts said as you internally hyped yourself up.

“mr.man?” he questioned from behind you, his eyes focused on the way your hips swayed, and the way a little bit of your ass was uncovered by the skirt.

“well, you never told me your name, so i gave you a nickname.”

he snorted a little before saying, “well, my name’s toji, for one.” you thought about it for a second for a second. was that a moanable name? you went through it in your head. yeah. definitely moanable.

“my name y/n,” you finally disclosed, “but everybody just call me n/n.” toji nodded a little. “n/n… that’s cute.” you noticed one of the items had fallen off the shelf, and without hesitation, you bent over to pick it up, completely forgetting about the fact that you were wearing a skirt, and the man behind you.

toji almost had a fucking heart attack. his eyes zoomed in onto your now slightly revealed ass, your sheer red panties that showed the plush outline of your pussy. shit. shit. it was over in a second, much to his mixed chagrin and gratefulness. however, he wasn’t some boy — he maintained a straight face and control. you placed the item back on the shelf and resumed walking.

“alright,” you said, as you reached the gels, “see, here’s what i use for my daughter,” you held up a jar of eco. “eco holds good for her, and it lasts long, to be honest. her hair is a bit thicker. and it doesn’t have like color residue like prostyle gel.” you grabbed the black container of prostyle gel. “but if your son has like brown-black hair, it’ll be good.” toji shook his head, saying, “nah, he has that weird bluish-black.” you tutted and put the prostyle down.

“there’s also gorilla snot gel, which i recommend if his hair is straighter, you feel me?” you held up the yellow bottle of gorilla snot.

toji looked at both and let out a short groan. “i can’t decide. i’ll take ‘em both and see which works better.” you shrugged and passed them to him. you took note of how positively huge his hands were. they could probably cover your whole face. or… your entire ass.

“i didn’t know you had a little runt too,” he made conversation with you as you walked back to the counter, “i forgot you’re almost 30.”

“yeah i forget too, trust,” you laughed a little, “my little girl’s my pride and joy, her name’s alaina. she’ll be starting first grade this year, i’m so proud of her. i actually got pictures.” you pulled out your phone and showed him your lockscreen which was the two of you. toji chuckled.

“y’all look alike, cute,” he commented, “my son’s seven, and tsumiki’s eight. you met her last time.” you fondly recalled your encounter with the polite young girl. “you a single parent, too?”

you gave him a nod, and a shrug. “alaina’s daddy claimed he wanted nothing to do with her, so i kept it like that. then his stupid ass got locked up, thank riddance.” toji let out a short laugh. “tsumiki’s mom was my first wife, and we divorced. megumi, my son, his mom was my second. unfortunately, she passed.”

“aw,” you said, pouting sadly and placing a hand on his large arm. “i’m so sorry for your loss, sweetheart. i hope you’re doing alright.”

toji laughed a little. “i’m fine, pretty mama, don’t worry about me.”

you bristled at the new nickname, giving toji a wicked grin. “that’s how you referring to me now?” you asked, as you slid behind the counter to the register.

“you’re pretty, and you’re a mama,” toji said with a shrug. “it honestly only fits.” you very pointedly made sure to check him out and said, “mmhmm..”

as you rung him up, toji said, “does alaina need any new friends? my son’s a bit shy and doesn’t talk to nobody but his sister… maybe they could have a few play dates?”

“yeah, i’d love that!” you answered, a genuine smile coming onto your face. anything referring to your daughter made you happiest. “your total is 14.95. here i’ll give you my number...” as toji paid, you rang it up. on his receipt, you wrote your number and passed it to him.

toji grinned and gave you a nod. “see you around.” you wiggled your fingers in return.

see him around, you did. you and toji were quick to hook up play dates whenever your schedules aligned. you became familiar with the routine of getting off work in the afternoons and scooping alaina’s to head to toji’s to play with her two new best friends.

you and toji often stayed downstairs, while they played in tsumiki’s room. you and toji would watch movies, roll blunts and eat food — or sometimes even play texas hold ‘em, in which you won every single time.

toji would grumble, and accuse you of cheating, when in truth, he was really just a bad gambler, but all was well. you considered toji a good friend… of sorts.

because that’s what you two were; friends. friends who sometimes flirted a little; you considered toji a friend when you’d bend over to pick things up in those skimpy jean shorts you wore; toji considered you a friend when he’d slide past you, pressing his crotch against the curve of your ass and muttering a, “excuse me, n/n,”; you considered toji a friend when you’d play sexyyred and say the lyrics a little too… forceful; and he considered you a friend when he’d make slick little sexy comments about your body before adding, “that’s just what other guys think.”

safe to say… there was a bit of tension between you two. and finally, it came to a crescendo.

it was normal, at first. like usual, you and alaina were at toji's house. it was around 9:30pm, and the kids had collapsed after playing all damn day and finally having a meal of chicken nuggets. you remembered the look on your face discovered them. they were heaped in the large bed; tsumiki had more than enough room for all three of them, yet they were together. alaina was draped over megumi and tsumiki, her face in megumi’s chest but her body pressed to tsumiki’s. they were all tangled up, limbs skewed and whatnot.

and now, you and toji were together downstairs, toji watching as your nimble fingers crafted the blunt — his were too fat. your feet were in his lap, and he was watching you with those bright green eyes. as you rolled, you were mumbling one of sexyy’s songs. “fuck me like you mad at me, baby.. i need that dick to drive me crazyyyyy…” you sang under your breath.

toji raised an eyebrow at you, “the music you listen to has some really… meaningful words.” as you licked at the blunt, you let out a laugh. “i agree with everything she say. when suki said that if you ain’t eating coochie, you ain’t fucking, i felt that one.”

finally, you perfected it and grabbed toji’s lighter. “you only fuck eaters?” he said, amusement trickling through his voice. you lit the blunt and took a deep inhale, masterfully blowing it up into your nose and then out again before passing it to him. “yup. only fuck eaters ‘cause they do it the best. you an eater, toji?” you asked pointedly, watching as one of his rough hands drew circles on your leg, then up to your knee, while the other lifted the blunt to his lips. he took an inhale, then another. god, you hated double hitters, but it was okay — it was only you two.

“wouldn’t you like to know?” toji shot back, his trademark smirk sliding across his face. his lip twitched, scar jumping.

“that’s why the fuck i asked you, toji,” you clapped back immediately, making the older man squeeze your leg while passing the blunt back. “watch your mouth, n/n. don’t get fucked up.”

“or what?” you immediately retort, holding the blunt up to your lips as you took another puff. “you not gon’ do shit to me, toji, like i honestly wish you w—“ your words were halted by the man throwing your legs off his lap, one hand going to spread them roughly as he pressed his fingers against your clothed cunt.

“i’m not gonna do shit?” he repeated, as your eyes went wide; he had obviously startled you, but you weren’t opposed to this one bit. as his fingers rubbed at your pussy through your shorts, you shook your head feverently again, looking at him as you held the blunt to your glossed lips. “not a damn thing.”

when all toji did was nod, you were sure you were in for it. and you were. he was quicker than you, grabbing your hand that held the blunt and quickly forcing you to put the blunt in the ashtray. the smoke you were holding in your mouth was forcefully removed as toji roughly pressed his lips to yours, the smoke being shared between you two as he pried your lips apart.

the next few minutes were coated in a needy haze. his big hands were everywhere, all over your body. moving to squeeze at your tits, your ass, your thighs. eventually the settled on the waistband of your shorts and began to unbutton them. before pulling them off completely, leaving you in your lacy dark blue thong.

he pinched the plush of your pussy, barely hidden by the panties — more like decorated by it. immediately, the scent of your slick, which was already dripping, filled toji’s nostrils, making him let out a wanton moan.

“fuck, mama,” he hissed as he trailed his finger down your slit, “you always this wet? this is how you’ve been the entire time?” he looked up at you, eyes darkened with lust.

“no,” you lied immediately, giving him a reckless smirk. “she just like that off the rip. i determine whether it’s for you or not.” toji only let out a little laugh. “word?” he asked. you opened your mouth to repeat the word back to him, but you were rudely interrupted by him slapping your pussy.

it wasn’t hard, but it wasn’t exactly soft, the pain sending sparks of pleasure through you. you hissed out a, “shit..” toji smirked at your reaction as he pushed your panties to the side, before delivering another smack, this time a litle harder. you let out a mewl, squirming in his hold.

“crazy,” toji said to you, “two lil’ slaps just made you leagues wetter. you sure you’re not wet for me?”

you refused to answer, only giving him a shrug. “so you wanna be a brat now, huh?” he asked you with an eyebrow raise as he began to pull the panties down your thighs. “like you weren’t jus’ all over me. ‘toji, you a eater?’” he mocked you in a high pitched voice as he pulled you forward, legs sliding over his broad shoulders. you remained silent, biting your tongue. maybe you were a brat; you knew that with toji’s strength and stamina, you would get much more if you drew it out. plus, you wanted to make him work for every moan, every word.

“you gon eat my pussy or not?” you asked boldly, your hand going to lace through his hair, nails pressing against his scalp. “like literally, shut the f—!” you were interrupted by toji latching his mouth onto you, completely ripping the words from your mouth.

his tongue, long and flat, slid between your plush folds, calloused hands digging into your thighs as he shoved his face between your legs. off the rip, his motions were rough and quick, tongue swirling against your clit before going down to your hole, curling against it to lap at your essence. you gripped the couch as you let out soft moans, trying not to be too loud — you didn’t wanna fuel toji’s already large ego.

“fuck,” he mumbled as he pulled away, “pussy’s so sweet, baby. i should’ve bent you over in that fucking store the day you wore that skirt.” you were unable to respond before he was diving back in, tongue messily trailing througu your pussy. he was there between your thighs, feasting on what you offered, lapping up all the sweet nectar you had to spare. his lips latched onto the delicate bud of your clit, sucking with a fervor that left you gasping, while he looked up at you with a gaze that was as heated as it was prideful.

one of your hands found its way into his hair, tangling in the soft locks as you gripped it tightly, the other clutching onto the plush fabric of the couch as though it was your only lifeline. your breaths were coming out in ragged gasps, each one harder to catch than the last, your mouth falling open in that perfect 'o' shape as you let out sounds so sweet and melodious, singing a song of pure pleasure just for him.

and you couldn’t help it; euphoria was pulsing through your body, coating your thoughts in nothing but toji. your toes curled, as toji slid his tongue inside of you. god, he was so messy, your slick already all over his face, his spit mixing with your slick as it trailed down your ass.

you were incessantly moaning, unable to even downplay or disguise it anymore. “s-shit, toji, fuck, that feels so good—!” he looked up at you with satisfaction as he slid his tongue into your entrance, curling it upwards against your walls.

you squealed, trying to scoot backwards away from the pleasure, but he was quick to yank you back, trapping you against his mouth, his hands coming to wrap around your thighs. one of his fingers traced the stretch marks on your thighs. he worked his fat tongue inside of you, curling and sliding as his pointer finger swirled your clit at such a fast pace, you was sure he was gonna give you something close to a rug burn.

his paired actions had you spiraling over the edge, the coil in your stomach stretching and stretching until it was ready to snap. “toji, ‘m close—! fuck, fuck— gonna cum!” toji’s movements became much more insistent, gaining in speed as he basically shoved you over the edge.

your orgasm hit you like a brick, your back arching off the couch as you gripped toji’s hair tightly, whined babbles of repeated words leaving your lips. if it weren’t for toji holding you down and anchoring you, you were sure that you would’ve grown fucking wings and soared away.

you creamed all over his tongue, and he made sure to pull away, before messily spreading it throughout your pussy, just to lap it all up over again, letting you settle, working you through the after effects of your climax.

you sucked in ragged gasps as toji pulled away, licking his lips and wiping his face. he stared at you with such intensity, shivers went down your skin. your eyes immediately focused on his hard dick through his sweats, the outline prominent. you tapped your foot on his thigh. “gimme that,” you breathed.

