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stevieschrodinger · 11 months ago

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Link to Part Two

Part One

Eddie stares down at the plastic doodad. It proudly declares the word ‘pregnant’ on the little screen, cheerily oblivious to the fact that it's just ruined Eddie’s whole fucking life. It’s a word as well, the actual fucking word, ‘pregnant’ shown oh so confidently on the little screen. Eddie’s done a test before, one time when he had a scare as a teenager, that had been the sort that showed one line or two.

One lines for not, two for...are. Two would have looked like prison bars, which would have been ironic given being saddled with a pup is probably pretty equivalent to 25 to life.

Anyway. Eddie shakes it. Looks again. Throws the fucking thing in the bin.

Well fuck.

Eddie contemplates, very very briefly, getting rid of it. His mind and body recoil from that thought the same way it would from, like, rotted tuna. Or someone else's puke. Or like...salad.

Eddie’s Omega’s got a lot of needs and no Alpha willing to fill them. Eddie gets by, fobbing his Omega off with with a couple of short term friends with benefits arrangements and the odd one night stand. Mostly his Omega can’t tell the difference between having an Alpha and having any Alpha, so he makes do. It scratches the itch.

Unfortunately, that means this pup could have been fathered by any one of three dudes, and Eddie doesn’t have a fucking clue which of them it would be. Eddie would really rather not it be Alpha A, Alpha B is a piece of work with a big dick, and what's behind door number three would be potentially catastrophic.

Anyway. Eddie makes a decision at two am in his apartment bathroom, and it starts with two text messages, an email, and a phone call.

“Thanks for doing this so on the spur man,” Eddie tells his landlord as he hands over the keys. Ex landlord. It was only a room in a shared place. Had to share the bathroom on this floor with two other dudes, but, meh. It had been perfect for what Eddie needed, and more importantly, within Eddie’s budget.

His whole life is sitting in the back of his van, barely filling a third of the back. Which is ideal really, made clearing out quick and easy and Eddie’s uncertain about weather or not he should be doing any heavy lifting right now.

He makes three stop offs before he leaves for good, shifting the very last of his product at discount prices. He mournfully throws in his last two boxes of cigs with the last deal; going cold turkey is going to be the opposite of fun, but Eddie’s in it to win it, and he’s going to try his best as of right now.

Wayne already has the door open when Eddie hops out of his van, beer in hand, eyebrow raised, “heya old man.”

When Wayne sees Eddie dragging bags out, he lifts the brim of his cap, puts it back again, and heads inside. Eddie sees him move a couple of things out of Eddie’s old room, and although it’s empty and the bed is stripped to nothing, it’s untouched, “how long you back for?” Wayne asks him, offering a beer.

Eddie looks at the offered bottle, dripping condensation, and very pointedly doesn’t take it “so, about that.”

There’s a long drawn out moment, and Eddie’s sees the realization dawn, “oh Ed.”

“You like kids!”

Wayne sighs, pulls Eddie into a hug, “I just hope they sleep better’n you did. Don’t think I can go through that again.”

Eddie snorts a laugh into Wayne’s shoulder, all relieved. He hadn't doubted for a second that Wayne would back his play, Wayne's always been unshakably team Eddie, but to hear it said in no uncertain terms is still a huge weight lifted.

Eddie’s got a slightest curve of a bump, small enough that it’s not nearly noticeable yet, especially with Eddie’s usual wardrobe. To go along with his bump, he’s got a scan booked at the Omega Health place, an insatiable craving for garlic mushrooms, and a job.

An actual honest job. Alright, a temp job, because he’s pregnant and no one in their right mind is going to hire a pregnant Omega for a full time permanent gig. So he is, conveniently enough, covering maternity leave for a beta girl at the record store. But that doesn’t matter right now, the moons aligned, and Eddie jumped at the opportunity. He’s going to have a secure pay check for the next seven or so months, and right this second, that’s what counts.

He can’t drink. He can’t smoke. He can’t do drugs and he’s most certainly not going to party. Eddie does the next best thing he can think of; he goes to the library. This is his reward now, his fun, his safe space; he’s going to reward himself with a good book. A good free book.

Turns out registering himself for a library card is a ten minute thing, and then he’s done, bit of plastic in hand, he wonders the shelves looking for the fantasy section. He rounds the corner into the main room only to find a dude reading and signing along to a bunch of little kids. He has the book propped up on a thing to keep his hands free and the pages open so the kids can see.

He’s encouraging them to sign along with a bunch of the words.

He has good hair...like, really good hair. There’s something familiar about the guy that Eddie can't place...until he does.

Holy fucking shit. That’s King Steve.

And he’s in a library...wearing fucking gold rimmed spectacles and a sweater vest.

And he’s hot. He’s still hot. He laughs at something and leans forward to help a toddler with the placement of her chubby little fingers and Eddie’s ovaries fucking explode.

He walks away. For self preservation he walks away. He forgets what he just saw because there was no way it was real. He’s been going through a dry spell, hasn’t got laid since he moved back to Hawkins and now he’s seeing mirages of his high school crush, that’s all.

That’s all it can be.

Until Eddie goes to the fancy scanner machine to check out his little pile of four paperback fantasy books and a deep Alpha voice is asking if he needs anything and he’s, like, right there. And he smells of library and Alpha and whatever nice thing he washes his fucking sweater vests in.

Jesus.

“No,” Eddie squeaks, “I’m okay.”

“Eddie?” Steve frowns at him, tilting his read and looking over the top of his glasses in a way that should be fucking criminal, “Eddie Munson right? I thought you moved away?”

“I have. Did. I mean, I did do that. Previously. Back now. Clearly.” Shut up shut up shut up and Steve can probably smell his embarrassment because he’s standing closely enough to clearly scent Eddie and Steve’s senses must be absolutely pinpoint because his eyes drop to Eddie’s stomach, then spring up to his neck. He frowns, like, the tiniest bit.