“do you deserve it?” toji said back, his voice a bit raspy. “been a bratty slut this whole time. you were so cocky, remember? i don’t get you wet, right?”

you wanted to maintain your pride, you really, really did. but desperate times called for desperate measures. “c’mon, toji,” you sighed sultrily, “i was just playin’.. just wanted to make it a little fun for you, you know that..” you spread your legs a little more, teasing him as you continued, “it’s all yours, i swear — been waiting for this for such a long time.”

toji only gave you a soft chuckle and the only words gave you were, “that right, baby?” immediately, he scooped you up with a single arm, flipping you over onto your hands and knees. you let out a noise of surprise, but immediately arched your back, looking back at him as he pushed his sweats down his thighs. his dick sprung up, and you couldn’t say you were shocked by it.

his dick was both fat and long, and it almost made your eyes pop out of your head. he had to be at least eight inches, veins running up the side of his heavy dick. his tip was a dark apricot shade, and it was leaking bad, opaque beads of precum sliding out of his slit. he was well trimmed, with heavy breeder balls. you almost salivated. but at the same time, you questioned how all that was even supposed to fit in you.

he seemed to know exactly what you were thinking. “don’t you worry, princess. you’ll take every inch of me.” one of his hands gripped your ass, spreading your cheeks apart as he directed his tip against your entrance, slapping it there a few times, making you groan in need. “t-toji, stop fuckin’ playin—!”

once again, you were rudely interrupted by him pushing the tip inside of you. he let out a hiss, your walls sucking him in. however, with just how wet you were, he slid right back out. he let out a snicker as he leaned his hand down to slap your pussy again. “but you not wet for me, alright..” he lined himself up again, and this time — he didn’t push into you slowly.

with one rough thrust, he filled you to the brim, forcing you forward as you let out a strangled noise, clawing at the couch. “toji! oh fuck..!” you pulled your hips forward, trying to get him to pull out a little, but he wasn’t having it. “s-shit, i’m not even all the way in yet,” he huffed, hair hanging in his eyes. toji was letting out pants, it felt as if your pussy was fucking suffocating his dick, strangling it.

inch by inch, he pushed the rest of his dick in, until the plush of your ass was nestled against his pelvis and stomach. he yanked at his shirt, pulling it off of his body. your slick was already coating him, dripping down to his balls. you were a mess, mewling just from him entering. you felt so full — his dick stuffing you better than you ever had been before. and it was driving you out your mind.

toji didn’t wait for you to adjust. with one hand on your ass, thumb rubbing against the ridges and dimples, and the other lacing through purple hair, toji pulled all the way out, and then slammed all the way back in. the force of his motions shoved you down into the couch, and immediately you let out a cry of, “t-toji! slow down!”

but slowing down wasn’t apart of his agenda. he rasped out, “nah, this is what you wanted, baby. so take it. take my dick like a good fuckin’ girl.” he began snapping his hips into you, the veins on his dick dragging against your walls just right. your cunt clamped down on him every time he tried to pull out, as if it was forcing him to make your cunt his new home.

toji was mesmerized by the way your ass jiggled and clapped with every movement he made, the sound of your skin slapping filling the air. he slapped your ass hard and then squeezed, making you squeal once more. “fuck, look at you. bouncing this ass back on my dick so good..”

at his praise, you looked back at him before proudly twerking back on his dick, putting on a little show. he laughed, his hand trailing from your hair to snake around your throat. “such a fuckin’ slut,” he said gruffly, before pulling his hips back so that only the tip was inside before ramming his dick back inside of you.

you felt him nudge against your cervix, and you let out a noise close to a scream, while his hand tightened around your throat. tears filled your eyes at the pain, your lashes beginning to slide. “you’re gonna wake up the kids, princess. wouldn’t want them to come down to seeing you getting fucked like some whore, right? keep that pretty mouth quiet.” he leaned down, chest pressing against your back as he curled his much larger body against yours. “but not too quiet. wanna hear you lose your fucking brain over this dick.”

his other hand came to wrap around your throat, and he began to jack hammer into you, slamming you on his dick over and over. your eyes rolled back, a mix of pain and pleasure twisting through you, that coil getting ready to snap again. “t-toji…” you slurred out, “g-gonna fuckin’ cum again…!”

“so fucking do it,” toji hissed as your clenching began to get more intense. “paint my shit, baby.” his voice was sending shivers down your spine, aiding your increasing pleasure. you let out ragged moans into the couch as your body trembled, pussy spasming wildly around his dick as you came a second time.

he didn’t slow down through your orgasm, instead, he went faster, if that was even humanly possible. he pressed down on your head, forcing your face into the couch, and pressing on your belly simultaneously. it forced you to have a deeper arch, but it also made you feel just how deep he was inside of you. pressing his big hand against your stomach to feel his bulge had toji grinning.

you were a wreck, tears sliding down your face, your lashes long fallen of. you were pretty sure your lace had peeled, but you didn’t care. you could barely think, barely form coherent sentences with how toji was fucking you. and he knew it. he knew he reduced you to a mess, and he wasn’t even halfway finished with you.

soon, he felt his orgasm coming, and he let out a deep groan. “shit.. where do you want my cum, doll? ‘m getting close..” you were quick to whine out, “i-inside, toji.. want you to cum inside…!”

“haah!” he grunted out with a smirk, “want me to fill you up, huh? want me to stuff you full with my cum? yeah, i bet you fucking do, look at you.”

“toji, toji, toji, fuckkk.. want your babies, c’mon, make me a mama again—!” toji laughed shakily at your dumb response, pushing his hair out of his eyes. “fuck yeah, dollface. you better not spill not one drop, alright?” he let out a strangled moan as he released, his thick cum filling her to the walls.

you sucked in harsh breaths, finally feeling relieved after toji’s constant fucking stopped. he seemed to slow down, gently fucking his load into you. you began to relax… however you were sorely mistaken.

“you thought i was done with you?” toji asked as he gripped you, flipping you over so that he could see your face. you looked a mess, but you were so, so pretty. your eyes were watery, face with tear trails all over. your lips were bruised from how much you’d been biting them. at least your hair was still intact… for now. toji leaned down and pressed a kiss to your jawline, down to your throat. he yanked at the top you wore, and when it didn’t want to cooperate, he ripped it and peeled it off of you himself. “toji, my shirt….” you whimpered but he dismissively waved a hand. “you’ll get one of mine.” he reached behind you, unclipping your bra and letting your tits spring free.

his big hands almost swallowed them as he began to leave bites and kisses all over your throat, collarbone and chest. “can’t possibly be done with you,” he said against your skin, “been waiting to fuck you like this since i laid eyes on you, doll.”

he left a plethora of hickies on your skin, very obviously marking you as his. you were still speared on his dick, and he began to roll his hips languidly inside of you, curving into your g-spot repeatedly. the feeling had you seeing stars as he gripped your legs and pulled them around his waist. with each thrust, he began to get more forceful and speed up, until once more, he was pounding your insides.

your nails went to his back, scratching, making toji wince in pain as his hips collided with yours. three of your nails had broken off. a third time, you felt yourself reach your climax once more, but it felt different. painful almost, with the last your clit throbbed. you managed to push away the toji-shaped clouds in your brain and realized.

“t-toji—! toji, ‘m gonna squirt!” you cried out as you twisted in his hold, the pleasure becoming overwhelming for you. “t-toji—!” he only smirked at you, yanking you closer. “make a mess f’me, mama. wanna see you get all messy… c’mon, c’mon, make that pretty pussy squirt on my dick.” he pressed another messy kiss to your lips as his hand snuck down to rub your clit, forcing more pleasure into your system. you let out a ruined, gasped noise — like you wanted to scream but couldn’t get it out. clear liquid gushed from you, coating toji’s lower half, some of his abdomen and the couch.

you were in too much of a haze to notice that soon after, toji came inside of you a second time. he didn’t pull out at first, instead opting to lay his head against your sweaty skin, pressing kisses. he realized that you would be completely gone for a bit, after that, so he was gentler with you. he pulled out, watching his cum slowly dribble from your hole after the two creampies he gave you. not wanting you to sit in your own fluids, picked you up and brought you to his room, putting you one of his shirts and a pair of his boxers before tucking you in.

he went back downstairs, eyes locked on the mess you made on the couch. a soft whistle escaped as he plucked your lashes off the sofa and put them on the table.

you probably wouldn’t become his girlfriend yet; but you damn for sure weren’t going anywhere now.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Some Art Vocabulary

Abstract - Simplified, intended to capture an aspect or essence of an object or idea rather than to represent reality.

Amber - Tree resin that has become a fossil. It is semi-transparent and gem-like. Amber is used in jewelry today as it has been for thousands of years.

Amulet - Object, organic or inorganic, believed to provide protection and turn away bad luck. Amulets were often worn as jewelry in antiquity.

Anneal - To heat metal to make it soft and pliable.

Black-figure - Technique of vase painting developed in Greece in the 7th and 6th centuries BCE and adopted by the Etruscans. Figures are painted on a reddish clay vase in black silhouette and details are then cut away with a sharp point down to the red below. Sometimes artists added additional colors, especially purple-red and white.

Bronze Disease - Corrosion of a bronze object that cannot be permanently stabilized. Without special care, an object with bronze disease will continue to corrode.

Bust - Portrait of a person including the head and neck, and sometimes the shoulders and part of the chest.

Cameo Glass - Glass produced by layering two or more colors of glass. Generally, an upper layer of white stood out against a contrasting lower background, usually blue.

Cameo Stone - Hard stone, such as agate, naturally layered with bands of color. Artists took advantage of the layers to carve figures or decoration from an upper layer (or more than one), leaving a background layer of a different color.

Cast - To make in a mold from liquid metal. A cast object can be hollow or solid.

Chasing - Technique of adding definition and details to an image or design on metal from the front using blunt and sharp tools.

Conservator (of antiquities) - Professional responsible for preserving ancient objects and materials. Conservators usually have a general knowledge of chemistry and of ancient art-making practices and are often specialists in one material. Among many other responsibilities, they conduct technical and historical research and oversee preventive care such as climate control.

Contrapposto - (”opposite” in Italian) Pose of a standing figure with most of the weight on one leg and the other bent. This causes hips, shoulders, and head to shift in order to balance the body. One arm is often higher and one lower.

Emery - Hard, dense rock rich in corundum, found easily on the Cycladic Islands. A powerful abrasive for grinding and smoothing other stones.

Encaustic - Technique of painting using colored pigments mixed with wax. The waxy mixture was worked with a tiny spatula.

Gild - To apply a thin layer of gold foil or liquid gold (gilt) to create the look of solid gold.

Iconography - Study of and use in art of repeated images with symbolic meaning.

Incise - To press or cut into a surface (stone, metal, clay, wood) with a sharp tool to write text or create fine curving and linear details.

Inlay - To decorate an object by inserting a piece of another material into it so that it is even with the original surface.

Low Relief - Method of carving figures or designs into a surface so that they are raised slightly above a flat background.

Mosaic - Technique and type of artwork. The technique is to arrange cubes of stone, glass, and ceramic to form patterns and pictures in cement, usually on a floor. The artwork is the final story or decoration made of cubes.

Mummification - Process of preserving a body by drying it. The Egyptians removed internal organs and put natron, a natural mineral mixture, on and inside the body. This absorbed moisture and prevented decay.