Eddie’s pregnant, and unmated, and Steve’s clocked that in about four seconds flat which, great. Humiliation complete.

But Steve’s face clears as quick as it had clouded, the whole thing passing so fast Eddie’s now not even sure he saw it, “so it’d been cool to catch up, you wanna wait a minute, I’m just about to have lunch?”

“Errr…I mean. I wouldn't want to impose or anything-”

“Steve!” And holy shit, if Steve is the ghost of Christmas past or some shit, the second ghost just rocked up in the form of Robin fucking Buckley of all people. Eddie doesn't even understand why they’re even friends, Steve was a topnotch jock and a total fucking dickwad, and Buckley was a band nerd.

This makes less sense than Steve’s sweater vest.

“Yeah, come on Eddie, lets go sit outside,” Eddie gets tugged along in their wake, somehow, and ends up sitting on a bench outside in the sun.

Robin had a bag of take out in her hand which she gives to Steve, and he takes out a carton of something that instantly makes Eddie’s mouth water, Eddie looks back up in time to catch Steve widening his eyes at Robin, tilting his head off to the side sharply in silent gesture for her to fuck off over there. She signs something, real quick. Steve nods.

Eddie doesn’t know a single lick of sign language, but he's pretty sure that even if he did, what happened was so fast he would have missed it anyway, “so, Eddie, great to see you, but I, shit, pretty sure I’ve left the...stove on.”

Eddie frowns at the take out and back to Robin but before he can point out what a steaming pile of bullshit that is, she’s already power walking off and shouting, “byyyyeeeeeeeeeeeee.”

“I, ah, got garlic mushrooms and broccoli and some stirfry-”

It’s too late for Eddie. He’s done. Stick a fork in him. He has no idea what’s happening here but he zones in on the garlic mushroom part of that like a heat seeking missile. A secondary part of his brain is screaming loudly that the Alpha has provided, the Alpha wants to share his food with Eddie. Alpha Alpha Alpha.

Eddie takes the container and the bamboo spork thing Steve hands him, “sorry, I never get chopsticks, no fucking clue how to use them.”

“I can show you,” Eddie says, without thinking it through or registering the implication or stopping to swallow, which means he just spoke with his mouth full of food.

“I’d like that,” Steve tells him, “when can I take you out for dinner?”

Which, Eddie’s brain does stall out there. Because. Well. Lots of things. But he was pretty certain Steve had clocked his specific circumstances earlier, but now he’s not so sure, “I’m pupped,” his mouth supplies without his permission, so he shoves a whole thing of broccoli in there to try and stop it happening again.

Steve hums, eating his beef thing very neatly, “no bite though,” he points out, and Eddie makes an agreeable noise, “maybe we can fix that,” Eddie nearly chokes.

#eddie munson #steve harrington #stranger things #steddie #omega eddie because he's so pretty #mpreg #alpha steve harrington

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copperbadge · 3 days ago

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I'm beginning the first steps of a job search currently; I love my job but I'd love earning six figures way more, and nonprofit work is just never going to pay me that in my role. Job searching when you have a job is always funny because you aren't stressed about money and you come across shit you'd never find otherwise (my favorite is still the Army officer school hiring a Professor of Mass Destruction).

I'm looking at an interesting niche that's basically "nonprofit within for-profit" -- corporate foundations which are well-funded, so the pay and benefits are superior. It's a tough job to look for so I'm basically right now building a directory of big corporations and how they handle CSR (corporate social responsibility) and hiring for it. So far:

Lego is way out ahead when it comes to having a good CSR site and a good separate CSR jobsite, it's almost laughable how much better they are than the rest.

A number of corporations, particularly in the food sector (think McDonalds, Kraft, etc) now have Pandemic Planning offices.

I couldn't decide whether to feel skeptical or pleased by the fact that there are now Pandemic Planning offices, because corporations are terrible but at least they're planning for it, and then I realized most of them are either in partnership with or under the aegis of the supply chain logistics office. Which means they're not planning for health and safety, just for how to keep burgers in the buns.

I guess better supply chain planning is a good thing, but the Beer Game does tell us that all the supply chain planning in the world is eventually of limited use...

#sam works #sam's job search

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clanwarrior-tumbly · 5 months ago

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Stardew valley bachelors (and krobus and the wizard) witnessing the farmer chug multiple jars of mayonnaise. Just really slinging it back.

Okay ngl I never did this till right now and I got everybody's reactions so this is based on the responses my farmer got after doing this

Spoilers: they've all known my farmer for about 7 years so it's nothing too shocking to them,,,but it's still highly questionable lmao

.....

Shane

"Umm..."

For years, him and Pam were beer addicts...and now comes along you, the new farmer who's a very...different kind of addict.

An addict to mayonnaise, that is.

For years, people have been judging him for his habit, so it seems fair that he should be allowed to judge you 100% for having the weirdest fucking habit in the valley.

He started opening up to you (in his 2 heart event) and you're just sitting next to him, drinking mayonnaise to wash out the beer he offered you.

Only after you two get closer does he decide "well shit, they're weird..but they're also one of the few who care about me,,,"

And he eventually lets go of it altogether.

But he'll still tease you about your mayo addiction from time to time.

"What're you gonna put in the potluck this year? Gold star mayo? Or did you already eat it on the way here?"

"Oh shut up."

"Heh heh."

Sam

"Gross!"

Considering it's one of his hated gifts, this shouldn't come as a surprise to you.

But the way you've absolutely freaked him out by drinking it in front of him (and subsequently making him miss his kickflip) was hilarious.

"That's what you get for skating on other people's property." You shook your head, smirking as you bring out another jar. "You think Jodi needs some for later? Or should I just drink it in front of her, too?"

"NO! Stop. Please don't do that." Sam hisses. "One, she might uninvite you from future family dinners. And two, she'll think it's one of those weird trends and blame me for it!"

"A trend..hm? Doesn't sound like a bad idea. This town could use one more tradition." You laugh, consuming the jar and not missing the look of horror on his face.

"A-And I thought Abigail eating rocks was nuts...you two would be great friends.."

Harvey

"Umm..."

While he's well aware of the many health benefits to mayonnaise, he wonders if you know that they're best as a condiment....not a beverage you can just sling back.

"But you told me to lay off the Joja Colas, doctor," you pointed out to him. "You're telling me those are a healthier alternative to this?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying at all." He huffs. "It's just..erm..I've never met someone who enjoyed mayonnaise by itself..it sounds-"

"Disgusting?"

"N-No! I didn't mean it like-"

"I'm kidding, Harvey." You laugh a little, amused by his nervousness. "You know any side effects to drinking large quantities of mayo?"

"..none in particular, but that doesn't mean you should-"

"Then if I start feeling anything different, I'll let you know. Thank you." With a wink, you pull out some dinosaur mayo and drink it on your way out of the clinic...with poor Harvey wondering wtf that was.

Regular mayo was fine, but that green icky-looking mayo...had him gravely concerned over what you were doing to your body.

Elliot

"Why?!"

You thought you were being subtle, drinking a little bit of mayo while hanging out at his beachside cabin.

But nope.

You've absolutely horrified this man. Traumatized, even.

It's almost as bad as the time you left a super cucumber on his doorstep, and the next day he sent you a letter demanding to know who made you play this "cruel prank" on him.

In reality, you thought it'd be a nice gift and he'd make something poetic out of a rare sea creature you fished up.

Apparently not and that's when you quickly learned it's a hated one.

"Oh don't be so dramatic," you shake your head. "It's easier to carry than some full course meal."

"But you could have any other food....why that?" Elliot asks, now genuinely curious about what goes on in your mind to think mayo is a suitable choice in food.

You have no explanation though other than "it's most convenient for me and I like the taste".

So he leaves it alone but....maybe it's better not to drink it around him without warning (or drink it when he's buzzed and he may not remember you doing that).

Sebastian

"Umm..."

And here he was, on Ginger Island, hoping to get a brief vacation away from the valley and all its weirdness.

Yet you came along to visit and check on your beach farmhouse--bringing tons of mayo jars with you.

You got thirsty while talking to Seb in the hot sun, and instinctively began chugging the first thing you opened out of your bag.

You don't even realize what you've done until he gives you the strangest look ever.

"Have you always liked drinking mayo...like that?" He raises an eyebrow.

"Um..not since moving into the valley and learning how to make it." You shrugged, smiling sheepishly as you brought out another jar. This time a green color.

"What's that one?"

"Oh! Dinosaur mayo. It's a lot thicker and kinda tastes like a kale drink-"

"I'm sorry, there's dinosaurs in the mines?"

Alex

"Umm..."

"What?" You shoot him a defensive look, cradling the half-empty jar like it's your baby. "You've eaten every raw egg I give you, and I never judge."

"But..that's a little different, isn't it?" He chuckles nervously. "Eggs are great for protein! Drinking straight mayo is...erm....are there any benefits..?"

"It's easy to make with all the eggs in my coop, and um..it keeps my energy up so I don't pass out."

It's an awkward explanation, considering you simply drink mayonnaise for the hell of it and didn't think too much about the "health benefits".

But Alex completely agrees with you, not making any further comments on it in the future.

Although how he's eaten dozen of raw eggs without getting some kind of salmonella poisoning is beyond both him and you.

Perhaps you're both a little bit strange, but he eventually came to accept that about himself.

Wizard

"Umm..."

From the moment you met him and obtained forest magic, Rasmodius knew there was something peculiar about you.

From gleefully retrieving ectoplasm and prismatic jelly for his studies to assisting him in getting the dark talisman back from his ex-wife's home, he's come to trust you as a potential apprentice.

So to drink mayonnaise while looking through his catalogue of expensive magical architecture had him....a bit confused.

"What?" You look at the man standing by the bubbling green pot, his eyebrow raised in question. "C'mon, surely this can't be the strangest thing you've seen."

"No, whatever keeps your spirit and energy nourished is fine and all. But..mayonnaise seems most unconventional. That's all I'm saying. Now I must focus.."

And that's all he says about the matter, not really caring too much.

You're grateful he didn't overreact.

Krobus

"........"

"You're not gonna say anything?"

"About what?"

"About..y'know..me drinking mayonnaise?"

"Why would I? You gift me void mayonnaise. I eat it and use it as a moisturizer all the time!"

Finally, somebody who finds your habit relatively normal---but the only downside is that somebody isn't human.

Makes you often question if you're really human yourself.

It never bothers Krobus whenever you need to sling back a jar of mayonnaise and pull out another one when you return from the mutant bug lair or hike through Cindersap Forest to reach the sewers.

He thinks it's just a normal thing humans do, but when you mention how it's very much not normal in your "culture"..he thinks THEY are weird for not accepting your tastes.

Welp, at least he supports your weird yet harmless habit.

You did try void mayo once and nearly keeled over, so you stick to regular/duck/dino mayo from thereon.

#clanask #sdv x reader #stardew valley x reader #sdv sam #sdv krobus #sdv shane #sdv alex #sdv wizard #sdv elliot #sdv harvey #sdv sebastian #headcanons

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heartfullofleeches · 2 years ago

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A People Eater's Worse Nightmare

Yandere Parasite/Shapeshifter + G.N Reader blurb

Summary: They love you. What the fuck's wrong with them.

Warnings: Mentions of cannibalism

A nice big house. Large group of friends.

Yeah- this life was great.

Framed pictures of loved ones on the wall, freezer stocked full of meat. Beer cans on the coffee table and blood stains in the carpet. Such accomities made this place fitting to be their perfect home.

Shame they couldn't stick around.

[Hey, Dude! Last night was killer. You on for Sunday?]