Palmette - Stylized palm leaf used as decoration in ancient Greek and Roman art and architecture.

Pentelic - From Mount Pentelicus, near Athens. An adjective that mostly refers to the beautiful white Greek marble marble in its quarries.

Portrait - Image of a person, usually the head and face. Some portraits include part of the chest or show the whole body. The image may closely resemble a person or emphasize, idealize, or invent characteristics.

Repoussé - Technique of raising the outline of a design on metal by repeatedly heating and softening the metal and pushing the desired shapes into it from the back with a blunt tool.

Sarcophagus/Sarcophagi (pl) - Stone coffin, often decorated on the sides with mythological scenes carved in relief, sometimes with the image of the deceased person or couple on the lid. Used in Imperial Roman times from the early 100s into the 400s CE.

Stele/Stelai (pl) - Upright stone or wooden slab or pillar used to honor a person or mark a place. Often an inscribed grave marker or a boundary stone. (Also called stela/stelae.)

Syncretism - Blending of elements of different cultures, often resulting in new imagery or new interpretations.

Tessera/tesserae (pl) - Pieces of stone or other hard materials cut into squares or cubes to make mosaic art.

More: Word Lists ⚜ pt. 2

[minsh0e]

mini astrology observations 1/???

hi hi ! these are my first (and probably last) astrology observations. i expect that you might not agree with any of these so i am open to criticism. i also want to point out, that i am not a professional. have fun reading <3

p.s. - the art belongs to kibong rhee/이기봉

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☆ pisces/12th house placements 🫱🏻‍🫲🏽being tired/sleepy all the damn time for no reason

☆ your house/sign stelliums might refer to the part of your body you should focus on when considering fashion. for instance: people with pisces/12th house placements might really like shoes, person with aries/1st house placement can look great with anything related to head (glasses,ribbons,hats etc.), taurus/2nd house people might look great with necklaces or any jewelry...

☆ i don’t know why, but I always get attracted to men whose mars trines mine venus…like four men that i found to be amazing, had all mars in the same element as my venus. the aspects weren’t mostly even that tight, yet i felt something!? of course this might not apply to you (because you should consider everything else in natal charts, synastry chart etc.), but men are represented as mars and women as venus after all…try to check this next time you like someone or if you are with somebody.

☆ people who have 3rd house or 5th house placements that are negatively aspected might have problem with presenting (even the ideas) or social anxiety disorder. both houses are related to youth so it may have showed in their early years. this will most likely be seen/felt if the aspects are present in between these two houses (for instance square).

☆ this is very random, but your mothers moon might be in the same sign as your descendant.

☆ scorpio placements (especially moon, mercury and mars) are so hard to deal with and not just for the person who has them, but also for everybody else around. for instance: my mom and sister both have these and i can’t argue with them as i always loose and come out as the “bad one”. these placements always stand up for their opinions and might say something harsh without really meaning to. they also might try to find excuses/backup for something to avoid being hurt (in conversations as well). deep inside they are very fragile…this might apply to aries placements as well. 

☆ why are virgo mars men always thinking about “that thing” (aka. are h*rny). even when something innocent was said, they connect it with doing “it”. double points to those, who have mars in their 10th house.

☆ if the houses in the synastry are overlapping each other so that the 1st house overlaps with 1st, 2nd or 12th house (if the ascendants are close to each other), people with this synastry have bigger probability to complement/understand each other really well. that is because one persons placements may fall into the house that is same to their placement in natal chart or the natal chart of the other person. these people are at home with each other and probably went through the same life experiences, therefore they don’t need to be afraid to be judged. they just get each other. this is literally a soulmate connection. what i mean:

→ if you look at the neptune you can see, that they fall into the same houses. same goes for pluto etc.

☆ venus is what you like and what you want and therefore, it can represent your ideal partner and what you are looking for in them. this applies to both women and men.

...

okay, that is all. feel free to leave your feedback :)

edit: just checked this post and i don't know what to think...thank you all so much for such a reaction, i appreciate it a lot :D love you <3

[anadiasmount]

just a small blurb, y/n tries the pheromone perfume and tried to leave the house, but jude won’t let her

IVE SEEN THIS PERFUME GO VIRAL ON TIKTOK!!! 🤭 i didnt proofread so hope it isn’t to bad 😵‍💫

like always, you made plans last minute with girls to go out for dinner and drinks. you weren’t in that much of a mood to go out because you felt the need to stay home and be warm bc of the cold weather. but you also knew you had not seen them in so long and a night out was what you deserved together.

you quickly turned on your getting ready playlist and go ready. you didn’t know whether it was bc it was last minute but as soon as you saw your hair and makeup eating, it was go time. nothing had creased or spread and your blowout just looked so professionally done you felt a bubble of excitement grow in your tummy.

“babe a package came!” jude screamed out running to the room and placing it on your vanity, quickly placing a kiss on your shoulder then running back out to play video games. you opened it quickly, more excitement running through your veins as you saw the viral PH perfume come into view.

it didn’t smell like anything to you, shrugging and putting it on the side as you finished small details, brushing away any extra powder, applying lip gloss and making sure no flyaways were seen. you dressed quickly and placed some jewelry to finish the look. you decided to try the perfume quickly spritzing it on your neck, wrists and and chest, rubbing so the scent would last longer.

jude was in the living room playing whatever video game he was, talking loudly over the headset. he wore a black tight compression shirt and some grey sweats, leaning back on the chair as he stared into the monitor. you grab your boots and zip them up, walking over to where jude was.

“i’m leaving, babe! i’ll be home early so we can watch money heist again,” you say kissing his cheek and walking away. “okay baby-” jude cut himself off, smelling the air, a sweet and flowery scent overtaking his senses. he was drawn to it, like a spell that would be impossible to overturn. he looked over to you, following the scent that lingered in the air.

not only was he drawn by the perfume but also how gorgeous you looked to be going out. you turned around startled when you saw jude facing you with a frown. “come here,” he said motioning with his finger to come closer. you furrowed your brows in confusion but doing as he said.

he leaned down to smell your neck, feeling the tip of his nose brush against your sweet spot making you giggle and push him away. “jude stop! what happened?” you ask with a smile, still slightly confused why he was frowning. “babe, you smell so good. is that a new perfume?” jude asks, grabbing your wrist to smell it.

“yes, that was the package that came in”.

jude couldn’t tell why, but this perfume was different from the other ones you owned. he could smell it from miles away, it smelled rich and heavenly, going perfectly with you and your scent. this perfume didn’t make him feel dizzy or anything that he couldn’t tolerate, it smelled made just for you and only you.

“do you like it? apparently it supposed to fit with your body’s ph. honestly i couldn’t really smell it so i don’t how to take your reaction as a compliment or if i should go take a shower…” you joke, seeing his eyes soften and walk to you. “it smells so good, like really really good y/n… are you really gonna go out?” he muffled hands going around your waist stopping you from going anywhere.

jude didn’t want anyone else smelling you like this. a rush of jealousy waving over him at any man approaching you and complimenting you bc of the scent. if he liked it he knew other people would too. which is why he was making any excuses for you not to go. “sorry jude but i promised i’d go,” you try to let go of his grip but he only pulled you closer.

“you’re not going. not when you smell this good. i don’t want any men falling in love with you because of it,” jude states his ground, watching your eyebrows twist in a “are you serious way?”. “jude it’s just the girls and i, im going and that’s final,” you scoff.

“no you’re not. you’re staying here with me watching money heist like you said. tell the girls to come here,” jude suggested making you laugh. “jude it’s just a perfume,” you say watching his eyes go crazy as he sees you twisting the knob. “uh where are you going?”

“to dinner! why are you being so weird,” you said, stopping your movements, feeling goosebumps as you felt the cold air from outside. “because that perfume will drive others crazy and they will come talk to you,” jude says walking over to shut the door and put his back against it making you laugh again. “you’re not serious right?”

“just stay here with me? it’s cold and you can get sick…”

“i wish i could believe i wish i could, but i haven’t seen them in so long. plus i didn’t get ready for nothing,” you say walking over to him and tip toeing to reach his height. “i’ll come back straight home to my sexy bf who’ll be waiting for me,” you say kissing his lips lovingly.

“yeah there’s no way you’re going now, and leaving me like this, princess.”

[theblackfemininesociety]

5 Tips That Can Instantly Soften Your Demeanor 💋

*clickable links 🔗 will be underlined*

1.) Become a Soft-spoken woman:

I don’t think women understand how much power is in our delivery! I think this is also linked to the misconception that femininity and submission is a sign of weakness and ‘the strong black’ woman narrative. It’s not true.

How you speak as a woman is vital, and often times, it will change the outcome & work out in your favor. Your tone, choice of words, and confidence level can influence perceptions and decisions in both personal and professional settings.

Here’s a list of Soft Spoken yet Powerful Women:

2.) Wear blush and Lipgloss:

Adding blush and lip gloss to our everyday makeup routine is a game changer.These two combos will jnstanty sofen your apperance. BFS Besties already know the importance of maintence, so this is a no brainer add on to soften your apperance.

3.) Smile more:

Cliché, I know but it works! ✨ it is scientifically proven that smiling helps boost your mood and allows your brain to release your feel-good hormones like dopamine, endorphins and serotonin.

Smiling also invites good energy and experiences for ourselves and others. The prettiest women are the happiest 💎 always remember that!

4.) Wear dainty jewelry:

There’s something very marvelous and soft about wearing dainty jewelry, it’s very classy. Very demure, very mindful, very elegant.

5.) Always smell amazing:

Ladies! Please! If you don’t smell like roses and sunshine how will you attract the finer things in life? From career opportunities to high value men, your smell will leave a lasting impression! We encourage you to find a signature scent and get familiar with applying your body care products in layers for a delightful fragrance that lasts all day!

[icyg4l]

Pick-An-Icon: How can you show up for your ancestors during Black History Month?

(Left-to-Right: Pile 1, Pile 2, Pile 3)

In honor of Black History Month, I wanted to start a Pick-A-Card series dedicated to Black Americans. I want to highlight icons in our community while simultaneously offering advice for any Black Americans who seek guidance about how to honor their heritage. If you're a Black American and you're reading this, this is for YOU! With the usage of the special Hoodoo Tarot deck, I will present you with ways to honor your ancestors. If you read this and enjoy and/or resonate with the reading, I encourage you to book with me! Thank you in advance!

Pile 1: Cards Used - Eight of Knives, Railroad Bill, Three of Baskets, Nine of Baskets, Two of Baskets, Nine of Knives, Gullah Jack and John Horse.

Affirmation: It is easy for me to take control of my narrative.

If you chose the image of Chaka Khan, then you resonate with her feisty, raw energy. This pile is for the creatives who are unsure of their talents. Your ancestors want you to know that there is more than one way to skin a cat. Introduce original ideas to the forefront. One way you can honor them is by not allowing time to limit your abilities. You put in so much work only to feel limited by a man-made construct. It doesn’t matter how old or young you are, you will always have time! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I channeled this old interview of Prince saying how he doesn't celebrate birthdays because it keeps him younger. Take on that carefree mindset of not applying the norm to your life. Your time is now! Another way that you can honor your ancestors is by setting up an altar. I get the sense that this pile is very secretive with their spiritual practices. Adorn your altar with foods, drinks, jewelry and other belongings of this loved one. They will appreciate it dearly. If you've lost someone recently, my condolences. But definitely keep in touch with them. I get the feeling that this is a young man, like an older cousin or brother. Keep the memories of you two alive so that he can peacefully cross over into the afterlife. Lastly, being a class act is a great way to honor your ancestors. Refusing to sit back and allow injustices to happen will make your ancestors proud. You have a voice! Use it! Organizing protests, sit-ins, even crowdfunding will make your ancestors proud. Combatting the capitalistic nature of society by collaborating with those in your community will hep you get in touch with your ancestral roots. You're naturally a giver, I can tell.