The homeowner shoots a dismissive reply, sinking deeper into the revels of their catch present in the murky waters they reside. It was far too easy this time. A homebody with loose ties to numerous people turned the life of the party and friend group after a trip out of town. "Taking a new approach on life." And all that other horseshit that left people none the wiser to the horrors committed behind locked doors.

It was paradise, but too much of a good thing was bad for anyone's health. Getting to caught up in prey's daily life could make one sloppy. How people managed to miss those tiny spots of macroon in the rug or the smell that lingered was beyond them, but maybe that's just how primitive those claimed to be the top of the chain were. They needed to move ship, and fast.

A new message pops up on the screen, from a number simply marked with a heart.

[I had a really nice time with you last night. I hope we can meet up again soon.]

There it was. The other issue with being human. With how many lives they have under their belt, they've done this song and dance many times before. They've been married and divorced. Slept with numerous people in one night, and had committed friend with benefits deals. They could've made excuses for it all, but there was a side of them that longed for connect. An amalgamation of the feelings the one before them held and their own urges. There was many partners before this one and there would be plenty after.

So why can't they hit send?

[Hey, Y/n. Some stuff came up with my folks so I'll be out of town for a while. I'll hit you up when I get back.

A passage excuse. One that could potentially throw off their temporary mate if they were the type to overthink. For some reason, that got under their skin. Freaky. Maybe it's because they never managed to get them in the sack - or call them by their real name.

It's cool - By morning those feelings will be gone and they'll move onto the next. Just one more night and the homeowner would go back from social outcast turned devil worshipper - to a beast a little closer to home.

As their head sinks under the water, the homeowner just can't get that smile out of their head.

The parasite groans as it pull itself out of the bathtub. Hangovers were a bitch no matter what breed you were. It drags its heavy body off the floor and picks up the homeowner's phone. There's a missed message on screen. Their body suddenly feels lighter

[Hi. I saw you read my message, and I'm not trying to push things, but I wanted to invite you to breakfast if you were free.]

[Sure thing, Sweetheart. Just send me the locale]

The parasite hums to itself and it walks in front of the mirror, thinking about what to wear for its date with its partner. They open the cabinet to grab that perfume you said was nice on your second date-

What. What the fuck?

Ink slams the door shut; whiplash cracking the mirror. They stare at the exposed muscle structure of their skin, narrow eyes large as tennis balls. They - were themselves again, but they still as they did masquerading as that whiny little bitch. Their heart smiled in tune seeing that message, and their guts bubbled in anticipation for being beside the one to make them feel this way. They feel sick.

"What did you do to me. What did you do-"

Ink scrolls through the texts you've sent and photos you've taken together. You had to've done something. Poisoned them with some fucked up chemical. Snuck a part of yourself in their food to make them crave you so god damn bad.

Their search leaves them with nothing but a swollen heart and rage filled mind. They punch the mirror. Angry at the world, they still want nothing more than to see your disgustingly pretty face again.

"Fuck."

#Ink my oc #yandere oc #yandere #yandere x reader #yandere scenarios #yandere headcanons #yandere imagines #yandere x you #yandere insert #yandere blurb #yandere drabble #yandere teratophilia #yandere monster

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mariacallous · 25 days ago

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Oulu is five hours north from Helsinki by train and a good deal colder and darker each winter than the Finnish capital. From November to March its 220,000 residents are lucky to see daylight for a couple of hours a day and temperatures can reach the minus 30s. However, this is not the reason I sense a darkening of the Finnish dream that brought me here six years ago.

In 2018, moving to Finland seemed like a no-brainer. One year earlier I had met my Finnish partner while working away in Oulu. My adopted home of Italy, where I had lived for 10 years, had recently elected a coalition government with the far-right Matteo Salvini as interior minister, while my native UK had voted for Brexit. Given Finland’s status as a beacon of progressive values, I boarded a plane, leaving my lecturing job and friends behind.

Things have gone well. My partner and I both have stable teaching contracts, me at a university where my mostly Finnish colleagues are on the whole friendlier than the taciturn cliche that persists of Finns (and which stands in puzzling contradiction to their status as the world’s happiest people).

Notwithstanding this, I feel a sense of unease as Finland’s prime minister Petteri Orpo’s rightwing coalition government has set about slashing welfare and capping public sector pay. Even on two teachers’ salaries my partner and I have felt the sting of inflation as goods have increased by 20% in three years. With beer now costing €8 or more in a city centre pub, going out becomes an ever rarer expense.

Those worse off than us face food scarcity. A survey conducted by the National Institute for Health and Welfare found 25% of students struggling to afford food, while reductions in housing benefit mean tenants are being forced to move or absorb the shortfall in rent payments. There are concerns that many unemployed young people could become homeless.

Healthcare is faring little better. Finland’s two-tier system means that while civil servants and local government employees (including teachers) paradoxically enjoy private health cover, many other people face long waiting lists. Not having dental cover on my university’s plan, I called for a public dental appointment in April. I was put on callback and received a text message stating I’d be contacted when the waiting list reopened. Six months later, I am still waiting. A few years ago I could expect to wait two months at most.

The current government, formed by Orpo’s National Coalition party (NCP) last year in coalition with the far-right Finns party, the Swedish People’s party of Finland and the Christian Democrats, has been described as “the most rightwing” Finland has ever seen – a position it appears to relish.

Deputy prime minister and finance minister Riikka Purra – the Finns’ party leader – has been linked to racist and sometimes violent comments made online back in 2008. The party’s xenophobia is clearly influencing policymaking and affecting migrants. As a foreigner, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to feeling a certain chill as anti-immigrant rhetoric ramps up.

A survey by the organisation Specialists in Finland last year found that most highly qualified workers would consider leaving Finland if the government’s planned tightening of visa requirements went ahead (that proposal, which extended residence time required for Finnish citizenship from four to as many as eight years has now become law). Luckily, I am a permanent resident under the Brexit agreement.

With the coalition intent on ending Finland’s long history of welfarism in just one term, there is a risk (and hope among progressives) that it may go too far, inviting a backlash. We arguably saw signs of this in the European election in the summer, when Li Andersson won the highest number of votes for an EU election candidate in Finland. Andersson, who was education minister in Sanna Marin’s former centre-left coalition government (which lost to the NCP in April 2023), ran on a progressive red-green ticket of increased wealth equality and measures to tackle the climate crisis. She has also been critical of emergency laws blocking asylum seekers from crossing Finland’s eastern border, arguing that it contravenes human rights obligations.

Andersson’s party, the Left Alliance, chose a new leader this month, the charismatic feminist author Minja Koskela, who was elected to Helsinki’s council in 2021 after a period as secretary of the Feminist party, and as a member of parliament in 2023. Koskela argues: “People are widely frustrated with the government’s discriminatory policy and cuts to culture, social and health services, education and people’s livelihood. It is possible to turn this frustration into action.” (Full disclosure: I’m a member of the party and have helped coordinate its local approach to immigrants.)

It remains to be seen if she can build on Andersson’s EU success. Although the popular media-savvy figure appears to relish the challenge of turning the party into an election winner, Koskela faces a huge challenge. The party struggles to poll at more than 10% nationally, aside from a brief high of 11% in July. A place in government is nonetheless possible. But Marin’s Social Democratic party (SDP) of Finland (now led by Antti Lindtman), has topped the national opinion polls 12 out of 14 times since April 2023.

Meanwhile, the Finns party is polling at 16%, down from the 20.1% vote they gained in the election. These figures point to one thing: another possible SDP-led coalition government in the next parliament by the summer of 2027. This would probably include the Left Alliance and the Green League, among others. And such a coalition would aim to undo a lot of the damage done by the right.

But until then, there will be more damage to come. So while there is clearly hope for an end in sight to the country’s political darkness three years hence, this will bring little solace now to poor people, migrants, and the squeezed middle class as the long Finnish winter closes in.

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topknot32 · 6 months ago

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Designated Driver (1/2)

Rio/OFC

summary- one of rio's ladies gets too drunk to drive herself home, and all she wants is for him to come pick her up.

warnings- 18+. alcohol use, eventual smut.

word count- 4.6K

"What are we celebrating?" Annie asked, raising her shot glass to cheers.

Beth looked to her sister, then at Olivia, and she shrugged. "Surviving."

Olivia was drunk already, and that one word made her laugh. She nearly dropped her own shot glass in the process.

Even Annie was surprised. "Jesus, lightweight much?"

"Hey, I don't get out very often anymore. I never got the time," Olivia said, shooting back the tequila and quickly reaching for a lime slice on a plate in the center of the table.

The three of them were at a seedy strip club on the wrong side of town. They'd all agreed to go somewhere no one knew them, far away from their own establishment, where they wouldn't bump into anyone in Rio's crew or any husband's of the wives from the PTA or carpool list. It was such a rare thing for them to get just one whole night away from work and responsibilities. Usually their nights out consisted of meeting up with clients, passing off cash, or recruiting. So, it was a special occasion worth celebrating.

"How's Kai doing?" Beth asked Olivia, turning in her seat so she could hear better. "Is he sleeping through the night?"

Olivia still considered herself a new mother. Her son Kai, had only just turned two years old, and he'd been experiencing sleep regression. It was exhausting, but she was grateful to have Beth and Annie who always seemed to have an answer for her questions.

"Mm, sort of. Some nights he's perfect, and then others, I'm up crawling into his crib with him just so he can babble on for hours while I doze off from sheer exhaustion."

Olivia reached for another shot and took it without hesitation. It burned like none other, but she took it like a champ. It was her only night with a babysitter, so she was going to live it up.

"It'll pass. I know it doesn't sound helpful right now, but Kenny went through the same thing. Just when I thought I was going to have to throw myself off the roof, it stopped. He started sleeping through the night again, and it was like it never happened," said Beth, and Annie agreed, waving their waitress over for another round.

"I hope it ends soon," Olivia slurred. "These shifts at work plus no sleep are going to be the death of me."

"You really need to find something during the day," Annie said.

"What I do pays well if you consider the health benefits, and it keeps me close to the cops."

Olivia worked for dispatch, night shift, but she was hoping to get moved to days in the next couple of months.

"Face it," Olivia said, just as her phone started to vibrate in her pocket. "We need an inside man, and without Stan, I'm all we've got."

Annie and Beth started talking about Ruby and Stan amongst themselves while Olivia opened the new text message.

Anyone sticking their nose where it doesn't belong tonight?

Rio.

He must be out getting into trouble, doing business. They were the same thing for a guy like him. She typed out a quick response and hit send.

Not sure, I'm not at the station. Night off.

Her stomach did a nervous somersault, but she wasn't sure why. He was no threat to her here. It wasn't like he tracked their phones, or at least he never insinuated that he did. She tucked her phone away again and rejoined the other two ladies at the table. The waitress dropped off another round of shots as well as three draft beers, and Beth passed them one of each.

"Take advantage of this, ladies. We might not get the chance for this again anytime soon," Beth said with a frown. "We're about to be very busy."

Olivia went to ask why that was when her phone buzzed again.

Where you at then

Olivia stared at the text for a moment. She had the sudden urge to tell him, to see if he would pop up unannounced like he so often did, appearing out of the shadows like some ominous dark entity. It was so strong she started to type the club name, but she froze.

"Earth to Liv," Annie said, pulling her attention.

"Sorry, what?" Olivia took a sip of her beer, trying to wash away the taste of tequila.

"How's Dakota doing?"

Ah, Olivia's bouncing baby nephew. The prodigal son of her brother, Greg.

"Good, as far as I know. Nancy's really taken the title for World's Most Anal Retentive Mother."

That made Annie crack up, and Beth just raised her brows, looking at each of them. "What, she's my sister in law," Olivia said. "I can make fun of her all I want to."