Pile 2: Cards Used - Nine of Knives, Two of Coins, Five of Sticks, Strength, Daughter of Knives, Aunt Caroline, Ten of Sticks, Six of Knives, The Garden and Seven of Coins.

Affirmation: I deserve to move through life with ease.

Hello, Pile 2. Off rip, I get the feeling that this is my pile of overachievers. I also believe that this is the pile that people who identify as LGBTQIA+. You resonate with the energy of Lauryn Hill's mysterious, intellectual nature. Why do you feel the need to carry so many burdens, Pile 2? One way to honor your ancestors is to lighten your load. They see that you struggle so much because of the amount of responsibilities that you carry. They had to go through similar things and they do want to witness their struggles in your lifetime. Ask for help, please. If you do not ask for help, then you will implode and we want to avoid that as much as possible, yes? You do not have to be the strongest in the room. Who are you trying to prove yourself to? It would be best that this pile talks to a mental health professional to receive guidance and proper medical treatment. Another way that you can honor your ancestors is by blowing off steam. Let your emotions flow. Slam the doors. Scream in pillows. Remove the mask and don't allow your emotions to consume you. You are allowed to be angry, my love. You have a lot to be angry about. Finally, the last way that you can honor your ancestors is to explore. You put in so much work, it's only right you get rewarded for it. Book that spa day. Go get a mani-pedi. Take the weekend off and go into hiding, you deserve it. Go somewhere you haven't been before. Your ancestors want you to relax and wind down.

Pile 3: Cards Used - Ten of Coins, Father Simms, Mother of Knives, Four of Coins, Dr. Grant, Six of Sticks, Six of Baskets, Six of Knives, Nine of Knives, Miss Robinson and Five of Coins.

Affirmation: I am doing perfectly fine in the present moment.

Alright Pile 3. You choose the image of Donna Summer, which means you resonate with her sultry, bold personality. This pile already has a close relationship with their family/ancestors, specifically the maternal side. To honor your ancestors, you must keep it this way. Learn about the traditions of your maternal side. Preserve recipes, photos and jewelry of your maternal side. And most importantly, gatekeep these things! You don’t have to share everything with everyone! Some people who choose this pile will have ties to Houston, Texas or currently live there. If you’re thinking about moving there, you should! It will help you mature. Another way that you can honor your ancestors is to receive compliments of comparison to a family member of yours well. You may not like it, but it shows your ancestors that you have respect for their features and/or personality. If you look like Aunt Linda or Uncle Jermaine, then that’s absolutely fine! Don’t deny it! Embrace it! Lastly, don’t let money consume you! I channeled the scene at the end of Players Club where Diamond visits Ebony at her new job in the shoe store. Diamond tells Ebony to “make that money, girl but don’t let it make you.” You don’t have to keep up with the latest fashion trends. You don’t have to have a job in tech or have a “lazy” desk job. It is perfectly fine to work at McDonald’s or work in retail. You’re making an honest living and that’s all that matters. Accept things as they are. Your ancestors made something out of nothing, and so can you. They are proud of you! Keep going.

[gemini-sensei]

i’m in desperate need of robby fluff<3

s1 bad boy robby who still hangs out with trey and cruz. he goes to the skatepark often and that’s where he sees her, an angel- he thinks. Her beautiful face painted with eyeliner and thick black makeup, a chubby body squeezed into short shorts that hugged her ass and hips, and a low cut metal band tee that he recognized which showed off her plump tits. He tries to work up the confidence to talk to her, but is stopped by his “friends” to talk about a new plan to scam someone. They see who he’s looking at and tease him for thinking the fat goth girl is cute, but robby just tells them to fuck off.

When he applies at LaRusso Auto, he thinks it’ll just be a quick thing, something to get some money and eventually steal from. But his plans change when he finds out that his angel from the skate part will be training him. She shows him the ropes and they have casual conversations about life. They talk about family and he finds out she’s larusso’s daughter. At the end of their shifts they exchange numbers and make plans for a date. When robby goes home he feels he’s in heaven and for the first time in a while he sleeps peacefully thinking about his pretty little angel.

also i hope you’re doing well!! i know you’ve mentioned you’ve been struggling for a bit

I'm doing alright, thank you 🤗💗😊

Let's not forget that Robby applied to work for Daniel to irk his own dad, so when he learns that Reader is his daughter, that idea is out the window too. He sees Reader there and he's so head over heels.

She's dressed for work in dark blouse and skirt. It's a toned down version if what she was wearing when he first saw her but she's definitely made the business look her own. She's still wearing her dark makeup and jewelry, setting herself apart from the rest of the employees aside from her age. It's eye catching and Robby can't help checking her out, especially the way her tits strain against her blouse and her thighs peeking out from her skirt.

He can't help trying to flirt with her while she's training him and she smooths over it, pretending not to care. However, she is totally into Robby. She's remembers him from the skatepark. Her friends were talking and skating but she was watching Robby. She liked the way he carried himself and his style, especially his rings she sees him turning as she talk and explains what his workload will be at the Auto Group.

When he's about to leave for the day, he's shocked she stops him and gives him her number. He thought he wasn't getting anywhere with her but now he gets thay she was just acting professional. Their little talks could've amounted to nothing but he got her number and he gave her his. He went home with a big smile on his face. He can't wait to go on that date 😍 ☺️

Bad boy Robby drifting to sleep that night thinking of the pretty, goth angel that he finally met. No doubt he's trying to think of date ideas, but he doesn't have a lot of experience, so he had no idea what he's really doing. He doesn't have any spectacular ideas, but he doesn't know he doesn't have to worry about that. Reader is at home working on getting them concert tickets to a band they were talking about and both enjoy 😉

[i99zhuo]

Please make a routine guide inspired by Saranghoe u can refer to her youtube vlogs she us productive

How to live like Saranghoe .𖥔 ݁ ˖𖦹⭒°｡⋆

This is a guide on daily routines inspired by Tracy Sohn a.k.a Saranghoe! thank you for the request and sorry for the long wait!

content list (routines):

morning

study

workout

shower + self care

night

(_ _ ) . . z Z⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚୨ :★: ୧ ∗  ˖࣪ ໒꒱  ˚₊·

✸ ꒰ morning routine ꒱⋆ ࣪.* ࣪.⋆

👛 Tracy is definitely NOT a morning person, so everytime she wakes up the first thing she does is check her phone for a few minutes. After that she gets straight up and opens up her curtains to let the light in.

Then she goes to her bathroom and uses a hair band to get her hair out of the way so she can brush her teeth and wash her face with a gentle foam cleanser. After rinsing it out she uses her skincare products; toner sheets, serum, cream and a tinted sunscreen!

🌷 Now she changes clothes, Tracy usually wears cute knit tops with some plaid skirts in basic colors (white, gray or black) and she also wears some dainty jewelry and leg warmers. Remember to put on a hair roller to style your bangs while you do your makeup!

It's time for makeup! Tracy usually does the same makeup routine, eyebrows, mascara, eyeliner, blush, lip tint and a shiny highlighter, oh! also she only puts on a bit of concealer since the tinted sunscreen already works as a glowy foundation.

🍥 Clean your room a little before packing the last things on your bag and spraying perfume to you out to your uni / school or have brunch!

✸ ꒰ study routine ꒱⋆ ࣪.* ࣪.⋆

Tracy usually takes digital notes on notion! and she always includes useful links with videos and resources so she can review them later. For language learning though, she copies the vocab on a notebook and reads it before her test so she can have them fresh in her memory. She also always studies listening to ost of her favorite animes, kdramas or manhwas!

🩰 After a long day of school she likes to take a nap and have some rest!

✸ ꒰ workout routine ꒱⋆ ࣪.* ࣪.⋆

If you're curious on how Tracy takes care of her figure you need to know that walking plays a huge role in it! In her vlogs she always goes to most places entirely by walking! You can do this too and start counting how many steps you walk in a day.

🏩 Also you can try and dance to an energetic kpop song like Hype boy by NewJeans, practicing multiple times a day can definitely replace a workout routine!

✸ ꒰ shower and self care routine ꒱⋆ ࣪.* ࣪.⋆

If you want to have a selfcare, start your shower routine by taking a long bath, use a bath bomb, some bubbles and candles to set the mood, you can even use a little tray to watch kdramas like tracy!

🛍 Then you can play some music to actually take a shower, take care of your hair with shampoo and conditioner and then clean your body with a cleanser and a loofah.

When you're done it's time for skincare, use some toner pads, serum, moisturizer, eye cream and lip balm! also apply cream on your body and cuticle oil on your nails.

💞 Next you can dry your hair and use some leave-in products to have extra soft and shiny hair!

One of Tracy's keys to look extra cute and pretty always is to get appointments with professionals to get facials, lash perms, haircuts and her nails done!

✸ ꒰ night routine ꒱⋆ ࣪.* ࣪.⋆

👚 Tracy usually dines out with her friends or family! After she arrives home she gets comfy so she can have a long study session! If you're a night person, try and get all your assignments done at this time to feel extra productive! And don't forget to have a late night meal/snack.

After getting all her school work done she relax on her bed, often with a sheet mask on (specially on winter) and watch anime or dramas until she falls asleep 

Good night!

heyyyyy I finally post again haha, sorry for making you guys wait for sooo long but I got my period and I was feeling soooo bad I wanted to disappear 💀 also idk why my liz post getting so much attention made me a little anxious so I procrastinated all my requests for so long hehe im sorry :(

well that's all I will try to upload my next requests soon !!!

toodlezzzz!!111!

[uglytrannymess]

I was suffering exhaustion so much mentally and emotionally i was in a spiral, every job I've tried to apply for kept denying me, each time it was just getting more and more peculiar how WHITE candidates who weren't even qualified for the job kept getting the job over me while i wws CONSTANTLY BEING DENIED EVERY SINGLE ONE, then a month or 2 ago i went to an open interview at Target and a white guy who was in dirty white shirt and smelled like fucking sewage came in and he was immediately offered the job after his interview while i was denied it after coming in well groomed, dressed, and smelling great, i even wore a fucking tie

[KEEP IN MIND YOU DON'T HAVE TO DRESS PROFESSIONALLY ANY MORE TO BE QUALIFIED FOR JOBS OR WIN OVER SOMEONE AT AN INTERVIEW YOU JUST HAVE TO LOOK THE PART AND DRESS ACCORDINGLY SIMPLE SHIRT WITH NO PROFANITY OR OBSCENITIES AND SOME NICE SLACKS OR JEANS]

BUT

Me, BEING BLACK knew i had to out dress and out sharp everyone else, because THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO!!!

But THIS TIME I applied for Sam's Club and got the interview immediately but come to find out no one in the place knew my interviewer whenever i called in they kept telling me i had to have more availability when i clearly stated at my interview "I AM OPEN COMPLETELY, I'LL TAKE WHATEVER POSITION I HAVE TO"

I WAS OPEN SCHEDULE WISE AND POSITION WISE, I was willing to do any position OPEN but they kept telling me that my application stated the opposite of what i put in, last night i literally cried, had anxiety attacks about how I'm going to eat, how I'm going to take care of my cats who often feel like the only ones who know i exist IRL, i always feel invisible and WORTHLESS, everyone always made me feel worthless and like I'm nothing especially schools, jobs, etc.