Beth raised her hands in defense. "I didn't say anything."

"She tries to make me feel inadequate just because I let Kai have gluten."

"She tries to do the same thing with Ben. Even now, like a hundred years later," said Annie.

Lucy's shoulders slumped. "She tried to tell me that's why he doesn't sleep at night. Because of all the chemicals he eats." Her phone buzzed again, and her body flushed hot.

"Who on earth is blowing you up?" Annie asked, taking another shot.

"No one," Olivia said quickly. "Just a group text for some of the people at work."

Not doing anything I wouldn't do I hope

Me? Never, she responded.

He'd been dropping subtle hints for weeks, so subtle Olivia thought she might be crazy. A hand graze here, lingering stare there, a slight nod of approval when she walked into the room.

The two of them were never alone long enough for her to do any real investigating. Beth or Annie were always right around the corner, and Rio dealt mostly with Beth. She was their spokesperson. Olivia was just the artist who happened to work at the police station. Any information Rio might need from her, he could get secondhand from Beth.

Olivia found him attractive. There was no doubt about that. He was everything she'd never had, but everything she desired. Kai's father had been the safe option, the standard All American guy who was just that—safe. Predictable. Until he left her, moving in with an old college girlfriend he married two months after abandoning Olivia and Kai.

Rio was not predictable in any sense of the word, and she wouldn't necessarily consider him safe either. Unless she counted the way people looked at him when he walked in the room. It wasn't lost on her—the fear, the caution. Everyone that ran in their circle knew him, and they all knew what he was capable of. She felt that same fear every time she was in the same room as him, every time he fixed his stare in her direction.

She tucked her phone away again and turned back to her friends, trying her very hardest to focus on something other than their boss, but it was tough. Nothing good could come from it, so it was best to pretend it wasn't there.

Hours later, Olivia was too drunk to know how many, all she wanted was her bed and about a gallon of water. Beth and Annie were making friends with a stripper named Dallas, and both seemed perfectly content to talk until the sun came up. While standing in line for the bathroom, a terrible idea popped into Olivia's head, and she pulled out her phone with sloppy hands before her rational mind could tell her no. If Beth or Annie could see her, they'd rip the phone out of her hands and shame her until she was red in the face, she knew it, but she did it anyway.

Thank you, Jose Cuervo.

I need a ride, she managed to type and send with squinted eyes and slow fingers to ensure there weren't any typos. The letters on her keyboard all started to blur together, but luckily she had it memorized well enough to get it done. The response came quicker than she thought it would. She'd barely moved up one spot in line.

Address

Her stomach did a nervous flip, but she held firm and sent her location to his phone. She waited, but nothing came through, and she wondered if he was just playing with her. There was only one way to find out, and that was to wait to see if he showed.

It took nearly fifteen minutes just to make it into the bathroom, and once she was finished looking herself over in the mirror, making sure she didn't look too crazy, she headed back out to their table. She was nearly there when she caught a glimpse of him. He was standing just inside the entrance to the club, his hands in his pockets and a beanie on his head.

All black, typical, she thought, but then her heart leapt into her throat. If Annie or Beth saw him, they'd never understand. Olivia rushed over, and when Rio caught sight of her, his focus turned in her direction. She tried to play it cool, to pretend she wasn't drunk, but she definitely wasn't known for her acting skills.

"They can't see you," she said, trying to nudge him backwards, but he was an immovable object.

"Who, your date?"

She scoffed. "Be serious. Annie and Beth."

"Ahh, I see. You uh, come here often?" he asked, looking around with a one sided smirk. There were naked women everywhere they looked. Their club didn't do full nudity, but this one did.

"Can't say that I do. I didn't even think you'd show up," Olivia said, getting flustered, brushing the hair off her sweaty neck. She didn't miss the way Rio's eyes tracked the motion. She didn't know what to do or say now that he was here in front of her, but one thing was certain—Beth and Annie couldn't see them together.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't know. Because we're enough of a headache during the day?"

Rio laughed. "You aren't my headache, Olivia."

"But I'm also not your problem."

He said nothing for a moment, and then, "You ready to go?"

"Uh, yeah, I just have to tell them I'm leaving. Wait right here."

Olivia turned and weaved through the crowd, glancing back over her shoulder to make sure Rio didn't follow. She didn't trust him enough to not try and incite some drama, and she hoped he didn't see which direction she was headed.

"Hey, my Uber's here," Olivia said when she got back to their table.

Annie frowned. "What? I thought you were just going to the bathroom."

"Sitter texted me. Kai's awake and she's not sure what to do." She didn't know where the lie came from, or why it came out so easily, especially after all the tequila she'd drank.

"Oh, damn, I'm sorry. Text me when you get home?"

Olivia suddenly felt guilty about lying to Annie, one of her oldest and dearest friendships, but she kept her nerve. "Yeah, of course."

She gave them both quick hugs, and then hurried back to where she'd left Rio. He was leaning against the wall, looking down at his phone. What she found interesting was the way he hardly even glanced at the women around him. There was temptation in every direction, but he seemed to have no interest in it.

"Ready," she said as she made her way back over, and he tucked the phone away in his pocket.

"Let's go, then."

Rio guided her through the crowd toward the door, keeping just a step in front of her, parting the sea of people so they could get through. As they reached the exit, he slowed and placed a hand at the small of her back, nudging her onto the path of least resistance. Olivia was very aware of that hand and the way it felt against her skin through the thin material of her blouse. He couldn't see her face, but she couldn't contain the smile. The alcohol in her system wasn't helping matters. As soon as they were outside, Rio dropped his hand, and Olivia did her best to wipe the emotion from her face.

"I'm parked over here," he said, pointing toward the street, and she followed along beside him quietly, not sure what to say now.

They remained like that until they were in the car. She looked over at him and raised her eyebrows. "You're in pajamas."