So i literally said "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH" TODAY, got up showered, put on MY CLOTHES I FEEL COMFORTABLE IN, but still dressed my ass off, i put my jewelry in, septum, nose ring, choker, bracelet, AND I WENT TO SAM'S CLUB AND DEMANDED TO SPEAK TO A

"BLACK MANAGER!!!!"

They sent me to a black woman, she pulled me into her office, and i told her everything....come to find out they had a person who wasn't a team member interview me, the team members who were all white managers were caught on camera planning to sabotage my interview so i wouldn't get a job there, they set it all up to turn me away and deny me ANYWAY, and the black lady literally went off on them in her office, apologized to me that they discriminated me, she had me autofill an application to work on HER side of the store and told me SHE would hire me on the spot, she interviewed me RIGHT THERE, helped me with my WOTC and everything else, and she HIRED ME IMMEDIATELY and told me "I'm hiring you because you took the initiative to be brave enough to come up here and demand to speak to a BLACK TEAM MEMBER when you felt like something was wrong, you took the gumption to come up here when you could've said FUCK THAT JOB, that's why I'm hiring you."

And the team members who were behind it were all fired and i could possibly be looking at a court case and be able to sue for what happened.....ALL THIS HAPPENED WITHIN ONE SINGLE MORNING!.....NOW PLEASE TELL ME AGAIN AS A WHITE PERSON DO Y'ALL STILL NOT FEEL LIKE IT'S ABSOLUTELY EXHAUSTING EVERYDAY TO WAKE UP A BLACK PERSON IN THIS COUNTRY!?

[linkemon]

Red domino (Amajiki Tamaki x Reader)

Friendly reminder that English is not my first language. You can check my Masterlists both in English and Polish here. Consider supporting me on Ko-fi. You can also check out my commissions if you’re interested.

Other oneshots can be found here.

"ɪᴛ ᴏᴄᴄᴜʀʀᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ꜱʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴡᴇᴀʀ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇʟʏ ᴏᴘᴘᴏꜱɪᴛᴇ ᴄᴏʟᴏʀꜱ. ʜᴇ ꜱʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴡᴇᴀʀ ᴀ ᴡʜɪᴛᴇ ꜱᴜɪᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱʜᴇ ꜱʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴡᴇᴀʀ ᴀ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ᴅʀᴇꜱꜱ. ɪᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ꜰɪᴛ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ꜱɪᴛᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴ. ꜱᴜɴᴇᴀᴛᴇʀ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏꜱᴛ ɪɴɴᴏᴄᴇɴᴛ ᴘᴇʀꜱᴏɴ ꜱʜᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴍᴇᴛ. ᴅᴇꜰɪɴɪᴛᴇʟʏ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ɪɴɴᴏᴄᴇɴᴛ ᴛʜᴀɴ ʜᴇʀꜱᴇʟꜰ."

ᴀᴅᴅɪᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ɪɴꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: 1. ᴀꜱ ꜰᴀʀ ᴀꜱ ɪ ᴋɴᴏᴡ, ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪꜱ ɴᴏ ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ ɪɴ ʙɴʜᴀ ᴏꜰ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ɪɴ ᴏʀ ᴏꜰ ʀᴇʟɪɢɪᴏᴜꜱ ᴄᴇʀᴇᴍᴏɴɪᴇꜱ, ꜱᴏ ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱꜱᴜᴇ ᴍᴀʏ ɴᴏᴛ ʙᴇ ᴄᴀɴᴏɴ-ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟɪᴀɴᴛ. 2. ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛᴀᴋᴇꜱ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ ᴏꜰ ᴜᴀ. ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ ᴀʀᴇ ɴᴏᴡ ᴀᴅᴜʟᴛꜱ.

[Reader] shifted uncomfortably in her chair, trying to find a good position.

— Stop fidgeting — Mrs. Uwabami admonished her again that day.

She had been pinning up her hair for two hours, furiously adding more pins. She wasn't delicate. She dismissed every protest and mention of pain with a wave of her hand. Her work was accompanied by the quiet hissing of the snakes that resided on the top of her head. It scared [Reader] a little at first but she had nothing to say anyway. No one other than the model would come to help with hair and makeup.

— The corset is too tight — [Reader] complained, trying to loosen the ribbon.

She reached behind her back but quickly realized it was no use. Nejire-chan stopped her fingers before she could do anything.

— You look beautiful, darling. It's worth the suffering — her friend reassured her.

She brought a small mirror and moved a few meters away. They had nothing greater at their disposal. They had to make do with what they had. After all, you can't expect much from a small chapel in the middle of nowhere. The old paint used to paint the frescoes must have been several dozen years old. Just like the shabby doors and benches. Only after thorough cleaning and decoration was it all possible to look at it properly.

The priest, in his kindness, gave them access to a tiny room adjacent to the building. The bride and the groom tried to prepare as best they could but it was not easy. The entire ceremony had to remain a secret. Even the guests arrived at different intervals. The number of heroes was limited to only their closest friends and family. With such recognizable people, it was necessary to appear incognito.

[Reader] stood up, rustling her dress. The white material cascaded down to the ground. She lifted it slightly to look at the shoes. A small heel seemed to be just right but she also took a spare pair. Forewarned is forearmed. She was too far from home for anyone to bring her other shoes.

Delicate pearls decorated the corset, shimmering in the rays of light coming through the small window. She smoothed out the wrinkle on her lace sleeve, smiling slightly. The jewelry went well with the hair accessories. The strands curled slightly, giving the impression that she had more hair than she actually had. Some of them fell freely onto her face. She was afraid of exaggeration but the pro-hero Snake did a great job. She felt like a princess. She had never worn such an ornate outfit before and she tried to remember this moment so that she could enjoy it for a long time.

She obediently sat back down, allowing Uwabami to start applying her makeup. She was no stranger to foundation, powder and mascara but in the current situation she preferred not to interfere. The professional did wonders by applying bronzer, blush and eye shadow. She shaped her face, emphasizing her natural features. Years of modeling experience taught her all the necessary tricks.

The bride stared at the view outside the window. She saw several cars behind the dirty window. Only familiar faces. Everyone packed their clothes into the trunks. They will change on the spot. They'll probably take some time off.

The wedding was getting closer. She realized this as she watched a tiny spider weave a web in the corner of the shutter. It tried its best. Just like her and the heroes. They did everything they could to make sure the ceremony went smoothly. She felt excited but there was also fear deep inside. After all, something can always go wrong. But she told herself it was normal. After all, this was supposed to be one of the most important days of her life. Anyone would experience a bit of stress.

For a moment, she imagined what a normal ceremony would look like. She would probably send out traditional invitations to many guests. She and Tamaki would choose elegant stationery. The eternal question — cream or white? Additionally, a hired orchestra or band. Eventually even a DJ but she would need her own playlist. Everyone would dance until the morning to the accompaniment of music. Counting steps, turns and lots of laughter because she wasn't the best dancer. She would have to learn the choreography of the first dance and not let Amajiki faint from nervousness. Maybe fireworks, confetti or sparklers in the evening to feel the atmosphere. Plus fun for kids like Eri. The little one has never been to a wedding before. There's a lot of food on the tables, a huge cake, and alcohol. Certainly a few drunk characters would provide adequate entertainment. They would laugh about it for a long time.

However, they only had a modest dinner in the company of their closest relatives. They couldn't stay in one place too long. It was too much of a risk. So the big celebration didn't make sense. The little guest house of a nice old lady was decorated as best as possible. So that it can be easily cleaned. The owner promised to take care of dinner and cake. It probably won't be the pinnacle of confectionery skills but Mrs. Shūzenji said it would definitely be tasty. She had known her friend for many years and assured her that her cooking was very good. [Reader] didn't doubt Recovery Girl's words. She owed many things to her. At times she even felt like her daughter. Neither of them had ever said it out loud but they knew it.

The ringing of bells brought her back to reality. She took a deep breath and put the negative thoughts aside. She was never normal. The ceremony will be just like her — imperfect. Which didn't mean it was bad. This is what her lover taught her. No matter how far from perfect she was, he appreciated her for who she was. Even if it was hard for her to see it sometimes.

— [Reader], can we talk for a moment? — Her fiancé's head poked out from behind the door.

— Ahhh! — The bridesmaid almost cut off his nose when she stuffed it back. — Don't you know that it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding?

— I see her every day anyway — Tamaki tried to reason.

— I finished! — Uwabami ran the fluffy brush over her face one last time.

— Let him in, Nejire-chan — [Reader] laughed.

The two women collected the scattered cosmetics and hairdressing supplies and left. They were loudly discussing the latest trends as they walked away down the hall.

The woman noticed Amajiki shifting nervously from one foot to the other. She knew this behaviour well. He was afraid to ask something. He had matured but there was still some shyness in him. He never completely got rid of it. Even after he officially became a pro-hero.

— Don't tell me you've changed your mind... — she joked.

His usual smile didn't appear on his face and for a moment she was truly terrified that that might be what it was about.

— NO. — He grabbed her hand gently. — I wanted to ask if you had changed your mind. I only care about your safety…— He buried his head in the crook of her neck.

When she met him, he was pressing his forehead against the walls. This was how he dealt with his fears. Now he has found a replacement. She didn't complain.

She felt the fear turn into a pleasant warmth spreading throughout her body. This was the man she was about to become bride of. He always cared about others more than himself.

She was warned that after her wedding, she would sooner or later be on the media's radar. In addition, she will become a potential target of her husband's opponents. There will always be someone who wants to take revenge on the heroes' families. In her situation it will be even more troublesome. After changing her identity, she did everything to hide and blend in with the crowd. Now she will have to try much harder.

— Tamaki — she took his face in her hands — I know you want the best but we made this decision together and I'm not going to back down from it. You should ask yourself if you really want to commit to me. You don't even know what kind of power I hold...

— I don't need to know — he interrupted her emphatically. — This is about your safety.

Being a crown witness meant abandoning one's former life. But she never missed it.

Only two people knew about her gift and it had to stay that way. She promised this when she accepted the police's offer of protection.

— I did a lot of bad things...

It occurred to her that they should wear completely opposite colors. He should wear a white suit and she should wear a black dress. It would fit their situation. Suneater was the most innocent person she had ever met. Definitely more innocent than herself.

— You had no choice. It doesn't change who you are now.

She stroked his cheek, enjoying the moment. Cool, autumn air came from outside the window. The cold gave goosebumps. Dust particles danced in the sunlight. They slowly settled on the old furniture, making the layer even thicker. She could smell the distinctive scent of cologne. She bought it for him for his last birthday. He complained that he couldn't choose a good scent himself.

— Everyone is ready! We are waiting for you! — All Might entered the room. — Oh... I didn't mean to interrupt — he said, clearly confused.

— We aren't doing anything…— the groom began to protest.

— We're going now — [Reader] interrupted.

If she hadn't interrupted them, they would probably have explained everything until the evening and they didn't have that much time.

***

[Reader] checked one last time to make sure everything was in place. She adjusted her long veil, taking a deep breath. Her hands were sweaty from holding the bouquet of roses.

She waited for the melody and the signal to leave.

— You chose well — Toshinori whispered to her.

She knew it. No one else made her as happy as the man standing at the other end of the long carpet. She was glad that Yagi shared her opinion. His opinion was important to her. After all, he was the one who saved her from the mafia a few years ago. He also took care of her afterwards, even though he didn't have to. He gave her a home in the UA dorms and helped her arrange an internship with Recovery Girl. He gave her advice and help. He never left her alone. She couldn't imagine anyone else being able to walk her down the aisle. She was extremely relieved when he agreed.

It took them all of yesterday afternoon to clean up the chapel but it turned out quite well. Compositions of white lilies, lilacs, chamomiles and green leaves cleverly covered the places where the paint barely stuck to the walls. Coloured light passed through the stained glass windows, shimmering in the slight twilight. The tiles were sparkling clean. They looked like dominoes. Exactly as she used to arrange. Of course she was playing with herself. For a long time she had no other toy or company. Locked in her room out of boredom, she composed various compositions. Sometimes she just placed the tiles one after the other and then pushed the one last. Her amusement was watching them fall. Each one led to the next.

She snapped out of her thoughts when All Might offered her his arm.

Everyone was looking towards them.

She nodded towards Eri. A girl in a cute pink dress (Aizawa definitely didn't choose it because he had terrible taste) moved ahead. She was throwing flower petals out from a small basket. She smiled broadly, probably pleased with her important function.

When they were halfway there, [Reader] heard a shot. She turned around, looking for the source of the sound. The woman responsible for the music disappeared. She didn't sing anymore. There was only dead silence all around. Instead of the well-known heroine, someone completely different stood on the balcony. The attacker transformed in front of everyone with a wide smile on her face. She didn't even try to defend herself against arrest. She accomplished what she wanted.

Confusion ensued. The question was who let her in and how best to secure her until the police arrived. Someone called an ambulance. Some commands were shouted but not everything reached the bride.

She dropped the flowers as she ran towards the altar. She tore the veil off her head to be able to see anything. She tripped over her own feet and reached the shot person. Her future husband lay next to the priest. He didn't lift his eyelids or answer. The pool of blood was getting bigger every moment. She squeezed the wound, trying to cover it with her dress. She choked on her own sobs. Through her tears, she could barely see what was happening. She checked his pulse. He was getting weaker every moment. She screamed, trying to make any contact with Tamaki. Unsuccessfully.

Shūzenji arrived a moment later. She knelt down without wasting any time. She tried to heal the patient but [Reader] knew that look. She saw in her eyes what the answer would be before she asked the question.

In that second she realized she only had one thing left. This realization came to her suddenly. She felt determined in the face of despair and fear. Just like what pro-heroes used to say when they talked about their work. As if something slowed down her movements. She knew exactly what she wanted to do. Everything was precise.

— [Reader], you can't…— Mrs. Chiyo felt the words catch in her throat.

The woman was already placing her hands on the wound.

— Tell me — she asked in a calm voice — if I do this, will he survive?"

The old woman nodded, placing her hand on her shoulder. She didn't want to lose her student. Not today and not like this but she understood. As a doctor, she knew the pain of powerlessness and the sight of death. She hated not being able to stop it. Who knows what she would do if she had the choice.

A pale light shone in the semi-darkness of the chapel. All the guests looked at the bride leaning on the altar. Glowing particles floated from her fingers for a moment.

[Reader] remembered what it was like to trade injuries with someone. She often treated mafiosi and thugs for various scratches, bruises and fractures. She took it upon herself, enduring the recovery in silence. But now it was different. The world seemed to shrink to her hands and the blood-stained tiles.

Her whole life fell like dominoes from her childhood. She wondered which one might have been the first.

The moment she was saved? When she met the love of her life? When she agreed to marry him? Or was it much earlier or much later?

She looked at his face one last time, trying to commit it to her memory. Her heroism had abandoned her. If she could, she would scream how much she didn't want to die. But she couldn't get any words out. A moan escaped her lips. She was afraid to leave. Nobody knew what was on the other side. Her body ached as if someone was burning her with live fire. A moment later it became cold. She trembled, trying to hear what Shūzenji was saying to her. However, her voice mixed with the others, creating an indecipherable noise. The eyelids seemed to be mercilessly heavy. She closed it. She just wanted it all to end.

At least she knew which tile was the last one.

First it turned red.

Then black.

And finally white. 

[cariantha]

Power Play

Book: Open Heart, Book 2

Pairing: Dr. Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Dr. Sawyer Brooks)

Rating: Explicit

Warning: 🔥NSFW, 18+ Only, contains sexual content

Category: Fluff, Smut

Word count: 2.9K

Prompt/Summary: Fed up with some of Ethan’s catty and manipulative admirers, Sawyer tries to beat them at their own game.

A/N: Inspired by this ask and the follow up request from @annfg8 for a jealous Sawyer fic. This takes place shortly after the softball game kiss.

Even Ethan was on board when June suggested they present at the conference and bring some much needed attention to Edenbrook. The event coordinators were excited to promote the renowned diagnostics team as the headliners. As such, the team was asked to be part of a moderated panel discussion that morning, followed by Q&A breakout sessions throughout the afternoon. 

In between sessions, Sawyer began to notice just how many admirers sought the attention of the famed Dr. Ethan Ramsey. Most of them women, with an air of sophistication about them in both appearance and accomplishment. They stood before him in their classy sheath dresses and power pantsuits, accessorized with expensive jewelry, designer shoes, and handbags that cost more than her rent. She heard snippets of their conversations with mentions of groundbreaking research, articles published in prestigious medical journals, keynote presentations, and AMA awards. Sawyer also observed the flirtatious posturing. How they leaned in, tilted their heads, subtly touched his arms and shoulders, and on occasion even flashed their eyebrows. 

No longer able to stomach the view, Sawyer escaped to the restroom for a moment to herself. Locking herself into a stall, she heard the click-clack of high heels as two women entered.

“I would let that man do absolutely anything to me. An-y-thing. And from what I’ve heard, he’s currently available,” the woman sang, fixing her hair in the mirror. 

Applying a fresh coat of lipstick, the other laughed, “Ha, good luck. He’s been eye fucking that protégé of his all day.”

“Please. Ethan Ramsey is a man of refined taste. He dated Harper Emery for fucks sake.”  

“Let’s go find Hirata and get the scoop.”

Red hot anger crept up her neck as Sawyer waited for the coast to clear. As she moved to wash her hands, a poised red-head joined her at the sinks.

“Ignore them.”

“Pardon?” Sawyer asked, making eye contact through the mirror.

“You’re Dr. Brooks from Edenbrook. Sawyer is it?” she pumped soap from a dispenser. “I’m Kellie. Kellie Wicker. I’m in Oncology over at Brigham. I’m a friend of Ethan and Harper’s.” 

“It’s nice to meet you,” Sawyer greeted cautiously. 

Repeating the advice, “Just ignore them. Sadly, a good majority of the women in attendance only come to these conferences to meet men. And those bitches are notorious for coming in and marking their territory.” Drying her hands she added, “As if they have any chance with Ethan Ramsey either.” Her snicker echoed in the tiled room. 

Unclear whether it was meant to be a dig, the word “either” didn’t get past Sawyer, who shook the excess water from her hands and reached for a paper towel.  

Tucking her copper strands behind an ear, Kellie continued, “If it’s any consolation, I can tell Ethan respects you. He’s a very proud mentor, and as he put it when we spoke earlier, he thinks you have tremendous potential.” 

“Thank you. Dr. Ramsey’s been a great teacher. I’m incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to work with him, as well as Dr. Hirata and Dr. Mirani.”

“Lucky indeed,” Dr. Wicker concurred. “Well, it was nice to meet you, Sawyer. I look forward to seeing you at the reception later,” she offered, turning on her heel to leave.

“Sorry, can I ask you a quick question? How fancy is this event tonight? I packed a couple different dresses but–” 

“Oh…oh, it’s not fancy at all,” Kellie paused with one foot out the door, “Business professional, dear.” 

“Glad I asked. Thanks.” 

Sawyer returned to the lobby where she found Baz obnoxiously flagging her down. “Sawyer, you’ve got a fan seeking an autograph,” he pointed to the mystery man.

As she rolled her eyes, the man turned around and Sawyer squealed with excitement. “Ben! What are you doing here?”

“Brooksie! Wow, Boston looks good on you, honey. Aside from the fact that you are in desperate need of a spray tan,” he teased.

She playfully swatted at him as he pulled her off to the side to chat. 

Having missed the initial exchange, Ethan entered the lobby, his eyes immediately drawn to the man hovering over what he wished he could publicly claim as his own. 

From what he could ascertain, the flamboyant doctor was someone she knew from Los Angeles. Ben personified the Beverly Hills doctor stereotype right down to his sleek Armani suit and shiny Prada shoes. If Ethan had to guess, he was most likely a plastic surgeon. 

As Ben rubbed his hand up and down Sawyer’s arm, Ethan’s muscles tensed. And when Ben pulled her into a hug and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek, Ethan gritted his teeth. Swiftly gathering his belongings, he announced to Baz that he was heading back to his hotel room. With urgent steps he exited the conference center, ignoring those who still wished to win him over with favors and flattery.  

Agreeing to share a drink with Ben later at the reception, Sawyer tried to catch up to Ethan. 

He was already several steps down the hall of their floor, when the second elevator chimed behind him.  

Not wanting to disturb any hotel guests by shouting, Sawyer jogged to his side placing her hand on his lower back to get his attention. “Hey.” The thrill of her touch reduced his blood pressure just slightly. 

Catching her breath, “I feel like I haven’t talked to you all day. How are you?” 

“Fine,” his tone curt. 

“That was quite an impressive following I witnessed down there today. I mean, I saw a bit of it in Miami, but those were mostly pharma execs,” she tried gauging his mood, “I bet you’re glad to finally have some time to yourself.” 

“Yes, I am,” he fished for the keycard in his pocket.

“Ah, the downside of fame,” she teased.

A hint of irritation in his voice, “It looked as though you had plenty of your own admirers.”

With a breathy chuckle, “The only people who approached me wanted to know what you were like,” she stated honestly.

“Hmph. Well, this is me. If you’ll excuse me, I have a couple calls to return.”

Disappointed there was no suggestion of going to the reception together, Sawyer dug into her purse in search of her own room key. “Okay. Well, I guess I’ll see you downstairs later,” she said as Ethan entered his room and closed the door. The interaction, or lack thereof, only fueled the festering feelings of insecurity.  

A couple hours later, Sawyer approached the entrance to the hotel lounge. Stopping short, she noticed how the other men and women entering the room wore formal cocktail attire. Then sashaying across the hallway in a sequined minidress, Kellie glanced to her right. She scanned Sawyer from head to toe and with a quiet but villainous laugh she walked on triumphantly. As the two-faced ginger crossed over the threshold, Sawyer heard her phony voice ring out. “Ethan. Hello handsome. Come, have a drink with me.”

Turning one hundred and eighty degrees, Sawyer retraced the steps back to her room, all the way debating whether to even return. And if she decided to return to that hyena’s den, she wondered which of the dresses in her suitcase she should change into.

Standing in front of the full-length mirror in her nicest black pantsuit, Sawyer made the decision to fight fire with fire. She thought to herself, she may not be as polished and accomplished as the Harper Emery types who paraded around downstairs, but she did have certain assets that would set her apart from the pack. And she wasn’t afraid to use them.

Shrugging her suit jacket off, Sawyer lifted the ivory silk tank top over her head and removed her bra. She carefully smoothed her wavy hair into a sleek bun and wiped the neutral colored lipstick away, replacing it with a bold shade of red. Her modest jewelry was traded for a sparkly necklace, one that would be sure to draw attention to the aforementioned assets. Tugging her jacket back on, she fastened the only two buttons located at her waist. Sawyer turned from side to side making sure she wasn’t giving too much away, and when she was satisfied, she grabbed her clutch and made her way back down to the reception. 

Meanwhile downstairs, Ethan stood at a high table sipping his whiskey neat as Kellie droned on about her recent hormone replacement study. He swept the room often, shifting his eyes to the doorway every time someone entered. 