"What?"

"You're wearing pajamas," she said again, blank faced and confused, the liquor slurring her words a little. He was in all black, but he was in sweatpants and a sweatshirt, a beanie on his head. His sharp edges and prickly demeanor were no where to be found, and in their place he seemed.. soft. It was jarring.

"I mean, yeah, I guess. It's three in the morning."

"I've never seen you in pajamas."

Rio rolled his eyes and started the car. "Put your seatbelt on."

She did as he told her to, and he pulled out onto the street. Once they were moving, he took one hand off the steering wheel to turn the radio on. Hip-hop filled the space between them, but not too loud to where she couldn't be heard if she wanted to be.

Inside the closed space, Olivia was very aware of the smell of his cologne in the air, a delicious scent, and the close proximity of their bodies. She'd never really been this close to him before, never ridden shotgun while he drove or had his arm resting on the console, his free hand on the gear shift so close to her knee he could brush his fingers over it if he wanted to without moving. Her face burned at the thought, and she couldn't seem to look away from his hand, as if she could will it to close the distance.

"Your kid at home?" Rio asked, nearly making her jump out of her skin. She'd been so lost inside her own head, the sound of his voice was startling.

"Kai, yeah, he's with the sitter." She was very aware of how the words didn't come out clear.

The silence resumed, but she noted the way he looked over at her every so often, and she shifted her legs so her knee nearly brushed against his hand. Rio wasn't stupid or oblivious. He knew what that meant, and her heart rate increased when he closed the distance, sliding his open palm over her knee and up to rest on her thigh.

Olivia had to turn her face to the window to keep him from seeing just what that did to her, but by the hum that came from his chest, he already knew. To prove she wasn't a coward, she slid her arm through his, and he flipped his palm to lace their fingers together. His thumb brushed soft lines over the skin of her knuckles. Neither of them said a word, and by the time they reached Olivia's street, her heart had slowed a little.

When Rio parked the SUV in the driveway and turned off the ignition, neither of them moved. Olivia soaked up every bit of the seconds she had left with him, the quiet seconds when he wasn't quite so scary. She looked his way and saw that he was staring up at the front door, his head resting back against the seat. The lights in the living room were on, the porch light too, but other than that the house was dark. Leah must be working on homework on the couch, and Kai was sleeping for once. Rio felt her gaze and rolled his head slowly her way, his face neutral.

"Thanks for driving me," she whispered, eyes flickering down to his perfectly plump bottom lip.

"You're welcome."

Olivia started to pull her hand away, but Rio squeezed it softly, his expression never changing. He let go then, and watched her open the door and hop out onto the pavement, heart skittering like a newborn deer.

"Do you want to come in?" she asked before she could stop the thought from taking physical shape, turning back with her hand on the door.

Rio sat up and ran his hand over his chin, scratching at his facial hair. "What for?"

She shrugged. "Watch a movie, drink a glass of wine, smoke a joint, whatever."

Rio laughed. "You smoke weed?"

"Sometimes, why, do I not seem like the type?"

He looked her over slowly, sending a chill down her spine. "No, not really."

"Well, I do, so if you want to, the offer stands. Otherwise, goodnight."

She shut the door, giving him a second to think it over, and her a chance to get control of her nerves. She headed for the front door, digging through her purse for her house keys as she went, refusing to look back over her shoulder for fear of seeing him starting up the car and leaving.

Before she got the door unlocked, Olivia heard the sound of a door closing. She smiled softly, forcing herself to remain calm and cool on the outside even though she was screaming on the inside. She felt his presence at her back a moment later, but Rio didn't say a word.

Leah—Kai's high school babysitter, was sitting on the floor in the living room with her school books spread out on the carpet. She looked up and smiled, her pink and purple braces on full display.

"You're back early," Leah said, glancing behind Olivia at Rio who stood quietly.

"I was tired," Olivia said while kicking off her shoes. "Kai asleep?"

Leah started gathering up her stuff. "Yeah, he's only woken up once. I gave him milk and he fell right back to sleep."

Olivia laughed. "I'm jealous. He keeps me up for hours lately. It's amazing I'm still standing."

Leah shoved her books into her bag. "I'm sure it'll pass. Have a good night, Miss Walton."

She headed out the front door, leaving Olivia alone with Rio again. It felt even more strange to be inside her home with him, in her safe place. He moved away from her without saying a word, heading for the bookshelves lining the far wall where she had her collection along with photos and keepsakes. Most of them were of her and Gregg as children, but there were quite a few of Kai.

"He's a cute kid," Rio said, his back to her. "He looks just like you."

She sat down on the arm of the couch and watched him. "Thank god for that."

"Where's his dad?" He turned, pinning her with his brown eyes.

"Not in the picture."

He took a few steps closer, never dropping her gaze, and tucked his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "Why am I here, Olivia?"

She sat up a little straighter, forcing a confidence she didn't naturally possess, and refused to look away. "I don't know. Why did you get out of the car?"

Rio took a few more steps forward. Now, he was only one or two decently sized ones from her, and the way he watched her was like a predator analyzing its prey long before an actual attack. It was darkly curious, almost undecided in a way. He didn't know why he'd come inside. It made butterflies take flight in her stomach. It was full of possibilities.

Before Rio could answer, she stood and moved toward the stairs. "Come on, I think I have enough weed for a joint to share."

She didn't wait to see how he reacted, and headed up the wooden staircase to the landing up above, careful to avoid any of the creaky spots that would wake Kai almost instantly. Rio followed. She could hear his quiet, carefully placed footsteps, the kind only someone who has lived in a house with small children knows how to achieve.

The master bedroom was at the end of the hallway. It was dark aside from the bedside lamp still switched on, the door cracked, and her stomach did a nervous somersault at the thought of Rio inside of it. It was such a foreign concept to her still drunken mind, but it was also exciting, and she bit at her bottom lip. Rio followed her in, and just like in the living room, he moved around slowly, taking in the decor, the discarded shirts and pants she'd decided against when she was getting ready earlier that evening, the neatly made king sized bed.

Olivia opened the top drawer of her dresser where she kept a small jewelry box she'd made in a pottery class when she was just a kid. It was misshapen and imperfect like most kids crafts, but she loved it just the same. Inside it, she kept a bottle of anxiety medication she'd been prescribed shortly after she had Kai, a loosely wrapped plastic baggie of pot, a few rolling papers, and a lighter.

"Do you know how to roll?" Rio asked.

"I'm sure it's hard to believe, but yes, I do." She gave him a sarcastic smile, her eyes nearly closing altogether, and he chuckled, raising his hands in defense.

Olivia hopped up onto the bed and patted the spot next to her. Rio just shook his head, like he couldn't believe where he was and what he was doing, before sitting beside her. After he took off his beanie and stuffed it into his pocket, he laid back flat on his back, hands behind his head, and she was very aware of the way his sweatshirt rode up. The motion exposed a strip of his stomach, and she had to pry her eyes away to focus on the task at hand. Rio stared up at the ceiling without saying a word while she rolled a pretty decent joint for someone who was drunk.

She lit it and took a deep inhale, eyes closing at the way it filled her lungs and dissipated out into her limbs. She blew out the smoke and hummed a soft sigh of contentment before passing it to Rio. When she opened her eyes, he was watching her. He took the joint and pressed it between his lips, and she held his gaze as he inhaled and held the smoke for a few seconds before blowing it into the space between them.

They remained like that for a while, quietly passing the joint back and forth until she was perfectly at ease, her limbs loose and mind clear. She fell back to lay beside him, and she felt his hand shift closer before taking hers, lacing their fingers together just like they had been in the car. She smiled, unable to hold it back, and felt her neck flush with heat. When she rolled her head to look at him, he was staring right back, and without thinking, she leaned forward and kissed him.

Maybe it was the tequila, or maybe it was the weed, but a shock of electricity ran through Olivia's body at the contact. It lit a fire in her belly, and instead of pulling away like she intended, she pressed into him harder when he kissed her back. His free hand ran up her arm to cup the back of her head, and she shifted so she could lean over him, slipping her tongue between his lips to tangle with his.

His lips were soft and warm, everything she imagined they'd be. She wanted more of him, and she slid a leg over his hips, breaking the kiss only to get a read on his reaction when she straddled his waist, palms flat on his chest. His eyes darkened as they moved down her body, taking in their new position. With just the soft lamplight illuminating his features, he looked irresistible to her.

Olivia bit her bottom lip, shifting back just enough to feel him growing hard in the confines of his sweats. The butterflies in her stomach fluttered, their wings beating rapidly when his eyes snapped shut, his hands running up her legs to squeeze her thighs tight. They kept moving up, palming the flesh of her ass, and when his eyes opened, the same fire she was engulfed in was burning there. Olivia was emboldened by the way she felt, the way she wasn't afraid of him here and now.

"What are you doing?" Rio said lowly, pinning her with his eyes.

The sound of his voice made her flush hotter, but she didn't answer verbally. She ran her hands down his torso to the hem of his sweatshirt, slipping her fingers beneath the fabric to the warm skin beneath it. Her movements were tentative and cautious. Even after all the alcohol, she wasn't sure how he would react. The thought of meeting his gaze was too much to bear, so she kept her eyes trained on her own movements instead. When she sat back and ghosted just the tip of her index finger into the band of his sweats, Rio snatched her up by the wrists, ending the exploration of his body, and sending her heart racing.

"What are you doing, Olivia?" he asked again, firmer this time.

"Nothing."

He swallowed, adams apple bobbing. "This isn't nothing." He squeezed her wrist, flexing his fingers around it, watching her closely.

Olivia was frozen, but the longer the silence stretched on, the further her mind drifted, and she shifted her hips forward. A sharp exhale left Rio's chest, and she risked a look at his face. He sat up quickly, still holding her wrist, and forced it behind her back. His lips were so close now, and her heart leapt into her throat.

"You're drunk, and you need to watch yourself," he said lowly, his chest vibrating against her own and she leaned forward to kiss him, ignoring his words completely, but she stopped when she saw the muscle jump in his jaw. "Olivia."

"Okay," she whispered, forcing herself back to the reality of their situation. This was Rio, her boss, a man who terrified her in the daytime. But right now he was touchable, less frigid.

Rio shifted, lifting his hips and tossing her down onto the mattress like it was nothing. Olivia couldn't help but laugh loudly, but she slapped a hand over her mouth to keep from waking Kai. With a growing smirk, he leaned over her, switching their positions to straddle her waist. "Close your eyes and go to sleep," he said, getting so close to her lips that she felt frozen for a moment, certain that he would close the distance.

"I'm sorry. Just ignore me. I'm not myself after three tequilas."

Rio sat back, staring down at her. "Fuckin' lightweight. Jesus Christ."

He rolled off and resumed his position beside her, but this time he laid on his side. Olivia dragged one of the blankets up over her body and nestled into them, turning slightly into her side to get comfortable. The longer they laid there, the further she drifted toward sleep. She tried to keep her eyes open, but they were so heavy and she was so comfy.

"You tired, Olivia?" Rio asked, his voice so quiet in the subtly lamp lit room she thought she dreamed it for a second. A beat later, he ran a finger softly against her cheek, brushing a few strands of hair behind her ear before caressing her chin with the palm of his hand.

"Yeah, kids will do that," she mumbled back. “You’re really not so scary, Rio.”

He continued to run his thumb back and forth against her cheek, and she couldn't resist the pull of sleep any longer. Her eyelids dropped closed, and she nestled in closer to the wall of his chest.

“Chris,” he said. “You can call me Chris.”

#rio good girls #netflix good girls #manny mayans #manny montana #good girls fic #beth boland #annie marks #Spotify

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