Sawyer was a fairly punctual person. With the reception well underway, Ethan’s concern for her grew. His mind raced with all sorts of theories. The worst was that she might be off with Dr. 90210, who was also nowhere in sight. 

Finally revealing her true intentions, Kellie changed the subject. “I ran into Harper a while back. She mentioned that you two were no longer together.” 

“We are not. It was time to move on.” 

“Are you seeing anyone new?”

Ethan didn’t answer. Instead he shook his head, not in reply but in annoyance, and took a swig of his drink.

“Come on, Ethan. We’ve been dancing around each other for years now. Let’s have some fun tonight,” she pawed at his arm. 

As soon as the words left her mouth, Sawyer stepped into the cocktail bar, stealing the attention from many conversations. After briefly surveying the room, her confident form glided in his direction. Ethan chewed the inside of his bottom lip to keep his mouth from falling open. But there was little to be done to stop his eyes from roaming her exposed chest. Her bare breasts taunted him, only the lapels of her suit jacket hiding the most sensitive parts. Sawyer looked from him, to his company, and back again. “Dr. Ramsey,” she acknowledged with a nod as she sauntered past. 

“There she is!” Baz shouted as Sawyer approached the bar table where he and June shared drinks. “Whoa, step aside, Beyonce. Sawyer Brooks is the one slaying now.” 

After rolling her eyes at his ridiculousness, Sawyer looked around taking in the overall atmosphere, but June easily saw through the farce. Psychoanalyzing, she could tell Sawyer searched for reaction from Ethan and his current companion. 

“That is quite the statement you are making, Sawyer. Who exactly is the intended audience?” 

Sawyer snapped her head to June, finding a smug expression on her face. 

A few tables away, Kellie followed Ethan’s eyes as they tracked Sawyer across the room. Trying to regain his attention, she ran the lapel of his jacket through her fingers, “So, what do you say?”

He looked to the table where his colleagues stood. “Please excuse me. I need to touch base with my team,” he said, grabbing his drink and backing away. 

“Good evening,” Ethan met the table, coming to stand at Sawyer’s side.

“Hey, Boss!” Baz greeted in return. “So, how’d you all think it went today?”

June spoke, “I’d say ‘mission accomplished.’ I was approached by an editor from the NEJM who wants to write a feature about the team. And speaking of…” spotting the man, she followed him to the bar.  

So that only she could hear, Ethan leaned close to Sawyer’s ear. "You seem to be missing something.” 

“If you mean a stiff drink, then yes, I was hoping to fix that.”

His eyes flashed quickly to the fleshy mound peeking out from underneath her suit coat. “Not what I was referring to,” he straightened, “but allow me to remedy the drink issue. I could use another myself. Be right back.” 

Baz picked up the conversation asking Sawyer what she had thought about the conference, but was suddenly distracted with a passerby. “Scotty?! Scott Briscoe, is that you? Excuse me, Sawyer,” he apologized, leaving to reunite with his old college pal. 

As Ethan waited at the bar for their drinks, he looked back to Sawyer who now stood alone at the table. While it pleased him to find her staring back, he was not thrilled to see men at nearby tables eyeing her as well. 

A moment later, Ethan placed a drink in front of her and Sawyer initiated a familiar game of people-watching. As they searched for their next targets, Ethan spotted Ben schmoozing at a table in the far corner of the room. At the same time, Kellie stood nearby glaring at Sawyer. 

Ethan jutted his chin toward an exit that led outdoors. “Care to join me for some fresh air?” 

“God, yes,” she sighed with relief. 

They threw back the rest of their drinks and made their way outside, finding a long and windy path that curved around to an overlook of the ocean.

“So, what’s with the bold look tonight?”

She shook her head. “It’s actually quite embarrassing and pathetic really.” 

“What is?”

Taking a deep breath, Sawyer proceeded to tell him about the gossiping women and Kellie’s “kindness.” 

“So, anyway…I…I guess I was just feeling a bit insecure and jealous watching these women hang on you all day. And after getting hoodwinked by that Kellie woman, I decided I could either hide in my room all night or play the game using my advantages.”

“Which are?” he was curious.

“That I’m younger and hotter,” she stated proudly, earning a laugh from Ethan.  

As they continued down the path, Ethan frequently glanced over at Sawyer trying to understand the root of her jealousy. How could she have any doubt that he only had eyes for her? But he already knew the answer to that question. The uncertainty of their situation was of his own making. 

“You know there’s no reason to be jealous, right?”

When she barely acknowledged him, he reached for her hand, stopping them in their tracks. “Hey. I know I’ve spent the last several months confusing you. And I’m genuinely sorry, Sawyer. But whether it’s a crowded room or a busy hallway at work, my eyes are always and only searching for you,” he affirmed. “You stole my attention in that waiting room last year and have had it ever since,” pulling her into his arms, “I’m all yours.” 

Sawyer squeezed her arms tight around Ethan’s torso, thankful for the confirmation. 

After a comforting moment, Ethan pulled back to admire, “I wish I could tell you that jealousy looks terrible on you…but fuck, Sawyer…this sexy power play of yours is a major turn on.” His fiery blue eyes burned right through her, causing Sawyer to shiver. 

“Cold?”

“It is a bit drafty,” she giggled.

“Let me try and warm you up.” 

Ethan turned her away from him, wrapping an arm around her waist to hold her snug to his chest. Grazing his lips past her ear, she felt the warmth of his breath before he began placing heated open mouth kisses down the column of her neck. With his free hand, he caressed her goose-pimpled skin from neck to navel, his fingers slipping through the open door of her jacket. He traced around her breast before cupping it with his large palm, kneading tenderly. Not wanting to be neglectful, Ethan gave equal attention to her other side. 

Sawyer reached behind, hands holding his hips close, needing to feel more of his hardened length against her ass. “Kiss me,” she urged, tilting her head back.

Obeying, he captured her lips in a hungry kiss, savoring the taste that he had craved every day since Miami. He worked to unbutton her jacket as Sawyer nipped along his jawline. Twisting in his arms, she framed his face and traced her tongue across his lips enticing him to open to her again. 

Ethan drove himself into her until she bumped into the wooden railing. Lifting her onto the top rail, he grasped Sawyer’s backside, anchoring his hands firmly to her ass cheeks to prevent a backward fall. A convenient gust of ocean breeze pushed a flap of her unfastened jacket open. And taking advantage, Ethan buried his head into her chest licking and sucking her peaked nipple. 

Sawyer’s gasps and moans were visible in the cool night air. 

“Mmm…Sawyer,” he mumbled against her silky flesh, “...tell me you’re mine too.”

Dragging him up to eye level, she locked her legs around his waist and slipped her hand between their bodies, eliciting a gratifying groan. Lips barely brushing his, she massaged his erection and purred, “I’m yours, Ethan. Only yours.” Punctuating her declaration, she deepened the kiss. 

Pulling back for air, Ethan tilted his head upward and closed his eyes, enjoying the increased pressure and speed of her ministrations. When suddenly he felt a drop of moisture smack his face. Sawyer felt it too on her naked chest. They both looked to the sky, then to each other, bringing their foreheads together as they accepted their defeat against mother nature.

“C’mon, we should get you covered up and back inside before hypothermia sets in,” Ethan helped guide her feet back to the ground.

After adjusting their clothing and making sure the twins were safely tucked back in, Ethan took her hand in his. 

As they walked back to the hotel entrance, Sawyer leaned into him. “Ethan, has there ever been a time when you were jealous over me?” 

Without hesitation, he answered truthfully. “Yes. Many times.”

“Really?”

“Rookie, I asked you to come out here with me because I saw Doc Hollywood walk into the lounge…and I didn’t want to share.”

“Doc Hollywood?” she looked up in question. 

“The handsy blonde guy you were hugging earlier at the conference center.”

With an amused laugh, “Ben? You were jealous of Ben?”

“Why’s that funny? How do you know him?”

“His husband is my good friend from Caltech. I was in their wedding party.” 

“Oh,” he said, cheeks flushing red. “Well, either way…I still wanted you all to myself.”

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[rogueemmy]

I know many of you are having a real "what happens now", post-election panic. There's a lot of fear-mongering happening right now too. I know when my anxiety spikes, action can often be a good deterrent, and so I'll offer you the actions I, and my friends, have taken.

Order copies of all your documents. Birth certificates, social security cards, passport (if you have one), marriage license, divorce papers, all the paperwork that tells others that you exist. I got three copies - one for me, one for my partner, and then our master copy.

Get a real ID at minimum, a North American travel card, or a passport. No, really. First of all, you have just ordered all the documents for a real ID, you may as well use them! In many states that upgrade to your license is under $10 for a duplicate, in some places it is free. The travel card is cheeper than the passport, gets you on a plane and through both northern and southern borders, and again, you have all the documents! The passport gives you more travel options. It is also a great document to have handy if you are applying for new jobs, may as well get one if your budget and circumstance allow.

Document your decision makers - in most cases, parents or a spouse makes financial and medical decisions if you can not. This is generally a given. But, if you have concerns about court decisions being overturned, it hurts nothing, and costs very little, to draw up the paperwork for a medical power of attorney. Document, by name, who you want making those decisions.

Get a will - now, this sounds extreme, but frankly, every adult should have one. If you have pets, children, shared property - you need a will! Even married people need a will, in the best of times. There are will-in-a-box lawyers everywhere, your workplace may offer legal insurance that includes a will, there are even online versions, though I would prefer you do that with an attorney to ensure the fullest force. Then, if your worst fears are realized, you still have that legal document to back up your desires.

Keep cash on hand - I have a friend who is better off than I am, financially. He is planning to keep both Mexican and Canadian currency in case he needs to hop the border. Some choose gold or silver, some go with jewelry. This is more radical - personally, I just like to have enough cash on hand for a nice dinner or a tank of gas. Not always financially possible, but a goal I work towards.

Ensure you have a 72-hour kit. FEMA recommends everyone have one for disaster anyway, floods, tornadoes, hurricane, or just a heavy winter storm. A minimum of 3 days of shelf-stable food, water, and clothing. If possible, increase that supply to a week. because in a disaster, that's how long you may need to be self sufficient. And if you need it for other reasons, it's there, you have it, and can rest a bit easier.

Someone I saw today suggested a garden, yes, even a winter garden. You can grow herbs and lettuce indoors, if necessary. In some southern climates, a cold frame may be all that's needed. But make plans for some summer plants. Even in an apartment, a pot full of tomatoes and peppers and perhaps even a zucchini can greatly increase your food options if prices skyrocket. (I mean more than they already have.) Be creative, check with your neighbors or even online (carefully) for some ideas to make it work!

If you have a lawyer, a financial advisor, or other professional, they can help you with what you need to protect the partner in your life. If not, start with the above list. It gives you something to work at to still your current anxiety, makes you a more fully functioning adult, and those steps are all recommended anyway - no wasted effort. Simply consolidating things you should already be doing.

Please friends, do not panic. I've been on this planet a few decades now, and I can tell you that my worst fears have never come true. Do take action to quell your own concerns - the above list may not be for you, but there are likely very reasonable things you can do to address your own concerns. In the end, things are likely going to work out. I saw a post today that reminded everyone that there were people who lived very decent lives as the Roman Empire was collapsing.

[bitterfates]

FFXIV WRITE 2023; PROMPT 23 // 24: SUIT

The corset, while flattering to her figure, was laced so tightly that it made it more difficult to breathe than she was used to. The bonnet sat on her head in a way that rubbed against her feline ears uncomfortably, lace chafing the tips. The various bits of silver jewelry and other accessories that had been heaped on her were more ostentatious than what she’d pick out herself, but at least weren’t as heavy as the fabric of the dress. 

Speaking of the dress: it was stunning, and perfectly on-theme for the ball she had been coerced into attending. Like all the rest of the main pieces of this outfit, it was dyed the deepest black possible, with hints of white shown through as accents, like in the lace of her stockings and armlets. Even far away, it was the type of attire that one could tell was expensive by eyeing the texture alone.

Zizi felt…certainly beautiful, yes, but like one of the costly dolls that lined premier toy shops’ shelves; fragile and delicate and enchanting. It was a look so unlike her normal wear that when she viewed herself in the dressing room’s floor-length mirror, she hardly recognized herself, especially with her professionally-applied makeup and the way her hair had been styled and primped.

She took a moment to observe her whole appearance, slowly turning both left and right to see more details. She wondered if she should be grateful to receive a gift like this from her high-grade benefactor; if this was just him spoiling her, or if this was meant to be some sort of message for other purposes. 

As soon as that thought passed over her, she abruptly turned to face him, expression deliberately bland. Zizi knew this particular man’s personality well enough to know she must choose her next words precisely. “Your tastes are exquisite as ever, Ajin, but I fear I do not do justice to the image in your mind you must have. Are these clothes really suitable for me?”

He had been waiting for her to say something; she could tell by the way the corners of his mouth curled upward, dark-furred ears lazily flicking the same way. She hadn’t taken a good look at what he had chosen to wear until then, just now noticing that he had on a matching waistcoat and pants in exact fabrics and dye choice as her dress. Ah, she had realized far too late. This is another one of his power plays.

“Do you doubt me, pet? Or do you just have so little pride in yourself as to not believe you deserve nice things?” The Viera’s voice was a suave drawl as he stood up from the chair he’d been reclining in and began languidly approaching her, eyes sparkling with dark promises while he eyed her up and down. “I want both of my radiant gems to shine brighter than any star in the heavens, so I spared no expense. Everyone will know to whom you belong.” 

When he was within an arm’s reach of her, Ajin encircled his arms around her waist in an embrace, compelling her to rest her body back against his own. With a huff of irritation at the possessive words, she crossed her arms and gently turned her head to the side to not mess up her hair. He responded with a breathy laugh and squeezed her tighter, against which she put up no struggle to be released. 

(It was always a dangerous game to play with him; whether he would allow this little bit of defiance or anything but positive emotions and affirmations from her depended on his mood, and it seemed he was in an accommodating one tonight. While he had never been physically violent with her, she had learned well the lesson of how there were actions that could be taken against her that wouldn’t leave a tangible mark behind.)

He spoke again in a low, ominous whisper that had her ears tingling from the closeness and the tone. “Are you not pleased? You will be one of the most desired people in the room, coveted for your elegance alone. Many will attempt to garner a crumb of attention from you, but you will not so much as glance at any I do not approve of. You are mine, and you will not be tarnished by the likes of these beasts.”

A small motion indicating she wished to turn around was all it took for him to loosen his hold on her, allowing her to face him properly and lean up to chastely press a kiss on his cheek. Zizi could never be likened to his so-called soulmate, but she could be the other gentling influence he needed at his most domineering times too. She was strong enough for that much, at least.

“We are both yours,” Zizi responded calmly, sage green eyes locking with silver-blue. “No one will come between us. Haven’t we already promised our loyalty?”

Indeed, she continued privately to herself. Haven’t I thrown away all common sense and dignity for you? You have fashioned us into figures so wicked our own families would swear us strangers now. Are there any others better suited for you than me and him?

[wouldntyou-liketoknow]

Miles C. Peyote and Howie Thetaxi

(I’ve already made an information post like this, but said post is pretty long; in fact, it’ll just get longer and more expansive as I develop new characters and stories for [The Future Mob Project]. And I’m worried that the sheer length will make readers lose interest when they click on a link to look for a specific character. So, I’ll be making separate information pages for each character while still maintaining the all-inclusive post. Got it? Good.)

Who They’re Based Off Of: Lewis Dawkins (Dawko) and Ryan (8-BitRyan), respectively.

Their Methods of Work: When your reputation precedes you from all the way across the pond, you’ve definitely done something right! (Unless that was never your intention, in which case you’ve done something horribly, horribly wrong.) Remember the board game Mouse Trap? Well, Miles probably played it a few too many times in his youth, if the booby traps he sets up nowadays are anything to go by. Whether the goal is to kill or simply capture someone, his designs never fail to be. . .elaborate. Howie, meanwhile, doubles as a mechanic and driver. From ditching cops to running enemies off the road, he has more than enough skill to make professional racers envious. Never, NEVER forget the importance of seatbelts if you’re getting into a car with him. (Also, never put your feet on the dash. It’s rude.)

Red Attire: For Miles, a pair of leather boots (Oxblood). For Howie, a pair of gauge earrings (Carnelian)

Notes:

These two got their start in The Marble Hummingbirds, a different mob based in the UK that has had a strong alliance with The Pentas Family for years now. As part of standard underground affairs, Miles and Howie volunteered to relocate to the US and work more closely with Murdock and the others. The adjustment was a bit difficult (especially for Howie), but they both understand that it makes several aspects of business more efficient. They both retain a good balance of loyalty between their original crew and their new one.

Miles is selective when it comes to speaking. He’ll talk freely when he’s among people he trusts or is in a place that he’s deemed safe/comfortable, but when he’s out in public, he’s just. . .very quiet. He’ll still talk a little for the sake of politeness or formality, but only a little. If an area is open or unfamiliar, he’ll usually prefer to use body language and the like. (This does absolutely NOT stop him from cackling like a maniac over his traps.)

Howie has no qualms about reckless driving. Swerving, speeding, staging accidents; he can do it all without batting an eye. Whatever it takes to get himself and his buddies (plus their cargo) from Point A to Point B without getting stopped or caught. However, this mindset only applies to his personal driving. When he’s casually out and about, he can’t stand other drivers who tailgate, block lanes, cut others off, etc. If you act rude toward him in traffic, he can and will make a side-quest out of finding a way to get back at you. And yes, this extends to when he’s on the job. It’s not at all uncommon for him to go back and forth between chatting with his passengers and yelling at idiots on the road in the middle of a high-stakes-chase.

Miles has a habit of collecting plushies; especially odd-looking ones. (For example: the creepy-yet-cute stuff you might find on Etsy.) But his plushies aren’t just for aesthetic or decoration. He’s modified each and every one of them to be soft little storage units. Some have well-hidden zippers in their backs, while others have their heads function as the lids to jars stuffed inside their stomachs. Miles uses this strategy to hide valuables, such as varying sums of money or the odd piece of jewelry taken from a target.

Howie is miraculously conscious of animals on the road. That’s one of few exceptions to his typical stance on get-away-driving. He'll always make sure to avoid hitting cats, dogs, raccoons, deer. . .or squirrels. As a matter of fact, one squirrel that he managed to spare back in the day seems to have pledged a life-debt to him. Seriously, he met this squirrel while he was still working in the UK, and by now it’s followed him to the US. Wherever Howie is, the squirrel always seems to be somewhere in the background, just watching and waiting.

Along with all the get-away driving stuff, Howie has helped The Pentas Family to form its very own chop-shop. Whenever cars are stolen from targets or enemies, Howie will be there to dismantle or sabotage said cars. Legitimate parts are sold, and certain jobs involve filling a vehicle with counterfeit parts in order to frame its owner. 

Ever since relocating, both Miles and Howie live out of The Five Seasons, a hotel near the Cove Port Inlet’s city entrance. The building is connected to the abandoned subway tunnels, and the duo rotates between sharing the hidden den; Miles will use it to build/test his traps, and Howie will use it simply to store/tamper with various car parts. The hotel just so happens to be right across the street from the car repair garage (Oh, For God’s Brake!) that Howie uses for his day-job.

Current Stories: [TBA]

@sammys-magical-au

[devashivam1699]

How to Properly Clean and Care for Your Jewelry Collection

Introduction

Jewelry is extra than simply an accessory, it holds sentimental fee, represents good sized milestones,  and provides a touch of beauty to our lives. Whether it is a loved heirloom, a gift from a loved one, or a chunk you've chosen for yourself,

Each object in your moissanite rings for women series deserves  care to preserve its beauty and sturdiness. Over time, publicity to elements consisting of dust, oils, and chemical substances can diminish the luster and brilliance of your rings. Proper cleansing and renovation are crucial to keep those treasured objects.

This manual will offer you with practical and effective guidelines on how to smooth and take care of various styles of jewelry, from gold and silver to diamonds and pearls. You'll research the nice practices for ordinary cleaning, safe garage, and managing to save you damage. 

Whether you're coping with the jewelry collection or gown pieces, these pointers will assist you maintain your collection glowing and in pinnacle situations for years yet to come. Let's dive into the world of jewelry care and find out how to hold your treasured pieces searching their high-quality

How to Clean a Diamond Ring at Home

Cleaning Diamonds jewelry At home are taken into consideration as the toughest hardest on the earth. However, this does not mean that they should not be worn, so it is important to understand. how to clean a diamond ring easily at home if you want to keep it in shape. 

Daily put on regularly results within the accumulation of unwanted oil and particles that may affect the shine and luster of your new appearance. Also undesirable discoloration and scratches. (Spoiler alert: Most fine jewelry is easy to maintain as long as you follow the proper steps.) And let me just say that, as an editor and bride-to-be, I can attest that there's nothing more pleasurable than seeing my freshly cleansed glow and shine.

Your new sparkle will probably be one of the most expensive pieces of jewelry you own, so you'll definitely want to know how to clean the ring at home.

That's why I contacted Christina Gandia Gamble, professional gemologist and owner of Greenwich St. That's why I contacted Christina Gandia Gamble, professional gemologist and owner of Greenwich St in New York. With over 18 years of experience in the industry, 

General Tips for your jewelry clean

1. Regular Cleaning: Clean your jewelry regularly to avoid buildup of dirt and oils.

2. Proper Storage: Store each piece one by one to avoid scratches and tangling.

3. Avoid chemicals: Keep your jewelry away from harsh chemical compounds, perfumes and creams.

4. Handle with care: Use caution when carrying and cleaning your rings to avoid damage.

Cleaning Different Types of Jewelry

Gold Jewelry Cleaning:- 

1. Mix a few drops of dish soap with warm water.

2. Soak the jewelry for 15-20 mins.

3. Gently scrub with a soft-bristle toothbrush.

4. Rinse with heat water and dry with a tender cloth.

Silver Jewelry Cleaning:

1. Mix baking soda and water to form a paste.

2. Apply the paste to the jewelry using a soft cloth.

3. Rub gently, then rinse with warm water.

4. Dry thoroughly with a soft cloth.

Importance For Cleaning The Jewelry 

It is important to clean your jewelry properly to maintain its aesthetic appeal, ensure strength and maintain its cost. Regular cleaning restores shine and prevents stains, dust and dirt that can cause wear and tear. It also maintains hygiene by getting rid of microorganisms and allergens, And protects your wealth by preserving the market value of the Jewelry. Regular inspections at some of cleansing can detect harm early, Jewelry retains its  sentimental value, enhances its leisure and preserves memories.

Conclusion

Proper cleaning and care of your jewelry is important to maintain its beauty, value, and longevity. Regular cleaning not only restores its shine but also prevents damage. Making sure your pieces stay in good condition. By dedicating time to cleaning and checking your jewelry. You can enjoy its aesthetic appeal and best value for years to come, Preserving both your investment and cherished memories. Little maintenance goes a long way in keeping your jewelry collection radiant and timeless.